“Well, you look happy,” Victor says to me, coming close when I walk back to the RV after hanging up with Bridgette. “So why am I wiping tears from your face?He does just that as he says it, wiping my cheeks with his thumb, looking down into my face with concern on his. “It’s nothing,” I say, tryin
Victor’s eyes flash towards me as he grins a little, pleased with himself. “The Navy teaches all sorts of things besides combat.”“Oh really?” I ask, my eyebrows up. “And were you a dishwasher for long before they put you in SEAL training?”“No,” he says, stacking the last dish and drying his hands
The next day dawns bright and, fueled with a cup of perhaps too-strong coffee – Stephen winced when he drank it – we are off on the road as soon as we can.The boys’ interest in road life is renewed, luckily, when they discover a set of bingo cards that allows them to win by looking for disgusting t
Still, he meets my eyes and nods, settling it over his shoulders. We don’t have a choice. I walk over to Stephen and Victor with the boys, who are eagerly looking towards the overgrown trail head. Stephen looks at me, though, his face worried.“Good luck, Luna,” he says, offering his hand.I take i
We walk for hours that day, until night starts to creep in on us. We’re lucky, actually, that it’s a mild February and that we’re not racked with cold. Still, despite the nip in the air, I feel the sweat pouring off me beneath my jacket. This worries me for two reasons. One, because I’m almost sure
“Please,” Alvin says, guilt written all over his little face. “Please don’t be frightened – we didn’t want to tell you, because we knew you would be frightened.”“Really, mama,” Ian says, giving my hand a squeeze. “It’s okay.”I’m almost gasping now, I’m so freaked out, my head spinning to look all
“Yeah,” Ian says, a little rueful, still rubbing his injured backside. “We didn’t want you to freak out. Like you’re doing. Right now.”“That’s it.” I say, standing up sharply, somehow managing to balance my plate of food in my hand and not spill it all over the floor. “Family meeting. In the tent.
Alvin folds his hands in his lap, shrugging one shoulder. “Ever since we were very little –““Since we can remember, I guess,” Ian picks up, miming his brother’s action.“We’ve always been able to see the magic. To notice it, when others don’t,” Alvin finishes. Both boys look apologetically Victor a
“Me me me,” he says, hardly able to contain his excitement. “My turn, mama. Please.” And he looks down, again, at his little girl. “Well,” I say, shifting her in my arms and leaning forward so Ian can better see her face. She frowns in her sleep, squirming a little and making me smile. “I was think
Several hours later, I’m changed and curled up more comfortably in my bed with Victor by my side, a baby in each of our arms, and our boys curled up like puppies at the end of the bed. Archie is on the bed too, cuddled between them. We sit quietly together, all still focused on the two little babie
“It’s all right, doctor,” I say, giving her a little smile and nodding towards the boys. “We found them.” “Oh my god,” she says, shaking her head and placing a hand over her heart. Then she frowns at them. “How did they…” “Window,” Victor says, gesturing towards it and sighing. “It’s all right. Th
“Come on, Evelyn,” the doctor says confidently as Victor squeezes my hand, his eyes darting between my face and the first baby, which the doula is now wrapping in her first swaddle. “One more push, and then you’ll be done, and you can hold your little girls.” “Okay,” I huff, sitting up and shifting
Slumped on the couch, Ian heaves a gigantic sigh. “What is taking so long,” he mutters, glaring angrily at the steps as if they’ve personally offended him. “You knew it would take a while,” Bridgette murmurs, running a hand over Ian’s soft brown hair and smiling fondly at her nephew. She sighs and
“Oh my god,” Victor gasps, instantly wide awake. “Oh my god,” he says again, grabbing my face and searching it like it has answers. “Are you – are you okay?” “Yes,” I say, nodding but then belying my answer with an immediate moan. I grit my teeth, my hand going to my stomach as I weather the contra
And between them, my three Alphas have kept me sane. Even though every other part of the end of this pregnancy has worked hard against that sanity. Very, very hard. Even though the TV is on, capturing both of our attention, Ian very suddenly turns his head towards my stomach, like a dog hearing a w
As it turns out…I cannot. I cannot spend 3 months in bed, waiting for my babies to be born. Two and a half months later, I’m basically climbing the walls, I’m going so crazy sitting here in this bedroom, waiting for my little girls to be born. I’ve done it this long, though. I’ve stayed in my bedr
“Why?” Victor asks, suddenly serious in the sea of merriment. “Evelyn, why aren’t you here? What’s wrong?” “Um…” she says, her eyes glancing away awkwardly. “Because…I went into early labor…and I’ve been put on bedrest…” The tablet cracks as it falls to the floor. Rafe gasps, reaching down for it