The Lies That We Tell

Chapter 38

Seven-ish months later…

“You got this princess, one more good push.” I brush a strand of long red hair from Rhyann”s forehead. Little beads of sweat dot her skin as she pushes. She squeezes my hand, turning my fingertips a bright pink.

Tate had to take Devon out of the delivery room after he threatened to kill the doctor for the third time, and the doctor told him that he either leaves on his own or security would escort him out. I can’t blame my brother though. I hate the idea of some strange man— doctor or not— looking at our woman’s pussy. But, the baby is coming and someone has to deliver him. I know he’s a boy because he’s my son. I don’t give a fuck who the biological father is, he’s my son, and Dev’s, and Tate”s. All three of us are gonna love this kid no matter whose balls he came from.

Rhyann thinks he’s a girl though. God, I hope she’s wrong. Not only do the guys and I have a bet going, but Rhyann loves to gloat when she’s right. She’s right a lot and so she gloats a lot.

“Almost there,” the doctor says from between Rhyann”s legs. “I can see the head. Give me one more good push, Rhyann.”

“I can’t do it,” she cries breathlessly.

“Yes you can, baby,” Devon says as he and Tate walk back into the room.

“Are you going to behave?” Rhyann asks my brother through her timed breaths.

“I swear,” he replies.

“Good, because I can’t do this without you two with us.” she tells him. Devon stands beside her, taking her free hand in his. Tate leans down past Devon and kisses Rhyann”s sweaty forehead and whispers something I can’t hear before standing up and caressing her head.

“Let’s do this,” Tate says to her. Rhyann leans forward pushing with all her strength, grunting and crying as she does.

Seconds later, the shrill cry of a newborn baby fills the air and Rhyann lays back on the bed, breathing heavily.

“Would the father like to cut the umbilical cord?” The doctor looks between the three of us. “Who’s the father?” he asks, his eyes settling on Rhyann.

“They are,” is her only reply.

“Dev you cut the cord,” I tell my brother.

“Hell no,” he says. He shakes his head wildly. “What if I hurt one of them?”

“You won’t.” Tate pats his back reassuringly as the doctor holds the naked baby in his arms.

“I don’t care who does it, but someone needs to,” the doctor says. “It’s a girl, by the way.”

I groan as Rhyann laughs softly, a small smile ticking at the corner of her mouth. The labor wasn’t easy on her. Her water broke yesterday evening, and she spent all night and most of today dilating slowly. It’s no surprise she has no energy right now.

“Changing diapers for a month, dad.” Tate laughs from the other side of Rhyann”s bed.

I glare at him. “Don’t think you won’t have your turn at a month of diaper duty.”

Devon was the only one of us who bet the baby was a girl, so he doesn’t have to do diapers for a month straight like we do. The fucker. He’s been silent since he walked over to cut the cord. When I look up and glare at the lucky bastard, he’s holding our little girl in his arms, the most serene smile on his face.

“What are we going to name her?” he asks, looking at Rhyann. Slowly he walks back over to us and hands Rhyann her daughter. That’s when I notice the bright red shock of hair on her head.

Rhyann lifts her head and takes the baby in her arms as the doctor finishes whatever it is he does down there after a birth. I don’t really care as long as he does it right. If not, he’ll have more than just my brother to deal with.

“What about Sophia, for my mom?” Rhyann asks us. “And Jewel for Gemma.” My sister always hated her name. I remember one time she asked why our parents named her Gemma and not something like Jewel.

“I think it’s perfect,” Tate says with a smile.

“So do I,” I agree.

“Both women would be honored to have her named after them.” Devon kisses Rhyann and then Tate, earning him a raised brow from a couple of nurses. This is our family, and we aren’t going to hide it from anyone.

“Welcome to the family, Sophia Jewel,” Rhyann says to our daughter.

Five Years Later…

It’s a beautiful evening, and I am exhausted. We spent the entire day unpacking boxes. Dev and Liam argued over whether or not I should be lifting things in my condition. Ha! My condition. One of them put me in this condition, and I’m pretty sure it was Tate. He’s been feeling a little left out since Adriana was born. Who knew the Morris twins would be perfect girl dads?

Tomorrow is Addy’s third birthday, and I want everything to be prepared when her grandparents arrive. Kathleen and Phil drove up today to help us unpack and have settled into the role of pseudo grandparents to our girls. Kathleen says watching the girls is like watching me and Gemma play when we were kids. It helps that Sophia looks just like me with the wild red hair and green eyes. Little Addy came along two years after Sophie with jet black hair, like her auntie, and blue eyes. The guys and I agreed that unless it’s a life or death situation— like donating a body part— we didn’t want a DNA test to know who fathered our girls. The same goes for this baby too.

I have a feeling this one’s a boy, and when I told Kathleen and Phil the name I picked, I swear I could see tears in the old man’s eyes. Garrett Phillip. All of their last names are Devereux, because none of the guys wanted to hyphenate three last names. Tate said the kids would be picked on as it is for having three dads, the last thing they needed was the long name to add fuel to the fire. Kids can be so cruel at times.

“A peanut butter, cocoa puff, and marshmallow fluff sandwich for the lady of the house.” Tate sits on the front steps beside me, a plate with the aforementioned pregnancy craving in one hand, and a big glass of milk in the other. “Kathleen looked at me like I lost my mind when she saw what I was putting together.”

I take the offered food from Tate and bite into the gooey sweetness. “Did you tell her it was for me?” I ask, my mouth full of bread and cereal.

“I did, and she said your cravings are worse with this one.” He laughs and pulls me into his arms. “She just left, but said to tell you she’ll be back in the morning to set up for Addy’s party. She doesn’t want you to lift a finger tomorrow.” I glare at Tate. I was on bed rest for the last month of pregnancy with Adriana, and no one has forgotten. They’ve all become over protective beasts- even Kathleen and Sarah. But I don’t mind. They’re all my family, and I couldn’t ask for more in this life.

I have three men who love me more than I could ever imagine, two beautiful daughters, and another baby on the way. I also have in-laws, even though none of us are legally married, and two people who love me as though I were their daughter.

“I drew you a bath,” Tate says, interrupting my thoughts. “As soon as you’re done with that, I’ll take you upstairs and help you relax.” He winks as he finishes his sentence. God, I love this man.

I look out over the front yard where Devon and Liam are having a tea party with the girls. Dev, dressed in his usual black t-shirt and black jeans, has a sparkly crown on his head as he sips from a pink plastic tea cup— with his pinky raised. Liam is strutting around the makeshift table pouring tea with a purple feather boa around his neck and plastic gem earrings clipped to his earlobes. I choke on the bread as I laugh at the scene before us.

“Do you think we have time before they notice we’re gone?” I ask Tate.

He smiles at me and kisses my temple. “Why do you think those two are hamming it up for the girls right now? It was their idea.” I asked Tate to step in and handle business at Devereux Publications when I found out I was pregnant again, so I haven’t spent much time with him. None of us have. This sweet gesture from the other two men I love is a testament to the bond we share, the love we have for each other.

“Well, let’s go then.” I sit the empty glass and half eaten sandwich on the porch. “Before Devon decides he’s had enough of his brother’s inner debutant.” We both laugh as Tate helps me stand.

If this is what happily ever after is, then I really am living my own fairytale.