The Problem with Falling (Problems #3)

Chapter 34

CHAPTER 34

Willow

W hen Theo and I arrived at the hospital, we had a grand welcoming party. All of Nathan’s family members were there. His four younger brothers, Grant, Evan, Easton, and River, along with their mom, Laurelin.

“You must be the guy who got Willow to pause a little,” Evan said, nodding toward Theo. “I didn’t know she had it in her to stay in one place for longer than a month or so. Let alone a whole summer.” Evan sat there with a grimace because he always wore a grimace on his face.

That was, outside of whenever his two kids were around. His daughter, Priya, was off at college now. She was one of the sweetest girls I’d ever met and the best baker I’d ever come across. She and her younger brother, Timothy, were the only two things I’d ever seen make Evan smile.

A few summers back, he and I bumped heads a bit, but I knew he was a good guy. If I had it my way, he would’ve given Laney, the owner of Honey Creek’s winery, a chance. Laney was as sweet as Moscato wine, and sometimes, while in town, I’d witness her looking Evan’s way. The two were single parents and had a few rounds of heartbreak, but I figured that might be why they could’ve made sense.

They understood things that others could not.

Nathan’s other brothers were all as single as could be. Great men, too, which wasn’t shocking, based on who their mother had been. Laurelin Pierce was one of the kindest women I’d ever met.

At one point, Yara joked that Laurelin and Dad would’ve been a perfect second chance match, but truth be told, those two didn’t seem to have any interest in dating seriously again after their last two relationships. Dad had many, many women in his life since Mom passed away, but it was never anything serious. He never opened his heart up to more when it came to women.

I was almost certain Laurelin hadn’t had another man in her life since her husband passed away years before.

Still, it was always good to see the Pierce clan all together.

“So she’s that much of a floater, huh?” Theo asked.

“Yes,” everyone said in unison.

I smiled. “I just craved adventure.” I plopped down on a couch beside Yara. She kept fiddling with her hands. “Nervous?”

“Terrified. They started the surgery already. We should’ve had an update by now.”

“I’m sure everything’s okay. Positive thoughts.”

“I just hope Avery’s okay.”

“She’s Avery,” I said, resting my head on Yara’s shoulder. “She’s always okay.” Was that true? No, but it was a lie I needed to tell myself because I was nervous as ever, too. But if any of us girls would be okay through a big surgery, it would be Avery.

She was the definition of strength.

An hour passed of us all sitting packed in the waiting room. Every time one of us stopped pacing, another would hop up and take their place. It was a nonstop rotation of people standing and sitting.

The moment Nathan came into the waiting room, wearing scrubs, everyone stood to their feet. He walked in with a big smile and his hands resting on top of his head.

“So, um, we got a baby boy and a baby girl. Sterling Michael Pierce was born at 1:15 p.m. Four pounds, four ounces.”

“His middle name is Michael?” Dad asked, his eyes flashing with tears.

Nathan sniffled a bit and nodded. “Of course it is. Named after one of the best.”

Well.

Now, I was crying.

“And baby girl?” I asked.

“Riley Laurelin Pierce, a beautiful baby girl with a head full of hair. Four pounds and one ounce. They are both in the NICU, and they will be there for a while, but they are doing okay.”

They named the babies after Dad and Laurelin.

What a way to showcase love through generations.

“And how’s Mama doing?” Laurelin asked.

Nathan’s eyes released his tears as he smiled. “A fucking trooper. You should’ve seen it. She handled it so well. She’s…everything. She’s fucking everything.”

All of Nathan’s brothers headed over to him and pulled him into hugs and congratulated him. Yara and I did the same, along with Laurelin and Dad. As I glanced around the room, there wasn’t a dry eye to be seen. Including Theo, who stood back a little as he took everything in.

I walked over to him and nudged him in the arm. “Is that water in your eyes or allergies?”

He sniffled slightly and cleared his throat, wiping at his eyes. “It’s just nice, that’s all. To see a family who’s so…close. I had that with my grandparents and with Jensen, but you all have so much of it. That’s nice. I bet your holidays are amazing.”

“They are my favorite reasons to come back home.”

“I hope you never forget how lucky you are.”

Oh, Theodore…

My gentle giant.

We all took turns to see Avery. Since the babies were in the NICU, we wouldn’t be able to visit them for a while, but I was so grateful to see my sister. As Yara and I walked in with balloons and flowers, Avery smiled our way.

“Hey there, superstar,” I said, setting the flowers on a table. I then walked over to the left side of her bed, and Yara moved to Avery’s right side. We both placed our heads against her shoulders. I combed the hair out of her face. She looked exhausted but happy. “I’m so proud of you, Ave.”

“You did it,” Yara said. “You brought two babies into this world.”

Avery sniffled a little and closed her eyes. “I was so scared.”

“I know you were, babe. But it turns out you can still do hard things when you’re scared.” I kissed her forehead.

“I know it’s silly, but… I just wish…” Avery sighed. She shrugged her shoulders ever so slightly, and her words faded away.

Yara and I both knew what she’d wished, though. Because I’d been thinking it since the day I took my first breath.

I wished Mom were there, too.

Yara smiled, holding back her own emotions for a moment before her tears started falling. “Sterling and Riley are going to feel her love in everything you do, big sister. I promise. And even more…you have her smile. So they’ll see her every single day when you smile at them.”

“And maybe Auntie Willow can stick around a little because she has Mama’s eyes,” Avery said as she yawned.

I kissed her forehead. “It’s been a long day. You get some rest. We’ll come back tomorrow to check on you.”

“Okay, thank you.” Avery yawned again. “Yara, if Alex wants to make me a medium steak and some sushi rolls, I wouldn’t hate him for that.”

“Noted.”

We kissed our sister good night, then walked out to find Theo and Alex waiting for us. I said good night to Yara and Alex, telling them I’d stop by tomorrow to hang out with Teresa a little.

Once all goodbyes were said, Theo glanced at his watch. “So what’s there to do on a Saturday night in Honey Creek, Illinois?”

I grinned and rubbed my hands together. “Boy, oh boy, there’s so much I could show you. What do you want to see?”

“All the places that made you…you.”