Chapter 13 #2
“It was filled with all different kinds of supplies as well. It certainly helped us,” Kean replies.
“I can imagine,” Ernest says.
“Thanks, Adhan, Ernest,” I say as they both walk in.
Adhan lays the box down, and Ernest adds some little blankets.
It’s funny watching Lyric look at Adhan. He tilts his head so far back that it looks like it is about to fall off. What amazes me is that Lyric doesn’t seem scared of him.
Adhan kneels down in front of our son and gives him a gentle smile. “Hi Lyric, I’m your Uncle Adhan, and this is your Uncle Ernest.”
Ernest kneels next to Adhan. “Hey, little man. Do you want to see something fun?”
Lyric nods, and Ernest holds out his hand and shoots mini sparkles out of his palm.
Lyric laughs and leans forward to touch them. “Gain,” he says.
Ernest laughs and does it again, this time making bubbles appear.
Lyric claps his hands, his earlier tears forgotten as he laughs.
Adhan runs a hand over Lyric’s head and again gently over River’s. “We’ll leave you to settle the children and see you in the morning, but if you need anything, you know where we are. Sly, Ebby and the boys all say goodnight.”
“We’ll make sure we make lots of coffee for you two in the morning,” Ernest tells us, standing up.
“Thanks,” Kean says. “Pretty sure we’re gonna need a bucket of the stuff.”
“Yeah, you will. Night one and all,” and with that, Ernest and Adhan leave, closing the door behind them.
“How about I put River in his box, then we can get you ready for bed?” Kean asks Lyric.
Lyric lets out a big yawn and nods.
I pick Lyric up and put him on my lap as Kean holds River out to me so I can kiss his head. Lyric leans over and kisses his head as well. “Ver,” he says, a bit too loudly.
“You have to whisper, Lyric, or your brother might wake up,” I caution.
Lyric puts his finger over his mouth and says, “Shhh,” quite loudly, I might add.
I use his finger and bop him on his nose, making him laugh.
Kean lays River down and then joins us, taking a changing mat out of Lyric’s bag. He spots the clean nappy and wipes on the bed, and pulls out a nappy sack.
“Arms up, Lyric,” I say, taking the bottom of his top and pulling it over his head.
Kean picks him up and lays him on the changing mat, blowing a raspberry on his neck. Lyric laughs and kicks his feet around as Kean takes off his trousers, then the nappy, cleaning Lyric up.
Quickly and efficiently, the new nappy is in place, and I hand Lyric’s sleep onesie to Kean.
Lyric is all but asleep by the time Kean has finished, and I gently pick him up and lay him in the crib, covering him with a little soft blanket. Kean gives him his teddy.
Lyric hugs the bear tightly and falls straight to sleep.
There is a gentle knock on the door, and I go and open it, seeing Sal there.
“Hey, Sal.”
“Sorry to bother you, but I thought you might like these night lights,” he says, handing over two plug-in lights.
I shake my head. “Thanks, I’d not even thought about them,” I reply, taking them.
“Also, don’t forget if you need to, use magic,” he advises.
“I will, thanks, Sal.”
“Good luck to the both of you. You know where I am if you need me.”
I feel Kean come and stand behind me, his hands resting on my shoulders.
“Thanks, Sal,” he says, and with a final night, he leaves, and I close the door, for a moment leaning back against Kean.
“I’m surprised Temp and Cassie haven’t turned up,” Kean says, turning me around and pulling me against him, wrapping his arms around me.
“They are probably giving us time to settle, and they’ll be plaguing us tomorrow,” I reply, wrapping my arms around him. I move my head to look at our boys. “We have children, handsome.”
Kean smiles at me. “Yeah, we do, honey. Can I just say I’m still a little shocked?”
“You can, because I am too. My heart breaks every time Lyric asks for his parents.”
“So does mine, honey. But we’ll make sure the boys remember them. We’ll put up some pictures of Reggie and Doris and tell the boys how much their parents loved them.”
“Reggie was secretly hoping for a girl, but then admitted he didn’t mind what gender the baby was.”
“I’m going to admit this just to you, but I’m glad we have two boys. I’m not sure I'm cut out to be a girl dad. She’d never be allowed to date or leave the house. I’m not even sure I would have taught her to drive.”
I quietly laugh at that. “I would probably have been the same. I can’t wait to see what Cam and Nix and Jude and Sal do when the girls get older.”
Kean grins. “Me either. You know, though, that we’re gonna make the best parents, right? Even better than Adhan or Jude and Sal or Cam and Nix.”
“It’s not a competition, handsome,” I say, shaking my head at him.
“Isn’t it, though?” Before I can reply, he pulls me in for a kiss.
I would try and heat things up, but one, the boys are in our room, and two, I’m tired.
We finally pull back.
“Let’s go to bed. River will have us up in four hours for feeding,” I suggest.
Kean nods. “Yeah let’s. I’ll pop the night lights in first.”
It doesn’t take us long to get ready for bed, with the soft glow of the night lights around the room.
I pull Kean into my arms and kiss him. “Night, handsome,” I say, pulling back.
“Night, honey, love you.”
He settles down, snuggling in and just as quickly as Lyric, we both fall asleep.