Chapter 55
Chapter Fifty-Five
FRANKIE
I am not a morning person, but waking up next to the man I love feels pretty great. I’m on my side and Danny is spooned against me, fast asleep except for Lil Danny, who’s as perky as if he’s starring in a breakfast cereal commercial. Which is amazing, considering how many workouts he got last night.
In between, we talked about our plans. I’ve decided to ask my firm if they can post me to their Reseda office. It’s not a bad commute from Santa Monica, according to Danny. I’ve also decided to keep my house in San Diego. It’s the first house I’ve owned and I’m sentimental about it. I’ll rent it out and ask my neighbor to keep an eye on it. That means I’ll have to find a rental close to Danny. I could move in with him, but we think it’s smarter if we take it slowly. However, I totally intend to take a short-term lease, because neither of us are that patient. I wonder how Danny will feel about me setting up my beer brewing equipment in his garage.
As I reach for my phone to read the time, Danny stirs and mutters something like, “And that’s my final offer.” I nudge him because it’s past seven, and we have shit to do. It’s only a few short days until Shelby’s cesarean, and we have to tie up all the details of the crush before then. Danny grunts and scowls, so I put my hand around Lil Danny. It’s like one of those videos where an owner places a treat in front of their sleeping cat’s or dog’s nose and films their reactions as they finally realize it’s not a dream and wake with a start.
“Whoa! Wazzup?”
Danny’s all wild-eyed and messy-haired.
“ We’re up.” I let go of Lil Danny. “It’s after seven and we need our orders from Nate.”
“Can we have sex first?” he says.
“No!” I protest. “I’m already at risk of a UTI!”
He starts trailing kisses down my neck and brushes his thumb over my nipples. Ridiculous how his slightest touch can make me instantly damp and insane with lust. Guess I can always buy some cranberry juice.
He focuses entirely on my pleasure, and I come fast and hard. With a shout, Danny joins me, and we collapse into a sweaty mess.
“I love you.” Danny’s voice is muffled against my chest.
“I love you, too,” I reply. “But you still have to get your ass out of bed.”
At breakfast, Nate looks stressed. Even when we assure him everything is under control. Which it is, because Danny and I are an awesome team.
By Thursday evening, even though Shelby’s her usual, cheerful self, Nate’s a wreck. Mom makes him some kind of herbal tea that zonks him out. And then it’s Friday morning, the big day, and we’re all anxious as cats in a rocking chair factory. Except Mom, of course. I must ask her what’s in that tea.
Nate heads off on his own in the pickup. Mom, Danny and I will go in his car.
“No more coffee, Danny!” I insist. “You’ll get pulled over for a drug test and you will fail.”
“I’m fine , ” he says, his feet tapping a jig on the floor. “Totally-totally- totally -fine?—”
“I’ll drive.” I snatch the keys.
Everyone’s at the hospital. Danny’s mom and dad, Ava and Cam, Chiara and Jordan, me, Mom, and Danny. Only Nate is allowed in with Shelby. The maternity ward has a family waiting room and it’s a good thing no one else is scheduled to give birth this morning because we fill the whole damn place.
“Who wants coffee?” says Ava and starts taking orders.
“None for Danny,” I say swiftly, ignoring his scowl. “His heart will explode.”
Ava grins. “I’ll get him what my dad and your mom are having. Basically, compost in a pot.”
“Yum yum,” says Danny, sourly, but he goes to help Ava fetch the drinks.
His mom has brought cookies again, and Chiara hands around a box of her dad’s cannoli. We’re all making small talk and nobody’s listening to anyone because we’re all vibrating with nerves. This whole room is humming like a hive of anxious bees.
Shelby’s cesarean was booked for nine, and it should take no more than an hour. Forty-five minutes in and we’re all checking our phones and watches. An hour goes past. An hour ten. Danny’s dad is getting restless. He stands up, and I see both Ava and Danny readying to intervene if he starts throwing his weight about.
The door to the waiting room is opened. A nice-looking male nurse smiles in.
“Congratulations,” he says. “It’s a strong, healthy girl. Six pounds, no need for incubation. Baby and Mom are doing very well. We’ll keep them here for another three or four days, then they can go home.”
“When can we see them?” Danny’s dad, of course.
“Whenever Mom feels ready,” says the nurse. “I’d give her at least an hour or so.”
Mom. Shelby is a mom. I’m an aunt!
“Holy shit, I’m an uncle,” Danny says to me.
We hug each other. Everyone hugs everyone. Danny’s dad is the biggest hugger of them all. Danny’s mom is tearful, and so is my mom. And Jordan. And Chiara . She has an actual heart, who knew?
Danny calls his sister, Izzy, and there is screaming down the phone. He calls Izzy’s twin, Max. No screaming, but a lot of happy banter. Ava calls our brother Jackson, who deafens her with a whoop, and I leave a text message for our other brother, Tyler, who I know is in class, teaching. I get a row of thumbs-up emojis immediately in reply. He’d been waiting.
Then, as if on cue, we all sit down again and release a collective whoosh.
“My knees are shaking,” says Ava. Cam puts his arm around her and kisses her temple. He’s got a huge smile on his face.
“Alright, bets on a name,” says Danny, who’s also grinning from ear to ear. “I pick Chloe.”
“Absolutely not,” says Chiara. “I guarantee it’ll be Billy. After her dad.”
“Oh,” gasps Mom. I rush over because she honestly looks like she might faint.
“I’m alright,” she tells me. “I just… I didn’t see that coming.” Mom smiles at Chiara. “Seems I have to hand my witch crown over to you.”
Incredibly, Chiara blushes. “I don’t know for sure…”
“Oh, yes,” says Mom. “There’s no doubt.”
She’s tearful again. And now, I’m crying, damn it.
Jordan hands me a tissue box. “I’ve already used most of them,” she says. “Sorry.”
I blow my nose and wipe my face. Give Mom a last hug. Sit back down next to Danny, who wraps his arms round me and holds me tight.
“I love you, Frankie Armstrong,” he murmurs. “We’re going to spoil that kid rotten, aren’t we?”
“I love you, too, Danny Durant,” I reply. “We’ll be the greatest aunt and uncle a girl can have.”