ROWDY
Kat and Maria lived in a comfy townhouse with plenty of colorful furniture and rugs. Their walls were covered in funky artwork. The greenish-blue couch in the family room was a soft cloth design. I settled onto it and piled up the many colorful accent pillows.
Maria appeared in her gray-and-red flannel pajamas and rested a plush blanket nearby.
“Are you sure you’ll be comfortable here?” she asked.
“I’m not going to a hotel.”
“I thought you might prefer to sleep upstairs in our crafts room. The cats might not bother you as much.”
I glanced at the nearby chair where four yellow eyes watched me from the darkness. The cats had been hiding since my arrival.
“What are their names?” I asked Maria, just to make conversation.
“Witchy and Wicked. One of them won’t warm up to you. You’ll know the other one has bonded with you when she starts driving you to madness when you’re sleeping.”
“I look forward to losing my mind.”
Maria gave me a tight smile. “Don’t hurt my sister.”
“I lost her twice. I don’t want to lose her again.”
“Twice?”
“I liked her in high school, but then you two moved away. You know how she blew me off months ago. Now, I’m planning to make things stick.”
“I want to believe you.”
“You’ll believe me soon enough. What time do you think Kat will wake up?”
“She’s been exhausted for the last few weeks. She might sleep most of the day. Getting her to eat is more difficult every day.”
“It won’t be much longer.”
“Our mother,” Maria said before correcting herself, “Our real mother never recovered from giving birth to us. She had a lot of physical and mental issues after we were born.”
“Did your father take good care of her?”
“No. He basically bought her as a mail-order bride from Estonia. She wanted a better life. He wanted a bang maid. I don’t think she had many friends. She barely spoke English. She was an unhappy woman, but she loved Kat and me.”
“Well, that won’t be Kat’s fate. She has us both. Plus, my family will swarm her like loving locusts. We’ll make sure she gets everything she needs.”
Maria studied me. She looked exactly like the woman I loved. That was who Kat was for me. No other woman would own me in the way Katarina Darville did.
After Maria went to bed, I texted my family to see where they ended up staying. Vanessa asked if they should visit Kat’s place tomorrow.
Though unsure how to respond, I finally texted, “Let me work my magic and get back to you.”
Soon, I was in the mostly dark room with only a light on somewhere down the hallway. My mind was oddly relaxed despite being in a strange place under odd circumstances. Knowing where Kat was put me at ease.
Over the last few months, I had become convinced she was married to an asshole and needed me to save her. Now, I knew she was safely down the hall, covered in her soft blankets, and sleeping with my boys inside her.
Though sleep came easily, I dreamed of crazy shit like zombie cats, screaming babies, and my mom crying in the corner. I woke up once to find a black cat sitting on my chest, staring at me.
After dozing off, I slept better with no weird dreams. The next time I opened my eyes, I found a beautiful face looking down at me.
“Kat’s water broke,” Maria said, looking sleepy. “Her blood pressure is high. The doctor has scheduled her C-section for nine this morning. We need to leave in thirty minutes.”
Sitting up, I rubbed my eyes and saw the room was still dark. My phone read six thirty. I reached for my boots while Maria worked in the nearby kitchen.
“Do you want coffee?” she asked while filling a thermos.
“Sure. I like it with lots of sugar.”
Maria smirked. “I already knew that. You apparently told Kat every little thing about yourself, and she shared everything with me.”
I smiled at the thought of Kat missing me. For months, I’d worried she had only been using my hot body to go wild.
“Can I see Kat?”
“Of course. She’s cleaned up and resting in my room. It’s on the opposite side of the hall from hers.”
Leaving Maria to pack a few things, I found Kat in a bedroom similar to her own, from the size to the décor.
“I guess our date will have to wait,” I said and knelt next to the bed, where she rested on her side. Kat gave me a weak smile. She looked so tired and pale. “Are you in pain?”
“No, I’m scared. I don’t feel ready.”
“Well, the sooner our boys are born, the sooner you can heal up and ride my dick again.”
Kat’s faint smile widened. “You’re a man with the right priorities, but I don’t think you’re considering how gross I’ll be in eight weeks.”
“No, never gross. You’re the hottest woman I’ve ever seen, and I just saw your sister.”
Kat took my hand and squeezed it. “I need to tell you something before we leave. I want you to respond honestly. Don’t just say nice stuff because I’m about to have your sons cut out of me.”
“I promise. Is this sex related?” I asked and stroked her hand.
“A little, yeah,” Kat mumbled, watching me intently. “I’ve struggled through this pregnancy, and I didn’t think I would want more children. Two is a lot, and I figured you and I weren’t a thing. But now, with you talking about a future together, I don’t know.”
“I want to keep you, Kat,” I said softly and kissed her forehead.
“I was scheduled to have my tubes tied during the C-section. Now, I don’t know if I should.”
“Do you want more kids?”
“I didn’t think so.”
“So then stick with your plan?”
Kat’s green eyes studied my face. “Do you want more kids?”
“I wanted seven when I was fifty. Since I’m not even thirty, my plan has been ruined. I’m sure I’ll be fine with two little guys whose names are?”
“I don’t want to tell you. I feel like you’ll hate them but be afraid to tell me the truth.”
“I will lie, yeah. You look miserable.”
“Are you lying about being okay with me tying my tubes?”
Sighing, I admitted, “I don’t know the right answer. I haven’t known about your pregnancy for even twenty-four hours yet.”
“I shouldn’t do it.”
“But it’s easier during the C-section, right?”
“Maybe having more kids would be best,” Kat said, tearing up and panicking. “What if something happens to me like what happened to my mom? Maria and I were all alone. If the boys have siblings, they could feel safer within their family.”
“No, baby, you’re thinking about it wrong. You grew up with only Maria, but my boys will have my sisters, parents, cousins, and a whole group of nonblood family. You shouldn’t make a choice out of panic.”
“But that’s only if I move to Little Memphis.”
“No, if you don’t move there, I’ll move here. Even if I didn’t, my family would constantly be in your business. It’s what we do. That loner thing you and Maria grew up with just won’t fly with the Reed family.”
Kat smiled at me before her face pinched. “I don’t know what to do.”
“If you think this should be your last pregnancy, have your tubes tied. I’ll be happy no matter what.”
“You’re lying.”
“No, I’m just really fucking happy to have you back in my life,” I said and kissed her. “I didn’t know my boys existed until hours ago. Now, I get to meet them.”
“Do you want to be in the operating room?”
“Only if you want me there. I don’t want to mess with your twin vibe with Maria.”
As Kat smiled, her gaze flashed behind me. I found Maria standing at the doorway.
“I have everything in my SUV,” Maria said. “The cat bowls are filled. We should go since morning traffic will slow us down.”
Wrapped in a blanket, Kat sat up and slid on her soft yellow booties. I walked with her to the SUV.
“I’ll drive,” Maria told me. “You can sit in the back and make sure Kat remains calm.”
Once we were on the road, I texted my family to let them know what was happening. Kat mentioned to Maria that I would join them in the operating room.
“I don’t know what to do about the tubal ligation,” Kat said as the hospital came into view.
“If you aren’t sure, don’t do it,” Maria said casually. “Your mind shouldn’t be on regrets. The important thing is to remain calm. Stress isn’t good for your blood pressure.”
Kat instantly nodded, but I felt her stressing. Cradling her hand, I drew her attention to me.
“Did you see the picture I sent of Elle’s son?”
Blinking rapidly, Kat broke free of her worries and nodded. “Yes, Trent is beautiful.”
“Our sons will have a cousin close to their age. My sister Lula is trying to get pregnant with her new husband. That’s another new Reed for our boys to play with.”
Kat’s expression unclenched when she imagined a big family.
“My mom and dad will be at the hospital at eleven. My sisters will come in the afternoon. I figured that would be easier than them showing up all at once.”
“Don’t they want to wait until the paternity tests?”
“No. I know these little guys are mine,” I said and stroked her belly. “You’re a smart chick. There’s zero chance you’d lie about something so easy to disprove. My parents trust me, and I trust you. It’s all good.”
Kat’s exhausted eyes warmed, and she wore a little smile as we pulled up to the hospital. Maria and I helped her out of the SUV.
“I’ll be back,” Maria said, tearing up as she stood by Kat’s wheelchair.
“How about I park the car while you take Kat inside?” I suggested, understanding that the twins needed to stay together. “You know her medical stuff and can get her ready like I can’t. I’ll be inside in a few minutes.”
Kat and Maria smiled at me with matching grins. I was struck by the beauty of identical twins. Soon, my sons would be born. I hadn’t even asked if they were identical. Hell, I didn’t even know their names!
But if my boys ever looked at me with the same joy as Kat and Maria did right now, I would consider myself a lucky man.