Epilogue
EPILOGUE
brAX
Twelve months later
I stand in the doorway, arms folded, leaning against the jamb, staring at my sister and my wife. Wylder walks up behind me, filling all the open space at my side.
“Life changes fast, huh?”
“Yeah,” I say to him, unable to take my eyes off them.
Tate’s holding my niece Willow, and Iris has our daughter Nova in her arms. They’re sharing their motherhood stories like they’ve been to war, and in a way, I suppose it can feel that way sometimes.
I’ve never been so sleep-deprived in my entire life. I’m not sure how I can even see straight most days, let alone form any thoughts. How we’re supposed to keep another human alive while we’re walking zombies is beyond me, but so far, we’ve done it.
“This stage, although exhausting, is the best.”
I turn my gaze toward Wylder. “Are you crazy? I’m beyond tired.”
“Yeah, but wait until they’re teenagers, talking back to you, and boys are looking to get in their pants. That’s worse than a little lost sleep.”
My stomach twists at the thought of some grimy boy someday trying to touch my little girl. “I would murder them.”
“The mouthy teenager or the boy?”
“The boy,” I grumble, my fist immediately balling tightly.
“Maddy’s gone on one date so far. I scared the life out of the boy. I lied to him about having done hard time and that I’d be more than willing to do it again.”
I snort. “I like your style, Wylder.”
He chuckles. “I would go to prison, though. I would choke the very life out of anyone who hurt any of my girls, your sister included.”
“Same,” I tell him.
“What are you talking about?” Tate asks, drawing our gazes their way.
“How lucky we are,” Wylder says, smacking my shoulder as he strides past me to enter the living room of their house.
“Can you take her?” Tate asks, rocking on the couch like she’s stuck. “I have to pee so bad. Damn bladder will never be the same.”
Wylder takes Willow with ease. He’s had way more life experience with kids than me. I still get nervous sometimes with Nova. She’s so tiny and breakable. No matter how many times Iris tells me she’s not as fragile as she looks, I never believe her.
“Come here,” Iris says to me, tipping her chin toward the empty spot on her other side. “Our girl misses you.”
The babies were born four months apart, but Willow looks way older than Nova, who’s just over the one-month mark. In that short amount of time, she’s already grown so much that it isn’t easy to remember she was ever smaller.
“There’s Daddy’s girl,” I say, scooping Nova out of Iris’s arms carefully, supporting her head in my palm. I place her on my chest, cheek against my shirt, head pushed up against my beard. She loves this. I love this. My heart hurts for the day she’ll grow and no longer wants to be snuggled in my arms. The best part of my day is coming home to my girls and snuggling on the couch while the cold wind howls outside our place.
The front door opens, and Dad and Mom walk in, carrying two trays of food. “Lasagna is here,” Mom calls out as Dad sets down the first tray before he takes the other from her hands. “It should be enough to freeze and have a few meals this month.”
Mom’s been cooking up a storm for us since we had the baby. She’s been making double so Tate and Wylder can have some too, but their food doesn’t last as long since they’re feeding four mouths.
“Gram is bringing the eggplant.”
“Ooh,” Iris whispers, rubbing her belly. “She loves me.”
“She loves you and Tate the most,” I tell her. “You two gave her great-grandbabies.”
Iris smiles at the affirmation, but I didn’t need to tell her because my grandma does every chance she gets.
“Anyone else coming?” I ask.
“Mason’s covering the bar. Nino’s nino’ing. And everyone else is busy. Just us and my parents,” Dad says, taking Mom’s coat from her before she has a chance to scurry off into the kitchen with the lasagna.
Thank God.
I love my family, but they’ve been spending every moment they can with us and Tate’s family. The shiny new baby hasn’t quite worn off for them yet, but I think we’re getting close to that point…thankfully.
“Be back,” Iris says, taking off toward the kitchen.
“Tilly,” Hazel screeches, barreling down the stairs because she knows cupcakes are here too.
“I’ll grab them out of the car,” Dad says to Mom.
“Thanks,” she tells him as Hazel runs into Mom’s arms and squeezes her tightly.
“I’ve missed you,” Hazel says quickly.
“Have you been a good girl? Done all your homework?” Mom asks her as Hazel finally releases her.
“All of it. Straight A’s.” Hazel twists, unable to stand still when there’s anything sweet involved. “Excellent behavior too. Ask Dad.”
Tilly glances at Wylder, who nods. Sucker. The kid could probably burn the house down, and he’d say she’s an angel. Parents may not have favorites, but no one can tell me Hazel isn’t his. I’m sure there was a time when Maddy was his favorite, but I think that went out the window when puberty hit.
“Hey,” Maddy says as soon as she gets to the bottom of the steps, looking every bit the disinterested teenager.
I remember those years being filled with so many hormones I wasn’t sure what was up and where was down. Everything was so crazy, and my brain had to work double hard not to think about sex.
Dad walks in with two packages instead of the usual one. “I got them both.”
“Perfect timing. I brought you your usual box,” Mom says to Hazel, taking the top box from the stack in my dad’s hands. “And for you—” she turns to Maddy “—I made sure to grab your favorite too.”
Maddy’s eyes widen in surprise. “Me?”
Mom nods. “A girl needs her sweets.”
“If only it made her sweet too,” Wylder grumbles on the other end of the couch, and somehow, I hold in the bark of laughter that was building in my throat .
“You’re my favorite person,” Maddy says to Mom before she turns her gaze on Wylder with a smile.
Damn. That hurt my heart, and she isn’t even my kid.
“It’ll take a long time,” he says to me, “for her to get over what I said to that boy. But eventually, she’ll understand it and will drop her attitude.”
“Tate still has that attitude sometimes, so I wouldn’t hold my breath,” I tell him.
Who would’ve ever thought this would be my life? Two years ago, I didn’t even have a wife on my mind, let alone a baby. But here I am now with both, and I can barely remember what my single days were like.
All I know is that I wouldn’t go back for anything in the world.
I have everything I’ve ever wanted.
A baby.
A wife.
A life.
…and my forever.
Please turn the page to read an extended sneak peek of Need, Men of Inked Sinners #3 - Lulu Gallo’s story.