Epilogue #2
I’ve only spoken to the neighbors in passing, and I don’t think they’ve even realized that two men live in the house with me.
I could put them right, but I haven’t. I’m not embarrassed about the situation, I simply don’t know how they’ll react, and I don’t want to bring my babies into a world of prejudice and judgement from people who don’t even know us.
I haven’t even told the guys how I feel about it.
They would probably throw a massive party and invite everyone on the street to be sure that no one is left guessing.
Footsteps approach the house. Ariel jumps up and peers out of the window. “Neighbor incoming,” she whispers. “Now’s your chance.”
“What?” My heart is hammering my ribs. I don’t know why, but with the birth so imminent, I find that I need to psych myself up for anything that takes me out of my comfort zone. Maternal instinct, I guess. I’m protecting my babies, and neighbors are unknown entities. “No. I’m not ready.”
“Ready for what?” Ariel’s forehead creases.
“Welcoming the neighbors into my home.”
She crosses the room and places her hands on my arms. “Baby girl, you’ve got this. Who gives a fuck what the neighbors think, right?”
I nod, but I don’t mean it.
The doorbell rings.
“Come on, I’ll come with you.”
“Do I have to?” I’m whining, and I’m not proud of it.
“You don’t have to, no. I’m not going to drag you down there kicking and screaming. But the alternative is waiting until after the babies are born, and you’ll be even less mentally prepared then.”
The breath leaves my lungs with a steady whoosh. She’s right. She’s always right.
I puff up my cheeks. “Okay. But I expect full back-up from you.”
“Hey, when have I ever let you down?”
Cash or Bash will get the door, I tell myself as we head downstairs. But with the door in sight, I can see the neighbor’s shadow through the glass and there’s no sign of either of my men.
Dammit!
Ariel is going to make me go through with this, and I’m not sure I have the bandwidth for making small talk. I want to be back in the nursery upstairs, surrounded by jungle and the clean, slightly vinegary smell of fresh paint.
Deep breath. I open the door to find the woman who lives two houses down from us standing on the porch holding a container filled with cookies.
She smiles. Her eyes instinctively drift down to my belly as it starts to harden again, the contraction sending panic to my eyes and snatching my breath from my lungs.
“Hi,” I manage, clinging to the edge of the door.
“Hello, I’m Margaret. I live at number fifty-three—” she half-turns and points along the street “—I thought I’d come and introduce myself before the baby arrives.”
Margaret has gray-blonde hair, a mole tucked right in the corner by her left nostril, and sparkly blue eyes that narrow when she looks at me.
“Are you alright, dear? You must be due soon.”
“I’m fine. Practice contraction.”
It isn’t going away. I need it to go away so that I can do the right thing and invite Margaret inside rather than leaving her on the threshold. I rub my rock-solid belly. Breathe. Realize that I can relax a little when the discomfort starts to ebb.
“I’m a trained midwife,” Margaret says. “Retired now. Any questions, please don’t hesitate to come and find me. I’ll be happy to help.” She holds out the tub of cookies.
Ariel takes the gift with a smile. “Thank you. I’m Ariel, and this is Remy. We were at college together.”
“Oh, gosh, I’m so sorry.” I can feel my face growing flushed. “I’m not normally this ditzy.”
“She is,” Ariel butts in.
Margaret smiles. “No need to apologize. I was the same towards the end of my pregnancies. Could barely remember to put the milk back in the fridge. I once put my shoe in the oven. Baked it to perfection before I realized what I’d done.”
Warm, strong, arms slide around me from behind then and Cash’s face appears beside mine. A shiver travels down my spine, and I focus on keeping the neighborly smile on my face as my nipples turn to bullets.
“Hello. Margaret, isn’t it?” he says.
I can tell by the way her eyes soften and her lips turn up at the corners that he has treated her to a glimpse of his dazzling smile.
“Cassius Murray. Cash for short.” He shakes her hand. “Please, come in.” He plants a kiss on my lips. “I’ll go switch on the coffee machine.”
“Well, if you’re sure.” She watches him walk back into the house. “I don’t want to put you to any trouble,” she says to his retreating back.
Ariel nudges my side with her elbow and makes lightning shapes with her eyebrows.
I ignore her and stand aside for Margaret to enter.
She stands in the foyer, hands clasped in front of her. “When did you say the baby was due?”
I didn’t, but I don’t point this out. I’ve already left her standing on the porch for far too long. “Next month. We’re having twins.”
Her eyes widen. “I knew it when you had the Braxton Hicks back there. A double miracle.”
“She has no idea,” Ariel whispers behind me.
Bash comes out of the den to investigate the voices. His smile lights me up inside, despite the niggling concern that our first neighbor to visit is going to meet them both before she has even made it through to the kitchen.
He slides an arm around my waist and mimics his brother, lowering his face to mine and kissing me on the lips. He too, flashes a smile at Margaret, not quite as blinding as Cash’s, but irresistible, nonetheless.
Their smile is their superpower.
Beguile the opponent and swoop in for the kill before they even realize.
“Bash Murray.” He shakes her hand.
Margaret, slightly dazed, her brow furrowed in bewilderment, accepts his hand limply. “Yes,” she says as though that covers everything.
Ariel’s restrained chuckle reaches me from behind.
“Shall we?” Bash gestures to the kitchen and the aroma of coffee wafting through from the machine already.
Cash isn’t there.
Bash pulls a seat out from the table for Margaret and helps me lower myself carefully onto the seat next to her.
Ariel leans against the counter across the room and watches from a distance. It wouldn’t surprise me if she whipped out a notepad and pen and started taking notes purely for her own amusement.
“Twins,” Margaret murmurs to the room in general as Bash pulls mugs from the cupboard and lines them up on the counter.
“Runs in the family.” His wide smile over his shoulder is all for me. “But life will be a whole lot easier for us having one of each.”
“One of each.” Margaret’s eyes slide back to me and then clear. “A boy and a girl. How wonderful.”
Cash wanders through from the garden, holding a bunch of daffodils in his arms. “I thought they would look good on the windowsill.”
“Oh my.” Margaret’s hand rises to the fine silver chain around her throat and subconsciously tugs on the cross resting between her collarbones. A flush spreads through her face. “There are two of them.”
“Twins.” Ariel doesn’t even try to hide her bemused smile.
“Twins,” Margaret repeats. Her gaze darts around the room and finally settles on my swollen belly. “Which one…?” She must realize the question is insensitive and tries to cover it up with, “I mean, the father… they both… I saw you… oh my.”
She stands abruptly, catching the chair before it topples.
I should try to explain. I don’t want her to walk out of here and tell everyone she knows about the strange goings-on at number fifty-one.
I can almost hear it: Two men. Twins. Can you believe it?
She probably doesn’t even know which one is the father.
But I’m frozen to my seat, hysteria threatening to bubble up inside me and explode in maniacal laughter.
So what if people don’t understand.
I can’t expect everyone we meet to be happy for us.
But I shouldn’t let it affect who we are and what we have.
With a flash of determination and resolve, I ease myself back out of my seat, cross the room, and stand between my men. I kiss Cash’s cheek first, and then Bash. “Cash and Bash. They’re identical twins,” I say. “And I’m in love with them both.”
Margaret’s face twitches as though she is about to sneeze.
But before she can express herself, something seems to snap inside me, and water trickles down my legs, soaking through my overalls.
“Dear, I think your waters just broke,” she says.