Epilogue #2
Finally it clicks open, and Chelsea appears in the doorway, staring up at me with large eyes that look like she got caught in headlights. Her face looks flushed and her eyes a little glassy. I hold my breath for a second, not able to gauge her reaction.
“Babe?” My brows lift, my feet rooted to the spot. But then a huge smile slowly tiptoes over her face, lighting her up like the Fourth of July.
Her hands come out from behind her back as she steps into the bedroom, waving the little white stick in the air. “It’s official,” she lets out a breath like she’s been holding it for too long, “I’m pregnant!”
“Holy shit!” My hands press into my hair for a brief second and take hold. My heart skips a beat and then continues to bang hard in my chest cavity. I reach for her and she immediately folds into my arms. Her tears start to spill, I feel them instantly soak into my shirt. “Are you sure?” I whisper.
She nods. “I’ve had all the symptoms. And this just confirms it. Oh my god, Brad! I’m going to be a mom again, and you’re going to be a dad!”
I hold her to me, my own tears threatening to spill at any second.
We’ve been wild at it ever since we got together, neither of us can get enough of each other.
But this still comes as a shock. Chels has been feeling a little off lately, and she was late, very late. So, as she says, the signs were there.
Chels and Deat have been living with me since they moved in six months ago. We’ve just finished re-decorating Deat’s new room here. He loves it, especially the pool area and the tennis court. The house feels way more homey now they’re both living here.
I love coming home to them every day. And it’s still a short drive to the bakery, so it’s not far for Chels to go to get to work or Deat to get to school.
The new bakery manager, a dear woman called Eadie, is renting the little apartment above the bakery.
“Do you know how amazing that sounds?” I squeeze her tight and pull back so I can kiss my beautiful girl. My hand finds her stomach immediately, I flatten my palm over it and stare at her in awe. “Fuck, this is going to be the wildest ride yet.”
Chels laughs. “You’d better believe it.”
We’ve talked about getting hitched and having kids over this past year, I’ve always pictured having a family down the road somewhere, I just never believed it would happen this soon.
But I’m over the moon. We may have known each other for a very long time, but getting to know each other as lovers has been the most amazing experience.
“Now we’ve gotta break the news to Deat after school.”
“I wonder how he’s going to take it.” Chels bites her lip, her teeth making an indent while she considers it a little more deeply. Of course we’ve discussed that too, what would happen when this time came around. I guess we’re not going to know until we break the news today.
“I’m sure he’s going to love being a big brother,” I say. “He’s a great kid, Mama. And you did all that, raising him the way you have.”
She reaches up on her tiptoes and presses her mouth to mine in a long, deep kiss. “Thank you. I love you, baby. I’m so glad we took the plunge.”
I wipe her tears with my thumbs and pick her up by the waist. She squeals, but wraps her arms and legs around me as I walk over to the bed and place her ass down on the edge of the mattress. “I think we have just about enough time before the school run.”
“You better be careful, this is what got us into trouble in the first place,” she laughs, scooting back as I kick off my shoes and crawl over to her.
“You think I’m gonna knock you up for a second time?” I smirk.
She laughs, the sound of her obvious joy lights up my world. It always will. “You never know.”
We break the news to Deat after school, just before we head to his grandparents’ house. Then I have to call Dad and my brothers and let them know before word gets out.
“You’re having a baby?” he cries, which earns a quick glance between me and Chels.
“Yes, we’re having a baby, sweetie,” Chelsea gives him a squeeze as he stands there stunned for a moment while he takes it in.
“How do you feel about having a baby brother or sister?” I ask with more trepidation than I know what to do with.
It’s amazing that I can cut million dollar deals without breaking a sweat, but when it comes to breaking the news to a seven-year-old that he’s about to become a big brother, my gut twists and knots.
“I’d love a little brother!” He claps his hands, jumping up and down, and the sigh of relief from us both is palpable, though we still share another glance about him wanting a brother.
“Well, we don’t know yet it will be a little brother,” Chels says gently. “A little sister would be pretty cool too.”
“That’s true,” Deaton says with a little smile, but suddenly shifting, his eyes drop to his shoes.
“Hey.” I say, giving him a nudge like we often do to each other, and his body lightly rocks. “Why the frown? You know you’re kid number one, right? The firstborn in any family is so important.”
“Is it?”
“Yep. It sure is.”
Deat chews his lip for a moment, then looks up at me under those long lashes he inherited from his mama.
“But will you love him or her more because it’s your own baby?
” he asks me in a small voice, and I swear to God, my heart jumps out of my chest like a spring box.
I wasn’t expecting that. Chelsea’s hands fly up to her mouth in my peripheral.
“What? No!” I cry. “Deat!” I reach for him and pull him into my arms. “You’re my baby, too. I love you, bud. You know that. I’ll love the new baby just as much as I love you. And that’s a lot.”
He sniffs and swipes his hand across his nose. “But I’m not really yours,” he whispers, his solemness just about tearing me in two. “I’m just my moms, I don’t really have a dad, right?”
“Deat, that’s not true,” Chels says, bending down to her knees and touching him softly. “Brad might not be your biological daddy, like how we talked about before, but he loves you just as much as if you were.”
“It’s true,” I agree. “As far as I’m concerned, you aren’t just your mom’s, you’re mine, too. If you want to be?”
Deat quickly nods, his smile returning as I give him a cuddle. “You are pretty cool. And my friends all love your car.”
I laugh and give him a scuff on the head. “Well, I guess that’s as good a reason as any.”
“So then I just wondered if I could—”
We both stare at him, waiting for him to get the words out, and from the look of anticipation on his mom’s face, it looks like she too is wondering what the heck he’s going to come out with next.
“If you could what?” I ask him after a moment when he doesn’t continue.
He blows out a breath, his dark fringe blowing up with the motion. “If now I’m going to have a little brother or sister, I could maybe call you Dad?”
My heart lurches, and I can’t even stop the fucking tears that escape my eyes if I wanted to. It’s like they were just poised behind the surface, waiting to spout.
Oh, man. This kid.
The word Dad settles in my heart like a love song, one I know I’ll keep there until my dying day. I swallow, the lump in my throat instant, but hopefully short-lived.
“I’d love it if you called me Dad,” I whisper, wiping my eyes with the backs of my hand as I hug him close to me. “I love you, Deat.”
“I love you, too, Dad.” He holds me with all his might, and I wonder how on earth I got this lucky. Those words mean so, so much.
I can hear Chels sniffing too as her arms wrap around us both and tighten.
We’re all a blubbering mess, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
We’ve gotten even closer this year, but for him to ask to call me Dad is something I never knew would ever happen.
And what a beautiful thing. “I love the sound of that, Dad and Son.” Chels kisses us both on the cheek and wipes her own eyes as we all do our best to pull ourselves together.
“Now we’ve got to go break all our exciting news to your grandparents,” I say.
“How about we grab a chocolate shake on the way?” What we haven’t told him is we have another surprise — in the form of a puppy for him waiting at the shelter.
We’ve been looking at small dogs for a while, and a little five-month-old white Maltese called Max just came in.
Chelsea’s friend, Bea, told us all about it, and we went down for a sneaky visit. He’s just adorable.
We adopted him on the spot but had to wait until today to pick him up after he got the all clear from the vet. I can’t wait to see Deat’s face when we collect the little guy. He’s been wanting a dog for as long as I can remember.
“Yay!” He jumps up and down.
“We have another surprise for you, too,” his mama says.
His eyes bug wide. “Another baby?”
We both burst out laughing, but then sober quickly. I mean, geez, I never thought about twins, but I suppose it could happen. That would be an even bigger shock to the system, one I’d have to seriously prep for. “No, I don’t think so,” I say. “But something else just as good.”
“What is it?” he cries excitedly.
I shake my head. “Nope. You’ll have to wait until we get the milkshakes.”
“But you’re going to love your surprise,” Chels says. “I guarantee it.”
“You guys are the best! Thanks, Mom! Thanks, Dad!”
My heart soars. Up to this point, there’s been no greater joy to hear him say that, and to have their love. I’ll work hard every day to be there for them and prove to them I’m worthy of everything they’ve given me.
And our new puppy coming home, granted, and a new baby — boy or girl — just seals the deal. I don’t think things could get any better, but if they do, heck, I’m ready for that too.
THE END