CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
“How are you feeling?” smiled Sadie at her nephews wife.
“Actually really good,” she smirked. “Once the morning sickness got under control, everything just sort of clicked. I feel wonderful. I know I’m going to be huge when I’m further along but Mitch tells me he’s not going to care.”
“And you don’t believe him?” she asked looking sideways at her.
“It’s not that I don’t believe him. I mean, he’s not lied to me so far. I guess I’m still hearing all the voices from my past. Everyone except my stepfather. Doesn’t that seem strange? The only man to never cut me down was the one not blood-related or not wanting anything from me other than love.”
“That’s what we should expect from other humans. Unfortunately, in our business, we discover that humanity disappoints us all the time,” said Sadie with a sad smile.
“Were you disappointed?” asked Marnie.
“Oh gosh, no. Not by my family for sure. Christopher and Patrick were the most annoying, hovering, loving, wonderful brothers a girl could have. Of course, I didn’t appreciate that as young girl.
But as a grown woman,” she said shaking her head, “those two came to my rescue without question. Them, and Ham.”
“Why did you have to be rescued?” asked Marnie.
“It’s a very long story but someone I trusted betrayed me in the ultimate way. We were dating, just colleagues, but I didn’t know he was married with kids.”
“I’m so sorry, Sadie.”
“I’m not. Not now. I found out I was pregnant but he had a Bruha, a witch put a spell on me. I was so messed up, Marnie. I was angry for no reason, lashing out at people, and I lost the babies. I blamed myself, I was just falling apart.”
“God, that’s so awful. How did you recover?”
“Well, Mama Irene got rid of the bad spell that was cast on me. My brothers, in spite of me being an asshole, never doubted me for a moment. But it was Ham that saved me. He comforted me, held me, loved me when I was my most unlovable. When we had Ambry, Bailey, and Cole, I knew this was where I was supposed to be, where we were supposed to be to raise our family.”
“I guess we all go through shit, don’t we?” she smirked.
“Oh, honey. Everyone here, men and women, have gone through their own shit. No one escapes that fate. We’re lucky though.”
“How so?” she asked.
“Because we’re one. One family. One tribe. One unit. We don’t leave people behind and we don’t let anyone suffer alone. If we see someone struggling, we step in. If we see someone hurting, we step in.
“We have so many brilliant people on this property, we have created a world where we don’t need to seek help outside of us. And if we do, it always, somehow finds us.”
“It truly is a remarkable place,” she grinned. “I’m worried about carrying triplets, but I feel at peace as well. I know that so many multiple births have happened here, that I’ll be okay, no matter what.”
“You can definitely count on help. Hell, Ramey delivered two sets of triplets. Mama Irene delivered four sets of twins. Mattie delivered quadruplets!” she laughed.
“I cannot imagine carrying four to full term. These men are so big, and to be honest, not being self-deprecating, so am I. I expect these babies will be huge.”
“Do you want to know their sex?” smiled Sadie.
“I’m not sure yet,” she grinned. “There’s this piece of me that wants it to be a surprise and another piece of me that says I need to prepare. I just don’t know for sure.”
“Are you worried about that doctor coming for you again?” asked Sadie. “Because, surely you know, that won’t happen. The boys won’t allow it.”
“You know, your grandfather has been the one to truly give me peace and comfort these last few weeks. Is it wrong that I look at him and think, ‘damn’!” Sadie let out a big laugh, shaking her head.
“Oh, no. Definitely not. If you knew how may girls in school felt the same way. They’d find out he was my grandfather, not my father and couldn’t believe it. Then they’d see Dad and flip out!” Marnie just smiled, nodding. “What was your stepfather like?”
“Wonderful. He had left us, left my mom, but walked back in at just the right time. She was trying to sell me to the landlord to pay rent,” blushed Marnie.
“Oh, honey. I’m so sorry.”
“I was a child, Sadie. Not even a teenager yet. It wasn’t until later that I figured out my mother had been doing the same thing with her own body. Selling it to buy alcohol mostly. I suspect some drugs. But Hal, he just took over. Petitioned the court for full custody.”
“I assume he got it,” said Sadie.
“He did but only because my mother didn’t even show up at the hearing. She skipped town, and bail, and I never saw her again. Hal, Dad, he never allowed me to feel less-than. He worked so hard just to give us a nice place to live, make sure I had nice clothes, and all the advantages of other kids.
“Any time I brought up my weight, he wouldn’t hear of it. He would tell me how beautiful I was, how smart, and that I could do anything in this whole world. He made it so that I could go to college, go to medical school, and I couldn’t save him in the end.”
“Oh, honey,” she said reaching for her hand. “He knows. He knows how wonderful you are, how successful.”
“How do I know that?” sniffed Marnie.
“Well, I suspect that’s him standing over there,” smiled Sadie. Marnie looked at her, then behind her to see Matthew, Ruby, and Irene.
“No,” she whispered. She stood slowly, feeling her head spin. “No, how can this be?”
“Belle Fleur, honey. I don’t know how long you have. Go. Go speak to him.” Marnie turned to Sadie and nodded, then hugged her so tightly that Sadie just laughed.
“Thank you, Sadie. Thank you!”
Marnie walked slowly toward the group of people, stopping a few feet away.
“This can’t be real,” she whispered.
“Hug me and find out, kiddo,” he grinned. She raced toward him, falling into his arms. It was Hal. The strong, lean Hal that she’d loved almost her whole life.
“H-how?” she cried. “How is this possible?”
“It won’t be for long, honey,” said Matthew. “You’ve got about an hour with him. I just felt as though there might be things for you two to talk about.”
“An hour. Oh, God, only an hour. But an hour!” she laughed.
“I’m always with you, Marnie. I’ve watched you forever. I’m so damn proud of my girl. I tell everyone, that’s my daughter down there. She’s so smart, brave, and beautiful. Look at you! Look what you’ve done with your life!”
“Oh, Dad,” she cried in his arms.
“Nothin’ like a hug from your daddy,” smiled Irene. “We gotta stay close for this to work. Sorry about the lack of privacy honey.”
“No. No, don’t be sorry. You’ve given me the greatest gift ever! Dad. Dad, I’m going to be a mother. Triplets!” she cried.
“I know,” he nodded. “Like I said, I’ve been watching. You’re gonna be the best mother in the whole world, Marnie.”
“You were the best dad. I should have told you that sooner.”
“You told me every single day,” he smiled. “You were there, Marnie. Always. When I worked late, you did the chores, cooked us dinner, had my clothes washed and ready for the next day. We were a team, like we were supposed to be.”
“I know what you sacrificed for me. I understand now,” she said kissing his cheek. She was surprised that it was warm and soft.
“I sacrificed nothing! We had a great life. You and me, kiddo. You were all I ever wanted. A child. A child I could call my own.”
“I am your child, Dad.” He smiled again, nodding. They spoke for forty-five minutes before Mitch showed up, returning from his mission. He was just in time to meet the man that had formed the woman he loved.
“I can’t thank you enough, sir. She’s the woman for me and I’m going to be the best damn father I can be.”
“You’re going to be spectacular,” smirked Hal. “I have no doubt. And, I have it on good authority that if you’re not, you’ll get the beating of a lifetime.” The others chuckled, nodding as Mitch hugged Marnie.
“It’s time, Hal,” said Matthew.
“Oh. Oh, no,” said Marnie. “Will I get to see him again?”
“You can always see me in your dreams,” said Hal. “I’ll be watching you always. Talk to me and if you listen carefully, I’ll talk back.”
They hugged for a long time, then he stepped back looking at Matthew, Irene, and Ruby.
“I can never thank you for doing this for me. I got to hug my girl one more time. Mitch? You’re gonna be a great dad.”
“Thank you, sir,” he said reaching out to shake his hand. “Come back any time.”
They watched as the four of them walked down the live oak lane and disappeared into a cloud of sparkling dust. Marnie gasped, then began laughing.
“Are you okay, baby?” asked Mitch.
“Oh, Mitch. I’m perfect. Absolutely perfect.”