Chapter Fifty-Two
Fiona
Hale, Dusty, Saoirse and I grabbed food in the family room. They even had sushi today. Nice.
I saw the woman with the baby, Muriel, and sat down with her. Hale followed me. Saoirse and Dusty went to sit with Tegan, Verity, and AJ. But Saoirse positioned herself so she could see me.
“Sammy is wearing a little jersey. I can’t get over the little jerseys,” I gushed. Oh, I wanted one… and the baby that went with it.
“They are pretty adorable. Are you looking to start a family soon or are you waiting?” Muriel asked, bouncing baby Sammy in one arm as she ate.
“I hope we can try during the off-season. It seems like a heat during the season might be hard to manage,” I replied.
“Yeah, unless you can work with your doctor to make sure you go into heat during the All-Star break, it can be pretty difficult. Not that I had to deal with heat, but just the whole making sure he was home for baby sex was more than enough.” She laughed. Muriel was a beta.
“I can imagine.” I nodded.
“Getting pregnant during the off-season could mean you’d give birth during the next season.
There are pros and cons to both having the baby during the season and having a baby during off-season.
I had Sammy right at the beginning of this past off-season, but you might want to talk to some of the other moms–like Patrice,” she remarked.
“Oh, I hadn’t thought about that,” I said.
“Patrice, come sit with us. Fiona needs to know about the pros and cons of baby timing,” Muriel waved her over.
Patrice sat down with her daughter. The little girl was wearing a cute dress in Knights colors. Absolutely adorable.
Her son was playing with Atticus’ twins. They had little hockey sticks and were running around. So sweet.
As she went through the pros and cons, I got a lot of concern through my bond with Hale.
I squeezed his hand. “We should take your schedule into consideration, too. Maybe you can ask somebody what's the best part of a PhD program for babies?”
Hale nodded. “That sounds good. Summer probably? Especially since that matches up with Carlos’ off-season.”
We finished eating and went to watch the warm-ups.
“Do you really want kids that fast?” he asked softly. “I mean, I know you want a bunch, but in six months?”
“It was just a thought.” I pulled him to me, resting my head on his chest. We were both wearing our jerseys with Carlos’ number on it.
More relief came through the bond. “Okay. I know I’ll be in a different place in six months. It’s just a lot in this moment.”
“I know.” Now that he said it, it made sense. I hadn’t actually really thought about how his degree might impact things. “Do we need to wait until you're done?” How long was a PhD?
He shook his head. “Not at all, Puddin’. Plenty of people have kids while getting PhDs. It’s just a lot to consider, given I’m not even sure where I’m going.”
“We’re right here,” I assured. That all had bothered him, a lot. But Carlos and I had been helping him figure out the cost of keeping his place by his university, train passes, and all of that.
Hale looked at his phone and frowned.
“What’s wrong?” I put my arm around him.
“Just Clegg. He keeps wanting more shit–and he’s mad I’m selling the formula. But I don’t want to give him any more.” He sighed.
“Oh. Well, do you have a contract with him?” I asked. Clegg? I tried to place the name. Not sure he’d mentioned him before.
He shook his head. “No. We don’t have any real agreement, other than I sometimes sell him shit wholesale to push along with his moonshine. But he’s never been this demanding.”
“Huh. If you don’t have a contract with him then you don’t have to sell it. Though do you have inventory you need to unload, given you’re selling the formula?” I asked.
“I sold him what I could spare. The rest needs to go to Grace. She wants a big sample. I don’t really want to cross the moonshiners, you know. But I wonder if the bad things with my drug are because of the people he’s selling it to. I don’t like that it’s something that happens,” he explained.
“Rightfully so.”
“There you are.” Dusty bounded over to us with Saoirse. He then waved people over.
Five women and a bunch of kids came towards us.
Four of them looked like Carlos, with the same dark hair and eyes.
The older one was probably Carlos’ mother.
One of them was smaller than the others, impeccably dressed, and done up in an understated glamorous way that took some serious skills.
The fifth, tall and formidable, carrying a diaper bag, was probably one of Anita’s alphas.
The smaller one, who had a small child in her arms, rushed over to me. “Fiona? I’m Anita. I’m so excited to have another omega in the family.”
She gave me a big hug, squishing her little one between us. The little one looked up at me and tugged my hair.
Anita took her hand. “Gentle. But it is pretty, isn’t it? It probably looks incredible on camera.”
“If I style and condition it right, it does. It’s so nice to meet you. I’ve seen a few of your shows. Carlos and I watch them sometimes,” I replied, excited to meet her.
“Of course he does.” She laughed. “Meet Chantilly, she’s one of my alphas, and my girls. The rest of my pack’s getting the snacks along with Bea’s husband.”
“Hi! This is Hale,” I added with a wave. “We love Carlos very much, you know.”
“I’m glad to hear that. I didn’t know that he was seeing anyone.” Another woman joined us. She was taller than Anita, and her hair was short, everything about her no-nonsense. “I’m Beatriz.”
“Nice to meet you,” I said.
Beatriz looked tired. There was a child holding her hand. “I didn’t know he bought a house, either."
“Carlos is a big boy,” Anita replied.
“Still, a pack, a house, it’s a lot really fast.” Beatriz frowned.
“Sometimes that happens.” Anita shrugged.
This felt like an old argument.
“Hi, I’m Dulce.” Another sister joined us. She was dressed cute, but university cute, not media-ready cute.
“Hi! I’m so excited to meet you all,” I stated.
“Same,” Hale added.
“You are so tall.” Dulce looked up at him.
That he was.
Anita hugged Beatriz to her. “Everything will be fine.”
Beatriz sighed. “I’m sure it will. It’s just a lot.”
“I know. I know,” Anita reassured.
“The one standing next to Dusty? Is that his mate?” Dulce asked. “Is she an alpha? Wow.”
Dusty and Saoirse were speaking with Mrs. Rodriguez.
“She’s stunning,” Anita agreed. “She looks like the haughty villainess–and I mean that in the best way, since she’s usually the most interesting character.”
“Delta and yeah, Saoirse’s beautiful. That’s why I spent a very long time pursuing her in Ireland and then brought her back with me. But I’ll share her with Dusty,” I agreed.
A moment later Mrs. Rodriguez came over, and Beatriz and her sisters turned to talk to Dusty and Saoirse.
“You must be Fiona and Hale. I’m so happy to meet you. I had no idea my Carlos was even seeing anyone,” she replied, more curious than mean.
“I think Carlos was afraid that I’d run away,” I joked. “But he’s stuck with me now. I’m Fiona, and this is Hale. It’s so nice to meet you. Tell me all about the cruise? It sounds like the perfect family vacation.”
The players all started coming out on the ice and like the last time the Knights were on one half, and the team they were playing was on the other.
The goalies did their stretches and a couple of the players did some elaborate stickwork.
Carlos tried to put pucks down people’s pants and Verity’s hockey boys kept smacking each other on the ass with their sticks.
It was great fun to watch as Mrs. Rodriguez told me all about her cruise and the kids kept trying to get Carlos’ attention.
“If Carlos doesn’t treat you right, you come talk to me. He’s a good boy, but he didn’t grow up in a pack, so it might take him some time to get things figured out,” she said softly.
“I’ll be patient with him,” I told her as Carlos skated over with a couple of pucks for his nieces and nephews and put them through the silly little glory hole, which was apparently actually for camera lenses.
He blew us kisses.
“Me, too,” Hale added, as we blew kisses back.
We watched until Carlos knocked over the puck tower and left the ice.
All of us were seated together. I swapped seats so I could talk with Anita. Hale was busily eating purse enchiladas, while Mrs. Rodriguez asked him about his studies.
The game was fast and furious, and I struggled to understand what was happening. But it was fun to watch. Anita knew a lot.
“Do you know how many of his games I’ve watched over the years?” Anita laughed.
Probably about as many lacrosse and rugby games as I’d been to for my brothers.
Carlos zoomed across the ice stealing a puck. He passed it to Grif who scored and everyone cheered. Except for Beatriz’ husband who wore a Shark’s jersey. Beatriz laughed and poked him with her elbow.
At intermission I stood. “Saoirse, bathroom break.”
She followed me out of the family section.
“Want to get more wine after this?” I asked.
“I’ll go with you, but I’m fine.” Saoirse shook her head as we used the ladies room.
Saoirse didn’t want more wine?
We went down to the family room. Patrice was holding her little one, who was sleeping, and eating dessert while talking to a woman I didn’t know.
I grabbed some wine and snacks. Saoirse just got a soda.
“Are you okay? Is your stomach bothering you?” I asked in Irish, pulling her down onto one of the couches in the corner.
“I’m okay. Carlos’ family is nice,” she replied.
“They are. But I was asking about you. You were so anxious today, and you’ve been sick…” I frowned. Wait. Wait. Wait.
Leaning over, I sniffed her.
“Mo Stóirín, we’re in public,” she murmured.
Nothing.
But it might be too soon. Nausea. No wine. Anxiety.
“Oooh, is Dusty your baby mama?” I blurted. I didn’t know what else fit.
She froze.
“He is. It all makes sense. Why didn’t you tell me?” I demanded, a little hurt.
“I just found out today. I needed to think about… everything first,” she admitted.