Chapter 145
Chapter One Hundred-Forty-Five
Robin
Our new suite is above the medical ward. Shayne sent the floor and room number to Jay while Falcon and I were in the security office. We follow Jay as he leads us down the corridor and up the staircase. Falcon offers to carry the baby, but my mother insists she’s used to carrying her.
When we get up the two flights of stairs, we find our room at the end of the corridor.
The door is open on approach, and Shayne comes out and rushes over to hug me.
“You’re back!” he enthuses. “We were so worried. Until Falcon called to say you were safe, and on your way back home, I mean.”
He steps back and looks at my mom. “You must be Scarlett Yates. It’s so good to meet you.”
She looks from Shayne to me and back again. “It’s nice to see my daughter has such wonderful mates. I’m sorry, I’m not sure of your name?”
“It’s Shayne. Harper’s inside making sandwiches. He thought you guys might be hungry, and considering we were drugged by that cook earlier, we decided making something ourselves might be better.” He leads us into the new suite, and I see it’s not so different to the old one.
The living area’s a little bigger, with two L-Shaped leather couches and an even bigger flat screen TV on the wall, but other than that, the main difference is that there’s a bedroom to the left, and another to the right.
There’s a plate covered in foil on the table, and I see Harper’s still making sandwiches at the kitchen counter, like Shayne said he would be.
“Hey,” I say, smiling at him. “How are you doing?”
He drops his knife on the counter and comes over to hug me.
“I missed you so much!”
“I missed you, too,” I admit, hugging him back.
When he lets go, I introduce him to my mom.
“This is Scarlett Yates, my mom.”
“It’s so good to meet you,” he says, grinning from ear to ear. “We all thought … Uh, I mean …”
“It’s okay,” my mom says. “I know I was assumed dead. Steve often taunted me with that fact.”
“That is so fucking awful,” Harper murmurs. “I’m so sorry.”
My mom shrugs. “The past is past. I’d rather concentrate on the future. Especially now.”
She rocks the carrier and Harper’s mouth drops open.
“You have a baby!” He drops to his knees beside the carrier and fusses over the baby, making her giggle. “Oh my God. You’re so cute!”
I can’t keep the smile from my face. “Let’s get you set up in your room, Mom. You probably want to get her settled.”
She nods. “I should. It’s a little bit past her bedtime, and it’s been a strange day.”
“Which room is …” I start, before Shayne points it out.
“We kept the same side for us and left the other room empty.”
I nod and show my mom over to her room, Falcon following us with her makeshift bag.
My mom puts the baby’s carrier by the side of the bed.
“My goodness,” she murmurs. “The bed is so big.”
Falcon walks over to the walk-in closet and sets her bag down inside.
“We can go get whatever else you need for the baby in the morning,” he says.
“Thank you.” My mother stands there, by the side of the bed, looking vaguely bewildered.
“Are you okay?” I ask, worried again, because of everything she’s been through.
“It’s like a dream,” she admits. “You’re with me, and I’m not stuck in that awful place anymore. I don’t know how many times I went to sleep wishing I had you next to me.”
“I can stay with you tonight if you want me to.”
She smiles. “You don’t have to do that. It’s enough to be here with you.”
I hug her, and she hugs me back tightly.
We have a lot of lost time to make up for, but it’s late and we’re all dead on our feet.
“Does the baby need to be fed again soon, or anything?” I ask as we break apart.
“In a little while. I have some formula and a bottle I can use. I’ll come out and use your kitchen to warm it once I’ve gotten us both ready for bedtime.”
“We’ll let you get ready, then.”
I nod at Falcon, and we leave the room, closing the door over so that it’s still a little bit ajar.
It doesn’t feel right closing her out completely after what she’s been through.
“What now?” Falcon asks.
“Um, I think Harper made us some sandwiches, and then we have a new nest to get used to.”
He puts his arm around me as we make our way over to the table.
Jay’s already eating when we take our seats.
Harper’s sitting behind the counter with Shayne.
“There aren’t enough chairs for the table,” Harper explains.
“We can add chairs to tomorrow’s shopping list,” Falcon tells him.
“Ooh, shopping,” Harper murmurs. “Where are we going? What are we getting?”
“Things for the baby, and for Robin’s mom,” Falcon says.
“Awesome, baby stuff is so cute. We can fill their room with plushies and Legos.”
“I think she might be too young for Legos,” I admit.
“Damn. Well, we’ll think of something even better.”
“We’ll get two of everything. It’ll be easier,” Falcon decides.
“Two?” Shayne asks, raising an eyebrow. “Why not three?”
Jay laughs, shaking his head. “You guys all realize babies cost a fortune, right? One of everything will be more than enough. Especially when we’re planning on having a lot more of them around soon.”
“No one wants practical advice here,” Harper argues. “Falcon is loaded, and I saved every penny I made at the symphony, so this cute baby can have whatever it wants, and then our own cute babies can easily have the same all over again.”
“I said two of everything for a reason,” Falcon reveals.
“We’ll be buying a house on the outskirts of the city soon enough.
When we go two weeks on, two weeks off shifts with Lana’s team, we’ll have half the year at our own place.
A house with a big garden, and a big guest house for Robin’s mom and her little sister. ”
Shayne grins. “So, we are getting a house?”
“You didn’t think the academy was gonna be our home forever, did you?”
“Well, no, but …” He shakes his head. “This is a surprise, that’s all.”
Falcon looks at me. “What do you think, Robin?”
Everyone is quiet, and all eyes are on me.
I pick up a sandwich and smile. “I think a home away from the academy sounds amazing, but I don’t care where we live. Wherever you guys are, that’s where home is.”
My heart swells with pride as I sit there with my mates around me, discussing our futures and arguing over how silly little things. They’re all so sweet and caring.
I don’t know how I got this lucky, but all I want is to be here with them.
I spent so long without a family, without a home.
Now, I have all of that and more.
I couldn’t be happier.