Chapter 31
Cole
“I’m sorry, Mr Peterson, we’ve exhausted all avenues. Without solid evidence, we can’t move forward with an arrest.” The police officer gives me a curt nod as she walks out of our door.
“Thank you for all your help anyway.” With a defeated sigh, I hobble my way back into the kitchen, where Lacey sits, perched at our island.
“I’m fed up with having him hang over us, Cole. We know damn well it was him behind your accident. Your brothers saw him get out of that car and run away!” She slams down the lemon and poppy-seed muffin she has been eating, crumbs flying everywhere.
“Okay, less of the lemon muffin rage. Get yourself ready, I have a surprise for you.”
“Ooh, what is it?”
“Not telling, because then it wouldn’t be a surprise.” She rolls her eyes at me, but hurries off to get herself ready anyway.
I quickly fish my phone out of my pocket and open the group chat.
Me
Police just left. Nothing they can do. Insufficient evidence
Ethan
Bullshit *angry face emoji*
Rafe
I hope he gets fleas that bite his balls
Arch
I hope his arms fall off so he can’t itch said balls
Nate
HA good one *high five emoji* I hope his nose itches at the same time as his balls
Cas
Let’s hope he doesn’t come anywhere near either of you again! Vik?
Me
Thanks guys. Cas – yes.
Me
Are you all ready? Lacey’s getting dressed as we speak…
Nate
Ready for what?
Arch
What do you mean? *worried emoji* was I supposed to be somewhere?!?
Me
You better be joking or I swear…
Ethan
Not a clue what you mean *confused emoji*
Rafe
You mean something is happening???
Cas
Guys stop winding him up before he blows a gasket! Yes Cole we’re ALL here, everything is almost ready
Cas
Wait…Emmy says delay her by half hour…we have a helium situation
I want to do something nice for Lacey, something that would take her mind off everything that has happened recently.
I’ll be getting my cast off in a week; my physiotherapist is happy with the progress I’ve made.
Luckily, all I had was a fracture to my thigh bone – and some cuts and bruises.
It meant I had to lean on my family a bit more than usual and take some time off work, but it was good for me because it forced me to relax.
Lacey, all she’s done is worry, and it isn’t doing her or Peanut any good. So today is all about her. I have no idea if she will like it or not, but I hope we do her justice.
“Ready! How do I look?”
I turn to watch her walk down the stairs, and for a moment, no words come out.
No matter how many times I look at her, I still can’t believe she chose me.
With it being almost a week until Halloween, the colder weather is officially setting in.
She looks stunning in orange, brown and white tartan dungarees with a long-sleeved black top underneath.
She’s glowing, more so than she has ever been before.
“Well?” She puts her hands on her hips, and I smile. Walking up to her slowly, I cradle her face and give her a soft kiss.
“You look beautiful. Maybe we should leave the surprise…”
She pushes me away. “I don’t think so. You made me get ready and put on a bra, so the least you can do is take me out and surprise me.” She lifts her brow in a challenge, one I do not plan on getting into.
“Your carriage awaits my lady.” I take an overdramatic bow, and I hear her giggle, muttering ‘dork’ as she walks past me.
**********
She hums happily along to the song playing in her earphones. The blindfold I’d asked her to put on is firmly in place. Am I going overboard? Yes. But do I want the surprise to be ruined? No.
After driving around for a little bit longer than I usually would, we arrive at our destination, my parents' home. Outside, a trail of pink and yellow balloons follows the path to the front door. I get out and round the car before helping Lacey out.
“I hope you like this…” My voice cracks slightly, and I feel butterflies gather in my stomach.
She smiles softly as I remove the blindfold and the earphones. Her eyes blink slightly to adjust to the light.
“Oh, those balloons are beautiful, Cole. What is it for?”
“You…well, both of you. I-it’s a surprise baby shower.”
She opens her mouth to speak, but she’s cut off by, “There she is! Lacey, put him down. You can jump his bones later!”
“Hayleigh, Jesus! Take your time, guys…but not too long! Come on, before you cause too much trouble.” Emmy pulls a cackling Hayleigh inside, and I nod towards the door.
“Ready?”
She takes my hand, smiling.
As we walk through the door, I notice two things: first, our entire family stands in the living room, and second, everyone, and I mean everyone, is wearing nappies over their clothes.
“Happy baby shower day! Cole put this on.” Emmy throws a nappy at me, and I catch it before glaring at her.
“I’m not wearing this.”
Lacey, ever the traitor, turns her gaze on me and clasps her hands in front of her, “Please? For me?” She bats those beautiful eyes of hers, and I feel myself crumbling.
“Cole, put the fucking nappy on…If I have to look like a tit, then so do you. You’re the dad!” Ethan’s voice rumbles around the room.
“Ethan! Language!” Mum clips him around the back of his head, and I look to the ceiling. Fuck it, they’ve already caught me mooing, might as well go whole hog and wear a nappy.
“Okay! Everyone, out to the garden! It’s forecast to be dry but a bit chilly today, so you might want to bring your coats. Lacey, if you would like to follow me, our beautiful mama-to-be…Ha, that rhymed!” Emmy links arms with Lacey and takes her through to the back garden.
The rest of us file outside to a huge white tent that fills the top left side of the garden.
The trees behind it are a deep orange, red, and brown.
Balloons fill the garden, along with banners featuring baby bottles and pink hearts.
I look around at everyone milling about, laughing and joking, and then Lacey, in the middle of it all, glowing.
She catches me staring from where she stands underneath the tent and rolls her eyes playfully.
Emmy claps her hands. “Okay! Everyone, round up!” Her no-nonsense tone makes everyone hurry to where she stands.
“We’re going to play our first game of the shower!
” She looks at Ethan and raises her brow.
He unfolds his arms from his chest and pastes a smile on his face.
“So, the game is called ‘stuff the nappy’. Lacey is going to referee here to make sure none of you boys cheat. Do not look at me like that, Casper Peterson, there are no freebies in this game!”
Cas grumbles something about ‘husband' rights’, but she shakes her head and carries on, “Around the garden I have hidden rattles and dummies. The aim of the game is to find them and stuff as many as you can into your nappies…WITHOUT ripping them!” She looks at Lacey, who sits on a makeshift throne, “Are you ready, everyone?”
“Oh, Nate, you're going down.” Hayleigh waggles her nappy backside at him, and he winks back.
“Bet you’d love that, shortcake.”
Her cheeks blaze a bright red, and then Emmy shouts 'Go,' and pandemonium ensues.
Archie, ever the overachiever, sprints past me to the bottom of the garden while the rest of our brothers search the top part of the garden. I look back towards Lacey, and she shoos me away, so I decide to join Archie and hobble down to the bottom of the garden.
“Hey! This is my spot!” He looks at me indignantly, but I move past him and pluck the rattle that’s balancing on one of the branches in the tree. “Aww, Cole, come on! I was just about to get that!”
“You snooze, you lose, Archie boy!” I leave him digging around in Mum's begonias for more baby items and round the greenhouse to find a nappy-filled backside staring up at me.
“Cas?” I kneel to see what he’s looking at, but there’s only the dark space underneath the trees behind the greenhouse.
“Do you see it?” he whispers out the side of his mouth, and I strain my eyes in the dark undergrowth, but I see nothing.
“Cas, I don’t know what to tell you but…”
“Wait! There! Did you see…” We both see it at the same time; two eyes peek out at us, surrounded by a white and brown ringed furry face. Cas jumps up. “Argh! It’s a rat!” He’s hopping from one foot to another, pointing at the space where the supposed ‘rat’ lies in wait.
I’m still kneeling, peering into the darkness, when an animal much bigger than a rat flies out from underneath the trees.
It jumps on my head and off again, heading straight for Cas, and I amble up.
He sees it, his eyes widen, and before it reaches him, he takes off running back up towards the tent.
“Rat! Rat! There’s a rat! It’s massive! RUUUN!” He’s shouting and screaming, and I’m stuck in shock at the long, furry animal that bounds after him.
Emmy pops her head out of the tent and, at the sight of Cas running full speed from the little fur ball, she doubles over laughing, as does everyone else. He stops short, a big mistake for him because that furball jumps on his leg and winds its way up before burrowing up his shirt.
There’s a moment of shocked silence. No one moves a muscle.
Then Cas starts shaking his legs and arms, trying to dislodge his stowaway, all while screaming bloody murder.
Emmy has tears streaming down her face, and Lacey is laughing freely, her legs crossed, head thrown back while she’s holding her stomach for support.
“What’s happening?” Ethan’s deep rumble meets my ears, and I turn to find him and Daisy standing next to me.
“You okay, brother? Looking a little flustered there.” I can’t help but rib my baby brother. He rolls his eyes and shoves my shoulder.
“Piss off. It’s hard work trying to win this thing.” He nods towards Cas but doesn’t make eye contact with me, and Daisy’s cheeks redden slightly. “So, Cas? Why is he trying to do his best dance impression?”
“Oh! He was looking for something underneath the trees and thought he saw a rat, but I swear it was a fer–” I don’t get to finish.
“Oh shit! BANDIT, get back here right NOW!”
I look at Ethan. “Bandit?”
He grins, a genuine smile that we rarely see.
“It’s Daisy’s pet ferret. He was playing with Scruff earlier on.
” The rest of my brothers join us as we watch, amused as Cas wriggles and squirms while Daisy tries her best to calm him down.
Emmy has completely lost it, and Lacey too.
Hayleigh sits off to one side, laughing, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes.
We hear a yelp and watch in almost slow motion as Cas pushes his jeans – nappy and all – down his legs and topples over, leaving his jeans bunched around his ankles and legs in the air.
Mum rushes to him to try to help, and Dad tries to help him up.
Then, the famous Bandit makes an appearance; his furry brown head pops up out of Cas’s pants, and he tentatively leaps into Daisy’s arms. He’s a cute little guy, I’ll give him that, with his black eyes and a white strip across them that makes it look like he’s wearing a mask like some furry little highway robber.
I catch Lacey’s eye, and she mouths, ‘I love you.’
Family, dogs and ferrets.
And soon…a baby.
This house will never be quiet.