“Elliot, I—” she started.
“Rylla, I—” Elliot said at the same time.
They looked at each other and laughed. The tension broken.
“I'm sorry, Rylla. I should have believed you. You were a good kid. I should have known that if things at home were bad enough to make you run away then you were telling the truth.”
With that apology the last of the hurt and betrayal melted away. “It’s okay. Emmy and Mac, do they know?”
“Yeah, they were the ones that helped Nate and your partner find you. When Matthew called to tell us they’d found you and were bringing you here, we sat them down and told them their dad was dead.”
“Those poor kids.” She couldn’t imagine what Emmy and Mac were feeling right now. It was one thing to lose both your parents, but another for your dad to kill your mom and three other people.
“I think they should stay with you,” Elliot announced.
“With me?” Rylla was shocked. “I thought you would want them to stay with you.”
“We have four kids, I would love to have them stay with us, but I think they’ll be better off with you.”
“Really?” The thought of becoming a parent again was both terrifying and exhilarating.
“You’ll be a great mom to them, Rylla. Just like you were a great mom to your daughter.”
Her brother’s faith in her meant a lot. Emmy was only a little older than Elianna would have been
“I'm here, Rylla. Any time you need me. Any help you need with the kids all you need to do is ask. I already told them that once you’re better, and you go home, that they’ll be moving in with you. They’re happy about that. They’re in shock and they’re going to need time and love and help and support, but they’re strong kids, they’ll find a way to survive just like you did. I should go, you look like you need to rest.”
Elliot kissed her forehead then left. Alone, she let her eyes fall closed. She was so tired. Tired but happy. Although a little nervous. She and Nate had only just started dating. How was he going to feel about becoming a parent to her niece and nephew? Especially given that his own son had been cruelly ripped away from him.
She heard the door to her room open and knew it was Nate.
He must have thought she was asleep because she heard him sit down in the chair beside her bed. When he took her hand, she opened her eyes.
“I thought you were asleep.” He reached out and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. His fingers lingered on her cheek, and she leaned into them.
What if he walked away when he found out about the kids? She couldn’t blame him if he did. Dating was one thing, loving her was another, agreeing to become an overnight father was on a whole different level.
“What's wrong, honey?” he asked, sensing her tension.
She may as well get it over and done with and just say it. If he walked away so be it. “Emmy and Mac are going to come and live with me.”
“Okay.” He nodded calmly.
“Okay? You’re fine with helping me raise two traumatized kids? Emmy is going to be a teenager in a couple of months, and Mac is almost the same age as your son.”
“Rylla.” He took her hands in his. “I can't wait to marry you and have children with you. So, we’re having the kids a little earlier than I thought, and in an unconventional way, but Emmy and Mac are great kids, and you are the perfect person to help them through this difficult time. I want to be there for you and for them. We’re in this together. I love you, and if raising your niece and nephew is what you want to do then it’s what I want to do.”
How had she gotten so lucky to fall in love twice in one lifetime with the two most amazing men on the planet?
“I love you.” She ran her fingers through Nate’s hair and drew his face down to hers so she could kiss him.
“I love you too,” he whispered across her lips. “And I can't wait to get you home so I can show you just how much.”
Rylla laughed. “We’re going to have two kids living in the house,” she reminded him.
“You’re right, we definitely need a lock on our bedroom door.”
She laughed again, then yawned, it was getting harder and harder to keep her eyes open.
Nate climbed onto the hospital bed and stretched out beside her, draping her arm across his chest. “Sleep now, Rylla.”
She snuggled into him and finally let her eyes fall closed. As she drifted off to sleep, she felt a contentment she hadn’t felt in years. Falling asleep in the arms of the man she loved, she could definitely get used to that.