“Sophia’s pregnant.”
“Again!” She gasps. “So many babies.”
“She’s having twins,” I tell her, then nearly choke on happy tears. I smile to myself. “They’re mine, Nona.”
She explodes in happiness. I can already see her planning holidays, demanding we fly out. I can see all those plans in her head. She follows up with needing to visit us or us visiting her. She wants to meet her great-grandchildren.
I promise her she’ll get the opportunity and that she’s going to get plenty of pictures. I send her some from Halloween that I took of Sophie with the kids, hugging them, her belly huge. Nona thanks me and tells me she wants pictures right away.
When I go inside, I see the guys all looking at something. Before I can ask what it is, Link runs toward me and holds up the picture I saw at the sonogram. “The babies!”
“Can you see them?” I ask.
He pouts and shakes his head. So I squat down and show him and Cora where the babies are. Link takes the picture and runs off back to Sophie, but Cora tugs my shirt. I look at her as she looks at the floor.
“I’m the baby.”
“Yes, you are.”
She shakes her head. I rub her back. “Do you think we won’t love you as much with the babies around?”
She shrugs. I hug her against me and kiss the top of her head. “Princess, we have so much love. We’re not going to love you any less because of the babies. We’re going to need your help.”
“Me?”
I see Sophie watching while rubbing her belly. Her soft smile fuels me. I whisper to Cora. “I’m going to need someone to help me take care of Mommy when the babies come. Can you do that? We’ll have to bring her breakfast. We’ll have to keep her happy. You’ll have to show the babies your dolls. Can you do that?”
She nods slowly, then tugs on my shirt again. “Christmas?”
“What about it?” I ask.
“Toys. For the babies.” She explains.
I kiss her cheek and give her a gentle hug. “We’re going to spoil the babies and Mommy. There will be so many presents under the tree, they’ll be taller than you.”
She giggles and toddles after her brother. I wrap my arms around Sophie. I kiss the top of her head and catch Nick giving me an odd look.
I don’t know why, I don’t care. I’m too happy for it to matter.
12
SOPHIA
We get to Thanksgiving and the kids prove just how picky they are. Roman has been taking care of shopping and preparing for the season, which leaves me at home with the kids. I’ve always wanted to be the mom that does everything. That goes all out for every holiday, the mom that does everything for her family.
But I’m feeling it as we close in on Thanksgiving.
I’m losing my patience. I’m easy to irritate. The guys are so busy I don’t want to put stress on their shoulders, but considering how heavy my belly is, I don’t know how much more I can handle.
Link and Cora are thankfully wonderful kids. Link tries to help me clean around the house and Cora occasionally pats my hand. I let them help me make a pizza as we wait for the guys to get home, but the frustration doesn’t last for long.
Thanksgiving is wonderful until we get home. Gunner takes the kids to their room and I sit on the couch, trying to swallow my frustration. I’m not mad at my husbands.
I’m not. I love them, I know they’re working hard. I know if it was their choice, they’d be home helping me and Roman. And it’s not my dad’s fault either for how he’s scheduling things. When the washer beeps, I dig my nails into my head.
“Soph?”
“What!” It comes out harsher than I intend.