“I just…” He stared into his mug for a moment. “What if Bebe starts acting up like that? I don’t want to have more kids and try to find time for them if I have to deal with her problems. I want to be able to devote all my time and energy to her, right? Is that so bad?”
“No, it sounds very responsible.”
“Now help me convince Lu’ana of that,” he muttered. “She thinks Bebe is perfect and adorable. I mean, she is adorable. She’s my daughter. But…” Another sigh. “Maybe I’m reading too much into this.”
Joaquin was still trying to process the earlier news, about Bebe’s cousin. “I believe you’re justified wanting to wait to make a decision. You’re not saying no forever, perhaps. You tell her you wish to wait. Maybe as Bebe gets older and starts school, Lu’ana will enjoy the increasing freedom and not want to have another baby.”
“Right? I can’t wait to get Bebe potty trained. She sleeps through the night, finally.” He stared through the doorway again. “Even with the pre-paid college fund, we’re going to be lucky if we can afford to send Bebe to college. We’re going to have to put a new roof on the house by next year. My car’s starting to show its age. I want to be smart. And…” He looked at Joaquin. “I really don’t want to bring another baby into the world right now the way the world is. My mom said it’s selfish not to have kids, but maybe it’s more selfish to have them.”
“I don’t think you’re selfish for approaching this cautiously.”
“Yeah?”
Joaquin nodded. “Yeah.”
Lu’ana chose that moment to pop into the kitchen. “There you are. You’re missing everything.”
“Y’all don’t need me there.”
“I want you to take some pictures for me. Sis is about to open our present.”
Reggie smiled at Joaquin. “Guess I’ve been told.”
“I guess so.”
He watched them return to the living room.
I’ve got to tell Badger.
* * * *
Once all the presents had been unwrapped, and a few people had left, Joaquin made his way over to the couch where Badger and Duncan sat flanking Tamsin.
Joaquin leaned in from behind and placed a hand on Badger’s shoulder.“Need to talk to you. Now. Alone.”He wasn’t a Prime, but Badger was, and Joaquin knew he’d hear his thoughts.
Badger nodded. “I’ll be right back,” he said to Tamsin and Duncan. “Business to attend to.”
They headed out onto the back porch, where they were alone. Badger held Joaquin’s arm while Joaquin quickly and silently related his conversation with Reggie to the older shifter.
Badger’s eyes widened. “Bloody hell, man,” he whispered. “Ye’re sure?”
Joaquin nodded. Badger dropped Joaquin’s arm and ran a hand through his wild red hair. “This is…”
Joaquin didn’t like that Badger looked so…stunned. Finally, he glanced around and turned to Joaquin. “Do I need to Prime ye to keep this quiet?”
Joaquin shook his head.
“Right.” Without further ado, Badger took off around the back of the house, pulling his phone out of his pocket as he hurried on his way.
Joaquin returned inside and opted to hang out in the kitchen for a few minutes. He was still there when Lu’ana walked in, Bebe in her arms.
One of the things that had been on the secret agenda for this trip was trying to figure out if Bebe could shift or not.
So far, Badger and the others had no luck figuring it out. Either Bebe couldn’t shift, or she wasn’t old enough to yet.
Either way, her behavior for a child that was supposed to be “human” was disconcerting.
Lu’ana looked tired. “Did Reggie come this way?”
