* * *
Nami
Lord, please let this baby come sooner rather than later. As long as it’s healthy to do so, she quickly added.
Fortunately, she was currently between class semesters . She now spent nearly every weekday over at “the clubhouse,” as she’d accidentally dubbed it sometime in the days after “the Great Wrong Baby Escapade,” as it was now being playfully referred to by them all.
Just not around Dewi, because they knew she was still beating herself up over that.
Now that Tamsin had her baby—andlord, did shifter women bounce back envyingly fast from childbirth, Nami noted—and she was finally on a slow road to healing, she’d picked up a lot of the slack of chores around the house and with the kids that Nami had tried to do and now frequently…couldn’t.
Because she felt too danged exhausted.
Which the doctor assured her was completely normal for where she was in her pregnancy.
Little Maisie was absolutely adorable and Nami loved being able to hold her.
Yeah, maybe I do want at least one more of our own after this little one comes.
That day would be easier than some, because Dania and the twins weren’t coming today. Nami had given Da’von a shopping list, and on his way home from his classes today, he’d do the shopping and buy everything Nami would need to cook up a huge meal for all of them for that evening. And with Da’von and Malyah’s help, she planned to teach Brianna and Tamsin a few of the Drexler family’s favorite meals.
Today, Carl and Mateo were outside handling yard work. They were planning on going out for the day tomorrow, alone, to spend some well-earned date time together while Nami, Beck, Badger, Duncan, and others would be coming over in unobtrusive shifts to make sure Tamsin was still okay.
Not to mention, Nami and Beck were going to let Da’von and Brianna go over to their house for a few hours for some alone time.
They promised to wash and change the guest room sheets before coming back.
Beck playfully told Nami that acceptance was a sign of coming to terms with their new family’s structure.
Nami told Beck to shove it.
Which, fortunately, only made him laugh harder because he of all people understood how miserable she was feeling lately, both physically and mentally. Mentally because she wasn’t used to not being able todothings.
And she preferred to be the one doing for others. Not the one being doted on by her family.
Bebe ran over to where Nami sat on the couch and bounced up next to her. “Play ball?”
Nami wearily smiled. “Auntie Tam’s nursing Maisie right now, honey. When she’s finished, I’m sure she’ll play with you. I need to get up and eat something, though. Would you like a snack?”
Bebe cheered. “Yay! Snack!”
Nami hauled herself to her feet. “Yay, snack!”
Tamsin finished nursing Maisie and got her burped and changed and settled into her little bouncy lounger. Nami could see it from where she stood in the kitchen, talking about the recipes for later with Brianna and Malyah.
Then, in hopes that maybe Bebe would settle in for her nap, Tamsin put on Bebe’s favorite wolf DVD to see if she could convince her to sit and watch it.
Bebe ran over to Tamsin. “Play wit me?”
“Of course, sweetheart.”
“Outside?”
Nami turned and nodded to her. “I’ll keep an eye on Maisie.” Nami hoped the more Tamsin played with Bebe that the little girl’s enthusiasm for life would rub off on Tamsin.
If nothing else, hopefully keep Tamsin distracted and keep her putting one foot in front of the other.
And, short-term, hopefully wear Bebe out so she’d settle down for a nap soon.
