“I can get up on a stepstool without killing myself, Hyde.”
“I’d rather you wait and let me get you whatever you need.”
“I just need the Christmas bedding. It’s in the big box on the right.”
He reached up and pulled the box down. He was tall enough, he didn’t need the stepstool, and he carried it out of the closet, setting it on the bed.
“What’s this?” I asked, lifting a padlock out of the box.
“That’s the padlock I took off the door.”
“Thedoor?”
Jekyll had mentioned he’d had to pick a lock or two to get to Mina and her friends, but I didn’t realize he’d held onto it.
“Yeah.”
“Why did you keep it?” I asked.
“Because one day, she’s gonna need it to remind her that I’ll do anything to protect her. But more importantly, that lock signifies she has the power over her life, and no one can ever take it away from her again,” he said. “No one will take it away from any of them.”
The rest of the girls were still at Walker House and getting the counseling and support they needed to heal. None of them wanted to be put into the adoption system, so they were welcome to stay as long as they wanted, particularly since the Howlers had done even more renovations (with more of Cliff’s money), and we had another ten beds.
“Oh my god,” I breathed out. “You are the best human on the planet.”
He chuckled, leaning down to kiss me, sliding his hands to my butt. “Back atya.”
“Thank you for being you.”
“That’s all you,” he said with a grin. “You make me who I am, baby.”
“I think we make each other,” I countered. “We’re a fucking good team.”
“Hell, yeah,” he agreed, kissing me again.
“I love you more than ice cream,” I said.
“That would be more of an impact coming from Mina,” he pointed out, and I laughed.
“This is true.”
He kissed me again, and we headed downstairs to get dinner ready.
* * *
Jekyll
“Push, baby,” I encouragedas Indigo let out a groan and pushed with all her might.
“We just need to get these shoulders out and you can hug your baby,” the doctor said. “One more big push and he’ll be here.”
I wiped Indigo’s forehead and kissed her temple. “You’ve got this, beautiful.”
She took a deep breath, and let out another grunt, delivering our baby boy into the doctor’s waiting hands. She cleaned him up, then set him gently on Indigo’s chest and I took in the miracle that was Gray Hugh Roberts.
“Oh my god,” Indigo breathed out, stroking his perfect little cheek. “We made that.”
I blinked back tears. “We made that.”
