I put the food and cake in my very barren fridge and eat the sushi with my fingers before showering and going to sleep.
I’ve got this. I’m going to be okay.
* * *
I’m barely through the door when the cake almost falls from my arms as my favorite tiny human wraps her arms around my leg.
“Auntie P!” she screeches. Anders shakes his head and scoops up his daughter.
“It’s fine, why don’t your daddies go get everything from the car while I hold my favorite girl.” She holds out her hands, and I scoop her up, kissing all over her face dramatically. Anders, Eli, and Mikael all shake their heads but smile at their daughter before going outside and getting all the baby crap from my car. “Where’s mommy?” I ask her.
“She’s tired. My babies make her tired.”
“I bet they do,” I say, kissing her hair one more time before going into their massive living room. Charlotte is wrapped up in a blanket, like the quintessential Omega she is, as I approach. I put Katie down who scampers off to the kitchen, and I push Charlotte's hair away from her face.
“Hey, Charles,” I say, sitting down on the couch next to her. “How are you feeling?”
“Huge, tired, and hungry.”
I put a hand over Charlotte’s. “But everything is good with the twins?”
She smiles and nods. “Everything is good. How about you? You look tired, Pipes.” I hate the nickname Pipes, but it started so long ago; there’s no turning back now. Charlotte is the only one who I’ll let call me that.
“You know, it’s just a lot of hours, I’ll be fine.” She flips her hand and squeezes mine.
“Piper—”
“It’s fine, I’m fine, Charles. I promise.”
“You really didn’t have to do all of this for the baby shower, seriously,” she says, shaking her head.
“I wanted to. This is what best friends are for. “
Suddenly, Katie comes running back in the room and tosses a string cheese at Charlotte. “Here go, mommy,” she beams. Charlotte’s eyes water as she scoops up her toddler, opening up the string cheese and eating.
“I hope your brothers or sisters are just as sweet as you.”
I hug my niece and best friend before standing up. “I’m going to go help your Alphas set up. Knowing them, they won’t even know what to do with a streamer.”
Charlotte waves me off, grabbing Katie to take a nap on the couch. In complete amazement, I watch as they both sleep through us getting everything together for the party. Placing streamers on the ceiling, scattering balloons throughout the room, and setting out the food.
By the time we’re done, I’m exhausted and wish I could take a nap like Charlotte, but there’s still so much to do.
I decide to throw the creepy plastic babies into the punch bowl as Mikael walks by. “What in the fuck?” he says, looking down at the punch bowl.
I shrug my shoulders and toss an additional bag in there. “What, it’s funny.”
“Okay, if you say so,” he says, rolling his eyes. Mikael and I still aren’t besties, but I know how much he loves and takes care of my best friend, so I put up with him. Eli walks by next, putting cups and cutlery on the table.
He laughs at the babies in the punch, and I smirk. Eli has moved to the number one spot in pack Hodges for the day. Their massive dog, Hank, rubs his enormous head against my thighs while I put the final touches on the décor, and I can’t help but to get down on my haunches and pet his cute, giant face.
Suddenly, the doorbell rings. One of Charlotte’s Alphas answers the door. A bunch of people come crowding in. Most of them are hockey wives I haven’t met, but I can hold my own in a crowd of strangers. Plus, between Hank and Katie, I have all the entertainment I need.
That’s when I hearhisvoice.
The deep rumble of his greeting to Charlotte does something to me, and I stay down, petting Hank and hiding behind the couch.
It’s pathetic, truly.
