“Shh! You promised you weren’t going to make a scene.”
“Sorry,” I whispered. “Let me see it!”
I gasped when Joseph opened the box. Nestled within an antique yellow gold setting, the center stone, a fiery emerald-cut ruby, was the size of a grape. It was flanked by two sparkling triangle-shaped diamonds—trillion cut, I thought they were called. It looked like a gorgeous piece of candy.
“We’re heading to Spain in a couple days. I’m popping the question then.”
“It’s so beautiful, Joseph. Well done.”
“Will she like it?” he asked, anxious. “It’s an heirloom.”
“I can’t think of any woman on the planet who wouldn’t love that ring. It’sgorgeous.” I squeezed his hand excitedly. “I want to hug you, but I won’t. I promise I’ll keep it on the down low.”
“So, you approve, then?”
“Yes, I approve! You make Liz so happy. I was kind of hoping for this, to tell you the truth.”
He pretended to wipe sweat from his brow. “Do you think she’ll say yes?”
“Joseph, you have absolutely nothing to worry about.” I shook my head. “Well, maybe you should worry about how big of a wedding Liz will want. You’re going to need a bigger castle.”
Chuckling, Joseph shoved the box back into his pocket. “Wish me luck. I’m going to join Liz before she gets suspicious.”
“Good luck,” I said. “And thank you, again, for the party.”
I went to join Robert, who was by a group dancing with Andrew. At the edge of the crowd, a long line of vamps waited to get their turn with my son. Each time he was passed to a new caretaker, the crowd cooed.Awwwwwwww!
I’d been anxious about how some of the vampires would behave toward Andrew, that maybe they’d try to kidnap him or take a pull off his special blood, but my worries had been unfounded. They all treated him with great respect, holding him tenderly, gently kissing his head, and closing their eyes as they inhaled his lovely baby scent. Some took photos and rocked him; others sang along with the music. It was all very sweet.
“I’ve never felt so much joy,” Robert said in my ear.
I put my arm around his waist and kissed the crook of his neck. “Me either. I love you so much.”
“I love you, too.” He wiggled his fingers at Andrew, who was now being fawned over by Luther and Marlena. I was surprised by how maternal Marlena was. She was a natural with the baby,though she tried to play it cool. My little guy was eating up all the attention.
I beheld my two boys, my husband and son, feeling so much delight that I almost ached. It was one of those perfect moments in life, a snapshot in time so utterly harmonious that it felt surreal. I understood what that feeling was: absolute happiness. There was nothing more that I could want. Ever.
A beautiful blonde vampire approached Robert and me with a shy smile. She held out a pair of hand-painted wood clogs and presented them to us. “I am Dutch,” she said. “I brought traditional shoes for your boy.”
I held the shoes in my hand and felt yet another grin spread across my face. My cheeks were hurting from all the smiling. The clogs were so adorable, teeny-tiny. “These are so amazing. Thank you so much for your kindness . . . ?”
“Corrie,” she said.
Robert and I kissed her on the cheek and thanked her again. It amazed me, the thoughtful gifts the vampires had given us.
I’d also been stunned by the bluntness of their questions about my pregnancy. They wanted to know how often Robert and I had “mated,” and if we had used any particular positions or fertility statues. I couldn’t begrudge the vampires for their curiosity. Many of them so desperately wanted children of their own. Judging by the way they doted on Andrew, I sincerely hoped their wishes came true.
“Awwwwwwww!” went the crowd again. This time it was because Andrew had started to cry.
I took Andrew from Luther, who was patting Andrew’s back and whispering, “There, there, little one. Hush, now.” It was touching in a weird way, seeing all these savage beings swooning over a tiny baby.
“I’m going to put him down for a nap,” I told the crowd. “Ithink he’s jet-lagged. But don’t worry, I’ll make sure he’s up later so we can light candles and cut the cake.”
“Do you want me to join you?” asked Robert.
“No, hon, I’ve got this,” I said, kissing him on the lips. “We should have at least one of us in attendance.”
I went into the baby’s room the VGO had fashioned for us, astounded by their thoughtfulness. The room was fully stocked with everything a parent could need: diapers, blankets, toys, and ointments galore. The crib must have come from the same maker who’d gifted us the one at home. This one featured forest animals at each of the four posts—a squirrel, a bird, a deer, and a raccoon—and it was made of redwood. The one at home, which was made of a different kind of wood I couldn’t place, had African animals: a lion, elephant, hippopotamus, and giraffe. I wondered if the wood used coincided with the area the theme animals resided. I made a mental note to find out if the maker was attending the party, so that I could ask and thank them again for their gift.
