We settle around the table, South built by hand. Pancakes piled high.
This is what I fought for.
This is what I survived for.
“What are the plans for you now, Pres?” South asks.
“Former Pres,” I say when South asks, force of habit.City’s wearing the gavel now.“I’m good where I am. Just a regular brother. No weight of the club on my shoulders. Just...this.”
“Just this,” Kaia echoes.
The baby monitor crackles. I think it’s Lynx. I wave Kaia off and jog upstairs. The cribs stand side by side, and Lynx is awake, winding up for a wail.
“Hey, little man.” I lift him, cradling him against my chest. “Daddy’s here.”
He settles immediately, ice-blue eyes blinking up with recognition. Trina stirs, so I grab her too. Both my babies, one in each arm.
“You know…” I tell them softly, “… there was a time I thought I’d never know where I belonged. When I was buried under rubble. When I didn’t know who I was, or what happened.” Ipress kisses to their heads. “But I found my way back. Because this life was waitin’ even though I didn’t know it at the time.”
“Hurricane?” Kaia’s voice from the doorway.
“Yeah, baby?”
“You good?”
I look up at this incredible woman who loved me through death and resurrection. “Yeah, Sha. I’m real fuckin’ good.”
She settles on the chair arm, and we sit like this, our little family, bathed in sunlight.
“You know what today is?” she asks. “One month since you came back.”
I remember the shock on faces, Kaia collapsing into my arms, holding these twins for the first time.
A second chance.
“Best month of my life.”
“Even with the nightmares?”
“Even with them. Because I wake up, and you’re here.My family.”
Footsteps thunder upstairs. Immy appears with chocolate smeared on her face. “Daddy, Uncle South says I can help fix his motorcycle later today.”
“All right,little chéri.But you listen to everything he says, yeah?”
“I promise!” Immy kisses both twins before racing downstairs.
We head back down to the noise and chaos.
Ingrid’s telling stories. Immy’s adding chocolate chips to Louis’ pancakes, both giggling.
This is my life now.
Not the president.
Not the man with a death wish.
Just Hurricane.
