Ryan was glad he hadn’t been turned around looking at El because he knew his face would have given her a pretty good idea of how he felt about her idea.His daughter couldn’t be raised on Pantera land in a small house in the middle of nowhere.She deserved a home like the Pride house, and the entire pride around her to protect her.His mind raced with his thoughts.Nobody else said anything either, and Ryan hoped it was because they were all thinking the same things he was.
“I get that it’s a big request, but aside from our daughter having a giant target on her back because of the prophecy, there’s also the fact that she’s my daughter.People will be drawn to her because of her birthright, and in turn, they’ll be asking all kinds of questions about us.After everything we’ve been through I just want a quiet, peaceful place to raise her.”
“I think we can all understand that, love.There’s a lot to consider that’s certainly true, but isolating Destiny from the Pride?”Trip questioned.
“I know, and it’s not like we wouldn’t visit, but I just don’t want that to be our only home.There’s so much love in this little house and freedom to roam.I want that for her, and for us.Don’t you just want some peace and quiet?”
“I wish it were that easy.The Pantera found you at that remote cabin that not even I remembered.I don’t think it’ll take them long to come to Shawn’s mother’s home,” Ryan added.
“Maybe,” El replied sadly.
Ryan caught Trip’s eyes in the rear-view mirror, and he could tell Trip was thinking the same as he was.They were both feeling guilty for telling her now.Ryan glanced over at Marcus, who shrugged.Marcus was always the peacemaker and typically wouldn’t have anything to say either way.Ryan longed to be able to live that life sometimes.
“I don’t even think we’d all fit there.It’s quite small,” Trip said with a chuckle.
El gave a small half-smile and then focused her attention back down to Destiny, who was growing more agitated.
“Just a few more minutes baby girl,” El cooed to the baby.
Marcus sped up, but by the time they got to the house, Destiny was in a full out screaming fit.El quickly unfastened her and rushed in the house to nurse her.Marcus went in with her; Ryan and Trip stayed behind to wait for Shawn to pull in so that they could help him.
Shawn pulled in and jumped out of the truck, but before he could greet them, he heard Destiny’s screams from inside the house.
“What’s going on?Is Destiny okay?”he asked, walking towards the house.
“Yeah, she got hungry the last thirty minutes of the ride and was pretty upset she had to wait.El just got in there to try and feed her,” Ryan told him.
“Oh, okay,” Shawn said, dragging his hand through his hair.
“Do you want us to help you dig, or is there something we can do?”Trip asked.
“Nah, apparently Mom told Herb who to call to have all that ready, so I think that’s set,” Shawn said, turning and heading towards the back of the house.
They followed him, and sure enough, there was a hole already dug.Shawn walked over to it and looked down.
“It still seems unreal to me,” he said.
“I wish there were a way we could have kept them both,” Ryan said.
“Me too, but I’ll be forever grateful she gave us El,” Shawn replied.
“I thought I was prepared for that, until it happened,” Ryan confessed.
“I knew there was no way I’d ever be prepared, but that pain when her eyes closed, that was unlike anything I ever dreamed of,” Trip said.
“I thought I was going to die right there,” Shawn told them.
“She changed all that.Your mother did something none of us had been able to.We’ll forever honor and love her,” Ryan said, putting his hand on Shawn’s shoulder.
“Thank you,” Shawn said.
Things in the house had seemed to quiet down, so they all turned and headed in.El was nestled on the couch feeding the baby, and Marcus was stretched out next to her.
“She seems much happier,” Ryan said, reaching his finger down to stroke Destiny’s plump cheek.
“Something feels off,” El said, shocking everyone.
“What do you mean?”Marcus asked, jumping up.
