I laughed. "My bestie is having a baby next door. I have to check on her, first."
My omega dad frowned like he wanted to argue, but then he shook his head and gave me a quick hug. "You two always had each other. I'm glad."
I followed them outside, but we soon parted ways. My omega dad kept walking down the street toward the warehouse, while my alpha dad headed for the path between back yards that eventually led to Talia and Nico's sprawling ranch.
My visit next door ended on the front porch. Becca's dad rocked slowly in his chair while Bruce's parents swung gently in the two-seater hanging from the porch ceiling.
"You'd better go home, Gabe." Becca's dad shook his head from side to side. "Bruce won't let anyone in there but the doctor."
"Threatened to throw him out, too," Bruce's omega dad said.
"Mika wanted to punch him," I remembered.
They all laughed at my little joke, a sign they were as worried as I was. "How is she doing?"
"She's already sworn two or three times that this child had better be an alpha, because she's not having another one, heir or no." Bruce's alpha dad laughed and nudged his mate's shoulder. "I remember you saying that, too."
"Well, you tricked me into having Jena. 'It won't be that bad,' 'second babies are always easier,' blah, blah, blah."
Becca's dad smiled at their bickering, but he got that same far-away look in his eyes that Becca did when she thought about her mom. I hopped up onto the porch and rested my hand on his shoulder. "She's here," I said. "It's a clear night, and we can see the stars."
He nodded, his eyes liquid-bright in the light through the windows.
The door opened, and Dr. Ostref stepped out onto the porch. "It's a girl, Thelma June Carson. You all are welcome inside now, and I'll be on my way."
"Thanks, doctor." We all shook his hand.
"You coming?" Becca's dad asked when I pulled my phone from my pocket.
"You all should go first. I'll come inside once Mika's here."
He shut the door, and I sank into the rocking chair to text Mika. He arrived a few moments later with Jett in his arms. "Someone wanted to meet his new best friend."
We grinned over his head, and my heart swelled. Becca and I had met under unfortunate circumstances, but our kids would live next door to each other from the start. I sent a silent prayer up to Thelma's grandmother."Please let them be friends."
24
MIKA
"We're going to be late,"I said for the tenth time. I spotted Jett's sock sticking out from between two couch cushions. The little rascal was crawling and pulling himself up to a standing position already, and leaving behind socks, bibs, pacifiers, and anything he could grab.
"Dinner's in two hours. We won't be late."
"We're bringing the before-dinner snacks," I countered. "And we live close enough to walk if we forget anything."
Gabe's shoulders slumped. "I know. I just want today to be perfect."
"My sweet amusing omega," I said, grabbing him around the waist as he tried to dart past me for the pile of freshly folded laundry. "Your dad and Ross will fit in here just fine."
"But the wolves?—"
"Bruce's dad won't stand for any bullying, and neither will Bruce. And gods help them if my mom hears a single bad word said about Ross." She was almost as smitten with the lion shifter as Gabe's alpha dad was.
"I know." He sighed. "I need two more towels and onesies, and then we can go."
Except we couldn't leave yet, because then he decided to put the laundry away before Snickers, our kitten, knocked it over. To be fair, I should have put them away when I finished folding them, but now we were late.
I grabbed the food from the fridge, Gabe snapped Jett into his seat, and then we finally walked out the door. A few minutes later, my sister Faria pushed open the patio door to let us inside.
