“He fainted. That was after staring at the screen for about two minutes while the doctor pointed out the two heads and two bottoms. You and Seph were like yin and yang. He was holding my hand and then all of sudden it grew very sweaty and clammy, then he clattered to the floor. Me and the doctor just looked at each other in disgust.” It was one of my favourite memories, although Grant recounted it completely differently. Mainly without the fainting.
Payton laughed, still holding her hand to her stomach.
“Baby girl, Owen is going to be so incredibly happy. You’ll be wonderful parents.”
She shrugged. “I hope so. I didn’t realise how much I wanted this. My head’s swimming with how much we need to get organised and I feel like we’re so underprepared…”
“Payts, you have plenty of time and plenty of people to help. And you know how seamless Owen is getting stuff together. You really don’t need to worry. Just enjoy it. Go get him on his own and tell him. It’ll be the best Christmas present.” I hugged her again.
“What about Maxwell and Vic?” The sadness in her voice was loud.
“They’ll be thrilled for you.”
She shook her head. “I feel like I’ll be rubbing salt in the wound.”
“I really don’t think you need to be worried about it. And don’t pussy-foot around them, being over-sensitive. That’ll make them feel worse.”
“Okay. I’m going to tell Owen in the morning.”
“You do that. Now head back with those two bottles and I’m going to take the bacon over for breakfast tomorrow. Watch how you’re walking over there.” Because it was getting slippery as the night air froze the snow.
I remembered the evening when I’d told Grant I was pregnant for the first time. We were in the kitchen, the kids all in bed by eight-thirty which was a miracle in itself. Grant was pouring himself a whisky after what had been a successful day at work, a case settling without the fuss he’d anticipated.
He’d offered me a glass and I’d refused it, just like I’d been refusing it for the last few days, having a very good idea that I was pregnant.
“Grant, I need to tell you something.”
He put the bottle down on the table. “We even settled on the costs.”
“Grant, I’m pregnant.”
“Thought we’d have more of a battle to agree, but I guess…”
“Grant, I’m pregnant.”
His mouth had opened and shut a few times. A few noises came out. Then he closed it, closed the distance between us and pulled me as close to him as he could, murmuring words that I only half heard.
“Shit. That’s amazing but shit. More of them. How will we cope?”
I’d laughed. “Because we love them and we have each other.”
Then, for the first time since we’d known each other, I’d felt his tears against my skin.
The cold in the store brought me back to reality, the bacon chilling my hands. IT was easy, sometimes, to become lost in a memory, especially on days like this when almost everyone was together.
I headed back out, hearing laughter and Seph shouting something at the top of his voice. Inside I saw Payton sitting on Owen’s knee, his arms around her and I’d be damned if he hadn’t worked it out already, because that man wasn’t stupid. Ava was curled into Eli, who was playing with her blonde curls, while Killian had Eliza asleep on one knee and Claire’s foot on the other, massaging it without really thinking about it.
Our already huge family had expanded in the last two years and was about to grow again with another generation, and I could watch sweet revenge happen upon my own kids as they contended with their own.
“Aunt Marie, do you want more wine?”
I looked at Maven, my niece and the image of my mother with her raven hair and deep blue eyes. “Always.”
Maven smiled and picked up a bottle, topping up my glass that was next to me. There was another peel of laughter and then the door opened.
Snow dusted dark hair that topped a head I dreamed about filled the doorway.
I stood up, just about remembering not to tip my wine over as the room went silent. Ava untangled herself from Eli and flung herself at the figure, the silence quickly fractured with various cries and exclamations, because the prodigal son had returned.
