“Actually really good,” she smirked. “Once the morning sickness got under control, everything just sort of clicked. I feel wonderful. I know I’m going to be huge when I’m further along but Mitch tells me he’s not going to care.”
“And you don’t believe him?” she asked looking sideways at her.
“It’s not that I don’t believe him. I mean, he’s not lied to me so far. I guess I’m still hearing all the voices from my past. Everyone except my stepfather. Doesn’t that seem strange? The only man to never cut me down was the one not blood-related or not wanting anything from me other than love.”
“That’s what we should expect from other humans. Unfortunately, in our business, we discover that humanity disappoints us all the time,” said Sadie with a sad smile.
“Were you disappointed?” asked Marnie.
“Oh gosh, no. Not by my family for sure. Christopher and Patrick were the most annoying, hovering, loving, wonderful brothers a girl could have. Of course, I didn’t appreciate that as young girl. But as a grown woman,” she said shaking her head, “those two came to my rescue without question. Them, and Ham.”
“Why did you have to be rescued?” asked Marnie.
“It’s a very long story but someone I trusted betrayed me in the ultimate way. We were dating, just colleagues, but I didn’t know he was married with kids.”
“I’m so sorry, Sadie.”
“I’m not. Not now. I found out I was pregnant but he had a Bruha, a witch put a spell on me. I was so messed up, Marnie. I was angry for no reason, lashing out at people, and I lost the babies. I blamed myself, I was just falling apart.”
“God, that’s so awful. How did you recover?”
“Well, Mama Irene got rid of the bad spell that was cast on me. My brothers, in spite of me being an asshole, never doubted me for a moment. But it was Ham that saved me. He comforted me, held me, loved me when I was my most unlovable. When we had Ambry, Bailey, and Cole, I knew this was where I was supposed to be, where we were supposed to be to raise our family.”
“I guess we all go through shit, don’t we?” she smirked.
“Oh, honey. Everyone here, men and women, have gone through their own shit. No one escapes that fate. We’re lucky though.”
“How so?” she asked.
“Because we’re one. One family. One tribe. One unit. We don’t leave people behind and we don’t let anyone suffer alone. If we see someone struggling, we step in. If we see someone hurting, we step in.
“We have so many brilliant people on this property, we have created a world where we don’t need to seek help outside of us. And if we do, it always, somehow finds us.”
“It truly is a remarkable place,” she grinned. “I’m worried about carrying triplets, but I feel at peace as well. I know that so many multiple births have happened here, that I’ll be okay, no matter what.”
“You can definitely count on help. Hell, Ramey delivered two sets of triplets. Mama Irene delivered four sets of twins. Mattie delivered quadruplets!” she laughed.
“I cannot imagine carrying four to full term. These men are so big, and to be honest, not being self-deprecating, so am I. I expect these babies will be huge.”
“Do you want to know their sex?” smiled Sadie.
“I’m not sure yet,” she grinned. “There’s this piece of me that wants it to be a surprise and another piece of me that says I need to prepare. I just don’t know for sure.”
“Are you worried about that doctor coming for you again?” asked Sadie. “Because, surely you know, that won’t happen. The boys won’t allow it.”
“You know, your grandfather has been the one to truly give me peace and comfort these last few weeks. Is it wrong that I look at him and think, ‘damn’!” Sadie let out a big laugh, shaking her head.
“Oh, no. Definitely not. If you knew how may girls in school felt the same way. They’d find out he was my grandfather, not my father and couldn’t believe it. Then they’d see Dad and flip out!” Marnie just smiled, nodding. “What was your stepfather like?”
“Wonderful. He had left us, left my mom, but walked back in at just the right time. She was trying to sell me to the landlord to pay rent,” blushed Marnie.
“Oh, honey. I’m so sorry.”
“I was a child, Sadie. Not even a teenager yet. It wasn’t until later that I figured out my mother had been doing the same thing with her own body. Selling it to buy alcohol mostly. I suspect some drugs. But Hal, he just took over. Petitioned the court for full custody.”
“I assume he got it,” said Sadie.
“He did but only because my mother didn’t even show up at the hearing. She skipped town, and bail, and I never saw her again. Hal, Dad, he never allowed me to feel less-than. He worked so hard just to give us a nice place to live, make sure I had nice clothes, and all the advantages of other kids.
