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Entering the kitchen, he stops in the doorway.
“What are you guys doing here?” he asks.
“Ky called us. She was having a hell of a time with the twins in the night,” I tell him.
“I told her I should’ve asked Cas to sit this one out. She promised she’d be okay.”
My first instinct is to jump to Ky’s defense, but Sally beats me to it. “She was okay, but in the middle of the night, when you’ve had no sleep yourself, dealing with one baby is hard enough, let alone two. We didn’t mind coming over, and it’s what we’re here for.”
She pours the coffee and passes me mine first and then nods for Rick to sit his ass down and passes him his coffee.
“How was the run?” I ask him.
“Fine.”
He drains half his coffee before sitting back in his chair and stretches his legs out.
“Is Ky still asleep?” he asks.
“Yeah. We didn’t want to disturb her while the boys still slept.”
“I’ll crash on the couch and get a couple of hours of sleep.” He finishes his coffee and stands.
“You should head home, I’m here now. When the boys wake, I’ll deal with them.”
This is why I more than tolerate my son-in-law. He holds down his responsibilities like a man. Rising to my feet, I grab the truck keys from the table.
“I’ll prepare breakfast before we go, so neither of you have to worry about feeding yourselves.”
“Thanks, Sal.”
I never thought I’d be comfortable enough doing the family flex, but I am.
Chapter Five
Emma
Dinner is done. Penelope is bathed and in bed, sleeping peacefully. All there is left to do tonight is finish feeding Thomas, get him changed, and put him down, and then I can run myself a bath, relax, and then go to bed myself. The house is locked up, and the alarm is set. It’s been a long day, and with Myles away on club business, I have the whole bed to myself.
Adjusting my hold on Thomas, he suckles the last of his milk, and I hold him to my chest and rub his back until he brings his wind up. Penelope was a crier as a baby. The nights Myles and I spent taking turns trying and failing to settle her, I never thought we’d survive. Thomas, so far, has been the opposite to his big sister. He slept through the night from a week old. He’s happy just to be unless he’s hungry or needs his diaper changed. He certainly makes it easier to have two children to raise.
“Let’s get you to bed,” I coo and shuffle to the edge of the couch.
Just as I stand, the doorbell rings. Pulling the curtain back, I peer through the front window and frown when I see Kyla on the front porch. It’s not like her to visit at this late hour.
I rush through to the hall, and with the use of one hand, I turn the alarm off and unlock the front door.
“Ky, what is…” my question dies on the tip of my tongue.
Her eyes are brimming with fear, and as she bustles past me, I quickly close the door and lock up.
Jiggling Thomas in my hold to keep him settled, I hover in the doorway as Kyla begins to tidy the few toys still lying around.
“Why are you here, Ky?”
Her nerves ripple through me, and my stomach tightens, bordering on needing to vomit.
“I’m sorry it’s late, but I knew you’d want to know… it couldn’t wait until morning…”
