Page 87 of Spending Forever With You

“Girl, I’m telling Deacon you answering the door half naked,” she sang as she pulled out another burger and fries. I scrunched my nose as I looked down and the sight of my missing pants had my eyes ballooning. I rushed to our room to get Luke’s robe since I was missing him and beasting to smell him.

“Oh my gosh. No wonder the lawyer was looking at me crazy as hell. Why didn’t you tell me when you came in?” I asked, taking the seat next to her, grabbing a few fries from the container.

“Holls, tell you? You didn’t feel that breeze hitting your legs? No, your coochie. Just in here naked and free. Is this what you do with your time when Deacon’s gone?”

“Hell yeah or skinny dip in the pool on the late night tip,” I joked, but now loving the idea.

“Eww. Oh hell naw, that’s a community pool, Holls. That’s fucked up.” I snorted.

“Not anymore. My juices stamped my name on that bitch.” I taunted her as I unraveled my burger, going for a bite with a big smile on my face.

“Eating the food I brought and ruining my relaxation location. It be your own fucking people, boy I tell you. Just nasty as hell.” I laughed in her face, only causing Kay to roll her eyes.

“No, but what brings you by? You never come over.”

“I wanted to check in. I know Deacon is on the road. He mentioned how you might want a burger. And well, since I was getting one, you came to mind.” She shrugged. Kay wasn’t slick for shit.

“And some company, huh. You tell a man you’re lonely one too many times and he starts to send every single person he can reach to check on you.” We shared a laugh before we fell into a pregnant pause.

“Thank you for coming and bringing food.” Kay waved me off, taking a bite of her sandwich.

“So tell me what’s been going on?”

“Did he tell you we’re pregnant?”

“What? No. I’ma kill him, keeping secrets like that. Oh my gosh, I’ma be an auntie-cousin.” I snorted at her self-given title.

“Yup, an auntie.” I reduced it because the cousin part wasn’t necessary when it came to her. Kay was the big sister of the family.

“Damn, I guess that nigga really did hit a ho⁠—"

I clapped my hands, cutting her off.

“Uht uht, don’t be corny and finish that dumb ass line. But yes, and way too fast. It’s only been five months of being back together.”

“Well, when it’s time, I heard shit moves fast. Y’all gon’ be good though. Damn, I can’t believe it. Who entrusted y’all to be somebody’s parents? What Deacon be saying? Pray up, chile,” she said as she looked me over with a cheeky grin while I shook my head at his catchphrase.

“Pray up, girl.”

CHAPTER 20

Luke

“Ooh, and Raja, I was thinking about a water birth. Is that possible? I heard they are supposed to be more calming for welcoming the baby,” Hollis said as we prepared to see the baby for the first time. With being home and away every week, it took us another two weeks to get set up with the birthing team, Raja and Dalia.

While Hollis seemed to be in full control of her emotions, mine were going crazy as hell. I couldn’t believe we had made it to this stage in our marriage.

Hell, for real, it felt like yesterday when I found out we were still even married and I just knew she would leave me again. Now we were here, laying with her shirt raised while a midwife squirted jelly on her belly to show us our baby.

Our freaking baby.

“Yes, a home birth is definitely an option. After we see the bundle, we can discuss all the natural home birth options just in case you change your mind.” They shared a chuckle as Raja took a seat next to Hollis and me on the bed since I was on the other side, holding her hand.

“Well, let’s see what we have here. And there is baby…oh wait, I’m sorry, babies. Congratulations, you two. It appears to be twins in there. And judging by the size of the sacs, you seem to be a little over three months pregnant,” Raja said as she pointed to the screen with two tiny sacs on display. I had no idea what I was truly looking at, but I knew they were now the whole reason for my existence, along with my beautiful wife who already owned me heart and soul.

I sniffled a few times, doing my best to hold back my tears of pure bliss. I was about to be a dad to not one, but two little beings. I looked at Hollis, who was in a daze, smiling at our creation on the monitor. I leaned down, kissing her forehead before I felt Hollis’s hand touch my face. I wasn’t even aware that a few tears had fallen.

I had only cried tears of joy once in life, the day I watched the same woman who brought me to my knees walk down the makeshift aisle in our backyard. And here she was now, giving me another chance to grow our love even more.