by L. P. Maxa
“I love making babies with you, and I know I’ll love raising them with you too.” He kissed my lips, dipping me backward. “So yes, good. Great. Perfect. Fuck yeah.”
***
Marley
I didn’t mean to announce Devin’s pregnancy like I had. I figured Jett already knew and maybe they hadn’t told the rest of us yet. But I was glad I got to be there, to see the look on my person’s face when he found out that he was going to be a dad.
“I’m really happy for you.” I patted Jett’s hair when he rested his head on my shoulder. “You’re going to be a great dad.”
“I know.” He sat up straight, smoothing his dark hair. “I had a good one growing up, and there’s a pretty fantastic one who lives right across the street.” His eyes narrowed. “And if you tell that husband of yours I said something nice about him, I’ll deny it.”
Jett and Talon had a comical relationship. They loved each other, but they loved hating each other just as much.
I looked to the field beside us, where Talon and Devin were walking with my son. They were each holding on to one of Co’s tiny hands. He’d only learned to walk a few weeks ago, and the uneven ground was treacherous for his wobbly steps. But he refused to be carried. Talon said he was stubborn like his mother. I didn’t think it was such a bad trait to know what you wanted though, so he could be bullheaded all he wanted.
I never thought I’d be a mother. I never really thought I’d ever be married either. My dreams weren’t like other little girls’. I didn’t fall asleep at night picturing wedding dresses and prince charming. I’d always been driven, ambitious. Instead of white picket fences, I’d conjured images of winning Nobel Prizes and curing cancer.
I guess I could say all my dreams had come true, even the ones I didn’t know I had. Talon made my life sweeter, he gave it more heart. And Co, he was everything. I truly felt like I had it all.
***
Talon
I smiled, mouthing I love you to my wife who was watching me and our son with that soft look in her eye. Co and I were the only ones who could make her melt, and I took pride in that. She was saving our seats at the ceremony site, sitting with Jett. He and Marley were a package deal, and I’d come to terms with that years ago. They needed each other. They balanced each other out. One couldn’t exist without the other because the world couldn’t handle them separately. Jett may have been her soul mate, but I was her heart.
“You feeling okay?” Devin and I were walking with Co out in the field, trying to spend some of his toddler energy so he’d sit through the ceremony.
“A little emotional, and a little queasy. But other than that I feel pretty good.” She smiled and then we both turned, heading back toward the family. “I only found out a couple days ago, so it’s early.”
“I’m sorry Marley spilled your secret.” I knew she meant no harm by it. She had a you see it, you say it mentality. I loved her honesty, and her family valued it. But some people found it off-putting. Ask our employees.
Devin waved away my apology. “It was the perfect moment. It felt right to have y’all there.”
“Yeah, I get it.” Devin and I understood each other on another level, because no one else would ever be able to fathom married life with Jett and Marley. We shared our spouses. They didn’t belong only to us. And we were okay with that because they were both more than worth it. “You going to tell the rest of the family? Luke and Lo?”
Devin scooped Co up into her arms, and I took her elbow, helping her over the small rocky patch of land. “Nah. We’ll wait a few more weeks.” We stayed in step, heading into the crowd of people waiting to watch Crue and Avory get married. Finally.
“Oh, what a beautiful little family.” Some random lady stopped us, pinching Co’s cheek. “Cherish these baby years, they grow up so fast.” She sent us another smile, revealing lipstick on her teeth, and then walked away, speaking into one of those neck mic things.
Devin laughed, rubbing Co’s red cheek. “You okay, kiddo? You gotta watch out for those amped-up caterers, they live on energy drinks and leftovers.”
I put my hand on her back, helping her through the rows of chairs until she could sit beside Jett. “There you guys are, we lost you in the crowd.” He took Co, holding him high in the air, wiggling him gently.
“The caterer stopped us. She wanted to tell us what a beautiful family we were.” Devin rubbed her thumb lightly against Co’s face. “Cheek pinches and all.”
“It’s going to be funny when you have a kid too, people never know who belongs with who when we’re all out together.” That wasn’t the first time someone assumed Devin, Co, and I were a family, and I knew it wouldn’t be the last.
“You know genetically, your baby will have dark hair like Jett.” Marley’s hand rested on my thigh. “Which means he’ll look like us.” She gestured between her and Jett. “The way Co looks like you two.”
I wrapped my arm around my wife, pulling her close and kissing the tip of her nose. No, I didn’t mind sharing her. Jett worked hard when they were young, making Marley’s dreams come true. This compound was full of all kinds of dysfunction, absolutely, but it was also so fucking full of love.
***
Emmie
Kase pulled our large SUV into a parking spot, then rested his head against the seat. “One more wedding, and then we’re all done, right?” Most of the Devil’s Spawn hadn’t cared to have a big ceremony. The majority of us had slipped off quietly and eloped. Uncle Luke said it wasn’t fair that two of his sons had picked girls who wanted actual ceremonies. Uncle Dash said it was karma because Luke and Lo only had sons when Luke deserved at least one daughter.
The parents had a lot of inside jokes, a lot of memories and stories that we’d never understand. But so did we, so did the spawn. It’s no wonder we grew up close. We saw our parents’ connection to each other from the day we were born.
“Last wedding. Only gender reveals, baby showers, and kid birthday parties from here on out.” Nicky clapped Kase on the shoulder then opened his door and helped Evie out.
Kase reached over the console, cupping my face in his hands. “You look beautiful, Ems.”
“Thank you.” I kissed his palm, more than okay with letting Nicky and Evie get Luca out of her car seat so I could steal a moment with my husband. “I love you.”
He pulled me close, kissing my lips before getting out of the car, to come around to my side to open the door for me. “You know, we conceived Luca after a Mathews wedding.”
I snorted. “Oh, I remember.” I could still recall every moment of the first night we spent together. And I cherished every single second since then. Even when I was scared, even when we were both so unsure of our next move. Those early days of getting to know ourselves and each other: falling in love. They were invaluable.
Kase wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me against his chiseled body. “You wanna leave this one early too?”
I nodded, licking my lips. “Yes, please.”
“Hmmm, say it again, but with more of a whimper in your tone.”
I straightened, putting my mouth against the shell of his ear. “Yes, please,” I whimpered, breathing heavily as I squeezed his firm ass.
“You two want to leave now?” Nicky interrupted us, standing close with our daughter sleeping in his arms.
Kase nodded. “Sure would.”
I took his hand in mine, dragging him forward. We couldn’t miss this wedding. Like Kasen had said, it was the last one. We were all paired up, all in love and with the people we’d spend an eternity with.
***
Kasen
I cradled my baby girl in my arms, enjoying the soft sound of her breathing. She’d fallen asleep on the short car ride over, and she was still out cold on my shoulder. Her perfect little lips were squished together and she looked so damn cute in her pink tulle dress. I hoped she’d grow up and be a ballerina like her mom.
I loved watching Ems teach class. I loved seeing her in her tig
hts most of all. She was the most beautifully graceful woman I’d ever known, and she was all mine.
We lived in town, but came back here for family dinners and to let Luca play with her large family. Ems didn’t want our kids growing up here. She didn’t want them running wild and getting into trouble. But I was starting to believe that there was something about this place, something almost magical. Luca didn’t need to live on this land to hear its call. She was born a tiny spawn.
“I think we should stay with Katie next weekend after Cash goes back out on the road.” Ems leaned over, kissing our daughter’s soft lips and then kissing my jaw. “She’s had help for the last week and it’s going to be a shock to the system when he leaves again.”
“Sure, we can do that.” Katie and Ems were close. Hell, they were sisters. And staying at Katie’s house made me nostalgic.
I’d fallen for Ems on this compound, at a weekend a lot like this one. There’d been music, and dancing. Her dress had blown in the breeze and I’d been instantly enamored. I could almost remember the pull in my gut, the way I had to talk to her. We’d spent a lot of her pregnancy hiding away at Katie’s, getting to know each other, learning to take care of each other. I told Ems once that I thought we’d met for a reason, that we were supposed to create Luca. But now I knew it was more than that. We were supposed to love each other until the end of time.
Ems and Luca were my greatest adventure.
***
Avory
Today was my wedding day, and I couldn’t wait to get it over with. My mother had made me spend the last two nights away from my fiancé. The first one was so I could have a special slumber party with my sisters, and the next was because it was bad luck to see the groom before the wedding. I think she was trying to torture me a little since she found out that Crue and I had snuck around this compound for a couple of years. She said I was too old to punish, but I think she found a way.
I missed Crue. Since we’d gotten back together, we hadn’t spent one night apart. And being away from him for two was almost unbearable. I was addicted.
I figured we earned it, for what we’d gone through to get back to each other. We weren’t the kids we were in the beginning, but that passion that ignited us was still very real. We’d always loved each other: we’d always craved that fire. But now it was like a low constant simmer instead of random explosions. Sometimes I wonder where we’d be now if we’d never broken up down by this back gate. Would we have stayed together the last five years, or would there have been another epic fight to separate us? We’d had some growing up to do, and I’m not entirely sure we could have accomplished it while clinging to each other.
There was no way of knowing for sure, and I guess it didn’t really matter. We were in love back then, and we’re in love now. We’ll never lose the memories we had as teenagers; that was our beginning. But this, our ending? It was my favorite part.
“You ready? It’s almost go—”
“Yes.” I cut Halen off, taking my flowers from Devin. “Yes, let’s go.” I knew I sounded overeager, but I didn’t care in the slightest.
“Okay.” She rolled her eyes and then nudged Wyatt and Weston down the aisle. They were the ring bearers. We’d had a dress rehearsal last night and Weston had promptly lost the fake ring we’d given him. Turned out he tossed it into a pool at the bottom of a statue because he thought it was the same as throwing pennies into a well. Safe to say we didn’t let him carry the real rings today. “Lennon, come on, sweet girl, you’re next.” Halen kissed her daughter’s cheek and pointed down the aisle to where her little cousins were waiting.
Lennon took off running, giggling like a tiny fairy the whole way. She looked like she was going to launch herself at Wyatt, but Beau stepped in last minute and scooped her into his arms.
“For heaven’s sake.” Halen rolled her eyes as she started down the aisle toward her husband and oldest daughter. Marley stepped into place next, winking at me over her shoulder. And then it was my dad and me waiting for our turn.
“I know you’re eager to get down that aisle, but can you spare a minute for your old man?” My father looked so handsome in his black suit, the tiny diamond-encrusted skull cufflinks sparling in the sun.
“Always.” I smiled at him, adjusting his black bow tie.
“I should have paid more attention, Avory, to you and your sisters. I should have kept a closer eye on you three. I should have asked more questions.”
“Dad, we—”
“Let me finish, sweetheart.” He held his hand up, stopping me from telling him what I wanted to say. “There are a million things I should have done differently, but I’m glad I made mistakes.” He smiled, his eyes moving past me to our large family seated and waiting. “Learn from them, baby girl, learn from the parents we were and do better when the time comes.”
“You did good, Dad, you all did.” I gestured behind me with my large bouquet. “We turned out pretty fucking great.”
“You kids were always destined for greatness, and you would have gotten there with a lot less heartbreak if I’d have bolted your windows shut.”
I couldn’t help but giggle at what he was implying. I took a deep breath, putting my free hand on his shoulder. “That’s how we learned to love each other. That’s how we learned to take care of each other. Those open windows are what made us strong, Daddy.” I smiled through my tears.
He hugged me close, both of us feeling so much emotion in that moment it was hard to speak. I understood where he was coming from, but I hoped my words helped ease his mind. I had wonderful parents, we all did. And it wasn’t their fault it took us so long to realize that they would always have our back.
The music changed, letting us know it was our turn. My father let me go, his eyes bright. “You look beautiful, sweetheart.” He kissed my cheek, rubbing a reassuring hand on my back. “But if you’ve changed your mind, scratch your nose.”
I laughed, resting my head on his arm for a moment. “I haven’t changed my mind.” And I never would. Crue was my first love, and now he’d be my last.
***
Crue
I wasn’t born in love with Avory Connor, but I sure as fuck would die that way. I’d lost her once, and I’d make sure that I never did it again. I wasn’t the kid she fell for at this back gate, the one who demanded her compliance, and then yanked her into my arms. And she wasn’t the girl who craved my dominance with a smirk on her lips. The people we were now were smarter than that, more empathic and compassionate. We didn’t take each other or our love for granted because we knew how bleak the world was without it. Avory and I handled our separation in vastly different ways. She buried her pain and I wallowed in mine.
We forgave, we grew up. And so did our love for each other.
Standing here watching her come toward me, I clenched my jaw, trying like hell to hold in the tears threatening to fall. My girl walked down an aisle scattered with rose petals, holding a bouquet of flowers that were grown in the soil that had nurtured us. She was stunning, absolutely breathtaking. Her white gown hugged her body, the long silk train trailing behind her. Her long dark hair was down, the way I liked it best. She was smiling, her eyes on me.
I’d asked her to marry me in this exact spot. We’d gone on a midnight stroll and I’d stopped and gotten down on one knee. I proposed under the stars, right in front of that magical old chair. She’d said yes.
Today we were getting married here, and next week we’d start construction on our new house. The back gate was our spot, and now it always would be.
Uncle Dash placed Avory’s hand in mine, glaring at me slightly as he stepped away. I couldn’t blame him. I was the punk kid who snuck around with his underage daughter and then broken her heart. I’d glare at me too.
“You look beautiful, baby spawn.” I squeezed her hands, my thumb rubbing over the diamond in her engagement ring. I’d put it on her finger only a couple months ago, but why wait to get married? I’d known I wanted to spend the rest of my li
fe with her since I was sixteen years old.
She took a deep breath, squeezing my hands right back. “Let’s do this.”
I nodded, and we both turned toward Cash. He’d gotten ordained online because nothing else would feel as right as him blessing our marriage.
“Well, we all know why we’re gathered here today.” He grinned at us. “Love stories come in all shapes and sizes. I think this compound is living proof of that. Some people seem to be born in love, and some stumble into it when they least expect it.
“But I think we can all agree that a true love story never ends.”
THE DEVIL’S SHARE FAMILY
Beau and Halen’s girls:
Since the kid’s took Beau's last name, Halen wanted to add her last name to one of their children, and her mom's name to another. Lennon was a nod to both Halen’s parents because they named her and her sisters after musicians.
Crue and Avory’s girls:
Crue and Avory loved the name Lyla, and her middle name is for Avory's father, Dash. Crue picked the name Margot, because he liked the name and the old actress it reminded him of. Leigh is Avory's middle name.
Talon and Marley’s boys:
Talon and Marley named their firstborn Caspian Owen because they wanted something timeless, and they wanted him to have Co as initials because of their shared fondness for Kurt Cobain. Both Talon and Marley loved the name Miles, and Miles Davis. As for the middle name, they lost a bet to Jett: if he guessed the baby’s birth weight correctly he got to pick the middle name.
Nick and Evie’s kids:
Nick and Evie chose Cohen for Leonard Cohen because they love his iconic “Hallelujah.” They used Waylon as a middle name for Nicky's Uncle Waylon who helped raised him and founded Revival Ink. They thought London was a cool name, and her middle name, May, is for Evie's best friend Maykin.
Kasen and Emmie’s kids:
While hanging out with the Spawn one night, Jett picked out Luca, and Kasen and Emmie loved it so it stuck. James is Kasen's sister Katie’s middle name, which came from her birth father's favorite song “Rock On” by David Essex. Liam Mason is a nod to Kasen's father, the rock star Mason Cadence (Mason Maxwell).