Everlasting (Family Justice Book 6)

by Suzanne Halliday

  Their son squealed from the other side of the room. He had a healthy set of lungs and let the nurses know what he thought about what they were doing.

  Meghan groaned and then Dr. Sterner laughed. “And looks like big brother has a little sister to watch over. Congratulations! You’re now a family of four.”

  He was completely and utterly gobsmacked. Bending down, he kissed his wife and kept his face close to hers. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

  She was positively beaming. Her green eyes were bright and filled with wonder. “Go make sure everything’s all right.”

  He let her push him away as she pointed across the room. “Bring me my babies.”

  Alex glanced at Dr. Sterner who was still attending to Meghan. A second, softer cry rang out. “Sounds like everything’s good. Go ahead, Alex. You need to help the nurses while I take care of Meghan.”

  He staggered to the bassinets and stared in astonishment at the ballet-like choreography of postnatal care his children were put through. They were weighed and measured. Ankle tags went on each baby with two corresponding bracelets for him. He checked out what it said.

  Alex Marquez – father. He thought he might pass out. Or have a heart attack.

  His son weighed an official six pounds two ounces while his little sister was a smaller five pounds five ounces. Not too big and not too small. The little blue and pink caps they put on their heads were goddamn adorable.

  Meghan called his name. He looked back at her, gave a thumbs-up, and winked.

  When the all-clear was given, they handed him both kids. The nurse showed him how to hold them at the same time and then gently led him to Meghan. He was fucking speechless and having a hard time processing that they were here. They were small and so precious.

  He definitely had an emotional meltdown when the nurse helped him slide the boy onto Meghan’s chest.

  “Ah!” She gasped. “Look at him! He’s so handsome! Just like his daddy.”

  She kissed his little face with such tenderness, he thought he might cry. “Hi, sweetie. Welcome to the world, little man.”

  His wife’s eyes said so much when she looked at him. What Alex saw humbled him.

  He kissed his girl and slid her onto Meghan’s chest too.

  “Oh, my god,” she whispered.

  He stroked her hair and took it all in. The nurses bustled around but left them alone for a few minutes.

  Dr. Sterner talked to them for a few minutes. They were both relieved to learn that despite an early arrival, everyone was in tiptop shape.

  “You both did great. I’m happy for you. Not all twin pregnancies end so easily.”

  She drew him aside while a nurse hovered close to Meghan and the babies. He got what he presumed was the standard new dad lecture—with a twin twist. Meghan was to rest and engage in minimal activity for at least two weeks. No wiggle room.

  “You’ll need to be ready with names. You can wait, of course, but the minute you step into that waiting room, everyone will want to know.”

  He chuckled and thanked her profusely for the outstanding care and concern shown to him and his family.

  “We need to make some decisions,” he informed his awestruck wife. “Our first as parents.”

  “I’m ready.” She chuckled.

  “Names.”

  “Oh. Hmm. It makes a difference seeing them for real. I think we should stick to our original plan. Your boy suggestion first, and then I’ll suggest a girl’s name.”

  “Fair enough.” He studied his boy for a long minute. “Aiden Patrick Christian Valleja-Marquez.”

  “Yesss.” She sighed. “Aiden Patrick Christian.” The look of love she gave him made his heart sing.

  “Your turn.”

  Her smile grew enormous. “Stephanie Juliana Margarita Valleja-Marquez. We’ll call her Stevie.”

  He had to laugh. “Pandering to my mom again?”

  “Maybe a little sucking up but cleverly disguised in an homage to a dear friend, right?”

  “I dig it,” he growled.

  The nurse came and took both babies. Their doula joined them and took over with Meghan so he could run and tell everyone the good news.

  “They’re here!” he proudly crowed to the standing room-only crowd. Everyone except their mailman appeared crammed in the waiting room

  His dad and mom pushed to the front. “Well?”

  Alex grinned at his dad. “Aiden Patrick Christian made his debut first—weighing in at six pounds two ounces.” His dad’s eyes filled with tears.

  Then he looked at his mom whose face was a mask of happy anticipation. “And clocking in at a bouncing five pounds five ounces is Miss Stephanie Juliana Margarita.”

  Shrieks of delight and congratulations exploded, and his father pulled him into an emotional hug. “Three grandchildren in five days. We are blessed beyond measure. Thank you, son.” In a whisper, he added, “You make me proud by honoring Meghan’s family as you have.”

  “When can we see Meghan? And the babies?”

  Alex laughed and scrubbed a hand through his hair. “You know, I didn’t even ask. Everything happened so fast. Her parents aren’t even here yet.”

  Uncle Matt raised his hand. “You want me to go to the airport?”

  Alex pointed at his trusty business manager. “Check with Betty, okay? She has the flight info.”

  Making a circuit through the crowd of well-wishers, Alex’s shoulder hurt from all the happy, congratulatory back slaps.

  He grabbed his mom’s hand and gestured to his dad. “Come with me,” he told them. Outside the door to Meghan’s suite, he stopped and grinned at his parents.

  “She did so good, you guys. Like seriously. I can’t believe they’re here.”

  His mom lit up with happiness and joy. “Alexander,” she said with a hand wrapped around his wrist. “I’ve met some interesting people in my life, but your Meghan is in a category all her own. She’s extraordinary. Isn’t she, Cris?”

  “Hell yeah, she is!”

  “She gave us back our son and a future we thought was lost. I, for one, say a prayer for her every single day. And now, through her profound love for you, our family is enriched. Don’t ever forget what she gave you, son.”

  He was far too overcome with emotion to do more than wipe away a tear and hug both his parents. Then he quietly ushered them into the room.

  Meghan looked radiant. She was framed in a pool of light that highlighted her beautiful hair and dazzling smile. Both kids lay in the crook of her arm. Alex rushed to her side and waved his folks over. They approached cautiously—it was cute as shit to see how tentative they were.

  His mom stepped up to the side of the bed and clasped her hands over her heart. She murmured, “Oh, Meghan,” when she got a good look at her grandbabies. Then she leaned in and kissed his wife. Meghan beamed. His mom brushed hair from her daughter-in-law’s face and held her chin for a moment.

  “Thank you, my dear. Thank you for loving my son enough to put up with our crazy family.”

  Meghan did her usual snicker. “Yes, well, I’ve had to overlook a lot,” she teased. “Glenfiddich? Really?”

  The joke would never, ever get old. He laughed when it hit him that his kids would be hearing that slur a lot in the years to come.

  His dad stepped up behind his mom and put his hands on her shoulders. “Meghan, he’s in it for two push presents. Don’t let him off the hook, okay?” He winked at her, and she made a face. It thrilled him to no end to see the close relationship his father and Meghan had fallen into so easily.

  “Can we hold them?” His mom sounded so hopeful. Did she really think they wouldn’t let them?

  “Of course.” His wife laughed. “Go right ahead.” She made an adorable sounding sheesh and added, “I’m over it, anyway. Nothing to this motherhood thing.”

  Alex nodded and smiled as laughter rang out. It was a sound he wanted his children to hear a lot.

  “Pictures, Daddy,” his wife reminded him with a r
aised brow.

  Oh, right! He’d been out to lunch for a minute. They’d take something posed and formal later with Meghan’s fancy camera, but for now, his phone would have to do.

  Meghan offered the bundle in blue to his dad. “Cristián, I’d like you to meet Aiden. He squeezed past his little sister and came first.”

  An avalanche of feels broke loose inside Alex. His dad. His son. His wife. It was all a whirl. A wonderful, oh-my-god-are-you-fucking-kidding-me whirl. He took as many pictures as he could.

  “And this little nugget,” Meghan said with a grin directed at his mom, “is the newest family princess. Angie can go pound sand. Ashleigh, meet Stevie.”

  His mother’s giggling reaction as she held her first granddaughter in her arms got a teary-eyed reaction from his dad. “Stevie Marquez.” She looked at him and then at Meghan. “You know you’ve ruined me forever, right?”

  He and Meghan high fived and hooted, “Nailed it!”

  A twelve-alarm love fest broke out as his parents went full-tilt gaga for Aiden and Stevie. He held Meghan’s hand when he wasn’t taking pictures. The look on his wife’s face was blissful and serene. She was born for this role. The incredible woman he married would bloom as a mother.

  Alex silently nodded. He’d done good. Generations of his proud family smiled down on them. From out of the distant past, he felt a hand touch his shoulder. His children were now part of the line of proud Spaniards who traveled far from their ancestral land to make a stand in the American Southwest. He felt a deep welling of emotion for the two cultures forming the backbone of his family.

  A knock on the door sent Alex running. When he stepped into the hallway, Parker was there. “Dad just called. They’re parking and then will be on their way up.”

  “Is Finn still here?”

  Parker scoffed and gave him a dry look. “Yeah—he’s sniveling into a box of tissues while Remy pats his head. Man needs to ball the fuck up.”

  He had to laugh. Poor Finn just never caught a break. He couldn’t even get choked up about the twins without someone waiting to give him shit about it.

  What sounded a little bit like a stampede made him and Parker turn and look down the hallway. Meghan’s parents were jogging toward them. Maggie broke into a fast sprint and nearly knocked him over when he she grabbed his arms.

  “Alex, tell us. Matt wouldn’t say anything except that everyone’s fine.”

  Parker shook hands with Meghan’s dad and kissed Maggie’s cheek. “You two are in for a helluva surprise!”

  “Son,” Paddy boomed in his big Irish voice. “What the hell, Alex?”

  He laughed and pulled his father-in-law in for a hug. “I know, right?” he drily quipped. “You know Meghan. Always an overachiever. Wanted to show us all how to get’r done.”

  Maggie laughed.

  “Her water broke and a couple of hours later, twins.”

  “Was it a Caesarean?”

  Alex made a face at his mom-in-law. “Nope. Your daughter wasn’t having any of that shit! It all happened really fast and was so easy that she didn’t even have an epidural.”

  “Are you serious?” Maggie looked dumbfounded.

  “Truth,” he assured her with a serious look and nod.

  Parker quietly asked, “You want me to get Finn?”

  “I think some special grandparents time first,” Alex told him.

  “Enough,” Maggie drawled. “I want to see my daughter.”

  Alex pushed open the door. “My folks are in there too,” he told them.

  Maggie ran to his mom and gave her a huge hug that ended with them holding each other and silently celebrating by jumping up and down.

  Paddy shook hands with his dad.

  His parents melted into the shadows after that and sat together on a sofa as the O’Briens tiptoed to the bed.

  “Ma,” Meghan cried. “Look!”

  “What in the St. Patrick hell?” Paddy hooted. “Pink AND blue?”

  “Yes,” Meghan cried. “Da! Can you believe it?”

  Alex stepped in and did the honors this time. He scooped Aiden up and put him in Paddy’s arms. With a loving back pat, he said, “Gran Da, this little fella is named Aiden Patrick Christian. He’s the big brother.”

  Dammit if Paddy didn’t start to cry. Alex wasn’t sure what to do.

  Then he kissed his wife’s nose as he leaned in to take Aiden’s sister to her grandmother.

  “And Gran Ma, say hello to Stephanie Julianna Margarita. Your daughter says we’re to call her Stevie.”

  Maggie gasped and sighed as the tiny pink ball cradled against her chest.

  He looked at Meghan who was happily taking pictures.

  “Paddy,” Maggie murmured. “Oh, my god.”

  The new grandparents stood side by side staring at the babies.

  They enjoyed a lovely interlude with both sets of grandparents. At one point, their doula joined them and helped Meghan nurse both babies. She was totally fine with everyone watching. It was an oddly sacred moment that moved him deeply.

  He said a silent prayer and shocked himself in the process because it wasn’t something he felt comfortable doing. Until right now.

  He and his wild Irish goddess had made a family.

  In his mind, the circle rounded; he squished it into a heart shape and in the center an infinity symbol formed.

  31

  Heather tossed her purse on the kitchen table and sank onto a chair. My god she was exhausted. Dropping forward over her thighs, she let her arms hang for a second and then straightened.

  Life the past couple of days had been hectic and nonstop. She was caught right in the middle of everything.

  First, the men returned from their overseas mission. It was a time of happy reunion. She smiled, remembering Roman and Kelly’s emotional embrace when he stepped out of the car.

  Second, Sophie gave birth. That blessed event produced a gorgeous baby boy and a hole to fill at the family center that she gladly took over. Sophie’s joy was a sight to see and helping out when needed was what families did. Two reasons why she’d been eager to help.

  Then, because that wasn’t enough, the twins came a whole month early. At that point, Family Justice shifted into overdrive. Three newborns in four days!

  At the refrigerator, she made a quick inventory of things on hand, grabbed a handful of grapes, and thought about all the things she had to do. Dinner was just part of it.

  Bella was at the stable with Stephanie. They wanted to give Snowflake a good brushing and get her spruced up for some photos Meghan planned to take. Besides pictures of the twins in a cowboy setting, they were all told a family group shot was on the agenda.

  Meghan. Heather smiled. The woman she was once jealous of was now her closest friend.

  She looked around and sighed. So many babies, so much excitement. When she had a private moment with her friend, Meghan said something in her uniquely Lady Mama way that resonated with Heather. She told her it was okay to be envious and a little bummed but to embrace the wonderful energy and amplify the joy given off. The positive vibrations would surround Heather and Brody. In other words—think positive and feel the love.

  She was trying. My god was she ever trying. They had sex at every opportunity. Quick sex. Dirty sex. Staged sex. When she wasn’t working, Brody came home for lunch sex.

  There was also Sunday morning sex. Date night sex. In the car sex. He sent her on some crazy errand to pick up a package delivery for a safety harness she imagined was for the dogs only to discover it was more of a leather bondage and punishment rig. Now that had been fun. She wasn’t sure what to call that kind of sex because the term kinky was so overused.

  It wasn’t a good day at the Jensen household when she got her period, but she pulled it together quick and put her grown-up knickers on. Getting pregnant wasn’t like ordering takeout. Her mom kept insisting they should just chill and give nature a chance.

  A sticky note on the side of the refrigerator reminded her that tomorro
w was Kelly’s birthday. She missed her new friend. Shortly after Roman’s return, they headed off to New York and missed the twins’ arrival. It was understandable that they couldn’t linger. Kelly and Roman had lives somewhere else, but that didn’t mean she was happy to see them leave.

  Bella’s solution was to FaceTime daily with Matty. They had a standing call on their schedule that could not be changed. It was cute how instantly the two kids bonded. Brody and Roman questioned whether they’d be in-laws someday. Everyone laughed, but she and Kelly exchanged looks.

  Well, she thought as the last grape plopped on her tongue, I’d better go fetch my kid. Georgie was also at the compound for a doggie spa day. No really, she snickered. That was happening.

  A quick bathroom stop and a decision to make hot dogs for dinner was all she had time for. Changing into sensible shoes rather than the chic sandals she’d worn to work, Heather looked in the mirror and checked to be certain she looked human. Then she grabbed her purse and headed out for the day’s second round.

  * * *

  Brushing her hand down the pony’s flank, Stephanie gave Snowflake a thorough once-over. She was excited about the staged baby pictures Meghan wanted to take. The twins were too damn cute for words, and the new mom’s idea for their first portrait was fantastic.

  She was closing the stall door when a thunderbolt hit her. Crying out, her hand clutched the top of the stall door so hard her knuckles turned white. A pain blew her center apart, and she doubled over with another sharp cry.

  “Oh, no. No. This can’t be happening.”

  Hanging onto the stall door, she tried to pull herself along but another lightning bolt struck, and she went down with a strangled yelp.

  “Help. Oh god. Jace!” she tried to yell.

  Seconds passed and she started to panic. Her leggings were drenched, meaning her water had broken.

  Then Jace stuck his head out of a room at the far end of the long stable and yelled, “Someone call for me?”

  She waved from her knees and doubled over in agony. He was on top of her a heartbeat later.

  “Jesus Christ,” he muttered.

  “The baby’s coming. I can feel it.”