by Kent, Rina
“Whoa.”
“Is that a good whoa or a bad one?” She’s watching me so intently, unblinking, as if afraid she’ll miss something if she does.
“A fucking bewildered one. You’re carrying a baby.”
“Your baby.”
“My baby,” I repeat, a weird sense of pride hitting me out of nowhere. I mean, we knew we would have children one day, but since Teal admitted to the therapist that she’s afraid of the idea of becoming a mother, I thought we could wait like Xan and Kim, or Cole and Silver, who still haven’t even gotten married.
I have no doubt that Teal will kick arse as a mother. It’s not that she doesn’t care, it’s that she’s selective when it comes to the ones she cares about, and I’m positive that our child will make the top of that list. After me, of course.
“Didn’t you say we should wait?” I ask. “Are you okay with it?”
She nods frantically. “I can’t wait when it comes to you, Ronan. You make me want to burn every obstacle in the way as long as you’re by my side.”
“That’s because you’re smart as fuck, ma belle. You know what’s up.”
She laughs, her dark eyes sparkling.
I place my hand on her stomach. “So our offspring is in here?”
“Yes. If he or she is anything like you, we’re going to have our hands full.”
“Hey! I was a good boy. Ask Lars. Actually, no, I gave him hell whenever he made me drink milk. Ask Mum. She’ll tell you how much of a good boy I was.”
“You mean, I should ask the same Charlotte who’s always on your side, no matter what you do?”
“I’m her miracle, love. She has to be on my side. That’s how it works.”
“You’re unbelievable.”
“Not more than this.” I keep touching her stomach, trying to find something, anything. “Are you sure there’s a living being here?”
“Yeah, it just doesn’t show now.”
“Shit. Does this mean I shouldn’t have fucked you yesterday?”
“Elsa mentioned that the doctor said it was fine.”
“Thank fuck for that.” I grin. “Because I’m in the mood to celebrate.”
20
Cole
Age Twenty-eight
It might be ten years overdue, but Aiden finally got punched again. I didn’t do it in front of our wives, because they tend to be soft and have zero tolerance for violence.
While I don’t prefer it either, I wasn’t going to sit still after I learnt about the actual truth of what happened ten years ago.
Aiden staggers to his feet, clutching his nose — that I think is broken, by the way. “What the fuck was that for?”
My fists are still clenched at my sides as I stare him down. We’re at his office after a business meeting with both Jonathan King and Ethan Steel. I was biding my time until they left before I punched him. I figured his father and his father-in-law wouldn’t stand for it while I beat him to a pulp.
Not even the meeting could’ve cooled me down. Ever since I accidentally heard Elsa apologise to Silver, I couldn’t stay still.
“I didn’t know you thought you were pregnant back then.” Elsa’s face paled as she held Silver by the shoulders, her fingers trembling. “Oh my God, I feel so terrible for hitting you. It’s not just about the pregnancy. I don’t even know what came over me at the time. I overreacted, and I’m so sorry. I’m really, really sorry, Silver.”
My wife laughed and rubbed her arm. “I’ve already forgotten about it. You didn’t know. Not like the arsehole Aiden.”
“Aiden knew?” Elsa shrieked and Silver had to shush her, then take her away.
Aiden knew.
He knew that Silver thought she was pregnant and didn’t stop Elsa until after. He didn’t even tell me, knowing I would have stopped Elsa myself.
This selfish bastard knew and did nothing about it.
I’ve always had regrets about that part. It didn’t matter that she wasn’t pregnant. The fact that she was hurt still sits wrong with me. Even if she provoked me before it happened.
Aiden wipes blood from the corner of his mouth. “You fucking bastard. Are you jealous of my face, is that it?”
“You knew.” My voice is calm, despite the utter chaos I’m planning for this fucker.
“That you’re a petty little bitch? Sure.”
“You knew she thought she was pregnant. She confided in you and you let her get beaten.”
He seems to grasp on to what I’m talking about since he pauses wiping his mouth and scoffs. “Confided in me? More like she threatened me.”
“You still knew.”
“Chill, arsehole. She wasn’t pregnant.”
I grab him by the collar of his shirt and stare straight into his soulless eyes. “That’s not the part that matters. You knew and didn’t protect her.”
“Not that it makes a difference, but I did.”
“You did, how? By letting Elsa punch her?”
“By stopping Elsa. I had flashbacks from when her mother used to do that shit. So yeah, maybe I didn’t do it fast enough, but I did it, and if I hadn’t made her leave, I have no clue what Elsa would’ve done or if I could’ve stopped her. She wasn’t herself back then, and you know how Queens doesn’t give up. Besides, why the fuck are you acting high and mighty when you watched her with a bloody smile on your face?” He pushes me away and I release him with a shove.
“I didn’t know.”
“Right, and that magically makes it okay.”
“Shut the fuck up, Aiden, before I break your nose for real.”
His face remains blank as he flips me off. “Hit me again and I’ll ruin your features. I doubt Queens would stay with you then. After all, your looks are the only thing working in your favour.”
I resist the urge to ram his face into the sofa before I leave the office. I’m still agitated during the drive home, and it takes everything in me not to go back and empty my grudge into that fucker.
It doesn’t matter that we’ve been sort of friends for the majority of our lives. He still pisses me off the most.
And yes, I’m still not over the fact that he was Silver’s fiancé first or that he had her first fucking waltz.
By the time I reach home, I have to stop at the threshold to calm my breathing. No matter how chaotic things get, I don’t like bringing that to Silver. It took us so long to finally get married, and even though it’s been a few months since we tied the knot, it feels like only days.
I can’t get enough of the reality that my Butterfly is now my wife, my world, and nothing — and no one — will ever change that.
The thought of her puts a smile on my face. I step into the bedroom, removing my jacket and tie on the way, but there’s no trace of her.
I place my clothes on the chair, and I’m about to head to the piano room, where she spends some of her time, when my feet come to a halt at the sound of heaving coming from the bathroom. I barge inside, grabbing towels on the way.
Sure enough, Silver is kneeling in front of the toilet, emptying her stomach.
I rub soothing circles on her back while holding her blonde hair off her neck so it doesn’t bother her.
“What’s wrong?” I continue stroking her back. “Did you eat something bad?”
She shakes her head without looking at me.
“Then what is it, Silver? Let me take you to the doctor so…” I trail off when she stares up at me, smiling, as tears shine in her eyes.
“I’m pregnant, Cole.”
“You’re...what?”
She reaches inside her bag on the floor and rummages through it. “I thought it was a false alarm at first and didn’t believe the tests. I know I should’ve waited for you to go to the doctor, but I got so excited and I didn’t want to disappoint you too in case it wasn’t real. The next thing I know, I made an appointment and…” she retrieves a sonogram. “I am pregnant, Cole. It’s true this time.”
She places the sonogram in my palm and I stare at the
little life pictured there. The baby that Silver has dreamt about since that day ten years ago when we found out it was a false positive.
And because she yearned for it, I wanted it with my whole heart, too. Anything that Silver wants automatically becomes my dream.
“You’re pregnant,” I repeat, staring between her and the sonogram.
She grabs my hand and places it on her stomach. “Our baby is right here, Cole.”
I stroke her hair away from her face, unveiling her ecstatic expression, despite the tired look in her eyes and paleness of her skin.
“It’s finally here.”
“It is.” She kisses my cheek softly before pulling back. “Thank you for giving me this.”
“Thank you for being mine, Butterfly.”
She stands on wobbly feet, hugging me, and I tighten my hold around her as she whispers against my chest, “Always.”
V
The Group
21
Astrid
Age Thirty-one
I never realised just how vibrant Levi’s group of friends was until we started meeting for dinners like this one.
The Meet Up has become too small for everyone and their kids. Our twin boys, Brandon and Landon, are playing with their cousin Eli, Remington, who’s Teal and Ronan’s boy. Cole and Silver’s daughter, Ava, is barely walking as she holds on to Cecily, Kim and Xander’s daughter.
Our third baby, Glyndon, is with her grandparents. She’s thoroughly a Grandpa’s little girl — from both Jonathan’s and Dad’s sides. Like, she barely leaves them and she’s the only one Jonathan doesn’t mind when Aurora brings her over.
Levi is playing chess against Aiden, and Cole is helping my husband cheat because he’s in for anything that includes bringing Aiden down.
Elsa, Silver, and I are preparing the drinks while Teal and Kim are trying to ward off their husbands from stealing all the food.
Nothing ever changes. The horsemen are all still playful in one way or another. They merely grew up and with that, they’ve become more ruthless about what they want.
Levi quit football as of the last season, while he was at the peak of his career. He’s now leading King Enterprise with Aiden.
Jonathan, although now in his mid-fifties, is not letting them have full control. However, he’s slowly loosening his iron grip with each accomplishment Aiden and Levi bring to the table.
And in a way, I think his complete devotion to his wife is what’s making him pull back a little in favour of the younger generation.
Jonathan will always be Jonathan with his controlling nature and scary wrath, but ever since Aurora came into his life, he’s turned a new page, especially with Aiden and Levi. Now, it feels as if they both respect him, despite how they disliked and clashed with him in the past.
That’s why Elsa and I thank Aurora every chance we get. She tamed the lion, and we will forever be grateful for that.
I’m proud of how far Levi has come. He went after his football dream, and when he knew that his career wouldn’t last much longer, he switched back to the family business. It wasn’t because of Jonathan’s extortion — although he did make him study business at the same time as playing football at the beginning.
Over the years, my husband has been growing into this focused person whose only care is his family. He loves me and the children beyond words. We’re constantly at the forefront of his mind in anything he does.
When I have an upcoming exhibition, he sometimes spends the entire day with the children outside so I can focus. And if they happen to stay in the house, he teaches them that their mummy needs to concentrate so she can make masterpieces. When Landon asked him what’s a masterpiece, Levi told him it’s something like him, his brother, and his sister.
He can be over the top sometimes, but in the best way possible. He’s my number one supporter and that says something since both Dad and the bug, Daniel, fight to buy my paintings even when I tell them not to.
“So I’m curious about something,” Elsa tells Silver, pulling her attention away from whatever conversation she’s having with Cole through their eyes alone.
“What?” Silver places the cups on the tray.
“Don’t take it the wrong way, okay?”
“Of course.” Silver’s brow furrows, as does mine because they’ve been friends since university. Everyone knows they threw the past behind them and moved on.
“It’s just that I’ve been curious about this for so long.” Elsa runs her nails over a bottle of beer.
“About what?”
“Remember that time at school when you posted a selfie of you by Aiden’s pool? There was a hand at the bottom of the picture.”
Silver’s lips pull in a shy smile. “Oh, that.”
“Aiden told me it wasn’t him and I believe him. But who was it?”
“Who do you think?” Silver motions at her husband, who’s now holding little Ava on his lap as she claps joyfully at the chess game.
“What was Cole doing in Aiden’s pool?” Elsa asks.
“He followed me. It was around the time when I used my engagement with Aiden to make him jealous. As soon as I got there, Cole showed up and kind of kicked Aiden out of his own pool.”
“He did that?” I ask with a laugh.
“Yeah, Cole can be crazy sometimes.”
Elsa raises a brow. “You mean when it comes to you.”
Silver touches her butterfly necklace, smiling. “Yeah. I guess so.”
“You guess so?” Elsa and I say in unison, teasing her.
“Stop it.” She wiggles free. “It’s not like Aiden or Levi are any different.”
“True that.” Elsa grins. “The other day, Eli walked in on us while...you know, and because he was interrupted, Aiden sat him down and told him there’s no more sneaking into the third floor or Daddy is going to be very mad.”
“At least Aiden was diplomatic about it.” I chuckle. “Levi actually yelled at Brandon to get the fuck out. He lost his dad of the year award that night.”
“Thankfully, Ava sleeps soundly at night.” Silver shakes her head. “She wakes up early and makes it her mission to wake us, though. Having a toddler is no joke.”
The three of us sigh in agreement before we burst into laughter.
Levi raises his head from the game, and as usual, time stops when I get lost in his blue-grey eyes. They’re like a magnet to a secret part of me.
He motions upstairs with a slight tilt of his head, and I try to reprimand him, but he just smirks and keeps tilting his head, then motions at Brandon and Landon.
I love those two to death, but because of them and their little sister, we barely get time for us. Our only reprieves are either when Jonathan and Aurora take them or in settings like these where they’re busy playing with the other kids.
So I tell the girls I’ll be back and precede Levi upstairs.
22
Aiden
Age Thirty
Levi follows Astrid upstairs and I shake my head, pretending to focus on the chess game my cousin purposefully lost so he could piss off.
Cole settles opposite me and gives his baby girl the queen piece. She watches it with awe, almost like that first time Jonathan sat me beside him and taught me the art of chess. That’s actually one of the few calm father-son moments I remember with him.
Small hands pull on my trousers and I stare down at my nephew. “Where’s Mummy, Uncle?”
I grab Landon and sit him on my lap. “Making other babies.”
His blue-green eyes double in size. “Other babies?”
“Yeah.” I pat his back. “Hang in there, buddy. It’ll be wild.”
Cole shakes his head at me. “Stop terrorising the boy.”
I flip him off behind Landon’s back. Ava sees me, though, and although I think she doesn’t understand the gesture, she giggles. I wink at her and she laughs more.
Landon points a finger in her direction. “Other babies like her, Uncle?”
“Exactly.”<
br />
“I like Ava.” He grins.
“You don’t.” Eli appears by my other side and before I can help him, he climbs up on my other thigh. He’s older than Landon, and bigger, too, so he doesn’t even sit on anyone’s lap anymore. However, he becomes clingy when other children are around. I swear it’s Ronan’s loathsome influence. He’s teaching them all his clingy nature.
“Yes, I do.” Landon pokes a finger at him.
Eli pokes him back. “You do not. You said she was annoying.”
“You did, you liar.”
Eli twists his lips but remains silent, then pulls on my shirt. “Daddy.”
“What?” I lean over so he can whisper.
“Make him go away.”
“Lan?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“I don’t like him here.”
I smile to myself, shaking my head. Eli’s passive-aggressive game is strong, even though he’s little. It might have something to do with the fact that he’s an only child.
He stopped asking for other siblings once I sat him down and told him that his mum can’t get pregnant again due to her heart condition. The doctor said we could try and see how it will go, but I’m completely against that idea.
It was already a miracle that we got Eli, and we’re not going to be greedy about it. Elsa asked me the other day if Eli’s enough for me.
He’s more than enough. He’s the only kid we’ll ever need. Even if he wasn’t enough, I would never risk her life for a non-existent one. Her health comes first and everything else is secondary.
She complains that I’m too strict and overbearing when it comes to her medical appointments and medicine, but that’s because the thought of something happening to her terrifies the fuck out of me.
I’ve had her for twelve years. We’ve been married for eleven, and sometimes, I wake up and think I’m back to the time where I thought I’d lost her in that basement.