True Grit

by Bella Knight

  He smiled, nuzzled her. "How did I find and marry such a wonderful woman?" he asked.

  "I found you first, stupid," she said, kissing his hands. Slowly, slowly, they made love again.

  The ‘Time of Biting’ left Callie sore, unable to nurse. She felt lost in a way, and heartbroken. She dried herself up, and consoled herself by leaving the babies with Ivy and Bao to trade off. She stuffed Hu and Grace and what seemed like an inordinate amount of stuff for two girls --snacks, drinks, clothes, tablets, and board games, into Gregory's already-overstuffed sports utility vehicle. The one his security firm loaned to him.

  The girls sat in the back with Elena, and they regaled each other with dramatic tales from their school, TV, and music, along with the sharp scent of nail color. They even took off their shoes and socks and painted each other's toenails. Callie wrinkled her nose, and Gregory made to say something. She waved him off; the girls were entertaining each other, an inordinately valuable thing on the long drive.

  Gregory and Callie listened to 80s and 90s music and regaled each other with tales of spit-up, boys peeing in arcs during baths, and having to keep extra clothes in the trunk not for just babies, but for themselves. Gregory told Callie about the business meeting he had to conduct, a baby on each arm, as he discussed the merits of the security service. The client asked if he used the identical system at home. Gregory said he did, and the client had said, "If it's good enough to keep your babies nice and safe, then it's good enough for me."

  They arrived in time for lunch at the resort, because they had left at oh-god-thirty, and because the girls were raring to go. They ate BLTs and chicken salad sandwiches, and hit the bunny slopes. The Nighthawks had long-since graduated to the more difficult courses. Gregory took the girls snowboarding. He pretended to be completely inept at snowboarding, falling down in bizarre positions, making the girls shriek with laughter. He helped Callie, then gallantly paid for private instruction for her. When she revolted, he said, "Moms and dads need to stick together. Besides, this is better for you than yet another baby blanket, right?" She smiled, and took the lessons.

  The girls whooshed past, and fell a few times until they got their "snow legs." Then, Gregory took them up to the Wolfpack's slopes. Callie learned to start and stop, and how to ride the snowboard to the bottom. She finished the lesson, went down the bunny slopes a few times, then decided to go back in. She texted Gregory to let him know where she was going.

  Callie went back to the lodge for heat packs and hot, buttered rum. The first alcohol since the babies' births hit her hard. Henry and David sat with her on the couch until she fell asleep. They covered her up with a blanket and read in front of the fire. Various tribal elders came, spoke to them, and left, smiling at the sleeping woman.

  "Twins," said David, and the elders ghosted back, dropping off little presents.

  Henry and David ordered coffee, and spoke in low tones from time to time. Members of the Wolfpack would come in little groups, say hello to Henry and David, give them a snowboarding report, eat some food, drink some hot chocolate, and go back out.

  Callie awoke to find herself warm, with the heat from the fire on her face. She stretched deliciously, marveling at having slept. She straightened out some kinks, and a box fell over.

  Henry smiled at her. "Would you like something to eat? The white corn chowder here is amazing, with some artisan bread, I think."

  "That would be... wonderful," she said. No one had waited on her since the holidays, when Keiran and Pavel, the mothers' "love slaves" went back to school, and she missed it. Henry rose, and went to put in her order.

  Callie looked down at the little pile of boxes, wrapped in brown paper made from paper store bags, tied with twine. "What's all this?" she asked.

  "Your motherhood presents," said David. "The First Nation people tend to honor mothers."

  She reached down, took a small box, and opened one. In it was a tiny jar of homemade hand cream. A little note in it said, For cracked hands from washing babies and dishes. No name was on the note. The second one had a little jar full of homemade scrunchies. To hold back your hair from baby fingers, said the note, this one with spidery handwriting. Callie's hair was short; it was a gift aimed at Ivy. Someone must know us personally, she thought. Another one had cooling homemade aloe gel. For tired feet from carrying babies, said the note, this time in gold letters. A flat one contained an envelope with tickets for the hotel's show, Creedence Clearwater Revival. A large one contained shorts and a swim top for swimming in the hotel's heated pool. The last one was a beautiful necklace made of beaten silver with turquoise, and matching earrings.

  Henry came with a tray of soup, hot chocolate, and hot buttered artisan bread, and stood smiling as David gave her a cloth bag for her gifts, and tissues for her happy tears. David put away the gifts, while Henry got her to eat.

  She ate as if she were starving, so Henry put in an order for a BLT. "Best damn sandwich anywhere," he said.

  "I want one," said David, "And the soup. Can you order for us, love?" And so, they had dinner in front of the fire.

  Callie stood, folded the blanket, and put it back on the chair. She stretched, took the tray back to the hotel restaurant with the dirty dishes, came back for her gifts, and went to get herself dressed for a soak in the spa and a float in the pool.

  "Should we tell the girls about the pool?" asked Henry.

  "Not until Callie is back in her room," said David. "Besides, they'll be too tired from the snowboarding."

  Henry scoffed. "I think you vastly underestimate the staying power of not-so-little girls. Also, the Wolfpack will be there half the night."

  It was nearly full dark by the time the ravenous Wolfpack and the girls came back to the lodge. "We're up," said Henry.

  He helped David stand, then they went to get another snowboarding report over dinner, giving Nantan and Chayton time to take dinner up to their room. And, so they could go for time alone and a nap, and to give Gregory, Cocheta and Chogan time to relax --on the other side of the restaurant. They squashed tables into the form of a giant L-shape, and ordered hamburgers, pizza and sodas. They laughed so hard the entire restaurant couldn't help but hear them. They told enthusiastic stories of wipeouts and races, and who was better than whom. The girls talked over the boys, they boys laughed until soda came out their noses, which disgusted the girls, and then David and Henry let them chow down on sundaes. The men then herded them upstairs to change, and they went to the pool. Callie was already gone.

  Callie came down in jeans, a red sweatshirt that said Rock On, over a silver guitar, and sneakers. Nantan and Chayton snuck off for some alone time, and Gregory sat with her by the fire with hot chocolate, after covering themselves in blankets. They sat without saying a word, too tired to think. And, this time it was Gregory who fell asleep. Callie read a book on her cell phone, laughing at the silly plot, and, after about an hour, she sent a text to her wife who was working. After a time, she slipped into sleep as well. Henry came down and kept an eye on the sleeping friends, occasionally laughing at his book.

  Once the Wolfpack and girls were back downstairs, they played at the card tables in the lobby, this time with even more games that the girls brought, including the classics of Sorry, Risk, Monopoly, and Life --along with Chinese Checkers and Splendor --with a Wolfpack twist. Anyone could change tables, taking over the place of another player. It gave way for some mistakes and a lot of hooting laughter. They were confined to hot chocolate, flavored waters, and decaffeinated sodas. They ate numerous bags of chips as well.

  "Where the hell are they putting the food?" asked a bemused Chogan.

  Nantan laughed. "They have tiny black holes in their stomachs."

  "Wormholes," said Grace. "Black holes would destroy the whole planet, eventually." Grace then made a gutsy move, and moved her Chinese checkers to nearly the other side of the board.

  They were eventually kicked out of the lobby, forced to go upstairs to play video games and watch stupid movies and TV.
David woke up Gregory and Callie, and helped them to bed. Nantan and Chayton threatened extreme bodily harm to Tam and Nico if they didn't turn down the volume of the TV. All four easily fell asleep within minutes.

  Callie stayed for three blessed days of downtime, then grudgingly switched places with her wife. Gregory drove her back, and Katya and Ivy drove to the lodge, taking frequent breaks for food and coffee, and bathroom breaks. Katya was more sanguine than Callie about having to stop nursing.

  "My boys, they are strong," she said to Ivy. "It was inevitable they would get so hungry… they would eat me, no?" She laughed. "Big, fat, healthy boys. The babushkas will help Gregory with the boys. He is such good father, no?"

  "The best," said Ivy, saddened at leaving the bar for a few days.

  She didn't want to snowboard. Skateboard or surf, yeah, fine… snowboard, no. She was a desert girl and proud of it.

  Katya took Ivy to the pool and spa, and the women spent their days lounging around the lobby, stuffing themselves at the restaurant, and reading books by the fire. They both hired massage therapists to work on their sore feet and necks. Other guests were jealous, so the massage therapists were quite busy. They took the car out to get mani-pedis, and sang 80s songs on the way back. The girls gave them detailed reports when they got back to the lodge, and they downloaded some "You Don't Know Jack" games to play. They spent so much time laughing at each other's answers that it was after midnight before they finally fell asleep.

  Ivy slept in, while Katya took the girls down to an early breakfast, and the Wolfpack took them off for snowboarding. She came back up and slept in, waking to take Ivy to lunch. Once again, the women swam and hung out in the spa, then read by the fire and relaxed. They put on their coats, gloves, thermals, and snow boots when reports of forts and a snowball fight reached their ears.

  The Wolfpack divided into teams, built amazing igloos and snow forts, and started a very sneaky snowball war with strikes, counterstrikes, sieges, and other chicanery. Henry and David were the generals on one side, and Chayton and Nantan on the other. Hotel guests and off-duty staff ended up involved in the vicious war of attrition. Katya joined Henry and David, and Ivy joined Chayton and Nantan's team.

  As night began to fall, the two sides declared a truce, and went in for dinner and hot chocolate. Even the teens were too tired for the pool, opting for enough pizza to feed their double armies, followed by board games. Near the end of the night, they whipped out their phones and played "You Don't Know Jack" games; a different game at each table. They laughed so hard that they were asked to go to their rooms and laugh there. They bought sustenance, sodas and snacks, and took their cell phones to their rooms. They were up until two in the morning, making them late to snowboarding the next day.

  Various Nighthawks cycled in --Tito and his family, and the others with kids from the homeschool. They all had a tremendous amount of fun. Eventually, it was time to go home. Ivy, Katya and the girls went back first. The girls were blessedly silent on the way back, playing on their cell phones or listening to music with their earphones, or sleeping. Katya and Ivy shared mommy pleasure and pain, and sang to songs on the radio. The Nighthawks escorted the Wolfpack back in their vans. David and Henry spelled each other driving, as did Nantan and Chayton.

  The teens laid like apocalypse victims in the vans; strangely silent, playing games, listening to music on their cell phones, or sleeping. Everyone got home to their respective houses. They ate fried chicken and biscuits, burgers, or tacos they picked up on the way home. Easily they found their beds, and slept until dawn --or later, in Ivy's case.

  In the morning, Ajai went to drop off her miniature molds. She'd gone up for three days to snowboard, and was very proud of paying her own way. She was also proud that she'd kept up with the work Ghost was sending her. She knew how to create her own molds out of resin, and was learning to meticulously paint the engines and the back fender with tiny paintbrushes. Getting it right once was a chore. Getting a run of six to all look alike was much harder.

  She had the code to Ghost's door, and let herself in after knocking. "Ghost? Killa?" she said. She heard nothing.

  She walked back to the "Project Room," and carefully stowed the miniature parts in their little boxes. She left the special paint order out to be assembled; Ghost still did the assembly with deft fingers. She went to go steal a Coke on the way out from the kitchen. She saw the feet first, in magenta socks, and she rushed around the little breakfast bar to find Ghost passed out cold. She whipped out her phone and dialed 911, and checked to see that Ghost was both still breathing, and had a strong heart rate. She touched Ghost's stomach, and felt a hard kick under her hand. She nearly collapsed from relief. She moved her hand around to the other side of Ghost's belly, and felt another kick. There didn't seem to be any bleeding. She put a pillow under Ghost's head, grabbed Ghost's phone from the counter, and sent a 911 to Killa, and another to Ivy. She 911'd her mother Skuld, knowing that Skuld knew the adoptive parents.

  The EMTs got a line in, and the strong heartbeats of the babies filled the page as they strapped her with a fetal monitor. "I'm Paco," the tall one said. "So, this is the famous Ghost. She looks like she's having seven, not three."

  "Triplets?" asked the other EMT, a huge bald guy with black and gold rings in both ears. "Can't hear the third one. Interference. Gotta get her to Ultrasound."

  Ghost came to as they lifted her onto the gurney. "What the fuck?" she said, trying to break Paco's wrist.

  "Stop it!" said Ajai. "You passed out. Probably low blood sugar, low blood pressure, or you’re not getting enough sleep."

  "Or all three," said Paco. He put the ribbon of tape in her hand. "See, heartbeats."

  Skuld came flying in the door. "The babies are well?" she said, running to Ghost's side.

  Ghost woozily handed her the tape. "Can't tell about all three."

  "Two of them kicked me," said Ajai. Both Ghost and Skuld sighed with relief.

  "I've got the judge on speed dial," said Skuld. "Go on to the hospital. You were going to deliver in two weeks, anyway."

  "Get 'em outta me," said Ghost. "Dem babies done made me mess up my clean kitchen floor." She looked over at Ajai. "Girl, you finish dem orders, includin' da paintin.' Gotta go out today, you hear? You know my password."

  "On it," said Ajai.

  "Let's have some babies," said Paco.

  Skuld laughed, and did a complicated handshake with Paco. "Get her outta here, you idiot," she said. Paco saluted her, and Ghost moaned.

  "Contraction!" she said. She grabbed Skuld's hand and squeezed.

  Skuld smiled, and walked the gurney out. "They're coming soon," she said. "Hold on tight."

  "Wait!" said Ajai. She rushed into a back bedroom and came out with an overnight bag. "I'll hold down the fort," she said, handing the bag to her mother.

  "With your shield," said Skuld to Ajai. Ajai nodded. They left, the wheels squeaking a little. Ajai closed the door, grabbed the nearly-forgotten soda, and went in the back room to get the orders out.

  The judge and her wife were holding babies by the time Ajai got to the delivery room. The babies were being rotated --doctor, to mom or mama, to nurse to clean them up and weigh them, and to mama or mom again. The mom and mama were wearing yellow hospital gowns and smiles as wide as the sun. Killa mopped her wife's brow, and they waited for the afterbirth to come so Ghost could shower. The moms and nurses left for the nursery.

  Skuld came up behind Ajai. "All good," she said. "Killa's already screaming for a hamburger."

  "I can go to In N' Out," she said.

  "For everyone," said Skuld. "The moms will want to live on air and baby kisses, but they'll need actual food too. Get six of everything." She handed over her credit card and kissed her daughter's head. "Don't go getting any ideas about being a surrogate, love, at least not yet."

  Ajai laughed. "Too busy between school and getting orders out for Ghost for the next two weeks. When would I have time to go to doctor appointments, and t
hrow up for two months?"

  "Good point," said Skuld, touching her daughter's forehead with her own. "With your shield," she said.

  "Or on it," said Ajai. "I will hunt the mighty hamburger and we shall feast." Skuld laughed, and Ajai let go of her mother's hands and left, card in hand.

  Freshly showered, Ghost ate like a she-wolf. "Gonna express me some milk, get them babies healthy," she said. "Then, I'm gonna sleep for a week."

  "I'll drop this one," said Killa. "Then we go somewhere. St. Kitt's?"

  "I hear Jamaica is fun," said Skuld. "Get to listen to Bobby Marley and drink rum punch. What's not to like?"

  "Ooh," said Killa, holding her side as the baby kicked. "Be nice to have this one outta me." She sipped on her chocolate shake. "Be good to go."

  "Maybe be on a cruise ship," said Skuld. "Get off when you want, go back on when you want. Or, stay in an all-inclusive resort. They will let you drink and eat as much as you want."

  "Sounds great," said Ghost. "Now, you white chicks gotta go. Ain't you gotta throw somebody across the room, Skuld?"

  Skuld laughed. "Got a class in an hour."

  "And did you get da deliveries out?" Ghost asked Ajai.

  "The ones for today are two days early," she said. "I put together the orange and black ones, and I painted the maroon sparkly ones. Waiting on them to dry to put them together. Got an order of blue, and some crazy person wants hot pink. Who the hell ever heard of a hot pink Harley? A Cadillac, sure, but a Harley?" Skuld and Ajai laughed, said goodbye, and sang the lyrics to Pink Cadillac while going out to their motorcycles.

  After the Valkyries left, Killa held her wife close. "Wifey," she said, "you done real good. Da clients be happy, da babies be happy, an' we got ourselfs a decorated condo, wif all we need. We be goin' to vacation in da lovely spots in da world. We is floatin' on joy."

  "I need more o' dem drugs," said Ghost. "Den I be floatin' too." They both laughed, and tore into the rest of their meals.

  Judge Jannie came back up, tears streaming down her face. "Sondra won't put them down," she said. "We've both taken our maternity leaves, and the baby nurse is coming home with us to teach us how to handle three." She laughed. "Two, five-pound girls, and the boy is just a hair under. They say he's small, but fine. One hell of a set of lungs on him, too. And a shock of brown hair like Sondra's." She smiled through her tears. "The girls look like me, and the boy like her, God help 'em."