Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 69555 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 348(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69555 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 348(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
His immune system was still very, very new and susceptible to the bad shit going around, but we were hopeful that he would be able to be introduced to the public soon.
“Darren, such a sweet name. You don’t hear that one very often,” she said as she looked at my kid. “Hey, are you Mr. October?”
A muffled peal of laughter sounded from the woman that was going to get a spanking tonight, caused me to blush slightly.
“Yes, ma’am,” I confirmed. “I am.”
“Oh, you were one of my favorites indeed,” she said. “You, and Mr. February. Do all y’all have babies coming or already came?”
I thought about it.
“There are two of us left on the SWAT team that don’t have children or one on the way,” I agreed.
She turned to leer at my wife.
“I’m sure they’re just irresistible,” she admitted to Reggie. “If I had a man that looked like that, I would get knocked up, too. You look great for just having a baby, too. Wow, such effort you must’ve put in.”
Reggie opened her mouth to say something in the negative but I caught her shirt top and tugged her gently toward me.
“She’s awesome,” I agreed.
The woman smiled at me, her eyes twinkling with an inner light that had me grinning right back.
“Looks like you might make the paper,” she said as she pointed. “This new trailhead was opening today. They’re documenting all the people that came to watch it open.”
“It’s been open for a month,” Reggie disagreed.
“Soft opening,” she said as she pointed around at all the balloons and shit that I hadn’t paid much attention to as I’d pulled up. Sure, I’d seen them, but I hadn’t realized what they all meant. No wonder it’d been tough to find a parking spot. “Today is the grand opening. They’re even cutting the ribbon and having cake. Look.”
She pointed to a ribbon that someone was stretching over the entrance to the trailhead that we were a few yards from. Then at a table that was being set up beside it.
“Shit,” I said as I shook my head. “Making the paper isn’t my favorite thing in the world.”
Reggie rolled her eyes. “You’re so photogenic, though. Everyone else likes it when you make the paper.”
I dropped my hand to her ass and pinched it, causing her to squeal.
The baby in my arms started to fuss, and I moved him until he was upright on my chest, his face up next to my mic, and his body over my heart.
“Eeeep!” I heard called.
When I turned it was to find my… mother?
“What the hell are you doing here?” I asked as I watched her powerwalk toward me.
“I’m walking while your wife is running. She wasn’t sure how far she could make it, so I’m following behind her in case she needs to pass off that sweet baby. But since he’s out, I don’t feel bad stealing him,” Mom countered.
And just like that, my baby was gone.
I rolled my eyes.
I was used to it at this point.
Dare was a hot commodity among my family.
Hell, even the other officers tried to steal him at every turn.
Not that I was complaining.
Dare was most definitely loved, that was for sure.
And as a parent, I couldn’t ask for anything more.
Looking over at my wife, I pulled her sweaty little body into my arms and dropped a kiss that was likely a little indecent for me wearing my KPD uniform, but I did it anyway.
“I gotta get back to work,” I admitted. “Love you.”
Her face shone with just as much love.
I wasn’t sure how the hell this had happened—her and me—but I would thank my lucky stars every damn day that it did.
“Be safe,” she said. “Love you, too.”
“Bye, Mom!” I called out when she didn’t bother looking up.
She waved at me without lifting her head. “See ya.”
Chuckling, I walked back to the car, unaware that I was once again photographed as I got into the cruiser.
Turns out, I did make the paper.
I also made the first page.
One photo was of me holding my boy, hugging my wife. And the next was of me staring longingly at my family.
When I got home a week later, it was to find that same exact photo framed on our mantle.
Reggie had purchased a copy from the newspaper, blown it up, and then framed it so we could see it every single day.
Epilogue
My hair is a mess and so am I.
-Text from Reggie to Nathan
Nathan
Watching your wife suffer through miscarriage after miscarriage after miscarriage was… defeating, I felt sure.
Watching your wife not even be able to conceive in the first place? I felt that was somehow worse.
Sure, I’d never had to deal with my wife having a miscarriage. But at least they got to the point where they were conceiving. At least they had a slim chance of hope that just once, it might work.