Chapter 21

Chapter

Twenty-One

" S amuel?"

"Hmm?"

"What are you doing?" Jake stared down at Samuel, who sat on the floor, surrounded by paint chips and scraps of fabric.

"Looking at how to decorate the nursery. Lars brought all this over, and Celeste helped me spread it all out. She's making pancakes. No, no, Gala. No chewing the swatches." Samuel took the cloth away from the puppy, who had decided her name was Gala and who didn't need the x-pen because she had Bumper to herd her around and pick her up by the scruff and take her outside when she needed to pee.

This was his life now.

Jake loved it.

"Ammu! Ammu, out!" Grant was grumpy, sleepy, and a bunch of the other dwarves. But he didn't wanna nap.

Grant wanted to play with the paint chips.

"Baby, go to sleep, or I'm gonna have to put you up in your bed to take your nap."

"Would it be okay if I rock him to sleep? We could talk about paint chips…" Jake offered.

Samuel seemed to ponder that, while taking a bright yellow chip out of the puppy's mouth. "She likes the sunflower, and sure. See if it'll work."

"Oh, I bet it does. I'm not as frustrated as you are." Jake scooped the baby up, and Grant snuggled in, victorious.

"He has to take a nap," Samuel pointed out.

"I'm on it. Napping." Jake nodded at Samuel and offered him a smile. "Historically, I've been pretty good at getting him down for a nap."

Samuel rolled his eyes. "Historically, you're like, the best dad ever, but that's okay, because I am a pretty darned good Ammu."

"Is that what you're going to have the new baby call you? Ammu."

"That's my name, and it's amazing because Grant gave it to me. I'm very proud of it."

Yeah, Jake thought it was special. It was personal, and it was unique, so Samuel should run with it.

"It is. I think it's kind of great. You knew right away who your Ammu was? Didn't you?"

Grant looked at Jake and pointed over to Samuel like ‘he's right there, stupid.'

And that cracked Samuel up.

"Right, right. Dumb Daddy." Jake rolled his eyes just like Samuel had. "Did you say you were going to paint the nursery yellow?"

"No, love, I said Gala wanted to paint the nursery yellow. I'm considering pastels in all different colors."

"Yeah. I painted Grant's red and black and white because they said that's what babies see first."

"Yes, but it is a little jarring, you have to admit." Jarring. Horrifying. Just ugly . "I was thinking about possibly repainting it in a nice anything else."

Jarring, huh? Amused, Jake chuckled . "Okay, sure. But something green or maybe purple, right, buddy? To match all your dinosaurs."

"Rawr! Saurs! RAWR!"

Gala and Bumper immediately started howling, and Samuel pursed his lips, silently holding up a palette of light green, blue, pink, and peach.

He nodded, bouncing Grant to get him to stop roaring. Nap. Not ramping up. Then maybe he would get a snuggle from his mate.

"It's wild, isn't it?" Samuel threw a ball for Gala, and she went running for it, Bumper right on her tail.

Grant threw himself back, trying to get out of Jake's arms. "Baaaaaaaaall."

"I'm just trying to stand up," Samuel explained. "My butt is numb."

"Baaaaaaaall!"

Jake wasn't sure he understood how Samuel did this. The dragon who was used to almost preternatural peace and quiet?

Now lived in the damn looney bin.

Jake stared at Grant. "You're supposed to be napping, buddy." But he put him down in favor of helping Samuel.

"Baaaall!" Grant went crashing after the dogs and went right through the doggy door.

Samuel stared at him. "Wow."

"Yep. Be right back." He chugged out after Grant. Bumper would keep him from getting hurt, but still.

By the time he got out there, Grant had the ball in his mouth, growling as he and Gala fought over it.

Jake had to laugh helplessly, because Bumper looked downright distressed. "I know. Pups, huh? Grant, honey, that's their ball."

"Grr." But Grant started giggling, and the ball popped out, Gala running after it.

"You are a crazy little boy. You make me laugh so hard." He blew a raspberry on Grant's neck after he picked up his son.

Grant patted his cheeks. "Clazy."

"I adore you." He grinned, hauling Grant back inside. Bumper would look after Gala and bring her in when she was tired. "Shall we have a nap?"

"Napses."

"That's my boy. If you promise not to kick, we can lie down with Ammu."

"Baby."

"Exactly. He's got the baby, and we can't let them get hurt."

Grant nodded to him. "Ammu. Baby. Mine."

"Yes, your Ammu's having a baby."

"Mine."

"Your brother or sister? Yes." Jake could feel how hard Grant was concentrating, but Jake just wasn't sure what he meant.

"Yesh. Mine babby. Mine Ammu. Mine Da. Mine pup-pup!"

"Ah. Yes, my love." He danced Grant in a circle. "We're your family. All of us." Grant was something else. So confident.

Grant crowed and threw his arms wide. "Ammu! Nappies! Come to nappies!"

"Okay." Samuel chuckled, coming to kiss them both on their cheeks. "I'm so ready." He laid the swatches and chips on the table. "Couch or bed?"

"Oh, bed, so we can all stretch out. Do you need me to carry you too?"

"No, love. I'm good. What about the puppy? Should I bring her in?"

"No, she'll be fine. Bumper is obsessed. He won't let her get into trouble." That big wolf was in love.

"Okay. Then I won't let our Grant get in trouble either. Fair?" Samuel smiled, and Grant squealed.

"Totally fair." He let Samuel lead the way to their bedroom, which was so much more…comfortable now. It had always been utilitarian, but now there were books strewn about and fluffy pillows all over, and his clothes were put away.

It was as if Samuel just made things better by existing.

It wasn't like he'd been a slob or anything, but now everything felt like…family.

"Da! Seeping! Nap!" Goddess save him from when his son grew big enough to take over the universe.

Because Jake had the suspicion that Grant could. It took all kinds.

He kicked off his shoes and shimmied out of his jeans, trading them out for a pair of soft sweats.

Grant cuddled in next to Samuel, snoring dramatically. He was inhaling with an "ahh," and blowing each of his breaths out with the little "shew" at the end.

Samuel looked at him, barely holding back his laughter.

He snuggled into the bed covers, pulling the blankets up over them. "Love you guys."

"I love you both," Samuel answered.

"Luffs, naps, ni-ni."

"Ni-ni, baby boy." He kissed Grant on the head, and he felt Bumper hop up, depositing the puppy on the bed before curling up.

The gang was all there.

And his life was better than he could ever have imagined.