39. Arthur

39

ARTHUR

T he twins were perfect. I leaned over baby Lucas’s bed and traced the curve of his eyebrow. His hair was dark like Hannah’s, his eyes a soft gray that could end up any color. His brother, Marcus, had lighter hair and blue eyes. We’d never bothered with paternity testing. It didn’t matter. We were all their fathers. I hummed a lullaby and tucked the cap back down over Lucas’s head so he didn’t chill. The labor and delivery room remained cold and sterile despite the bright flowers we’d brought with us.

Hannah lay on her side in the bed, her hands cupped beneath her cheek. She watched me watching Lucas and smiled. “He won’t break, you know.”

“You were amazing.” I ignored her comment. The stress of a long labor and intense birth rattled all of us. Hannah had been a champion through all of it. Every contraction turned her face into a portrait of pain, but she held on. She held our hands, breathed her way through, and brought two beautiful babies into the world. We’d stayed by her side for every moment, offering physical and emotional support. “I can’t believe they’re finally here.” I gripped the edge of the bassinet.

Scott strode past me with Marcus in his arms. He walked with a bounce in his step, one hand on Marcus’s back, his fingers supporting his head, and the other cupping the diaper-clad bottom. “Pick him up, Arthur. We all know you’re dying to hold him.” He tapped his elbow into my back. “Hannah’s right, he won’t break. And you’ve done this before.”

“Not in nineteen years.” The ache to hold Lucas was overcome with a rush of love so pure and powerful that it moved my hands to slide beneath his tiny body.

Hannah groaned and rolled onto her back. “Nothing about holding a baby has changed. Not even in nineteen years.” She sat up and swung her feet around, placing them on the floor. “I need to walk around.” The doctor had encouraged her to move when she felt the need, and so far she’d had minimal residual pain.

I tucked Lucas into the crook of my arm. He grunted and his eyes crunched together, sending a fan of wrinkles across his forehead. “Look, Ryland.” I turned so he could see Lucas’s face. “He frowns like Scott.”

“Ha, ha.” Scott scoffed but peered over my shoulder to check. “Pretty sure that’s the face you make when you’re asked about attending a charity ball.”

“We are not discussing something so heinous on the day our children are born.” I tucked the blanket around Lucas’s chin and fixed his cap. He made another grunting sound and puckered his lips.

“They’re so little.” Liddy perched in Ryland’s arms. She’d been mesmerized with the babies since Ryland carried her in half an hour ago. “Can I pet him?” She reached out toward Lucas. I bit my tongue to keep from laughing at her phrasing and eased closer. “He’s soft.” She rested one finger on his forehead and ran it back and forth in a tiny stroke. “Ooh. He’s so nice.” Liddy cooed at her baby brother. “When can they play with me?” I rocked side to side in an easy sway. Funny how some things were as natural as breathing.

“It’ll be a while yet.” Hannah shuffled her way back and forth across the room. She’d already managed to talk the nurse into letting her change out of a hospital gown and into her own pajamas. We’d offered to bring in a labor and delivery team at home and skip the hospital altogether, but being here made her more comfortable.

Liddy started to pout, then straightened her expression and hooked her arm around Ryland’s neck. “I’m a big sister.” She wore a black t-shirt that said, “Best Little Big Sister” in pink glitter.

“Yes, you are. You’re a wonderful big sister. Marcus and Lucas are lucky to have you looking out for them.” Ryland bounced Liddy in his arms. “Do you know how special you are?”

“Me?” Liddy squeaked. She turned and stared hard at Ryland. “Why?”

“Because you get to teach them all sorts of things.” Ryland bounced her again. “Like how to swing on the playground.”

“And to not eat bugs.” Her nose wrinkled. “All the boys in my class eat bugs.”

“Right. No bug eating allowed.” He laughed while walking her over to see Marcus and Scott.

“And at Christmas, you’ll get to hang their snow globes for them until they’re big enough to do it themselves.”

“How long will that be?” She considered the idea while tapping a finger to her lips. “I was this many when I did mine by myself.” Three fingers were shoved into Ryland’s face. His eyes crossed trying to see, and he added another bounce to his step.

“I think three is a good age.”

Hannah stopped beside me and cupped the top of Lucas’s head in her hand. “They’re both perfect. I can’t wait to get them home.” Even all these months later, hearing her call the mansion home sent a spike of love straight through my heart. She’d finally moved her and Liddy into the house for good and given up her ramshackle house. We’d helped her pack up and seeing it take one trip with the SUV to move them tore all three of us up. We’d been trying to make up for it, but Hannah insisted nothing about their past bothered her. She’d struggled but she’d found a way to persevere.

“Stop looking at me like that.” She admonished me with a shake of her finger under my nose. “You have that worry wart look. Quit it.”

I straightened my face and turned my attention back to Lucas. “You have no idea what you’re in for, little man. None of you. We’re going to spoil you rotten.”

“And raise them up to be nice, upstanding men.” Scott faced me and turned Marcus around so the baby rested in the crook of his arm like Lucas did in mine. “You’re brothers so you’re going to fight sometimes.”

“And you’re going to make up and probably go into business together.” Ryland raised his camera and Liddy pressed the button. They both nodded their acceptance of the photo.

“No, no pictures.” Hannah held up both hands in front of her face as Ryland turned the camera toward her. “I look awful.”

“You look beautiful.” Ryland kissed her cheek, then snapped a selfie of all three of them with their faces squished together. “We’re documenting the whole thing.”

“Knock-knock.” Megan peered around the door. She took in the scene with a quick inhale. “I brought food.” She pushed the door open and swung bags back and forth. “Had to bribe the floor nurse with a chicken pad Thai but she’s pretty chill.” The rich aromas tantalized me, causing my stomach to grumble.

Liddy wiggled loose from Ryland and ran over to Megan. “Did you bring them?”

Megan dropped the bags onto the large round table tucked in the corner and lifted Liddy onto the nearest chair. “Yep.” She dug a hand into her leather jacket and came up with two miniature stuffed giraffes. “Right here.”

“Thanks.” Liddy smacked a kiss to Megan’s cheek and grabbed a giraffe with each hand. “Presents.” She pointed the giraffes at Lucas and Marcus. “One for each.”

Tears filled Hannah’s eyes. She rubbed her shirt sleeve under her nose. “I love you, Liddy. You know that?” She hugged her tight. “Do you have any idea how much we all love you?”

“Bunches.” Liddy stood on the table and hugged Hannah around the neck. Megan stood by in case she needed to help Liddy. She’d taken on the role of big sister and taken it to heart. Once Liddy released Hannah and Megan helped her to the floor, she slid her jacket off and set it aside.

Her black shirt looked exactly like Liddy’s, except it read “Best Big Sister” in purple glitter. She tucked her hair behind her ears and slid her hands into her back pockets. “Deena sends her love. She said you have meals ready in the freezer, call her if you need anything, and she’ll be back in three weeks.”

I had a sliver of doubt whether she would return. We’d started giving her more vacations to visit her daughter and grandbaby in Florida and I fully expected a phone call each time saying she planned on staying.

Megan approached me. “I have everything under control, Dad.”

“I know you do.” We’d spent several weekends together since Christmas. Every visit brought us closer, to the point that Megan had started calling Liddy her little sister and taken over some of the responsibilities around the house as we prepared for the arrival of the twins. “Want to see your baby brothers?”

“See them? I’m going to hold them.” She rubbed her palms together. “Get ready to hand one over. You might never get him back.” Her joking nature was still something of a surprise. It delighted Scott to have someone else willing to lob sarcasm around every other sentence and take almost nothing seriously.

Liddy climbed back up onto a chair. Ryland took her picture, then another of me and Megan with Lucas between us. Hannah scooted over to stand beside Scott and Marcus, and Ryland took another picture when Hannah leaned her head on Scott’s arm and put her hand beneath his around Marcus’s tiny body.

I made my way over with Megan and Lucas. Ryland picked up Liddy and joined us. We closed in around Hannah. Family. What had started out as attraction turned into the love of my life. Megan rested her chin on my shoulder. I’d gotten more than just Hannah, she helped me get Megan back. I had no doubt that Hannah was the reason Megan stayed last Christmas. Hannah was the reason I had a relationship with my daughter that no longer involved arguments and slamming doors.

Love saturated the room. We were all connected in ways beyond explanation. I loved every person in this room so much that I almost couldn’t contain the feeling. It spilled out from all of us. Love, joy, and peace abounded as we sank into the moment and accepted that life as we knew it would never be the same.