Page 15 of Sebastian
“Yes. I mean, sort of. I mean, yes, everyone is okay.”
“Ramey, what’s wrong, honey? Are you sick? Are the kids sick? I can come home.”
“Oh, Christopher,” she cried, shaking her head. He stared at her through the screen on his phone, ready to hop the first plane back to Belle Fleur.
“Ramey, babe, you’re freaking me out.”
“D-do you remember when we first went into the pond together? It was after my surgery, and everything was suddenly working.”
“Of course, I remember.” He prayed that nothing had happened to reinjure her.
“Do you remember when we talked about babies?”
“Of course I do.” He laughed, shaking his head. “If I remember, you said you wanted seven.”
“Christopher,” she cried. “I’m pregnant. With triplets. Again!”
He blinked at the screen, just staring at her beautiful face, all puffy from crying. Behind him, his brother Patrick was smiling ear to ear, the others waiting for him to react to her.
“Triplets. Again.” He repeated the statement, which only served to make her cry more. Then he smiled at her. “Babe, I thought you wanted seven.” Ramey stared at her sweet, beautiful husband and laughed.
“That’s what your father said. No jokes about that. We’re going to have six children, Christopher. Six!”
“Yep, and they’ll all be beautiful like their Mama. Do we know their sex yet?”
“No, I told Gray I wanted to wait until you got back. It’s weird. It seems like everyone is announcing pregnancies today.”
“No, shit?” he smirked.
“Yeah. Caroline, Dana, Lyra, Harlow, and Brook. Six women pregnant all at the same time! That’s insane, isn’t it?”
“I think that’s one word for it,” smiled Christopher. “The other might be ‘Irene.’”
“Irene? How could she have any impact at all… You know what, never mind. So, you’re really okay with this?” she asked.
“Baby, I love you more than anything in the world. Having my babies in your belly only makes me love you more. Are you okay? Do you need me to come home?”
“No. No, stay and help Em. I’m fine. Your mom and dad are close, the kids are excited, I’ve got plenty of help here. I love you, Christopher.”
“I love you, too.” As he hung up the phone, he turned to face his brother and all their friends. His face was pale, his hands shaking.
“That was a stellar acting job, brother,” smirked Patrick. “Scared as shit, aren’t you?”
“Six. I’m going to have six kids.”
CHAPTER NINE
Emelia’s townhome was a beautiful old red-brick two-story structure in Alexandria. It had three bedrooms, so the team was able to spread out and share beds. It wasn’t ideal, but they bought a few blow-up mattresses and made themselves at home. While Sebastian ordered pizza for everyone, she called the one person she needed the most.
“Maddie, please come over,” she begged. “This is important to me, and I need my sister here to help me.”
“I don’t know, Em. I’m crazy busy here.” She was lying. Emelia knew it. She’d been lying for weeks now, and no one knew why.
“Maddie. I’m your sister. I was kidnapped and almost killed. I need you, and I need your brain. What is the matter with you? I thought you and Forrest were doing well.”
“We were. We are. I just…”
“I can’t believe you won’t do this for me. I don’t understand,” she said, feeling the emotions flood her body. Maddie looked at her sister, shaking her head.