Page 76 of Wrath's Nightingale
and it kills me. I help her out of bed and follow her to the bathroom.
“Can I come in with you?”
She nods her head and reaches for my hand.
My heart’s beating a million miles an hour as we wait for the test. When the timer on her phone goes off, I look down. Two lines. We’re pregnant. I find myself watching my wife’s face again. A look of shock crosses her face first, then a smile. She turns to me.
“You realize this means we’ll have three or four children under the age of one under our roof by sometime in December?”
“Maybe we should start looking for help now. With the twins needing extra care. It couldn’t hurt, right?”
“That’s true, but I’m afraid the club’s going to have to replace me. I don’t think I can take care of the twins, carry our child, and work full time outside the home.”
“You know when the baby is due?”
“Roughly. We’ll make an appointment with an OB and confirm it. Rough guess sometime between the fifteenth and Christmas day.”
“A Christmas baby. Damn, I’m a blessed man.”
Millie starts laughing, then crying. I gather her in my arms, tucking her head under my chin. I soothe her while she cries. She has had a lot to deal with today.
Chapter 47
Two weeks later
Millie
Preacher finishes the most beautiful sermon I've ever heard. Tears roll down my face from the beauty of his words. If I wasn't already a Christian, I would ask him to say the sinner's prayer with me. On the spot. And he didn’t even give a come to Jesus' sermon. No, his words are kind, but true. The kindness is for me. The tender words are for me. The preacher is that kind of guy for anyone he considers a friend. I'm lucky to be counted among them.
After Aaron and Felicity were killed in a drug deal gone wrong. At least that’s what the public thinks. I know enough of the truth to know it was unavoidable. And I thank God every day that none of the Kings’, including my husband, were injured.
Thin wheat crackers and sprite did little to calm my morning sickness. When Papa found out, he made me a batch of special crackers, and they worked wonders. He makes them for all the ol’ ladies that need them. Some are fortunate not to.
Preacher comes to stand beside the open grave. He offers his hand to me. I use it to steady myself while I toss a rose on Felicity’s grave. Wrath gently guides me to Aaron’s grave. I toss a rose on his grave. They’re both white because it’s not my place to judge their final resting place.
My friends and family, including both chapters of the Kings’ followed behind me. Wrath and I waited for them by the SUVs. My mother’s family, including my grandparents, stood on the farside of the graves, glaring at us the whole time. As soon as all my people were away from the grave, their preacher took the stand.
They bitched up a storm when I told them Preacher was doing the service. Went on and on about his face,tattoos and gold tooth. When my “grandfather” mentioned his weight. I went off on all of them and told them they could pay for all of it themselves.
Their eyes went wide and their mouths closed. Miracle of miracles. Wrath graciously offered to pay for everything. He went to pay, only to find out someone else had beat him to it. Chief said he always gave the brides a gift and this was his. A gift of closure. With no financial strain on the new young family of four. Soon to be five. A gift of peace. The only sad part is I’ll likely never get the chance to know my niece. Not that I had much of a chance in the first place.
?
The ride back to my parents didn’t take long. They’d long ago built a community building on the back of their property. Mostly for their churches use. The occasional friend begged to use it for weddings and graduation parties.
The driver stops outside the front doors. Which I expected to be open. They aren't.
“Babe, do you know the doors are closed?”
“I don’t. Your parents are behind us. Maybe they’ll know.”
I relaxed against him. It’s been a long day. I won’t have to see any of my birth mother’s side of the family ever again. When we pull to a stop, Wrath gets out first before offering me his hand. Our driver pulls away.
My husband slips his arm around my waist. I lean into him as we watch my parents’ SUV pull to a stop. My dad opens the door and helps my mom out. I’m suddenly overcome and I run to her and throw my arms around her.
Leaning down, I whisper in her ear. “You’re the best mom I could ever ask for. I hope I’ve said I love you enough along the way.”
Mom gently pulls back. She wipes away my tears before cupping my face in her hand. “I’ll never tire of hearing it. You’re the best daughter I could ever ask for. I’ve never regretted giving your two younger brothers the best older sister, either.