Chapter Thirteen
The first couple of weeks with all three kids home was feed, change, sleep, play with the girls, then repeat. Ten and Daniel pretty much slept when they could and took turns at the night feedings when possible. It was kind of crazy, kind of wonderful, and all about being the parents of newborn triplets.
By the time the babies were two months old, they were going nearly four hours between feedings, and it was amazing how much easier that made things. Probably because he and Daniel were getting more sleep, too.
This morning he was cooking breakfast instead of grabbing a quick bowl of cereal. He had pancakes and scrambled eggs and bacon, along with orange juice, milk, and toast. He caught himself whistling as he grabbed the popped toast and buttered it, then finished up the scrambled eggs.
“Breakfast!” he called out, but not too loudly. He didn’t want to startle the girls.
“He’s in the studio,” Matt said. “You want me to get him?”
“That would be great, thank you, Matt.” It was good to see Daniel getting back into the swing of things once again. He really was happier working on his music. You could see it in his demeanor. It made Ten feel more stable too, more like this was going to be their lives.
He checked on the girls who were all happy in their swings. Then he dished up three plates and set them on the table along with the glasses of juice and milk. It was also very domestic, just like he liked.
Daniel came up, singing happily as he climbed the stairs.
He did love that sound. It meant the man he loved was happy. It made the girls kick and gurgle too. They knew the sound of their daddy’s voice. Hell, they loved that sound; it made them all joyous.
He hummed along under his breath, smiling as Daniel came into view. God, he loved this man. And he knew it wasn’t lust, because God knew they hadn’t had much chance to do more than the occasional rub and tug.
“Smells like breakfast up here. Good morning.”
“Bacon, eggs, pancakes, and formula.” He had the smell of formula permanently in his nose.
“Perfect.” Daniel went to the girls, singing to them, tickling them.
They responded eagerly, reaching for Daniel, giggling and cooing, so pleased to have his attention. Ten knew what it felt like to have those little adoring faces turned toward him, and he was pleased that Daniel was hands-on enough that he was experiencing that wonder and joy as well. “You should eat before they start fussing and need food more than you do.”
“It smells delicious,” Matt said as he sat.
“It smells amazing. Thank you.” Daniel gave him a sweet, lazy kiss.
“Mmm. You’re welcome.” He grabbed a piece of bacon and munched happily.
Daniel fell on the pancakes, noshing happily. It made him smile, to see his lover eat.
“I’m taking the girls out for their first walk in the stroller today. Did you want to come along?” He’d found a double-wide stroller where he could lie the girls side by side by side.
“It’s not too cold for them?”
“They’ll be swaddled and there’s a wind shield. They’ll be fine, I promise. The exposure to fresh air will be good for them.” He nudged Daniel’s foot under the table. “Would be good for you, too.”
“I’ll go if you think they’ll be okay.”
“They’re going to be fine. If we get out there and it seems too cold, we can always bring them right back. But they’re going to be fine.” They couldn’t keep the triplets inside for the rest of their lives. It would be like ripping the bandage off for Daniel. The man worried too much. “So eat heartily, I’m going to make you exercise.” He gave Daniel a wink and added more maple syrup to his plate.
“I exercise!” Daniel laughed for him, then took a huge bite of pancake.
“Walking up and down all the steps in this place doesn’t count.”
“It so does.”
“Okay, it counts a little bit.” He held up his hand and almost touched his forefinger and thumb together. “A very little bit. A Melody bit.”
“A Melody bit.”
At the sound of her name, she shrieked, the sound gigantic and joyous.
Ten laughed happily. “The upshot is that stairs don’t really count as enough exercise.”
“But obviously Miss Mel does!”
There went that happy sound, Melody calling for her daddy, who was the absolute center of her universe. Harmony and Kyrie were happy to have him, each other, Matt. Melody was her daddy’s girl.
Daniel went over to tease Melody, and Ten watched and listened, loving to hear that pleasure and happiness. This would be a good place for the girls to grow up.
Daniel scooped Harmony up all of a sudden and danced her around the kitchen, singing at the top of his lungs. Ten and Matt clapped out the rhythm, and he couldn’t help but laugh as he watched them dancing. The joy was contagious.
Harmony ended up in her grandfather’s arms before Daniel went to grab the other two up, nuzzling and laughing, dancing them about.
Ten sang along, not particularly in tune, but he was enthusiastic about being a part of them. Kyrie started fussing and reaching for him, so Daniel handed her over. Perfect.
He cooed and chatted at her as he danced around. Every now and then he and Daniel would touch shoulders and hold the babies close to each other.
“It’s snowing,” Matt said. “Look at that.”
“Oh wow. Now we have to go out! It’s their first snow!” How cool was that?
“I do not need babysicles.”
“I have little baby snowsuits for them. Wait until you see them. So unbelievably cute.”
“Baby snowsuits… Oh my God.” Daniel began to laugh, and Melody cooed and kicked along.
That was a much better reaction. “Let me just clear up and I’ll go get them.” He put Harmony on his hip and began cleaning one-handed.
“I’ll clear up from breakfast, boys. Go exercise.”
“You sure, Matt?” Ten asked, shifting Harmony to his other hip. He was a good man.
“I am. Go, enjoy.”
“Freeze,” Daniel chuckled.
“You have winter gear for yourself, don’t you?” It had never occurred to Ten that Daniel might not.
“Of course. Matt would never let me freeze.”
That made him grin. Daniel was not a man in touch with the day-to-day of living. Luckily he had the talent and the money, and now the love of one errant nanny, to help deal with the details.
Matt looked over at him and winked. He grinned back and put Harmony in her swing.
“You stay right there, Harmony-girl. I’m going to go get everyone’s snowsuit. You guys are going to be so bundled up and warm, I promise.” He ran to the second floor, the green, purple and red suits all covered in rainbows. He had matching hats, too. The babies didn’t need gloves or boots as the suits didn’t have hand or foot holes.
He bounded back downstairs. “Look! Aren’t they the cutest?”
“Oh my God.” Daniel grinned. “Look! They’re tiny!”
That made him laugh. “Have you seen the girls who are going to be wearing them?”
“A few times. Let’s go.”
“I think the easiest will be to put them on the floor to get them into their snowsuits. Then we’ll put them in the baby carriage of doom and go for our walk.”
Daniel looked at him. “This is a little intimidating.”
He wrapped an arm around Daniel, gave him a quick kiss. “This is easy, and by the time they’re walking, it won’t matter because you’ll be an old hand at it.”
“I guess. We can’t just keep them in cribs and swings forever?”
“Nope. It’s our job to make them independent. To make ourselves redundant.”
Daniel sighed, dramatically. “Well, then. Let’s go outside for a walk.”
“Fresh air will do you good,” he couldn’t help but add.
“Fresh… fresh air?” Daniel asked. Little ass.
He swatted Daniel’s butt. “Brat!”
Daniel laughed for him. “Old man.”
“What? I’m not that old.” Oh damn, he should have said he wasn’t old at all.
“You’re perfect.” Daniel kissed his cheek. “A little old.”
“I’ll have you know, I’m in my prime.”
Daniel eased Harmony to the floor, trying to get her wiggly self into the snowsuit. “You are.”
He smiled, watching Daniel with the baby and trying not to giggle at them. He had to admit, the compliment felt good, even if he had been fishing for it.
Finally, he shook himself and started working on getting Melody dressed for her outing.
Then he got Kyrie done, Daniel still struggling. He didn’t go help, though. Daniel needed to figure this out. He set the two girls into the double-wide baby carriage and put a blanket at their feet so that if the snow blew in or the wind proved to be super cold, he could cover them completely. Then he checked on Daniel’s progress.
Daniel was a little red-cheeked, but he’d managed. Mostly.
“Not bad, first-time daddy.” He’d done this before. Granted not with three at once, but he’d certainly had plenty of practice being around babies.
“Don’t tease. I’m trying.”
“I wasn’t teasing! I totally meant it. I’ve done this before—you haven’t. Of course I’m going to know the tricks.” He took Harmony from Daniel and set her in with her sisters. “There. Snug as three bugs in a rug.”
Daniel took a picture of them. “Okay, we have our first in-the-stroller photo.”
“Give me your phone and I’ll get a shot of you pushing them.” He’d probably take several.
“Okay. Let’s go.” Daniel grabbed his coat and his gloves.
He snapped a few photos of Daniel and the girls, then a few of Daniel with the carriage. Then he guided Daniel in getting the stroller down the front steps.
The snow was falling with big, fat flakes that slowly blanketed the ground. “It’s gorgeous, isn’t it?” He asked it quietly, not wanting to disrupt the near silence that came with the snowfall.
“It is. They’re warm enough?”
“They are totally bundled up and nice and toasty warm. They’ll let us know if they get cold. Trust me.”
Daniel nodded and headed them out, whistling softly as they walked. It felt good, doing something so normal together. He split his attention between Daniel and the girls, snapping one photo after another. God, the cuteness.
He was more in love than ever.
They headed down through the park, the world like a fantasyland. They turned around, the snow now falling into the carriage and landing on their little cheeks.
Daniel frowned and pulled the cover over to protect them.
“They’re fine,” Tenor insisted.
“But the snow…”
Oh, his lover had to learn to breathe. “They are cozy and warm in their snowsuits. A little bit of snow is not going to hurt them.” He rubbed his hand along Daniel’s back, pressing firmly so the touch was felt through the winter layers.
“Should we stop at the coffee shop? Have a pastry?”
“That’s the spirit! A hot chocolate would be amazing today. There’s a Second Cup a block up.”
“I could handle that. Warm up, let the girls get inside.”
“We’ll have to make a longer trip out tomorrow,” he teased.
“So long as there is coffee at some point.”
“You’re addicted, you know.” Most people were.
“Unabashedly. Coffee is a great smell.”
“It is. I wonder if the place will smell like baking at all. I love the coffee-sweets combo.”
“What’s your favorite sweet?”
“Hmmm. I like caramelly stuff a lot. And anything with crispness. Like deep-fried dough and croissants.”
“Mmm… chocolate croissants.”
“Yeah. Almond chocolate croissants are even better. What about you?”
“I love anything with lemon. Lemon pound cake with icing, though? That’s the best.”
“Maybe they’ll have that here.” They arrived at the Second Cup, and he held the door open for Daniel. As soon as they were in line, he started undoing snowsuits. Not taking the babies out of them, just bringing down the zippers and tugging out their hands. “I hate seeing babies overdressed and dying of heat.”
“Oh… I… they’re okay, though, right?”
“I didn’t mean literally dying. I just… We dressed them for the cold and snow and now we’re in the warm and taking our own coats off, right? It’s not fair that they stay bundled up inside.”
“Right. Of course. I’m being a worrywart, aren’t I?”
“You are, but you’re a first-time dad and Melody spent nearly a month in the hospital before you got to bring her home, so I think you’re allowed.” Ten didn’t want Daniel to spend time he could be enjoying his girls worrying about them.
“Still, if I’m a worrywart, they’ll learn to be worried. I don’t want that.”
“You’ve got a point there. You want me to let you know when I think you’re going overboard?” They moved up the line and he didn’t even look the menu. He knew he wanted a white hot chocolate with whip. They didn’t have a lemon pie here, but there were Nanaimo bars. “You wanna share a Nanaimo bar with me? They’re too sweet to eat a whole one on my own.”
“I’d love to. I think I want a caramel latte. Something decadent.”
“Cool. I’ll order, you find us a couple seats where we can get the carriage next to us.” The place was full of comfy, cushiony chairs around low tables. There was even a hearth where a fire blazed merrily.
He headed toward the fire, pushing the babies carefully, trying not to jostle them. Ten watched them as he waited for his turn to order. That was his family. The man he loved and his daughters. God, he was lucky. He’d adored his first family, been a part of them, really, and now he had a family he cared for even more, one that felt like it was truly his.
Daniel met his eyes across the way, beaming at him. He beamed right back, so in love it hurt.
The lady behind him in line touched his arm. “You’re up.”
“What? Oh! Sorry, sorry. White hot chocolate with whip and a caramel latte, please. Both large. And a Nanaimo bar. Thanks.” He paid for their order and moved down to the end of the counter.
Daniel had his focus on the babies now, laughing at them, tickling and playing. A lady stopped next to them as Ten watched, drawn to the babies and their gorgeous daddy no doubt.
“Are they yours?” she asked.
Daniel beamed and nodded. “Triplets. Melody, Harmony, and Kyrie.”
“Those are beautiful names. Triplets, though. Your poor wife.” She laughed softly and touched Daniel’s arm. Flirting.
Ten tried not to growl and he checked the barista, looking to see if she was almost done with his order.
“My partner does fine. He’s teaching me everything.”
It was almost comical the way her eyes widened. “Oh. Oh, that’s cool. Well, they’re beautiful, they really are.”
His partner. Whoa.
Whoa.
He’d almost missed it, but Daniel had called him partner. Not nanny, partner. He stared. Just stared.
“A caramel latte and a white hot chocolate?”
“Huh? Oh yeah, that’s me, thank you.” He grabbed the drinks. “I’ll come back for the Nanaimo bar.” He took the drinks and set them down on the side table next to where Daniel was sitting. Then he went back and grabbed the plate with the treat on it and sat next to Daniel.
“Hey.” He had a feeling his smile was rather goofy.
“Hey there. Thank you.” Daniel kissed his cheek.
“You’re welcome. How are the girls?”
“Good. Dozing.”
“Perfect. We can have our drinks and our sugar bomb while they sleep.” He gazed at Daniel. This man had called him partner.
“Yes.” Daniel drank deep, humming. “Oh, that’s nice.”
“Cool.” He grabbed his own drink and took a mouthful, hardly tasting it. All his attention was on Daniel. Who had called him partner. He had to laugh at himself—he was acting like a he was a barely out of school boy.
“Are you okay, Tenor? Is your drink all right?”
“My drink is great, and yeah, I’m really all right.”
“Okay. Good. I like all right.”
“Yeah, it’s good.” God, he was basking. It was crazy, but it felt good, too.
Daniel chuckled and looked at the babies, who were sleeping away. “They like it here.”
He looked over Daniel’s shoulder, smiling at the sight of them. “I hate to break it to you, but they pretty much sleep ninety percent of the time.”
“Shut up, love. Let me have my fantasy.”
He sat back, chuckling. “So I shouldn’t tell you it’s self-preservation.”
“Self-preservation?” Daniel asked.
“Look at them—they look like angels when they sleep. So damn cute it hurts. That’s so that anything they’ve gotten up to when awake is mitigated. All babies work that way, that’s why they’re adorable.”
“Right. Although, I think they’re super adorable.”
“They totally are. I think because there’s three of them, they’ve upped the adorable factor.”
Their father nodded, beaming, so proud. It was adorable, admirable.
Ten grabbed the Nanaimo bar and tore off a corner, then offered it to Daniel.
Daniel leaned over and nipped it out of his fingers. Ten managed not to groan, but his eyelids did get heavy. That had been way sexier than he’d anticipated.
“Yum. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He took a bite for himself, then took a careful sip of his hot chocolate. Oh, it was perfect—almost too hot, but not.
They settled and chatted, laughing quietly, moving the babies closer to and away from the fireplace. They only stayed a half hour—feeling it was better not to push it for too long with the babies behaving.
They bundled everyone back up, then headed back out into the snow, which was getting heavier by the minute.
“Oh wow. We might be snowed in.” They moved a little faster.
“If we are, we have food and the fireplace and all the formula and diapers we could need.”
“I know. I think it might be fun if we were. It could be bonding time with the babies and romantic when they’re asleep.”
Daniel nodded and leaned toward him. “We’ll make a fire and cuddle.”
“Sweet talker.” He pressed a quick kiss on Daniel’s nose.
“You know I love you, right?” The words just came out of nowhere.
That stopped him in his tracks, right there in the middle of the sidewalk, in what was turning into a snowstorm. Daniel loved him? Was he hallucinating? Because that was his biggest fantasy—Daniel loving him like he loved Daniel.
“Tenor? Tenor, are you okay?”
“Can you say that again?”
“I love you?”
“Yes.”
“I love you. It’s snowing.”
He beamed at Daniel. “It’s a very romantic setting to tell me that.”
“It’s true. I mean, I like being with you, I like making love with you, and I love you.”
Ten felt like he needed to pinch himself to make sure this was real. “Wow. Hearing you say that is like a fantasy come true. I’ve been in love with you for a while now. Like truly.”
“Yeah?” Daniel offered him a quirky, warm grin.
“Yeah. I figured I had at least eighteen years before my heart was broken, but hearing you feel the same way makes it so much better.” He laughed, suddenly light and happy—and he’d thought he was happy before.
“Come on, love. Let’s go home. Our babies need to get inside.”
Love. Our babies.
He grabbed Daniel’s shoulders and tugged him close, planting a kiss on the cold lips. “I love you, Daniel Thorpe.”
“I love you, Tenor. I swear.” Daniel kissed him back, hard enough to melt the snow.
One of the babies started fussing and he shook himself. “Okay. Home. Before we turn into snowmen.”
“Right. No freezing to death.”
“No, that would be a shame after we’ve said I love you and all that.” They started moving again, going quickly now.
The babies were kicking and muttering, wanting out of the stroller, probably needing to be changed and fed. They pushed through the front door, cold but laughing as they got home.
Home. He was home. Like honest to God, his home. Not for as long as the kids needed him home, just plain his home.
“Hey, guys. I was just about to phone you. The weather’s getting worse.” Matt came up, fussing over them all.
“It sure is.” Ten peeked out the window. “It’s coming down harder every second. We were wondering if we were going to get snowed in.” He couldn’t stop smiling.
“If we do, we have the fireplace and plenty of food.” Lord, you could tell Matt raised Daniel.
He grinned and went to help Daniel unbundle the girls. “We do indeed, Matt.”
“I’ll put the blanket down in front of the fire,” Matt offered.
“Oh, that’d be great, wouldn’t it?” He picked Melody up, still so tiny compared to her sisters.
“Sounds good to me.” Daniel grabbed Harmony and Kyrie.
“You’re getting to be an old hand at that.” Ten thought that when Daniel wasn’t worrying, he did really well.
“I’m trying. I want to be a good dad.”
“You love them—that puts you a step ahead.”
“I do. I’m all about the love lately.”
The words had him stilling and smiling at Daniel. “Yeah, me too.”
“Come on, I don’t want to drop Wiggles One or Two.”
He snorted. Like Daniel would drop them. He followed Daniel into the living room, smiling at the sight of several blankets and cushions in front of the fire. Matt had built them a nest.
The babies settled, wiggling and cooing, all three starting to interact with the world. It was wonderful to see them growing, taking the normal steps.
Daniel leaned toward him and he closed the distance, resting his head on Daniel’s shoulder as they warmed up.
Daniel began to sing softly, the music constant, wrapping around them all.