Three weeks later…

“He’s so precious.” Susan looked longingly at the baby in Kerry’s arms. “I can’t believe you won’t let me hold him.” She pretended to be angry by narrowing her eyes at Kerry.

“He’s only just been discharged from the hospital.” Kerry looked down at her son, warmth filling her. “I’m a little overprotective and you can’t blame me.” She smiled at her sister, at the wonder in her eyes when she looked at Aaron. “Here.” Kerry placed her boy in Susan’s lap. “With three of your own, I thought you would have had your fill by now.”

“No,” Susan breathed the word out rather than said it. She was smiling broadly at the little person in her lap. “Not at all. Not that I want more children mind you.” She widened her eyes at Kerry before looking back down at the baby. “I just don’t have my fill of you, little Aaron. Not since we nearly lost you.” Susan looked up. “He’s being dubbed a miracle baby. So, the doctors think you may have been further along and that’s why he’s so well developed despite his size?” She raised her brows. “I heard Cadon mention something like that to Barry earlier.”

“Yes, that’s exactly it.” She and Cadon knew different of course. The only miracle was that Cadon’s powers had come back. It was impossible for such a premature baby to be discharged after such a short time. Three weeks ‒ and the last one had just been a precaution. Mainly because all of those doctors with all of their degrees, couldn’t understand how it was possible he was alive. Not only did Aaron survive but he was thriving. Breathing on his own. He developed the suck reflex within a week or two of being born. “They think he was closer to thirty weeks, maybe even thirty-two weeks.”

“That would have made you six to eight weeks further along?” Susan was frowning, like she didn’t quite believe it. “How could you be pregnant all that time and not even know it?”

Kerry shrugged. “I don’t know.” She wasn’t, that’s how!

“Even so, he’s still a little miracle.” She turned her attention back to Aaron, her voice turning all cooey. “Our gorgeous little miracle baby. That’s what you are, isn’t it? Yes…you! I still can’t believe your mommy kicked me out during your birth.”

Kerry rolled her eyes. “I can’t believe you won’t drop it already. We had Cadon’s cousin pray for Aaron at his birth and it worked, didn’t it? He really needed prayers just then.” Prayers and magic.

“I could’ve prayed for you, my gorgeous.” Susan cooed some more.

“Zaire is a minister though.”

“He didn’t look like a minister.” Her sister smiled.

Aaron looked up at his aunt, all wide-eyed. So perfect. Her heart swelled.

“Here you go.” Susan laughed, handing her son back to her. “I can see that you’re getting separation anxiety.”

Kerry smiled, but only because it was true. “I wasn’t allowed to touch him that first week. It was hell. I’m going to have to hold him lots to make up for that.” He felt so good in the crook of her arm. Aaron yawned. His tummy was full, his diaper changed. It was time for a nap. All the books said that she should put him down at that point. Kerry couldn’t though. She rocked him gently, watching as his blinking slowed, as his eyes closed.

“Shocking news about Jeff. I, yeah…he was Aaron’s father. How do you feel about it?”

“It did come as a shock.” Kerry nodded, looking away. A big shock and yet…

“They’re calling it an accident but there is speculation that it could have been…something else.” Susan went on. “His business was in the toilet. Money or lack thereof can be a big motivator.” Susan pushed out a breath. “There was a canister of pepper spay on the balcony and he had been drinking.”

Kerry nodded. “They think he accidentally sprayed himself in the face and fell to his death as a result.”

Susan nodded. “Yep. There was no sign of forced entry. All the doors were locked from the inside.” She looked unsure for a moment. “I’m happy he’s gone. I know it’s a terrible thing to say, but I can’t help it.”

Kerry nodded. “I agree. Jeff nearly killed my son. My child, not his. He wanted nothing to do with Aaron.” There were times she almost felt guilty about being happy he was dead. Those feelings soon passed when she looked at her sweet boy. “Jeff hurt me and on more than one occasion. I let him off the hook the first time, which was wrong of me. It’s never okay to touch a woman in the way that he did with me. Never! I don’t feel guilty for being relieved he’s gone.”

“He was an awful human being.”

“Did you know there was a second woman pressing a charge of assault against him, as well?” Kerry asked.

“No! I didn’t know that,” Susan widened her eyes. “It doesn’t shock me though.”

“Me neither.” They had never spoken of it, but Kerry had a hard time believing from the start that an arrogant son of a bitch like Jeff would take his own life. An accident? Maybe, but since the pepper spray was missing from her bag, she doubted it. Cadon had vowed that he wouldn’t allow Jeff to come after her again, and he was a man of his word. Kerry hadn’t asked Cadon and he hadn’t said anything to her about it. She suspected, but some things were better left alone.

“So, what is it you wanted to tell me?” Susan asked.

“Why do you think there’s something I want to tell you?”

“You invite us over to your home, which I love by the way, and Cadon suggests ice-cream, which you know the kids would go nuts for. He then asks Barry and the kids to go with him to the store. He’s quite obviously clearing the house so that we can talk because there’s something you have to say or ask or…” Susan looked her head on. “Tell me.”

“He cleared the house so that we could have some sister time.” Kerry shrugged. “Why can’t it just be about sister time?”

“I’m enjoying our sister time, now out with it.”

“Cadon and I are getting married,” Kerry blurted.

“What?” Susan’s eyebrows shot up, then she shook her head.

“I know you think we’re rushing.”

“You just met Cadon. I was a bit apprehensive when you said you were moving in together. You came out of a bad relationship not that long ago, it would be foolish to jump into marriage so quickly. Live together, have fun. Don’t commit like that.” She’d expected Susan to be worried about her, but not this worried.

“We’ve agreed to a six-month engagement.”

“Six months!” She widened her eyes and her mouth fell open. “Why the rush?”

“I love him, Susan. I love him more than I ever thought it possible to love someone.”

“Of course, you do,” Susan half-yelled, causing Aaron to jump in her arms. “You’re in that glowy phase of your relationship. You need to wait for that phase to end before you can properly decide.”

“That’s just it, I don’t think this glowy phase will ever end. Not with Cadon.”

Susan got this faraway look. “He is seriously hot. Oh my god, when he took his shirt off the other day I nearly wet myself.”

Kerry laughed. “Wet yourself? Seriously?”

“I choked on my spit and when I choke I pee. I’ve given birth to three full-term babies, incontinence is a thing.”

Kerry laughed some more but she quickly turned serious when she thought back on their conversation. “It’s not just that he’s hot, even though he is. He’s kind, sweet and funny and he’s mine.” She shrugged. “He’s mine. I know it just as surely as I know my own name. We fit together. He loves Aaron so much. He wants to adopt him.”

“It’s easy to see how much he loves you both. I just don’t think you should rush. Is he pushing you into this?”

She shook her head. “No, he’s leaving it up to me. It’s what I want though.” What Susan hadn’t realized, was that six months was like a lifetime of waiting for a shifter. Six months was a huge compromise already.

“You’re crazy but if it’s what you want, I’ll support you.”

“Two more things.”

“Now you’re making me worry.” Susan cocked her head. “Out with it.”

“It’s nothing bad! I wanted to ask you if you would be my maid of honor?” Kerry pushed her lips together.

Susan squealed, causing Aaron to jump again. “Oh shit,” she whispered. “I don’t want to wake the baby. Yes. Yes! Of course! I would love to be your maid of honor.”

“Shew!” Kerry touched her chest with her free hand. “Thank god. I thought you might tell me to go to hell because you were against the wedding. I should have known better.”

“I’m not against the wedding. It’s not that I don’t like Cadon, I just worry about you that’s all.” Her sister’s eyes welled with tears. “I could have lost you.”

They hugged as best they could with a baby between them. “I might move at some point in the future.”

“You mean, go to Switzerland?”

Kerry nodded. She hated lying to Susan and maybe at some point in the future she could tell her the truth, but not yet.

“Now that Barry is working again,” Susan beamed, “we can save and visit you.” She made a face. “It could take years to get the airfare together, but…”

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. There are no plans to move just yet.” With all the uncertainty about what the Fallen had planned, they were staying right where they were for the moment. Keeping Aaron safe was their number one priority. Also, it would be easier to head to Feral territory once they were mated. Otherwise she’d be fair game with hundreds of sex-starved shifters all around her. No thanks!

“That’s good to know.” Susan smiled.

“How are things going with Barry? Is he enjoying the new job?”

“Very much! He’s doing so well, it’s…” Susan looked at her strangely. “Wait a minute, before we move on, you said there were two things that you wanted to talk about. Asking me to be your maid of honor was one, what was the other one?”

A key slid into the lock and they could hear voices coming from outside. Peter ran in, chocolate ice-cream was smeared all over his face. “I was allowed to get four scoops,” he announced, a smile on his face.

“Let’s hope you don’t get a tummy ache,” Susan said, sounding stern even though she was smiling.

Cadon was holding Simon, who wriggled and moaned when he saw his mom. His face was smeared with ice-cream as well. Susan held out her arms and took him. “You gave him ice-cream?” She frowned in Barry’s direction.

Her husband shrugged. “He was hungry.”

“I fed him before you guys left.” Susan was trying to hold back a smile.

“I couldn’t not give the poor boy any. He’s almost nine months old and he was looking at our cones with longing in his eyes.”

Susan smiled, looking at the boy in her arms. “So, you had ice-cream for the first time. Was it delicious?”

Simon squealed and laughed. His little arms flapped wildly.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Susan laughed too.

Samantha was eating hers out of a cup, taking tiny spoonfuls.

“I was just about to tell Susan about the house,” Kerry said.

“Which house would that be?” Susan asked.

“You know the house that I stayed in with all the guys Cadon works with?”

“Yes.” Susan sounded skeptical. “The bachelor pad you never let me see.”

“One and the same,” Kerry Replied.

“It’s owned by my company,” Cadon piped up. “The men went home after our contract was cancelled.”

“Yeah, you mentioned that,” Barry said. “I’m sorry you lost the business.”

Cadon shrugged. “We picked up another contract in Europe, so it’s all good. The problem is, we’re not sure when we’ll pick up more business in the US and until then, the house will stand vacant.”

“It would be stupid to pay someone to manage the property when there is a much better win-win solution available,” Kerry began, looking at Cadon.

“Would you like to do us a favor and live there for the foreseeable future?” Cadon folded his arms. “The company would pay for the maintenance and general—”

“Are you serious?” Susan was frowning. “Why don’t you guys take it?”

“It’s an eight-bedroom home on fifteen acres. Too big for us.” Kerry shook her head.

“You really would be doing us a big favor,” Cadon said.

The truth was that Barry and Susan were in quite a lot of debt. Not having to pay rent would be a big help to them. Long-term, they planned on giving the house to them. They had agreed that it might be too much to spring it on them right from the start though. Cadon didn’t want it to seem like a handout or that he was trying to buy their approval either.

“It would be a big help.” Barry looked at Susan, who smiled at him.

“Are you sure?” Her sister shook her head. “You could probably rent it.”

“We don’t want the hassle,” Cadon said. “It could be eight months and it could be two years before we need it again. Hard to say. It wouldn’t be right to rent to someone with things up in the air like that.” He put up his hand. “We do foresee it being at least a year, so, if you’re interested…?”

“Yes, of course we are, I mean?” she looked at Barry.

“Yes.” Barry nodded, excitement shining in his eyes. “What do you think kids? A whole fifteen acres.”

“Would this mean I get my own room? No having to share with Peter?” Sammy asked.

“Yes,” Cadon smiled. “That’s exactly what it would mean.”

“Don’t get too comfortable though,” Barry warned. “It’s just for the next year or so.”

Sammy jumped up and down, excitement written all over her. Kerry burned to tell them everything. Mostly to tell them that they would never have to move out. That the house was theirs, but this wasn’t the time. Not yet anyway.

She locked eyes with Cadon, who was grinning. How had she gotten so lucky? “I love you,” she mouthed.

“Love you more,” he mouthed back.