Kayden and I drove together. He dropped me off at my work with a kiss and the promise that he’d pick me up when I was done.

I walked through the shoveled snow, careful of where I stepped, with a huge smile on my face. This feeling I had—warmth, love, perfectness—was the best feeling ever.

After battling the front steps, I made it inside and clocked in. The last time I was here, my uncle, Mr. White, hadn't assigned me another kiddo. I was hoping today that he had a change of heart.

I made my way down the hall with the intention of finding Perry first. Still my coworker and friend, I knew I could count on her to find out how the few days without me had gone.

I found her in the kitchen leaning against the counter talking to Jenna, another aide, while she was cooking. When Perry's gaze found mine, her eyes lit up. "Well look who strode in – a married woman!"

I grinned and waved her off. "Quiet. I’m no different than I was before." I stopped by her side and grabbed a piece of bacon from the plate Jenna had set aside.

"What!” Jenna gasped as she shooed me away. “Did you just steal one?"

"I need it," I stated simply, going to the long table and grabbing a seat.

Both Perry and Jenna snorted. "With how many men you have trying to love you, I don't doubt it."

I blushed and let their assumptions go. Their reasoning was legitimate, but I wanted to keep the baby a secret a little bit longer. Not that my uncle wouldn't have caught wind of it yet. He might have, but with my cousin in her own crisis, it might not have reached them yet.

"Any word on new kiddos coming or leaving?" I asked, worried about the ones that would eventually go back home, hopefully to a better situation.

Jenna answered, "No changes at the moment, but the meeting is in fifteen minutes, so we'll know more then."

My gaze strayed to the picture window that looked over the backyard. It was akin to a park with the industrial playset and climbing equipment. They had added a few extra structures since I came to work with them. Snow covered every inch of the backyard, and in true winter spirit, there was a snowman smack dab in the middle.

"Want to hear what happened to me yesterday?" Perry's question broke through my thoughts.

I turned back, focusing on her, and shrugged. "Sure."

Perry looked between Jenna and me before she landed her bomb. "I got in a small car accident."

My stomach clenched at the mention of a car accident. It was rough enough losing my brother in one, but the ripples afterward affected my whole life.

"Are you okay?" I asked, then realized she was standing right there. I shook my head before either Jenna or Perry could correct me. "Sorry, clearly you are."

"No one got hurt," Perry soothed. "It wasn't even that big of a deal. Small scratch on their car while mine took the brunt of it. It was in a parking lot. My car must have slid on some black ice while backing out. Luckily, there was no one in the other car. I left a note with my insurance information if they get picky and want to fix it. But it was such a small" – she put her thumb and pointer finger together, demonstrating how small – "scratch. This little. I could have left without doing anything. But if they caused a fuss and had the stores pull up cameras, they would have had me. I was doing the responsible thing."

Jenna turned off the stove. "Of course you were. Honesty is the best policy." Jenna nodded to Perry as she grabbed the platter of pancakes. "Would you be a gem and grab the bacon?"

I moved out of the chair, knowing that kiddos were coming down soon to eat, and helped them set the table. "I'm glad it wasn't as serious as it could have been. Black ice can be lethal."

Perry's eyes met mine as she set the plate of bacon on the table. "I know."

When the kids started showing up, Perry and I left the kitchen to head to the conference room for our meeting. Not too long ago, my uncle had denied me my right to do my job as a para-parent. He told me the uncertainty in my life would negatively affect a child if I was to take on a new charge. So, with the pressure of Brady and Sarah, along with my now in-laws and my uncle, the guys and I finally tied the knot. And not a moment too soon. My hand drifted to my stomach briefly as we entered the conference room. It seemed like their encouragement for a wedding was warranted with this little bundle coming.

My hand dropped as Perry and I made our way to the chairs at the far end of the table and slid into our normal seats. A few other paras had come in and now we were all waiting to get updates on today's events and activities. The kids couldn't go out into the snow every day, even though they wanted to. A few of them had caught a cold due to exposure during the snow day last week.

Everyone quieted as my uncle came in and the meeting started. It was all the normal stuff, no new kiddos as of today. So, that meant I wasn't gaining a new charge. At the last minute of the meeting, my uncle did something unexpected. 

"I'd like to welcome back Ms. Daniels, who is now Mrs. McGuire. Congratulations on your marriage." He said it so formally that it had to have been rehearsed. There were a few murmurs of congrats before my uncle went on. "Don't go far when the meeting is over. We'll need to update your paperwork."

I nodded that I would and then wondered if he knew about my pregnancy and how he was holding up with Marissa being in the same situation. Well, not really the same, since she wasn't married. I thought back to that morning after my bridal shower when she had me take her home. She’d mentioned that she liked someone, possibly more than one someone, and asked for advice. Now after my phone call with her yesterday, I knew.

I'd say my advice got her pregnant judging by how she’d changed her look when I saw her last at Thanksgiving. She didn't even stay for my wedding, but I was too wrapped up in my own world to worry about her at that moment. But now that I was home and things were settling down, I wondered how she was doing. I eyed her father as he ended the meeting and wondered how her parents were taking it.

"I'll see you later," Perry whispered before she rose out of her seat. "Maybe we can get together this weekend? I could help you unpack."

Giving her a grateful smile, I agreed. "That would be nice, but I'm hoping to do it tonight or tomorrow." Hope for the two of us hanging out died in her eyes. I didn't want to disappoint her, so I offered another solution. "How about you come over this weekend and we'll do a little Christmas shopping? Lunch can be my treat."

She immediately brightened. "Deal."

As soon as the room was cleared, my uncle brought over the paperwork I needed to fill out and sat in the seat next to me. "These are the forms that need your new information. If you can fill them out and turn them in before leaving today, that would be great."

"I can do that."

He pulled out a pen from his shirt pocket and gave it to me before clasping his hands in front of him. "You four settling in okay at the new place?"

I started to fill out the forms and answered him, "It's going to take a little bit of getting used to, but I think once we unload all the boxes and actually get some furniture besides the stuff in our bedroom that I’ll finally be able to rest."

"What happened to the three days after you guys came back from Vegas? I thought that–"

I paused filling out the form and shot him an exasperated look as I tried not to blush. "What do you think happens on a honeymoon?"

He had the decency to look away and push out of his seat. "I don't know why my wife insists on me asking you these questions."

His comment didn't hurt but left me confused. "Why wouldn’t she just ask me herself? She's called me before."

He turned back with a grateful smile. "She thinks she calls too much and knew I was going to be seeing you today." His smile dropped. "Even though you have Sarah, Lilly still cares."

“I know. And I’m grateful to have you in my life.” I bit my lip and decided to give a little. “Thank you for watching over me in your own way when I was younger. Making it possible for us to come here. Without your interference, I wouldn’t have met my husbands.”

Henry chuckled and shook his head. “I’m not sure how I feel about being the reason you met your...” – he cleared his throat – “husbands. But I am happy that you’re happy.” He patted my hand. “It would have been what your mother wanted for you. Your happiness. No matter how unconventional your relationship is, she would have welcomed it. I’m just an old man set in his ways.”

“Thank you, Uncle,” I answered softly as a lump stuck in my throat. “It’s good that you feel that way. It gives me hope.”

Henry’s brows furrowed, confused. “Why would you say that?”

“Because...” It was my turn to be confused. “Didn’t Marissa tell you?”

His brows scrunched. “Tell me what?” Then they lifted, his eyes wide. “About the baby?”

“Well, yes. But–”

He withdrew his hand from mine and shuffled the forms I’d returned to him. “She told us. She’s always been the wild child. Now she has a baby to get ready for, and the father, Frances, is probably long gone.” He put the files back into the folder. “I’m just glad she has you and the Manto boys to lean on. She hasn’t heard from that guy since.”

My lips formed an O. He didn’t know. Marissa had called me yesterday and confessed all, unsure what to do. I gave her my best advice, which was to clear the air with the two guys and let them know the baby could be either of theirs.  Apparently, she hadn’t told her parents yet of the baby father situation. And I wasn’t going to be the one to drop that bomb.