Chapter Eighteen – Grayson
"I wanna give Bella-Bella my picker first," Olivia said, bouncing up and down.
After two days, Arabella was finally being released from the hospital and coming home. Grayson held his twins' hands while they waited for Henry to bring her up on the elevator. They'd been busy all morning, decorating the house and drawing pictures for her.
"Remember, Arabella might not be feeling good yet, so we have to be quiet and gentle, okay?" Grayson said to the twins. They looked up at him with innocent eyes and nodded.
Moments later, the elevator doors slid open. Arabella and Henry stepped out. Even though Grayson had been angry at his friend for letting her leave that night, he understood why Henry had done what he had done. In the end, the two friends had talked it out, and the conflict between them was resolved happily.
"Bella-Bella!" Olivia bounced over to her and threw her arms around Arabella's knees. "I's missed you!"
"I missed you, too." Arabella knelt and pulled the twins into her arms. She kissed them both and didn't release them until they squirmed out of her grasp to give her the pictures they'd drawn. "Oh, these are very beautiful."
"We's drawed them for yous, Bella-Bella," Olivia said.
"They're beautiful."
"Bella-Bella," Hudson said, tugging on her sleeve.
"Arabella," she corrected. "Say it with me. Ara-bella."
"Airy-belly," Hudson said. "I'm glad you're not sick no more."
Arabella's jaw dropped. Grayson jumped a little, startled. Hudson rarely spoke in anything but grunts. This was the first time they had heard him say a full sentence. With a laugh, Arabella hugged him again. The little boy cuddled against her chest, resting his head on her shoulder.
"I am, too, sweetheart."
"Who's hungry?" Grayson asked. "We have soup or hot dogs."
"Hot dog!" Olivia shouted. "Hud and me get hot dog!"
"No," Hudson said. "I want soup."
Grayson smiled, and while Arabella got the children sitting at the table and Henry got out plates and silverware, he made sure the food was, in fact, ready. He hummed while he worked, feeling lighter than he had since before the twins were born.
Senator White was on trial for corporate fraud and every company he was connected to was under investigation. Moreover, the legislation that Grayson had been pushing was now moving forward in leaps and bounds, and it looked pretty certain that what happened to Christine would never happen to anybody else again.
But most importantly, Henry's symptoms were almost all gone and Arabella was home. His children were with him, his mate was safe, and his best friend was well on his way to recover from his poisoning. Everything he had been worried about for the past few months – years, even – was being resolved, and it looked like he might have a happy ending after all.
After lunch, they read stories and played games with the children until it was their nap time. Henry, though recovering, was still wiped out from the day and returned to his camper to rest as well. Arabella tucked the twins into their beds before coming to help Grayson take care of the dirty lunch dishes.
Arabella cleared her throat as she scraped the leftover food into a container to put into the fridge. "I never thanked you for coming after me."
"You don't need to."
"I do. It was a stupid thing to do, for sure, but things would be much different if you hadn't."
Grayson laughed, wrinkling his nose at her. "Are you calling me stupid?"
Arabella pinched her thumb and forefinger together. "Just a little. Maybe crazy is a better word."
"Crazy in love." He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Because I love you."
She grinned at him, such a happy smile that he hated to take his eyes off of her. "I love you, too."
"Dada, Bella-Bella, I'm not sleepy," Olivia called from the bedroom. "Story! Story!"
"She's a demanding one," Arabella laughed. She stuck the container in the fridge. "What do you say? One more story?"
Grayson smiled and nodded. There would be time to put them back on a strict schedule. Right now he just wanted them all to be together. Arabella held his hand as they walked to the twins' room. Before they got there, though, Olivia started wailing.
Grayson's heart jumped to his throat. He dashed inside, visions of mercenaries and blood flashing through his mind. "Olivia!"
She jumped, falling silent instantly. Her eyes widened. She was on her bed, books spread all around her. Grayson swooped down and picked her up, checking her over.
"What's wrong?" he asked. "Where's Hudson?"
"He's here," Arabella said from behind him.
He turned to find her holding a tiny dragon. Hudson's scales were blue-black like Christine's had been, with her slender snout and wide eyes. Grayson patted Olivia's back as she started crying again.
"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice gentler.
"My wings don't grow like Hud's."
Grayson sighed in relief. There was nothing wrong, it was just Olivia's nature shining through again. His children might not be in any more danger, but that didn't mean that he was going to be less vigilant. He foresaw more of these moments in the future. But that was par for the course.
"You'll grow them in time," he assured his daughter. "Now, Hudson, you need to be a little boy again, okay?"
Hudson put his head on Arabella's shoulder. He looked so much like Christine that Grayson didn't have the heart to insist that he shift back. Instead, he tucked Olivia back into her bed and took Hudson and put him to bed, wings and scales and all. Arabella kissed both of the twins' heads.
"What story should we have?"
"Dis one!" Olivia picked up one of her favorites.
Grayson reached for it, but Olivia pulled it away.
"No," his daughter said. "Bella-Bella read it."
"Why don’t you call me Airy instead?" Arabella suggested as she took the book. "That might be easier for you to say. I don't like being called Bella. It makes me sound like a toad."
Olivia giggled. She shook her head. "Nope! I's gonna call you Mama now."
Arabella froze. Her eyes flickered to Grayson. He tensed slightly. Emotions washed through him, going from happy to sad to back again. Tears burned his eyes. Olivia and Hudson were only toddlers; he knew their memories of their mother would fade. Soon she'd only be the person he told them about.
But if there was anybody Christine would want to take her place, it was Arabella. Someone who liked the children, and would protect them with every fiber of her being. He settled down next to her and stroked Hudson's scaly head while Oliva pushed her book into Arabella's lap.
"I think it's a great idea for you to call her Mama," he said quietly.
"Mama, read the story," Olivia demanded.
Arabella smiled as she opened the book. He smiled back, a feeling of peace sweeping over him. This was something he never thought he'd have: to be with his mate, their children nested between them, full of excitement for the future.
But he did have it, and he wouldn't trade it for anything.
*****
THE END