Epilogue
Vaughn
“She’s fine, baby. I promise.” I open the door for Rayne, and she walks in before me. Before I’m even all the way inside, she’s lifting the blanket to check on our daughter, Adeline.
A hostess comes over and motions for us to follow her. She points at a booth in the far corner, brings over a high chair, and flips it upside down so I can rest the car seat on it.
“Make sure it’s not uneven.”
After I make sure the seat is secure, I sit down, then reach for my wife’s hands. “Baby, I love you. You know I do. But I promise you nobody will make sure our daughter is safe more than I will, okay? You’ve barely been out of the house since you’ve been home from the hospital, except for the doctor appointments and when I force you to go shopping. It’s been six months, Rayne. We brought her with because you refused to leave her with your parents.”
“They don’t know her cries, and if she’s hungry or tired. I realize it seems irrational, but she’s only this age once, ya know. I don’t want to miss anything.”
“I know. That’s why she’s here. I just want you to eat a good breakfast and enjoy being out of the house. It’s a half an hour, darlin’, and then we can go back home.” It’s not like she doesn’t trust her parents; she’s just not ready to leave Adeline alone yet. Which is also why she hasn’t gone back to work, and probably won’t for a long time. I’m completely fine with whatever makes her happiest.
Mothering comes completely naturally to Rayne, and I count my blessings a hundred times a day that somehow, I got lucky enough to have them in my life. Somehow, I was blessed enough to be the one to make sure they’re happy.
She rubs her thumb on top of my hand and nods. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. I know you’ve been exhausted, and I just want you to sit back and enjoy your favorite pancakes, okay?”
“How did I get so lucky?”
“I’m the—”
“And don’t say you’re the lucky one, either. That’s so lame.”
The waitress comes over and takes our order before I get a chance to reply.
“Hey, isn’t that Polly?” I point out the window behind Rayne’s head.
She turns around and pushes herself up a bit so she can see the gravel pathway that’s on the side of the restaurant. “Yeah, that’s her.”
A few seconds later, she walks into the restaurant, closely followed by a very familiar face. “That’s the guy from Complexity, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, I’m pretty sure.”
They settle in a booth on the opposite side of the restaurant, and when he slides into the same seat as her, she rolls her eyes and scoots as far away as she can. He leans in and says something that has her shaking her head.
“Oh, my God, should I go over there?” Rayne asks.
“Here ya go.” The waitress delivers our food, and I pull my attention away from them. As soon as she walks away, Rayne gasps. “I’ve never seen her mad before. Look.”
I turn around again and watch as Polly pushes this guy, this really large man, out of the booth and then storms out. The guy has a smile on his face as he walks out, and if it wasn’t for the fact that I know Brad trusts him and has said he’s been beneficial to keeping the waitresses safe, I’d follow Polly out to make sure she’s okay.
“Damn. He must have really pissed her off.”
“I guess so.”
Adeline fusses, and any and all thoughts about the lover’s spat we just witnessed are long gone. Rayne tries to rock the seat a little, and it works because Adeline settles down.
Rayne and I scarf down our pancakes and are out of there in less than twenty minutes. On the way home, she reaches over and holds my hand. “Can I ask you something?”
“Anything.”
“No, nothing. Never mind.”
“Nope. None of that shit. Ask me.”
“Well”—she clears her throat—“I was just kind of thinking it’d be neat if we got tattoos.”
That spikes my interest. “What do you want to get?”
“I don’t know. Something matching. Something that would tie you to me forever.”
“I’m already bound to you, baby.”
“Ugh. Oh, my God, stop.”
“That’s not what you were saying last night.”
She shakes her head. “Such a perv.”
“Only for you.”
“I swear I will smack you if you keep it up with this one-liner shit.”
I suppress a laugh and cough instead then drive to our house. The first thing we did after we found out she was pregnant was meet with a realtor and buy a house. It’s perfect for us. Lots of yard, no neighbors on one side, and four bedrooms.
The second thing we did was get married at the courthouse. We’re planning a larger wedding on our two-year anniversary. Rayne didn’t want to have to rush after the baby was born to plan a wedding, so she pushed it back. I couldn’t care less. As long as she’s mine, I don’t need anything more.
I pull into the driveway, and Rayne starts to get out, but I grab her arm. She turns to me expectantly.
“We’ll get whatever tattoo you want. I’ll get ‘Rayne’s Property’ pointing at my dick if it’ll make you happy.”
“That’s an idea.” She taps her finger on her lip. “I like that a lot, actually.”
“But know this.” I hold her face between my hands and run my thumb across her lips. “Tattoos can be removed, but my love for you, for our family, is permanent and forever. It’s infinite, baby.”
“I’m not sure I can top that line.”
“Probably not.”
She nods very slowly and gets a really smug look on her face. “No, actually I think I can.”
“You think so, huh?”
“I do.” She mimics my move and holds my face. Then a smile pulls at her lips, and a twinkle shines in her eyes. “I’m pregnant.”
My mouth falls open, and she pushes it closed.
“Yep, I think I got you.”
If I could talk right now, I’d say, “You have every part of me, baby. Mind, body, and soul.” But even that line couldn’t top what she just told me. Nothing on this earth can top the way this woman makes me feel or the pride in my heart for the beautiful family we’ve created. Now she’s telling me that she’s blessing me with even more. Yeah, there’s not a one-liner or even a fucking novel that can top the fact that we’re going to have another baby.
She kisses me hard and fast, then pulls away. Our hands fall down, and she opens the door and steps outside then leans in the car. “Oh, yeah. They’re twins.”