Page 106 of Breakaway

“Way to go, Huddy Buddy!” Briggs interrupts, swooping Hudson off his feet. Lifting him doesn’t come as easily these days, seeing as he took after Seth in the size department, but that doesn’t stop the guys from doing it every chance they get. “Did you get a treat for doing such a great job?”

Hudson’s bottom lip sticks out in a pout when he responds, “Lolli said I had to eat dinner first.” His grumbly voice makes me laugh. Our little sugar monster is a beast of the guys’ own making. They spoiled him with sweets during his first few months of living with us, and now they’re paying the price.

“I think your Lolli is a smart woman,” Raiden tacks on, ruffling Hudson’s hair.

“I guess so,” he concedes, wiggling out of Briggs’ arms, then taking off for the massive playscape that Col and Royce built.

“Be careful!” I shout after him, knowing it’s my own anxiety that breeds my need to control every situation. Logically, I know that’s an impossibility, but at least having the illusion of it helps to keep me sane.

“Yes, ma’am!” His fading voice echoes back to us, already laser-focused on reaching his destination.

“That kid is gonna be hell on his teachers,” Dayton laughs with a shake of his head.

“Without a doubt,” Briggs agrees. “Like fathers, like son. Makes me so fucking proud.” He feigns wiping a tear away, making me roll my eyes at his penchant for adding a dramatic flair to everything he says and does. The screen door opening behind us makes me turn, my smile instantaneous when I find Rita standing on the top step, a sleepy-eyed Izzy balanced on her hip. Rushing to greet the two of them, I stroke the sweaty strands of hair from our daughter’s dazzling blue eyes.

“Hey, sweet girl,” I voice quietly, having learned that our precious Izzy Girl can become quite the hellion when she’s still clinging to sleep. “Did you enjoy your nap?” She stretches her arms out to reach me, which I happily facilitate, sighing contentedly when she snuggles her face against my neck.

“She didn’t sleep for very long,” Rita adds, kissing the top of Izzy’s head. “And she feels a bit warm. Might be cutting another tooth.” I nod my agreement, making a mental note to check her temperature as soon as we head inside. As I take a seat in one of the rocking chairs lining our wraparound porch, Royce enters from the other side, looking slightly disheveled.

“Tell me again why a mini farm was necessary? Those damn goats keel over from the slightest disturbance in the air. I can’t ever tell if they’re actually dead, or just momentarily stunned. Gonna give me a heart attack one of these days,” he grumps, rubbing a fist against his sternum.

“We both know that’s just indigestion from all the spicy food you eat,” Col teases, taking the empty rocker beside mine. “Looks like you’ve gained a few pounds, too.”

“Spoken like a man who’s a couple of decades from retirement,” Royce jests, patting his still-slim stomach. “Enjoy those fourteen-hour days while I’m indulging in Rita’s cooking.” Wrapping his arms around her middle, Royce presses a kiss to her cheek.

“More like over-indulging,” Col snarks, but their back-and-forth jabs at one another are all in good fun.

As the sun starts to set, painting our property line in a deep burnt orange, I send a silent thank you to whoever’s responsible for this beautiful life I’m living. It still feels like a fever dream most days. Those early mornings, where the patter of tiny feet precedes our bedroom door bursting open, our children’s faces being the first sight we see when we finally pry our sleep-laden eyes open, are some of the many moments I’ll remember, even when I’m old and gray. I’m still in awe of the place we call home–a fifteen-acre plot of land that includes a renovated farmhouse, small horse stable, an over-the-top chicken coop, and several pastures dedicated to the livestock we’ve amassed.

Two months ago, Colsen officially took over Royce DuPont Construction. His days aren’t nearly as long as Roy teases they are, but his workload is certainly heavier. While his job is less laborious now, he has far more responsibilities. Meanwhile, Royce is savoring every second of retirement, spending his days playing PopPop to Izzy and Hudson. After he and Rita married last fall, they built a small house on the edge of our property so we could all be close. As much as Royce would like us to believe that tending to the animals is bothersome, we know he secretly loves it. He’s up at the crack of dawn, eager to get the day’s chores started.

I split my days between working at The Village and staying home with the kids. It does me good to interact with other adults, so I try to leave the house at least a couple of times a week. Rita and I are currently working on a free childcare program we want to offer at The Village. We plan to operate on a drop-in basis so that parents can job hunt, or even Christmas and birthday shop, without the added stress of having their kids in tow. Some days, I help Col do admin work at one of the various construction sites he’s splitting his time between. All in all, I’m very pleased with where my interests have taken me. Honestly, I enjoy it so much, it doesn’t really feel like work.

Dayton is still teaching at Chaplain County High School. I doubt he could ever leave the boys who rely so heavily on his coaching. We were all fearful of going public with our relationship and the potential fallout it could have on the guys’ careers, but much to our surprise, no one’s had much to say. I’m sure people are talking, but none are so brave they’d make their disparaging remarks directly to our faces. We gave a lot of thought to moving away from Chaplain entirely, away from the place that harbors such painful memories for me, but I’ve come to realize that some of my happiest moments have happened here, too. The people who rallied around us during the trial, becoming immensely protective of the kids and me, endeared us in a way I can’t quite explain.

Raiden heavily debated whether returning to detective work was what he truly wanted. We promised to support whatever decision he made, but at the end of the day, he couldn’t bring himself to walk away. He’d spent years, and thousands of dollars in student loans, working towards the profession he’d been obsessed with since high school. Not to mention, he was born to help people. It’s simply in his nature, and he’s incredibly good at it. Most days he comes home happy and feeling proud of a job well done, but there are times when it’s obvious that a case didn’t go the way he’d hoped it would. Raiden bears the full brunt of responsibility when that happens, even when the outcome was beyond his control. When those rare instances happen, we love him even harder, making sure to remind him as often as he needs us to that he’s an amazing human being.

Briggs–my dark thundercloud–has been diligent in keeping up with his therapy sessions. In his own words, he never wants to become the man he used to be, losing days at a time to his need and desire to punish himself. He’s been an open book with us since revealing the truth of what he went through. I never have to question if there’s something I’m unaware of anymore. Quite the opposite, actually. He’s become somewhat of an oversharer, but he’s so charming, I’ve learned to appreciate the constant play-by-plays of his day. Which typically involves him and Hudson finding any manner of trouble. Not needing the income, Briggs prefers to stay home with the kids and me, offering a second set of hands to keep Hudson and Izzy occupied. Our days are filled with laughter and an overabundance of shenanigans, and the fact that our routine is about to change fills me with dread.

“I think we should have another baby,” I announce, cringing at my own bluntness. Beside me, Col’s rocking comes to an abrupt halt, and Dayton straightens his lax posture from where he was leaning against the railing. Glancing to the side, I find Raiden with his jaw practically unhinged. Shifting my eyes slightly to his left, I’m unsurprised to see that Briggs is sporting a massive grin. Thankfully, Rita excused herself to start dinner, and Royce has joined Hudson on the swingset. I can only imagine the excited screeching that would be taking place if they were present to overhear my confession.

“Fuck yes!” Briggs exclaims, pumping his fist in the air. “And no one gets dibs!” He points an accusing finger at each of the guys. “We fuck our girl like rabbits and may the best sperm win.” I choke on a laugh.

“Are you sure, minha luz?” Raiden asks, kneeling in front of me so he can look me in the eye. “This isn’t because of Hudson starting preschool, is it?” His too-perceptive nature makes me smile.

“No.” I shake my head with certainty. I’d never bring another child into the world simply because I miss my son, but his concern is valid. “I’ve been thinking about trying for a while now, but the trial was still hanging over us. It felt like our lives were on hold, and now that I can finally breathe again, it’s something I’d like to have a discussion about. Whether we grow our family or not, I won’t deny that I’m anxious about Hudson starting school. It’s a big change, but it’s not the reason I’ve thought about having another baby. I’ve known since Izzy was born that I’d want more children,” I admit.

“We’ll give you as many babies as you want, Butterfly,” Dayton promises, his blue eyes darkening and filled with promises of what’s to come. The sound of a car approaching steals our attention, and we glance in unison towards the winding driveway that leads to the gravel parking area in front of the farmhouse. A few seconds later, Mia’s bright red Mercedes comes into view, dust kicking up in her wake as she all but floors the gas pedal. Coming to a sudden stop, the back tires slide to the side, leaving her parked at an angle. When she steps out of the car, her bottom lip is jutted out in a pout.

“Damn. Really thought I’d nailed down that whole drifting thing last time,” she gripes, waving a hand in front of her face to clear away the dust.

“For fucksake, Mia,” Raiden scolds, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose as he looks towards the sky in hopes of a higher power giving him some insight on how to deal with his lunatic sister. “What if one of the kids had been playing in the exact spot you just decided to Dominic Toretto your luxury sedan?” Before Mia can formulate a response, the passenger door opens. Bel tumbles out, pressing his lips to the ground while repeatedly mumbling his thanks. I snort, having concluded that Mia’s daredevil stunt was likely due to Bel pissing her off. She likes to get her revenge when he least expects it. Gotta keep these men on their toes, as Mia would say.

“As if I’d ever put my niece and nephew at risk,” Mia retorts, looking miffed that her brother would dare question her ability to keep them safe. “I texted Rita before arriving and made sure they were both clear of my landing pad.” She saunters forward, leaving Bel on his hands and knees, still gasping for breath. I shake my head at how diabolical she is, but if history repeats itself, I expect a phone call tomorrow of her recounting the filthy make-up sex they had after arriving home tonight.

I couldn’t have been happier when Mia announced that she and Bel were moving in together, and it was only made better when they mutually decided to call Chaplain home. It’s been incredible having her so close, and Izzy and Hudson love their aunt and uncle fiercely. Likely in part because of the gifts they come bearing every time they visit, but as Mia has admitted on numerous occasions, bribery is the best tool she has in her arsenal.

Stopping to peck her brother on the cheek, she states smugly, “By the way, Mom and Dad found a house for sale. They’re planning a visit next week to view it.” Her grin is devilish as she continues forward, swooping down to steal Izzy from my arms.