Page 19 of Twisted Fate

“You stop that, it’ll get you nowhere. It doesn’t work on me and you know it.” She grinned and leaned over, so he could get a good look at her cheesy grin. “I’ll keep the car, but no more, understand?”

“If the babies need stuff or I want them to have something, I’ll get it. If it’s something you need to help take care of our babies, then I’ll get that too. You aren’t doing this alone, no matter what.”

Even if she wouldn’t really touch him now, even if she didn’t want to be close to him anymore, he’d find a way to change that. He’d prove to her, one way or another, that he was with her for good now. If that meant he had to be subtle until he won her over, so be it, but he sure hoped she’d give in soon. He missed having her smile at him the way she just had, even if it was only for a moment.

9

Keily

“I can’t believe this car,” Keily mumbled to herself as she synced her phone up with the Bronco’s system. She looked at it, not for the first time, impressed with the brand-new vehicle.

There was plenty of space in the back for three car seats, room in the very back for shopping and other things babies needed, and the seats were comfortable. Everything she could ask for, even if she didn’t ask for it. She felt kind of bad about Logan shelling out so much money for her, but at the same time, she loved how easy it was to get in and out of. It was much bigger than the company car she’d been driving around in, an economical sedan, but she kind of liked that. She’d driven the Bronco a few times now and every time she felt powerful, being able to see all around and having such a powerful vehicle. She’d caught herself mumbling ‘vroom, vroom’ a few times now, as she waited at lights.

She was pregnant, she reminded herself, this was one of those times in life that she got to get away with doing things like that. It made her laugh, and she was alone, so it didn’t matter anyway. Nobody knew.

The radio played Christmas music throughout the drive to Logan’s, but she didn’t mind. He was back in her life, although what they were was as precarious and undefined as it ever was. He seemed to want more, but she was hesitant. Did he feel that he owed her something because of the babies? Would he come to resent her later?

There was a night, a night back on that vacation they’d taken in the tropical islands, where he’d let slip that his parents had only been married because his mom got pregnant with him. He’d gone on to tell her how he’d always known they resented him because of it, and that made her even more hesitant. Would he come to regret having children with her?

Not that many people would ever say those words out loud, but would he? In time, he might just walk away from all of them, and she couldn’t take that chance with her heart but especially with her babies.

Logan had been patient, gentle, and had even asked to cradle her bump a few times already. He seemed to be enthralled with the fact that she was pregnant, loved looking at her too, even if he did look away when she caught him watching her. He was kind and thoughtful, and that was great, but they never really talked about things that were important. That was partly her fault, and she knew it.

She shied away from promises, from anything that might lead to something more than a hand on her stomach. He looked at her with so much longing sometimes, when he let her see it, and it nearly broke her. She wanted him, she always did, in her bed, in her life, but he’d walked away once already.

When she arrived at his house, Keily parked the car, got the bags out she’d brought with her, and walked into what could only be described as an explosion of Christmas. There were decorations in every room, Christmas trees in every room she walked in, and lights all over the place. It was only midday so she couldn’t see the lights outside, but she’d noted the penguins in a globe blow-up decorations, as well as Santa and his reindeer.

Logan came to answer the door and smiled as he let her in. “I’ve just checked the ham. Dinner won’t be long.”

“You’re cooking?” She asked with a dubious lift of her left eyebrow.

“I am and it’s going well. The housekeeper is with her family until after New Year’s so I’m doing the cooking and cleaning again.” He took the bags from her and walked with her into the living room to put them down. “Want to come in the kitchen with me or do you want to stay in here?”

“I’ll follow you,” Keily answered and put her coat down on the couch.

The house smelled of baking ham, sweet potatoes, and the sage and rosemary in the stuffing. Dressing, stuffing, whatever, she always called it stuffing, whether it was going into a turkey or not. She saw pies resting on the counter, along with bread rolls, and a few covered dishes. “Are more people coming?”

She looked down at herself and frowned. She was in a blanket with a hole in the top, well, that’s what it felt like. It was a dark green dress, a huge fleece dress shaped like an overly long sweatshirt, and black boots she’d struggled to put on. She’d figured out a trick with a wire coat hanger to zip things up, but she wasn’t sure even that would work this evening. She hadn’t expected to see other people today, not even Rosa or her sister, since Violet was with a doctor she’d met at work and hit it off with. Rosa was with her couple and Keily had been left to fend for herself, so she’d accepted Logan’s offer of dinner.

“No, I’m just cooking all of this because it’s the kind of dinner I’d order for myself, or have if I went to a holiday dinner. I thought I’d have a go at making it myself. It’s been a learning experience.”

“Maybe it’s best you went for ham instead of turkey in that case. I assumed the housekeeper was going to cook it or something.” She frowned at her own assumption and spoke again. “Does she cook?”

“If I’m here she will. She doesn’t want me getting too thin. She made the pies before she left, actually.” Logan waved at the pies on the counter and Keily smiled as she sat down.

“Something will be edible then.” She teased him, and he turned to her with a mock glare.

“It’s not all bad, you know. I’ve had one of the deviled eggs and it was really good. The rest might get thrown away, but those were delicious.” Logan’s glare eased into a bashful grin. “Actually, I think most of it will be alright. I’ve been following recipes I found online.”

“Hmm, can I have a glass of apple juice please?”

“Of course, but wasn’t it giving you indigestion?” He turned to get a glass from the cabinet.

“Not this week, it seems, it’s grape juice this week.” Keily sighed. “The doctor said I just have to deal with it for now and try to avoid what makes it flare up, but that’s hard to do when it changes from day to day.”

“You saw him yesterday, didn’t you? What else did he say?” Logan had wanted to go but had a video conference with his office in California that he couldn’t miss.

“Oh, not much.” She hedged, not wanting to tell him exactly what the doctor said. “The babies are fine, growing well for triplets, and I need to, uh, be careful. I may go into labor early since I’m having triplets, and I need to, um, put my feet up at night.”