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Deciding to let him decide, I called his cell.
“Mom?” Chris answered almost immediately, his voice nervous. I never called him during school hours. If I needed to ask or tell him something, I’d just send a text so as not to interrupt his school day. “Everything okay?”
“Zoey’s in labor, so I’m going to the hospital. These things can take a while, so I didn’t know if you wanted to come and wait, or just stay at school and do your thing, and I could come get you once she has the baby.”
“Um, can you come get me?” he asked, and my heart literally melted. “I want to be there when my new sibling comes into the world. Plus, I want to be there for Dad and Aunt Z.”
“Of course, sweetheart, I’m on my way.”
Chapter Thirty-Three ~ Reardon
I ran around my office, trying to make sure everything was shut down and put away, frantic and excited, as if I were the one about to have a baby.
This was the first time a baby was being born into our family, at least when we were all old enough to be excited about it, so as soon as Gabe had hung up, I’d started shutting down for the day.
I couldn’t wait to get to the hospital and wait with the rest of my family. I couldn’t wait to see my new little second cousin, who, putting it honestly, would be more like a niece or nephew than cousin. And, I couldn’t wait to see my big, football player cousin holding his sweet little baby in his arms.
I knew how much he’d been looking forward to this moment, and I was thrilled to be a part of it.
All of this might make me seem even weirder than normal, but nothing was more important to me in this life than family. I was sure Chloe was out of her mind with anticipation as well, and I couldn’t wait to connect with her at the hospital.
“Just take messages, I doubt I’ll be back in today,” I called as I rushed out of my office.
I made it to the hospital in record time and headed up to the Labor and Delivery floor to see the waiting room already beginning to fill.
Aunt Annabeth and Uncle Zeke were sitting in a row of seats against the wall. Aunt Annabeth was talking to my mother, while my pop and Uncle Zeke were thumbing through magazines.
Dillon and Jazzy were deep in discussion in the corner, and I’d bet dollars to donuts, they were talking about work.
Laurel was reading a book in the corner, and I was just getting ready to announce myself when Serena came rushing in and threw her arms around me.
“I’m so excited, Rear,” she said happily as she squeezed as much as her delicate arms would allow.
“Me too, Rena, I can’t believe Gabe is the first one of us to have kids.”
“I know, I always thought it would be Dillon,” Serena said, pulling back to look up at me.
I was almost a foot taller than her, so she had to tilt her head way back.
“Dillon? Really? Why?” I asked, t
hinking that Dillon would have been my last choice, not first.
Rena shrugged and said quietly, “You know, I always figured he and Laurel would realize they’re madly in love, settle down, and have lots of babies.”
“Laurel?” I asked, looking at her as if she’d lost her mind.
Rena slapped my arm and shook her head.
“You guys always were oblivious,” she said, then walked over to Jazzy and Dillon.
I stood there like an idiot for a moment, my mind racing as memories of Dillon and Laurel flashed through … Nope, still don’t see it.
Needing a minute to process, I shook my head and walked over to my parents.
“Hey, Mom … Pop.”
“Reardon,” my mom said with a smile as I leaned down to kiss her cheek. “Such a happy time.”
