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“I want you to think about something Skylar.” My words stopped her progression towards the farmhouse. I saw that she was waiting for me to tell her what I wanted her to think about. “I want Luke to have both his parents in a loving, stable home something those kids don’t have.”
She appeared puzzled. “I thought that is what we were working towards Ronan.”
“Let me just be clear about what I’m saying, a loving, married mother and father who will be there for him forever.”
I was firm about that after seeing what Dom was going through, I never wanted Luke to doubt that he was wanted. I could see that she was about to cry. I don’t think she knew what to say. “I don’t want Luke to ever doubt how much he is wanted.”
**
I had to walk away. I knew that he was still looking at me. His eyes were so intense. I still wasn’t sure what the visit with the kids was about but it had affected Ronan. They needed somebody and I enjoyed them and so did he. This kid Dom, was the kid that Ronan talked about the other night.
When Ronan said those sweet words to me, a loving married mother and father…I became a crying mess. I went to the house after he said, I don’t want Luke to doubt how much he is wanted. Whether the words were for me or himself they meant everything to me. He wanted Luke. For the first time since he found out, I thought I finally understood how he felt. I was worried he would feel trapped by this situation and he didn’t.
In the kitchen I grabbed a paper towel to wipe my face. I wasn’t sure how this happened. What made him feel this way but he had given me something I never expected. I was still wiping my eyes when his arm went around my chest. I leaned back into him. “Are you okay?”
I nodded. “Emotional. It happens to pregnant women.”
“Oh okay.” He chuckled a little. I felt the rumble against my back. I squeezed his forearm and felt his lips caress my head. “We’ll make this work Skylar.”
“Then tonight,” I said, “I sleep in your bed.”
I felt him tense. “I guess that’s the next step,” he agreed.
**
At ten Mom came through the door with Gramps. I met them in the living room where Ronan was stretched out on the sofa with Gracie asleep on his chest. They had been like that for an hour. Gracie was fussy because her mommy and daddy weren’t home. She finally settled down when Ronan laid down on the couch with her. Her head was tucked beneath his chin. His arm wrapped around her so she wouldn’t fall. Both of them were sleeping with their mouths open, slightly snoring.
Mom and Gramps were looking at Ronan and Gracie. Mom put her arm around me. “Did Aine have the baby?”
“She did.” Mom released me and took out her phone. She handed it to me. “And she’s just as beautiful as Grace.”
I smiled at my new niece. “She looks almost identical to Grace.”
We were trying to be quiet but Ronan heard us. He sat up keeping Grace against him. “We have a new niece?” He asked me yawning and rubbing his eyes with his free hand.
“We do.” I went to him and showed him Mom’s phone. “Another Gracie Lou.”
Ronan glanced over at the phone in my hand. “She does look like Grace. How is Aine?”
“She’s fine and so is Siena,” Rhett said.
“Where’s Dad?” I asked.
“Upstairs getting a bag for Grace. We’re taking her home with us. Fionn is staying with Aine tonight at the hospital. They’re fairly sure she’ll come home tomorrow morning.”
“How big is she?” I asked. She looked close to the same size as Grace and she was early.
“She’s exactly same length as Grace. Twenty-three and a quarter inches. Fionn has big children. Hopefully his daughters aren’t six foot six. She’s a little heavier in weight. Grace was early though. Siena weighed ten pounds.”
I cringed. I couldn’t imagine giving birth to a ten-pound baby. Grace was eight and half pounds and that was big. “Good god,” Ronan said. He was looking at me now in near panic. I smiled trying to make him feel better.
“The twins weren’t that big,” Mom reassured him. “Aine is fine Ronan. Don’t panic yet.”
“She’s smaller than Aine,” he said glancing between me and Mom.
“And Ryan is smaller than Skylar. She’ll be fine when the time comes.” Mom leaned over and caressed his cheek. “Trust me Ronan. We O’Halloran’s do just fine having babies.”
He looked at me uncertainly. I didn’t have the words to reassure him so I leaned my head on his shoulder. Just touching him seemed like the best I could do for him at the moment.
