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Both girls smiled big as Vannah’s heart sped up instantly. She knew he couldn’t possibly be serious. Clearly, he knew his Littlesthatwell, that he known that’d be enough to satisfy their curiosity and get them moving on to the next topic.
“I wanna hold Lucas fuhst,” Lucy declared, as all four walked through the parking lot holding hands.
“But I’m the oldest,” Elsa protested.
“So?”
“I heard he’s a big one,” Byron said as they walked into the hospital. “Probably too heavy for either of you to hold him by yourselves just yet. You can both sit on a chair and hold him together. How ‘bout that?”
Just like that, both girls were smiling again, their bright eyes full of anticipation. Fortunately, when they got in to see the baby, Lucas was the immediate focus of everyone’s attention. Byron had given Beast and Ali a quick and dirty introduction to hisgirlfriend, but the girls were so full of questions about the baby their parents couldn’t really ask too much about Vannah right away.
Only that didn’t last long. As soon as they set the girls up in a chair like Byron had suggested so they could hold him together, Ali turned to Vannah and smiled. “I knew things were more serious than Byron was letting on. Girlfriend, huh?”
“They’re getting married,” Elsa announced.
“And having babies,” Lucy said following Elsa’s lead and now Vannah nearly choked on her own spit.
As expected, his brother and Ali both turned to them looking a bit stunned. Beast’s eyes even fell to Vannah’s belly for a second, before turning to Byron. “What?”
“Not any time soon.” Byron playfully glared at the girls and shook his head.
“You said you wanna mehwee her tommowoh.”
Vannah couldn’t help giggling now though it was more out of angst than anything else. “Isaid,”The playful glare went even more severe before Byron turned back to address his brother and Ali. “If I had it my way, I’d marry her tomorrow. But she still has four years of school.” He shrugged as if to make less of it. “You know them. They asked abouteverything.”
“Still,” Beast said. “That’s a bold statement. Tomorrow? Really? What’s it been? A few months?”
“Show me the rule book,” Byron squeezed Vannah’s hand. “Specifically, where it says how long it has to be before you just know.”
Unlike her family, whose jaws would likely be on the floor, Beast shrugged now too, turning to Vannah. “Guess you’re the reason this guys smiled more in the last few months than he had inyears.”
Before Vannah could respond to that, the baby squirming, making noises, and scrunching his face like he was getting ready to wail, was the center of attention again. Thankfully so, because Vannah needed a breather after the subject had gone there, theveryfirst time she’d met his family. She’d been certain meeting his family would be much less nerve wracking than his meeting hers.
Not so.
Byron picked up Lucas from the laps of his now anxious looking nieces. Vannah leaned in to get a closer look at the little guy, as Byron’s lulling seemed to calm him. “He’s beautiful,” she said glancing up at his proud but very tired looking parents.
Despite the subject going back to mostly Lucas and the long night his parents had, Vannah’s head kept going back to Byron’s nonchalant declaration. She’d been certain he’d said it the first time for the sake of acquiescing his Little’s take on love and marriage. But now he’d said it to his brother and Ali as well. And he hadn’t even flinched when he did so.
Both Beast and Vannah’s father were big, intimidating, and quick tempered, yet she was certain her father’s reaction to what Byron said about being ready to marry her tomorrow would besomuch different. It’s why despite her mother insisting their family didn’t keep secrets from each other, she wouldn’t even mention this one to Nena. It’s not like they were getting married tomorrow, right? Both times, he’d mentioned the four-year waiting period they still had. That said, she knew her family would still get a little freaked if they knew the subject had even come up. It’s why Xochitl would likely be the only one to hear about it.
