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Chapter6
Gareth
Livvie’s criestore at my heart.A dungeon monitor hurried over with a blanket, bottle of water, and a chocolate bar.I nodded my thanks and pulled the warm sheet over us, cocooning our bodies within its embrace.
“I have you, babe,” I kept whispering over and over.It was the only thing I could do, besides hold her tight to me.We were going to get through this.Together.Like we always did.I just hadn’t expected it to be tonight.
Her pain hit me like a sledgehammer.It seemed as though an eternity of helplessness passed before finally, her sobs turned to whimpers and then a few shuddering breaths.My shirt clung to my chest, wet from soaking up her tears.I unscrewed the cap on the water bottle.
“Drink,” I told her, holding it near her lips.
Livvie’s hand shook as she clutched it, and I helped guide it to her mouth.She swallowed half the contents before pushing it away.Next, I handed her some chocolate.She nibbled on it and continued lying over my chest, her breathing soft.
“All I ever wanted was a big family,” she said quietly.
I held my breath, waiting for her to keep talking.Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait long.
“Do you know how lonely I was, growing up?”she didn’t wait for me to respond.“It didn’t matter how many foster homes I stayed in, none of them were family.I was alone, even when there were other kids in the house.Didn’t you ever get lonely being an only child?Do you think Chloe gets lonely?”
Livvie raised her head and stared down at me with a tear-stained face.I cradled her cheeks and brushed the tears away with my thumbs.“Sometimes I wished for a little brother.Someone I could play baseball with.But I wasn’t lonely.Not really.Not like you.And I hate that you were.I hate that you didn’t have a family until me.”I brushed back the stray hairs that had come loosened from her ponytail.“I also think that as long as Chloe has her books and us, she isn’t lonely.”
She took in another shaky breath and let it out on a deflated sigh.“Myone wish has been to give you more children, and I can’t even manage to do that.I’m sorry I lost our baby.I feel like I failed.”
I shifted Livvie off my lap, quickly buttoned my pants, and then pulled her back over so she sat across my thighs.She rested her head on my shoulder, and I wrapped the blanket more fully around her.“Don’t you dare be sorry for that.It wasn’t your fault.And you haven’t failed me.Not at all.It doesn’t matter how many children we manage to have.Or don’t have.I love you for you, Livvie.”
We stayed sitting quietly while I made her drink more water and finish off the chocolate.Another DM stopped by to check on us and hurried away, giving us our privacy.At least as much as we could have in a crowded playroom.
“I didn’t mean to ruin our weekend.We didn’t even make it through one night,” Livvie finally broke the silence.
I pinched her chin between my thumb and forefinger and made her face me.“I know you’re feeling fragile right now—we both are—but if you apologize one more time, I’m going to have to punish you.”
“Yes, Sir,” she responded.
“Let’s go home.”
“But—“
I placed a finger over her lips.“We need to spend time together.Just you and me.I know everyone will understand.It doesn’t matter if we’re here or home.I just want to be be with my wife.There will be other naughty Christmas Edens.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.”I helped her rise from the couch, stood, and flagged down a DM.“It’s not an emergency, so don’t interrupt anyone’s scene, but can you pass on a message to Marcus or Connor that we left?I’ll give them a call next week.”
“Yes, sir.”
I turned back to my wife.“Let’s go home, little one.”
A short time later,we pulled into the driveway of the darkened house.It was the first time we’d had a whole weekend to ourselves since Chloe was born.I helped Livvie out of the car and threaded my fingers through hers as we trailed up the sidewalk and inside.I flipped on the light and turned to my wife.
“Why don’t you get changed into your pajamas, while I make us some hot cocoa?”
She nodded and headed down the hallway toward our bedroom.I made my way to the kitchen, turned on the overhead light, and pulled out the K-cups and marshmallows from the pantry.
Before long, I had two steaming hot mugs with tons of little white bobbing squares.Perfect timing, because a pajama-clad Livvie strolled into the room, her face shiny and makeup free, and her hair pulled back in a loose ponytail at her nape.
I handed her her favorite one.“You look just like that eighteen-year-old college freshman I met that first day at the diner.I swear you haven’t aged at all.”
Her cheeks flushed.“I wish.Now I have age lines and a poochy belly.”
