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“That was yesterday,” she said with a shrug. “We’re not going to think about it. She needs us, and we’re going to be there for her.”
“She’s sick.”
“Yes.”
“But that doesn’t excuse what she said to you,” I growled.
“Luca, get your butt in the shower right now!” she commanded, stepping back. “I have to get Love Bug’s things ready, and then I’ll meet you downstairs. If you’re not in the kitchen in the next ten minutes, I’m going to send Lyric up here to kick your ass.”
“Where is Love Bug?”
“Waiting in the car with Shaw and the other kids. Lyric is grabbing all their stuff. Now, hurry.” She dropped a kiss on my lips before sprinting out of the room again.
“Stop running!”
“Hurry the fuck up!” she yelled back.
Chapter 12
Luca
With six kids on Aunt Emmie’s private jet, it felt overcrowded. As soon as the pilot gave theall clearto take off our seat belts, we released the kids like wild animals from cages and let them play. Shaw had the flight attendant put on a movie, but it was nothing more than background noise.
Lyric’s twin daughters weren’t used to flying yet. It still hurt their ears when we flew. It helped to have them drink from their sippy cups until their ears popped to relieve the pressure of the altitude change, but they were still grumpy for the first half of the flight. Grier, Ian, and Isaac played with the box of toys and crafts that Aunt Emmie kept to distract kids because they traveled with her so often.
Love Bug, however, stayed on my lap from the moment we were in the air. Wanting to cuddle, asking me if I was okay, squeezing my cheeks in her little hands and kissing my face when I gave her a grim smile and assured her everything was fine. Of course, she didn’t believe me. She wasn’t stupid. Everyone was tense. Not just me, but Lyric, Mila, Jagger, and Shaw. Violet rushed around, helping soothe the youngest set of twins or assisting the flight attendant getting snacks and drinks for the kids. I knew she was just as upset as the rest of us, but she was trying to keep busy so I wouldn’t worry about her.
Impossible.
I felt lost. Struggling between needing to get to California as quickly as possible to make sure my mom really was okay, and demanding the pilot turn around to take my family back to Nashville. Mom was sick, but that didn’t give her an excuse for the awful things she’d said to Vi the day before. A tumor didn’t give her a free pass to be a bitch to anyone—especially not to my future wife.
My brother sat beside me, bouncing one leg for a few moments before switching to the other. He rubbed his sweaty palms down his jeans before scrubbing them over his face. He combed his fingers through his hair and tugged at the ends, making him look unkempt. I wondered if my eyes were just as crazy as his looked.
Slinging an arm around his shoulders, I pulled him closer. “She’s going to be okay. Aunt Emmie promised.”
“What if something happens before we get there?” He voiced my own fears aloud. “What if there are complications? You heard the stories Dad told us. When she was put under for the emergency C-section to deliver us, she didn’t wake up for days. They thought she might never—”
“Aunt Emmie said she was already out of recovery,” I reminded him, pushing down my worry in order to be strong for my twin. “She needs us there to help her over the next week or two. But she’s fine. Shaw explained everything her mom told her about what the tumor was and what comes afterward. We just have to keep her happy until she’s completely better.”
“I don’t want the kids at the hospital.”
I shrugged. “She’ll be home in a few days. Until then, Lucy and the two of us are enough company for her. And Vi and Mila. We’ll have plenty of people to watch the kids. Shaw and Jagger can stay at the mansion. Mrs. Briggs will keep everyone fed, and Brady can try to tame the wildlings.” I glanced over at my nephews. Ian had drawn a stick figure and then cut it out with safety scissors. Using a glue stick, he smeared it over the back of the construction paper before pressing his artwork to his twin’s forehead. Isaac burst out laughing and did the same with his own stick-person masterpiece. “See? They’re not even worried. This is all an adventure to them.”
“Don’t be sad, Uncle Lyric,” Love Bug said softly, climbing off my lap to cuddle with him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Gammy was mean yesterday, but after a time-out, she learned her lesson and will be nice today. Right, Daddy?”
“Right, princess.”
Violet touched my shoulder, drawing my attention before offering me a mug of coffee. Taking it from her, I snaked my hand around her waist and pulled her down to sit on my leg. “You feeling okay?” I asked, trying to read what she was thinking on her face.
“I’m good,” she said with a small smile.
“Are you sure?” I caressed my fingers over her belly. “If you start feeling sick, I want to know. Don’t hide it from me anymore.”
“Vi, you’ve been sick and hiding it?” Lyric grumbled when he overheard.
She sighed and glanced at my brother. “I’m not sick, dummy.”
“But Luca said…” His eyes fell to where my thumb was still lovingly rubbing over her flat stomach. “Are you…?”
