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“How much oxygen did they give you on the ride over?” Kiki side-eyes TJ.
“I mean, without you and Kiki, I would have been in a lot of trouble. Thank you both so much.” She passes the baby to Cam who passes it over to Kiki. I look over her shoulder in awe of the tiny little miracle.
“You don’t owe us a thing,” Kiki says. “I am honored to have been the one to deliver my nephew.”
“That’s so cool.” I squeeze Kiki’s shoulders. “Are you ready for yours, Kiki?”
“No.” She laughs through her tears. “But I will be. Here, hold him. It will make you want another.”
I take the baby from Kiki and smile down at the tiny bundle. “He’s beautiful, but just like when I held TJ’s babies, I don’t have the tug.”
“What’s the tug?” Cam asks as he perches next to Andie.
“I’m happy with Jax and the twins. I don’t feel the tug to have another. I’m good.”
“Me too,” Andie says. “We’re done, Cameron Forbes.”
TJ comes over and squeezes us both into a hug. “We did it, you guys.”
“What did we do?” Kiki asks.
“We came full circle,” TJ says. Kiki arches an eyebrow. “Cheese and rice do I have to spell it out for you? I’d definitely rethink the medical school angle. Sare Bear has an amazing family. Sure, her kids struggled a bit, but what family doesn’t? She’s got a new makeup line in the works. Kiki, you’re preggers with baby number three and have a successful line of wedding gowns. Andie has an amazing family and took the most beautiful photographs in Greece for her new book. And I’m a new dad to twins. I mean a year ago, who the hell would have guessed this? We did it. We beat the odds and came out on top.”
“We did it.” Kiki sniffles, handing her nephew back to Andie.
“We did it.” Andie runs her finger down the baby’s cheek and looks up at Cam with tears in her eyes.
“We did it.” I squeeze Kiki and TJ’s hands, finally feeling free from all the metaphorical ropes that had me in knots for the past year.
The door to the room slams open with a bang. Mandy holds onto the doorjamb, panting. “I just sprinted up five flights of stairs. I think I broke the minivan’s speedometer. Who knew that thing could get up to a hundred and twenty? I went balls to the wall to get here. I even shaved an hour off the regular time. I wore an adult diaper so there would be no pee stops like that crazy astronaut killer lady. Don’t worry, I didn’t need it. Give me that adorable bundle of sweetness. Auntie Mandy is here!”
“Wash your hands!” we all shout as she reaches for the baby.
“So, what did I miss?”
Epilogue I
TJ
Someone once saideverything happens for a reason. I think about that often since we adopted the two little miracles in our lives. I smile, watching Maggie lift Cara in the air and twirl her around while Nana Rose stuffs a piece of cake into Rilee’s mouth. Gloria tickles her little feet and coos at her. Andie, Sarah, and Kiki pass out cake to everyone, while Mandy tries valiantly to make a balloon animal hat for Charleigh. The kids race around the playground with half-popped balloons on their heads like sugar-crazed banshees. Mandy belly laughs at something Kiki says and it makes me smile. I truly am blessed to have these wonderful women in my life, helping Connor and me raise our babies.
We invited their adoptive mom to the party, through Gloria, but she elected not to come. I was bummed for our girls at first but came around to accepting that it was her decision. Maybe someday, when she’s ready, she’ll want to be a part of their lives.
“You did it, TJ. We didn’t think you could, but you proved us wrong.” Kiki slings an arm around my neck and hands me a champagne flute. Sarah and Andie flank my other side. We watch everyone enjoying the twins’ first birthday party at the park.
“Thanks, guys. There were some touch-and-go moments, but we survived the first year.”
“It only gets harder from here.” Sarah laughs.
“Yeah.” I sigh. “I know.”
“Hey, at least you didn’t shut a limb in the car door or spill hot coffee on them,” Andie says brightly.
“Or drive off with them on the roof of the car or leave them in a car seat for more than an hour.” Kiki smirks.
“Yeah, and they aren’t missing an eye or have to wear an eyepatch,” Sarah adds helpfully.
“Cheers to that.” I laugh. We knock our champagne flutes together, our bracelets glittering in the afternoon light. “I know I’m biased, but they are beautiful babies. Cara is so sweet and Rilee is a spitfire. We’re going to have our hands full when they get older.”
