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“Aisling, you first.” Ava lowers Mackenzie a little, so Aisling can get a better look. “You can kiss her softly on the cheek.”
“Mommy, she’s pretty,” Aisling murmurs.
“She is, and you get to show her everything you know. Now it’s your brother’s turn. Niko, are you ready?” He nods. Unlike Aisling, he’s shy. “Don’t be scared. Do you want to give her a kiss?”
“No, Mommy. I don’t want to hurt her.”
I kneel behind him. “Give me your hand.” With my guidance, Niko caresses Mackenzie’s head. When Mackenzie moves, he yanks his hand back. “It’s okay. You didn’t hurt her. She’s just sleeping.”
“Daddy, my turn now,” Aisling demands.
“How about we let Mackenzie sleep, and later, you can come back with Nana or Uncle Oliver.”
When she pouts, Ava caves, “Just quickly.”
“And you say I spoil her.” I guide Aisling on how to caress Mackenzie’s head.
“Now it’s my turn,” Tina demands, closing the distance. “She’s so tiny and beautiful.”
“We think so, too,” Ava agrees.
“Hey,” Oliver greets as he enters the room.
“Took you long enough. I was beginning to think you didn’t want to meet your niece.”
He punches me in the arm. “Real funny, asshole.”
With Ava’s focus fixed on our children, I ask Oliver, “How did it go?”
“Not sure yet.” He seems worried.
“Did you speak with John? I’m assuming they don’t have anything on you.”
He scrubs a hand across his jaw. “If they do, I can’t tell.”
He sounds tired.
“Andher?” I ask him. I don’t want to push, but I must.
“I thought she was the one. She made me believe we had a future together. I was so wrong.” He says more to himself.
He glances around the room, then at me.
“You will be surprised how things can turn out. Ava and I went through hell, and look at us now.”
“That was different. She lied. It’s a betrayal I can’t forgive.”
Ava tells me I have to trust that everything will work out. But I’m not sure. Oliver losing Tessa might just be the end of him.
When he steps toward Ava, I grab his arm to stop him. “It’s clear she loves you. You can’t make that up.” I surprise myself by voicing.
“Hard to believe.” A part of me wants to add more, but I know he isn’t ready to hear it. I’ve never seen Oliver like this and don’t know how to help him. “I don’t want to talk abouther. Today is about you guys.”
As if on cue, Ava spots Oliver. “Oliver, why are you standing there? Come meet your niece.”
Ava’s eyes meet mine. She’s thinking the same thing as me. We’re worried about Oliver. He’s carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. Sometimes I wonder if I made the right call making him the head of the Clan.
“I’m coming.” He shrugs off the bad vibe surrounding him before heading Ava’s way.
While everyone admires Mackenzie, I reflect on how different our lives were before the kids. We faced so many challenges but always came out on top. After so much tragedy and violence, we now have the life we’ve always wanted—our happily ever after.
