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One Year Later
Chaos.
I’m standing in Brody’s field, looking at the scene before me, seeing how it’s almost exactly like the gathering I was at last year. Except this time, so much has changed.
“Another?” Travis asks, holding another beer out to me.
“Thanks,” I take it, almost in a daze.
I haven’t been sleeping much, thanks to the little baby burrito wrapped up in Rachel’s arms. It’s been a whirlwind since our accident. We couldn’t wait and got married at Christmas once the majority of her injuries healed, only to learn that she was pregnant.
So in the span of the year, I fell in love, almost lost her, got married, and now have a baby.
Fuck me.
“It gets better,” Travis says with a chuckle. “The first couple of months are the hardest.”
“That’s what everyone keeps trying to tell me. I think you’re all full of shit.”
That only makes him laugh harder.
“Plus, how would you know? Every time you get out of the newborn stage, you knock your wife up again,” Brody says as he walks up to us.
It’s true. Lila’s currently pregnant with their third. I’ve heard enough threats of ‘getting snipped’ or never touching her again to know that she’s perfectly happy with their three.
“Says the guy with another newborn in the house,” Dyllan grumbles as he approaches.
“You know you all wouldn’t change it for anything,” Zach laughs.
We stand around, shooting the shit, but mainly talking about our kids. I’m half listening, my focus intently on Rachel as she sits with the women under the shade of a large tree. She’s laughing while rocking our baby, Damien, but I can’t help noticing how she sneaks glances at me every chance she gets.
And I fucking love it.
“That was all Mitch’s idea,” Zach says, pulling my attention back to the group.
The guys are all looking at me expectantly, and I have no idea what the fuck they’re talking about.
“Your beer,” Zach prompts with a cocky fucking smile on his face.
“Ah, yeah. The batch should be ready in the next day or two.”
“Are you messing with flavours like Zach does?” Brody grumbles.
“Not so much,” I laugh, shooting Zach a laugh as he rolls his eyes. “I’m trying a cranberry ale.”
“Don’t they make that already?” Dyllan asks.
“Yes. What I’m trying is brewing it with ginger and spices so it’s like cranberry sauce in an ale.”
“What are you calling it?” Travis asks.
“Cran-you Believe it’s Ale!”
Dyllan and Brody groan while Travis and Zach laugh.
“What’s so funny?” Craig asks.
We all shake our heads.
I let Zach fill him in as I walk over to Rachel, pulling Damien out of her arms. He’s still fussing, needing to nap but refusing to.
She mouths ‘thank you’ to me as she takes a sip of her lemonade, relaxing back into her seat.
I stand next to her, rocking my boy in my arms. I can’t get enough of him. When I’m at work, I miss him. When he’s sleeping, I just want to hold him—although I would never dare. I learned quickly about waking sleeping babies.
Damien’s eyes drift closed as I bounce on the spot, rocking from side to side. His mouth does that cute phantom sucking thing that always makes Rachel aww and if I’m honest, it does me, too.
As soon as my little man falls asleep, I lean over and give Rachel a light kiss. I can’t be far from either of them for too long. I’ve started changing my shifts at the Brewery, letting Brad take on more of the night shifts so I can be home for bedtime. Some nights I miss the craziness of the crowds and being busy, but I’ve learned to embrace the quiet. I love the nights that we just stay home. Where we curl up on the couch and watch a movie—or more accurately, fall asleep as soon as we put one on. It’s the little things that I’ve learned to love so much, because they mean so much more.
All I know is no matter how fast this year moved, I wouldn’t change anything about it. This time last year, I was questioning everything about my life. Now, I know I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.
