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“Hey, Sparrow.”
Her face scrunched in disgust. “Not Sparrow, remember.”
“Sorry.” I pouted, giving her my best puppy dog eyes.
Raising her arms, demanding I pick her up, I did just that, pressing a kiss to her cheek. She leaned in close, her warm breath tickling my neck. “Fine, you can call me Sparrow, but it’s our secret.”
I winked. “Promise. Where’s Mummy?”
“Getting pretty in your room.”
“Didn’t you tell her that she was always pretty?” Kinley nodded, her green eyes shining. God, she was a tiny cookie-cutter version of Daw. He was terrified that she’d have his autism, but either way, the kid was perfect. “Do you remember what today is? What your job is?” She nodded solemnly and then zipped her lips like we’d been showing her for the last few days since we shared our secret plans for today.
“That’s my girl. Right, have you packed your PJs for Aunty Nee and Uncle Archer’s?”
Wriggling to get out of my arms, I put her down. “No, but I won’t be sleeping. They let me stay up all nightandUncle Charlie’s staying over too.”
I fake groaned. “Not Uncle Charlie… he’s trouble.”
“He’s fun,” she giggles, which was officially my favorite sound, other than any of the three people I loved moaning out my name.
An hour later, we’re all in the living room dressed and ready to go out for dinner. Daw looked stunning in a tight white t-shirt that made his eyes pop and distressed jeans, while Marshall had a shirt on that I swore he’d rolled the sleeves up on so we’d be forced to spend the evening drooling over his forearms and Lea was in a long, dark blue maxi dress, her jet black hair tumbling over her shoulders and down her ample breasts that I was sure were looking bigger tonight. Kinley danced between us excitedly. Then she froze as if she was holding her breath and I watched in slow motion as our little secret-keeper cracked.
“Daddies want you to wear matching rings. They’re so pretty, Mummy. You have to wear it.” She let out a sigh that sounded like relief, but then she continued.
“I’m going to be a big sister. To a brother… he’s coming in four months, which is way too long to wait. I’ll be four by then and I might be too old to play with a baby, but I have to wait.”
We all stared at her before Marshall bent down, scooping her up, laughing. “You’re officially fired as the secret keeper, little sparrow, but do you still want to do the other job?”
She nodded wide eyed, and he handed her a box, which she leaned over and handed to Lea.
“We can’t get married, Sugar, but we wanted something to show the world we belong to each other.” Lea opened the box and let out a cry, before she took the platinum band out of the box, running her finger over the four symbols engraved on it; earth, wind, fire, and water.
“I love it. It’s perfect. I love you all so much.”
We each took our matching rings from our pockets and slipped them on our ring fingers, before reaching for her belly, feeling the small curve of her growing bump.
“You’re five months already, Sunshine?” Daw whispered.
“Yeap, another one trying to catch us unawares, but my giant breasts gave him away. I had a scan today because the test was negative again.” She took a picture out of her pocket and handed it to us. “I wanted it to be a surprise.” Tears filled her eyes. “Meet your son.”
Epilogue 4 – 4 years later
Dawson
“Daddy?Ican’tsleep.Can I snuggle?”
I shifted over in the bed and pulled back the sheets.
“Course you can, Sparrow.”
“Mummy said you don’t like hugs and snuggling sometimes.”
“That’s true.”
“But you always hug and snuggle me and mummy and my other daddies and the tiny one.”
“Your brother does have a name, you know,” I laughed softly. “But, yes, I do always hug you all.”
“Why?”
“Because hugging you feels like coming home.”
“You’re silly, Daddy. You are home.”
As I listened to Josh’s nighttime stirring on the baby monitor while Kinley curled into my side, I reached for Marshall, finding Fox and Lea draped over him as always and I let out a sigh of pure happiness.
I absolutely was home.
