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He can’t fail again.
10
EDEN
“You were talking in your sleep last night.”
Samuel stills. “Was I coherent?”
Pulling the bedcovers over my shoulder, I curl into Samuel. “Not really. I stroked you until you settled.”
Samuel stares at the ceiling, and it frustrates me I can’t help him. “It might help to talk about it.”
He remains quiet. I wrap my arm around his waist and kiss his shoulder. I don’t want to push, only he needs a gentle nudge. It’s Saturday morning, and I’m grateful to have this time with him in the morning to lie with Samuel and hold him, even if it’s in silence.
The quiet doesn’t last as Rose calls out and continues to talk gibberish. At least she wakes happy.
I bring Rose into the bed with us, positioning her in the middle.
“Morning, princess.” Samuel turns on his side to admire our daughter.
“Her little feet are weapons, so protect your balls.” I laugh at Samuel’s expression.
My phone vibrates with a text, and I read the message from Faith.
“Did you make plans for this morning?”
He frowns. “Should I have?”
I chuckle. “Maybe because Faith and her family are coming over for morning coffee.”
“We better put a helmet on you, princess,” he says to Rose.
I laugh. “Jake wants to meet you. It seems you’re the flavor of the month.”
“And you wonder why I went into hiding.”
* * *
“Na-na. Na-na,” James yells.
“Okay, buddy, you can have a banana.” Faith stands and chops a banana and places it on a plate. She plops James in a seat beside Samuel and opposite me and puts the plate on the table before taking a seat.
“I do too,” Seb yells out.
“Come and get it, Seb. You know how to peel and eat it.”
Five minutes after formalities, Samuel’s head is moving side to side like at a game of tennis, watching Faith’s energetic boys.
Seb races in and jumps onto a chair to reach the fruit bowl on the counter. Then he runs back to the television.
“I’m usually monitoring their screen time, but since they were all sick, I allowed it for my sanity.” Faith turns to Seb. “Half an hour, mate, then it’s off.”
I’m watching Samuel’s expression and doing my best to withhold the flicker of a smile. He looks exhausted just sitting next to Faith. Beside me, Jake is also grinning.
“When are you both trying for a second baby?” Jake teases. “Eden said you have the patience of a priest.”
Samuel’s eyes widen at me, then he kicks his chair out from the table and stares down at his crotch.
