Page 102

“Yes, they are going to be your brothers or sisters…or both.” I cupped his face, sliding a thumb across his soft cheek. “Is that okay with you? Are you ready to be an older brother?”

“Can I play munsters and dynos with them?” he asked, biting his lips.

“Of course you can.” Lan poked his nose. “But get to also be the responsible one and take care of them and share your toys with them.”

“Okay,” Luka said with such resolve that it made us smile. “I’ll protect them from the munsters.”

A sting burned my eyes. “I love you.”

“I louv you too, Katiew.” He hugged me tight, pressing his cheek to my belly.

Tears were streaming down my cheeks as I hugged him back.

God, I loved my boy.

The shrill sound of the doorbell ringing made Lan, Luka and me pause from our Lego building project. Luka and Lan were busy planning the important architecture while I was tasked with menial duties because I clearly sucked at this according to the both of them. It did strike a nerve when they teased me like that. With all the hormones that have been raging me insane, I would’ve definitely smacked Lan if it weren’t for Luka’s joyful giggles.

“You expecting anyone?” Lan frowned, already bouncing toward the door.

“Not really,” I muttered. Our friends knew the code. And we weren’t expecting any deliveries or visitors.

Luka and I peeked over our shoulders and watched as Lan opened the door, the confusion in his eyes dissipating to shock. “Mom, what are you doing here?”

“Landon Axel Greige, I raised you better than this.” Wiona’s familiar tone rang through the room. “I’m a grandmother and you don’t invite me over? And then you say Katy’s almost five months along. Why wasn’t I informed of this before?”

“Ma, calm down.” Lan smiled, hugging a seething Wiona. “We just found out too and we wanted Luka to settle in before he could meet you guys.”

“Not a valid excuse,” she muttered but was smiling widely as she hugged her son back.

She was so tiny, almost a foot shorter than him.

But she was a spitfire. A fierce, strong woman who had her shit in order. She was clad in her matching Chanel suit, holding a dark brown limited edition Birkin bag.

“Is Lawndon in trouble, Katiew?” Luka whispered in my ear. His tiny face appeared on my shoulder as he hugged me from behind.

Ever since we told him I was pregnant, Luka had stuck to my side like my little protective bubble. He still marveled over the fact that I carried two babies inside me. He even spoke to them in hushed tones, telling them stories and random things.

And the twins seemed to love hearing Luka and their daddy’s voice because they wreaked havoc in my tummy when they heard them speak.

“No baby.” I wove my hand around his and held him tight. He looked ready to defend his daddy from Wiona.

“That’s Landon’s mummy.” I kissed the little monkey’s button nose. “She loves him.”

“I’m mad too,” announced another voice from behind Wiona. My eyes widened when I met a pair of green eyes, the same shade that matched mine.

Immediate tears burned my eyes. “Mom,” I sobbed. And she was by my side in an instant, swooping both me and Luka in the biggest hug.

I clung to her and we both were openly crying like we hadn’t seen each other in years. The phantom smell of chocolate lingering on her invaded my senses, and it felt like I was a girl back in my childhood home again.

Only this time, I wasn’t as lost as I thought I was.

“I’m squawshed,” declared a tiny voice that made us separate. My mother was the exact carbon copy of me, only much older and wiser. Her blond waves came right under her shoulder, her luminous skin creased with smile lines, and her lips were painted in the deepest shade of red.

I started wearing red lipstick after seeing her. Somehow, it made me feel more human and close to her.

“Katiew, are you crying?” Luka questioned, his lips pressing into a thin line. “Are you sad? Did she make you sad?”

“Luka, I’m not sad, baby. These are happy tears from seeing my mom.”