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“Nah,” she sighed dreamily. “I’m just a mother.”
I smiled, chuckling softly as I combed my fingers through the slick strands, gently working out the tangles. “Same thing.”
“Maybe,” she murmured, voice light.
Peaceful. After everything—after all the chaos—Leighton had come out the other side peaceful. Even as she rolled her eyes at me, I took my time. I cleaned her skin and her hair. I soaked in the privilege of being here—wanted, trusted, valued—as I helped her into those awkward, diaper-adjacent postpartum briefs, and then into the cozy floral pajamas she’d packed from home.
Paxton was still curled beside the window, letting sunlight soak into his skin while the baby snoozed in his arms. Leighton padded back to the bed, grimacing as she climbed up with my help. Once she was settled on the crinkly sheets, I grabbed her brush and the almond-scented oil she loved for her hair. I was still brushing the long strands when a gentle knock drew both our gazes to the door.
Kaia peeked in, smiling through tears as she stepped inside.
“Hey, lovebirds. How are we?”
“Sleepy,” Leighton admitted with a yawn. “How are the kids?” God, I loved this woman.
“They’re just fine, Mama Bear. Grey and Alice crashed at your place last night so they could sleep in their own beds.” And not be inside a murder scene, no doubt.
“And Alice?”
“She’s okay.” Kaia’s smile wobbled as she stepped inside, careful, like she didn’t want to disturb anything. She held a drink tray with four coffees. “Reality will probably hit later, but you know Alice—obstinately pragmatic. It was him or her and the kids. She’d make the same call every time. Any of us would. They all just want an update on you, sissy.”
“We’re good,” Leigh said, stifling another yawn. “Just exhausted.”
“Well, squeezing an entire human out of your body will do that,” Kaia quipped, setting the drinks down on the bedside tray. She peeked at the baby in Paxton’s arms, then crossed to Leighton, gently shooing me aside. Kneeling behind her, she brandished a tool more weapon than comb and began parting Leigh’s hair with swift expertise.
“How you doing there, Daddy?” she asked, glancing up at me. “You’re awfully quiet.”
Clearing my throat hurt. The sound felt jagged, like it didn’t belong in the room. “Just… unspeakably grateful.”
Her smile softened. “Good answer.”
“Your sister is a champion.”
“Just a victim of physiology,” Leighton said airily, making Kaia snort as she tied off the first braid and started on the second.
“That really was terrible before the epidural. But then theepiduralis terrible because you turn into a useless limp noodle. There’s no winning in the labor department.”
“But you finished,” Kaia pointed out proudly. Paxton smiled down at our little man, his giant hand dwarfing my son’s tiny face as he silently trailed a finger down his nose.
“And he’s perfect,” he declared.
“Agreed,” Leighton murmured with a sleepy smile. “Just like his daddy.”
Her heavy lids fluttered open long enough to find me, a blissful little grin tugging at her lips.
“Hardly,” I scoffed.
“The man has all the money in the world and never bothered to buy a mirror,” Kaia muttered in a stage whisper.
Her comment earned a sharp pinch to the leg, which sent her snickering as she finished the second braid. “Just looking, no touching.”
“I’d hate to have to get rid of you.”
Leighton scooted back automatically when Kaia slipped out from behind her. “I’ve grown rather fond over the years.”
“For once in our lives, I actually have a chance at outrunning you.”
“Shut up and respect your elders.”