Page 37 of Absolution

Yep. Just babies to the Pillar of Earth and a woman almost his equal. “They do anything weird yet?”

Seiran hesitated.

“Ronnie?”

“I heard them when they were still in the womb.”

That didn’t surprise me. It had seemed like he’d been talking to them for a while. “Okay. And now?”

“It’s hard to understand them now. They are louder, yet not as clear? I thought it would be easier once they were born. Gabe says it’s all in my head. But I wake up when they do. I know if they want to eat or need to be cleaned or held. But it’s just me. Two babies at once is hard. I know Hanna wants to be here. She needs to heal first. I thought Gabe would be more involved…”

“What about Jamie and Kelly? Can they help?”

“Jamie tries, but he’s working and Kelly has school. I can’t make them take care of babies that aren’t theirs. They’ve been having some issues anyway. Fighting a lot. I’m worried it’s because of me so I’m trying to leave them alone to sort it out.”

“Okay, but you didn’t sign up for this daddy gig alone. Ally should be able to help even if Hanna can’t, right?”

“She doesn’t like the babies,” Sei said.

“How can she not like your babies? They’re adorable little spit and poop makers. And half Hanna’s, whom she’s married to.”

“’Cause they aren’t hers.” Sei buried his face in the pillow. “She makes excuses to not help or see them. Even when Hanna tries to push. And she’s cold to me when she does come over. I don’t want to war with her because they aren’t her blood. She’s even pushing Hanna to give me full custody. We agreed to half, but that was before Hanna got so sick from having the babies. I think I’ve gotten more help from Bryar than anyone else.”

“The fairy?” I didn’t see him much but knew he lived more upstairs in the plants that bloomed in Sei and Kelly’s apartment than down here. “Where’s he off to tonight?”

“Some meeting with other fairies. He’s not all that good with babies. Follows instructions well, but apparently they have kids and after a few weeks they are grown enough to live on their own.”

“Scary,” I told him.

“Yeah. I think he was a little disappointed when I told him human babies don’t grow that fast.”

“Ah, but they do!” I teased him and got up, pushing the blankets around him. “Before you know it they’ll be dating and off having babies of their own. Get some sleep. I’ll keep an eye on the babies while I watch some TV and read some news on the computer. I need to get caught up on what I missed in two months.”

“Seventy-six days. We tried to wake you,” Seiran said. “Soaked the ground in blood. And everyone visited to talk to you. Even Jamie, though he grumbled about it. Tresler too, but I didn’t stick around to find out what he had to say to you. He’s creepy with a capital C. I don’t know why you slept so long.”

“It’s okay. It’s not like I was gone years. And I actually feel pretty good.”

“Yeah?” He looked at me funny.

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“You’re much calmer than you were before. I’m not sure if this is real or if I’ve fallen asleep in the nursery again.”

I smacked his ass, hard enough to sting my hand. “Feel that, Ronnie?”

“Ow, damn you.”

“See, you’re not sleeping, but you should be. Now get some rest. I’ve got baby duty.”

“K. Thanks. Your phone is in the desk drawer. You left it in the coat. Gabe put the money you had in your pocket in your bank account. Oh!” He rolled over and dug in the drawer beside the bed, then pulled out a bracelet. “I made this for you.”

“I’m not really a friendship bracelet kind of guy,” I told him, but held out my hand. It was a thick leather cord with purple, blue, and green beads on it. They felt like glass, and when I slid my fingers over them, a sleepy sense of calm warmth eased through me.

“I made them from your grave dirt,” Seiran said. “They should help keep your energy up when you’re out and about.” He laid back down and closed his eyes. “They don’t work at all for Gabe anymore. He won’t even wear them anyway.”

This was all a big clusterfuck. I clipped the bracelet onto my right wrist. “Thanks, Ronnie.” The warmth of the bracelet rolled up my arm, and spread through my body slowly, uncomfortable at first in its intensity, but then it lapped away like waves on a beach, leaving behind a tingling of life I hadn’t realized I’d been lacking. “Wow. Maybe glass bead bracelets will become my new kink.”

Seiran cracked the barest of smiles for me.