Page 47 of Mimic

I’d never held a baby before. I hadn’t held Beck’s baby, or Ellie’s. I wanted Sam’s babies to be my first. My baby sisters. “Who is this?” I asked, my eyes locked onto her little face.

“That’s Josephine Vivian.”

My head snapped up, and I scowled at Sam. “No.” I shook my head.

“Mimic, honey.”

“No, Sam. Not Vivian. Anything else but that.”

Her mouth turned down, and I immediately hated myself for making her sad. I rarely called her Sam anymore. It was always Momma. But this baby didn’t deserve to be saddled with the name of a woman I wasn’t sure deserved it.

“Okay,” she agreed softly. “We’ll give her my grandmother’s name. Josephine Diana.”

I nodded. Josephine Diana Williams. It was a good name.

“And this one?” Rose asked. I hadn’t even realized she was holding the other baby. When I looked at her, she was just as consumed as I was.

“That is Rosebud Delilah. Delilah was Jack’s mother’s name.”

“Didn’t she give you away? Why would you want to name your baby after a woman who didn’t want you?” I asked.

“She saved my life, Mimic. She gave me away to spare me the life she and my brother were living.”

“Thorne!” Rose whisper-yelled, not wanting to startle the babies. “I think it’s beautiful. And I am honored to share a name with her and your mother, Jack.”

Rose glared at me before focusing back on the baby. She didn’t understand what I was going through. What I had gone through. She never would. She still had the luxury of believing our mother was brave and honorable.

I didn’t know what to believe, except that this tiny little human in my arms was innocent. She needed a strong name.One that wasn’t tainted. One that wouldn’t make me cringe every time I looked at her.

“What do you think, Charlie?” Sam asked.

“When will they wake up so I can play with them?”

They all laughed, and even I grinned. Charlie had been impatiently waiting for her sisters to be born. She’d thought they would be like Tabitha and Chrissy.

“Not for a while, Cupcake. They’re too little to play.”

“Can we give them back and get bigger ones?”

“Afraid not.” Sam shook her head but smiled at her daughter’s sass. “But don’t worry, they’ll grow quicker than you think.”

Cash stuck his head in the door and growled. “Baby, you’re giving me ideas, holding that baby.”

Rose smiled back at him. “I’m getting ideas holding her.”

Cash walked over and kissed Rose on the top of her head. “The natives are getting restless. They all want to see the babies.”

“Cash is right. If we don’t let them in soon, they’ll riot.” Jack laughed.

“I need to get back to the clubhouse, anyway.” I looked at Sam helplessly. I didn’t dare stand with the baby in my arms.

“I’ll take her,” Cash offered. He plucked the baby from me as if he’d done it a hundred times, and I envied his confidence.

I leaned over and kissed Sam on the temple. “Good job, Momma.” She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. My own smile dropped, and I asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong. I’m worried about you.”

“Me? Why?”