Page 43

Eighteen Months Later

It’s Lucy’s twelfth birthday and, much to my amazement and delight, she wanted to have a birthday party at home. I’m sure the time when she finds her family to be embarrassment incarnate is on the horizon, so I’m determined to savor every minute of today.

Lucy wanted a murder mystery party, not the usual theme you might expect for a young girl. I was worried about what it meant, considering her mom was murdered, but Lucy’s therapist assured me this could be a positive way for her to feel as if she has some control in her life and to work through what happened. Lucy has aspirations to become a detective, something her dads and uncles weren’t thrilled about but are slowly coming around to. I do not doubt that her current fascination isn’t just because of her mom, she also adores Bess and looks up to her like an aunt.

Bess and the guys have been busy planning the main murder mystery game we’ll play later. Jacob is going to distract the boys with a movie after their little sister Olivia has gone to bed. While it might be healthy for Lucy, Max, and Ben aren’t mature enough to handle it, and Olivia is still too young to understand what’s happening. Lucy and her friends will end the night with a sleepover once the ‘crime’ has been solved.

I look out of the large bay windows into the yard and watch everyone. Mason is over by the grill with Jacob, in their element flipping burgers and sausages. Jax is racing around with Ben and Max playing cops and robbers, their squeals of delight pealing through the sounds of the summer’s day. Ty and Bess are keeping an eye on Lucy and her friends as they play with Olivia, cooing over how adorable she looks in her detective costume. Olivia has been the glue that’s bonded our family even closer together. Her dads, siblings, aunt, and uncle all dote on her. She is the easiest baby, everyone who meets her can’t help but fall in love with her. We don’t know who her biological dad is, nor do we want to, and though I know it’s impossible, I can see traces of all four of the men I love in our beautiful child.

Shortly before Olivia was born, we moved into a bigger house with plenty of space for our growing family. I adore our new home and the life we’re building here, even if it is unconventional. Most nights I share my bed with one or more of the guys, though these days it’s rare we are all together. Raising a baby and three children is a team effort, that’s for sure, but it does make things ten times easier, or should I say four times. I sometimes marvel at how I was able to raise Max almost singlehandedly before I met Mason, Jax, and Ty.

Right on cue, I emerge from the kitchen carrying Lucy’s cake as the party erupts into an enthusiastic chorus of ‘Happy Birthday’ as they gather around the birthday girl. Lucy blushes bright red, hating being in the spotlight as usual but embracing it, nonetheless. As she blows out her candles, she scrunches up her face tightly in concentration making her wish.

“What did you wish for?” one of Lucy’s friends asks eagerly.

“Did you wish for the new iPhone? I did and I got one!” another declares proudly.

“She can’t say else it won’t come true!” Max interjects.

“I know what she wished for!” Ben declares proudly, “I’m going to wish for the same thing too when it comes to my birthday! She wished for you to officially be our adoptive mom!”

Lucy blushes deeply, swatting her brother on the arm. “That was a secret, dingus!”

I’m touched by the fact that they both deeply want to be an official part of our family. Although they are already, the paperwork is still going through. It’s such a lengthy process that it’s taken a long time and many hoops to jump through. We’re at the final hurdle and the kids are a part of the family, there’s just one tiny slip of paper needed to make it one hundred percent official.

“I thought you guys were already adopted?” a friend asks Lucy who proceeds to explain the situation, mumbling and her cheeks reddening.

Immediately I start to rethink the surprise gift that we planned to give today. I catch the guys’ eyes, and I can see they’re thinking the same thing. Will it inadvertently cause Lucy embarrassment?

“It’s a dumb wish…” Lucy finishes trying to shake it off, worried her friends will think her childish.

“Well I think that’s a really cool wish, and I hope it comes true soon for you. Your family is awesome!” Lucy’s friend Abby declares.

I could kiss her right now for the happiness and confidence this brings to Lucy’s eyes. Abby is my favorite of the three girls Lucy invited to her slumber party, she’s always so kind to Lucy, even when others haven’t been.

I hope for Lucy’s sake that her friend Ashley doesn’t chime in her thoughts on the family. More than once I’ve overheard the girl commenting that Lucy’s dads are hot or saying she’s overheard her mom say she’d like to have three men at home too. While amusing, I know it embarrasses Lucy to no end, and I don’t want that happening today of all days. Mercifully, she simply agrees with Abby, which makes Lucy grin from ear to ear.

I nod at Ty who understands exactly what to do and he quickly slips off, returning a moment later with the wrapped gift. Lucy’s eyes immediately light up with anticipation of another surprise gift. Ty hands it to me.

“Lucy, I know today is your day, but I hope you won’t mind that this next gift is something for all of the family,” I say with a smile. “Maybe you and Ben can open it together?”

“Max and Olivia too?” she asks, always thinking of her adoptive siblings.

“Of course,” I reply with a smile.

Lucy’s friends immediately start speculating on what it could be, tickets to Disneyland or other extravagant suggestions come up and I worry that now it might be anticlimactic. Lucy, Ben, and Max tear at the paper while Olivia claps, not understanding what’s happening but enjoying their excitement. When they open it, they fall silent. Olivia and the boys all wear expressions of confusion, not understanding what the words on the framed paper mean. Lucy grows very still, her eyes filling with tears.

“What does it say?” Ben demands.

Lucy is too emotional to reply for a moment, but she gathers her strength and replies, “It’s an adoption certificate. Ben, we’re officially part of the family. Our wish came true.”

The whoops and holler of excitement that come from Ben and Lucy bring sheer joy to my heart and Max is over the moon. They rush to me and hug me before embracing the rest of the family. We stand there all hugging and crying with happiness as our family is officially complete. While we’re careful with how affectionate we are in front of the kids, especially when they have friends over so as not to confuse them, the guys hug me in turn whispering words of love in my ears. Bess and Jacob astutely take over, keeping them busy to afford us a moment alone to watch the children play.

“I’m so happy that it’s finally official and we no longer need to worry about anyone taking our kids away from us ever again,” Mason murmurs.

“I can’t believe how lucky I am to be a part of this adventure with you,” Jax says proudly.

Out of all my men, this must be the most bittersweet moment for Ty whose own daughter will never meet her siblings. But right now there is only a small echo of sadness in his eyes. “I think Danielle would want me to let her go and fully embrace my new life. She’d want me to be there completely for these children instead of holding onto her too tightly,” he says. “I’ll never forget her, but it’s time, these kids deserve to know they’re completely loved. That they will always come first. As do you, my love.”

“Thank you, all of you. I love you all so much, I love our kids, I love our life. You and the kids make me happier than I ever felt possible,” I say, meaning every word.

With the three men who love me by my side and a family filled with love and laughter, I can’t help but feel that Lucy was exactly right.

Maybe wishes really can come true.

THE END

Hope you enjoyed the book!

The next book in the series is Quadruplets for the Vipers