Page 32 of The Road to Forever (Beaumont: Next Generation #7)

Peyton walks in with Juniper in her arms. “I want to put them in their playpen so they can have some time together.”

Noah motions for me to pick up one of the boys. I’m tempted to go take Junie but figure my sister will slap me or something. I go for Jace since I haven’t held him yet. The babies are so small, I can probably hold all three at the same time and not even break a sweat.

I follow Noah and Peyton downstairs and wait for Noah to take Jace from me. As soon as all three of them are lined up, I take a picture of them. Thankfully, they have their eyes open, and while they do, I take a bunch more.

“I’m going to head to the hospital,” I say to whoever’s listening.

“I’ll go with you, if you don’t mind,” Peyton says. “You have to drive though. By the way, mom came by earlier with a suitcase of clothes for you. They’re in the guest bedroom.” She pointed down the hall, instead of upstairs. Sort of brilliant to keep your guests a floor away from infants.

“Excellent. I’ll just go take a shower, get rid of this road grim.”

In the guest room, a suitcase sits on the bed, which looks very inviting. As much as I want to spend my time with my nephews and niece, tonight I think I’ll be under those covers, letting that mattress take away all my stress.

After a long shower, I dress in jeans and a red sweater, which I know is an ode to Christmas. My mom can’t resist. Growing up, she always had festive clothes for us to wear for the month of December, whether we wanted to or not.

In the living room, the triplets are now in swings and Peyton’s on the couch with a book in her lap.

“Where’s Noah?”

“Right here. What’s up?” he comes down the stairs, dressed for the day, as Peyton closes her book and grabs her things.

“Nothing, just making sure you’re here so we can leave.”

He leans down and kisses Peyton. “Tell Elle and Ben I said hi and take pictures of the boys. I want to see them.”

“Will do.” Peyton hands me her car keys.

Outside, I shiver from the brisk air. There isn’t snow on the ground, which I’m thankful for, but it’s still cold, and colder than Malibu at this time of the year. Although, living so close to the water, while it has so many benefits, can be downright cold in the winter.

In the SUV, Peyton turns the heat up.

“It’s a good thing you guys have this monster.”

She laughs. “It’ll be some time before I drive the triplets by myself. I’m not that confident yet, especially with them.”

I frown but turn my face toward the window so she can’t see me.

I hate that she still struggles with the aftermath of the accident she was in.

For a while, we had no idea if Peyton would wake up, and then when she did, we were told she’d never walk again.

My sister’s a fighter and had been determined from day one to prove everyone wrong.

After a quick stop at a drive-thru coffee shop, we pull into the parking lot of the hospital. I drop Peyton off first and then find a spot, not wanting her to walk more than she needs to. After shutting her SUV off and locking it, I jog toward her.

“I bet that’s the most exercise you’ve gotten in a while.”

I roll my eyes. “I’m not in a boyband,” I remind her. “I don’t need to dance my ass off to a choreographed routine.”

“It’s a good thing too since I’ve seen your moves.”

“Harsh, P. What happened? You had babies and turned into a meanie like Elle.”

Peyton snorts and then glares at me. “Am I wrong?”

I sigh and run my hand over my freshly washed hair. “Nope and thank God. I can’t even imagine going to rehearsals or dance class.”

We take the elevator to the maternity floor and exit to a waiting room full of people, families waiting for news on their newest member. Down the hall, a security guard stands at Elle’s door. We show him our IDs even though he knows who we are, and then he motions us in.

Inside, balloons and flowers take up every available space on the windowsill.

“Dang, who cleaned out FTD?”

“Good morning to you too,” Elle says as I kiss her forehead. “We did, as a matter of fact. I wanted the windows open, but we spotted a drone yesterday and it freaked me out.”

“Well shit,” I say and then look at the bundle in her arms. “Who’s this?”

“This is Jett,” she says as she hands him to me even though I didn’t ask.

“I’ve got Sonny,” Ben says, even though I thought he was asleep.

“I’ll take him,” Peyton says as she sits down in the other free chair.

“How are you feeling?” I stand there, swaying like I saw Noah do earlier. “Hey buddy, I’m your Uncle Quinn.”

“Good, ready to get the hell out of here.”

“Just in time for Christmas,” Peyton says as she makes faces at Sonny. It makes me wonder why people do this, especially when they’re newborns.

“I’m ready,” Ben says. “I’m going to take pointers from the grandpas on how to be Santa, so when it’s my turn, I get it right.”

“Isn’t it funny how we follow traditions without making up our own,” Peyton adds.

“What would you change?” Elle asks.

Peyton shrugs. “Nothing at the moment.”

I’m so thankful I don’t have to worry about Santa or any holiday traditions. I show up when I’m told and that’s that, which is probably how I got into this mess with Nola. I do whatever my family says. No questions asked because I know they won’t steer me wrong.

No, Nola got us into this mess .

“Can I take a picture with the boys?” I ask Elle.

“Of course.”

Ben stands and motions for me to take his chair and then takes Sonny from Peyton. He helps me adjust the twins, only to realize he doesn’t have my phone, so he uses his own.

“Why don’t you guys sit next to Elle,” Ben suggests.

He takes one of the boys from me so I can stand easily. Ben holds his son until Peyton’s situated and then places him next to Elle and Peyton.

“Do I have Sonny?” I ask.

“Yes,” Ben says as he makes an adjustment to how I’m holding Sonny. “Okay, look at me.”

At some point in his life, I imagine it started when he and Elle became friends, Ben became a master cell phone photographer with as many photoshoots Elle’s had him do. Better him than me.

We pose for what feels like ten minutes.

Ben hands his phone to Elle, who quickly deletes any she doesn’t like, and then sends a couple to our family group chat.

I turn Sonny in my arms and stare at his cherub face and find myself wishing he looked like me or dad.

We have five new members of our family, six if we count Oliver, and not a single one of them looks like dad or me, and I find that I really don’t like that at all.