Page 109 of Fighting Shadows
Brenn and Aidan decided to meet us there, not wanting to look like a convoy was pulling up. I love how much they’ve grown as a couple over the last year, but they are still as happy as ever.
“You’ve got this, Little Bear,” Brenn says, pulling me in for a hug, “We’ll be sat right behind you all.”
“Thank you for coming,” I say sincerely.
“As if we’d miss this for the world,” Aidan grumbles, “We’re right here, Little Sis. Deep breaths.”
“Carraher?” a sharply dressed woman appears from the double doors where we’re all sat waiting anxiously.
“That’s me,” I say, standing from my seat.
“You’re up.”
“Let’s do this then,” I say to the others.
My men all kiss me softly, and they walk ahead into the room, leaving my dad and me to walk in.
My lawyer is already sitting inside, and Dominic and Atlas sit on the bench behind my chair.
We all stand as the judge enters the room and then sit when we’re told to. Thankfully, our judge is a lovely woman we’ve already met, with kind eyes and a smile.
“Are you ready for this Autumn?” she asks me.
“Yes, ma’am,” I say firmly.
“And you men?” she asks Dominic and Atlas, who repeat the sentiment.
“And what about you, young man?” she asks Chase, who sits on the other side of the room with Kathleen and Clover, who is sound asleep in her arms.
“Do I get to go home with my Ma now?” he asks her, his little voice cracking and sounding so hopeful that I can’t stop the tears that fall.
“Do you want to?” the judge asks him.
Chase nods his head so fast that he nearly falls from his seat, and I let out a watery chuckle at his antics.
“Well then, I guess I should let you go home with her, huh?” she smiles at him, “Congratulations. You’re parents.” She says to me as everyone cheers in the room.
Chase launches himself from his seat and runs straight into my arms, his tears dripping onto my dress, but I don’t care.
“You’re my Ma now!” he shouts, “Does this mean you’re keeping me forever?”
“Forever, buddy,” I say, holding him to me.
Kathleen comes over, baby Clover in her arms. She’s so much bigger now than the first time I saw her, but she’s still Atlas’s twin.
“Ma! Ma!” she calls for me, her little arms outstretched towards me when she sees me.
“Hey, baby girl,” I coo, taking her from Kathleen and kissing the side of her head.
“Are you ready to come home with me and your daddies?” I ask her, even when I know she can’t reply.
Their bedrooms are already set up in our new house, wanting a bigger garden for them and the dogs to run around and best thing is that we’re basically next door to Dad, Brenn and Aidan.
“Can I go in your car, Da?” Chase asks Dominic.
“Of course,” he replies, his voice breaking as he lifts Chase into his arms. You can have whatever you want as long as you keep calling me Da.”
“And does this Daddy get to hold his little Princess?” Atlas says, smiling lovingly at Clover.
