Chapter 1
January 2020
Murphy
10!
9!
8!
7!
6!
The countdown on the TV was what originally woke me. Everyone screaming in celebration must have kicked my unconscious brain into gear, thinking it was our son Lennon waking up. I wanted to snag him before Odette woke up. Lennon was the definition ofGerberbaby cute; but don’t you darelet those adorable baby looks fool you. He was a toughbaby. If he wasn’t being held or fed, he was crying. He was an attention hog, and unfortunately for us, I was a total suckerand gave in to every single one of his demands. Odette and I decided rather quickly after Lennon was born that two were enough for us—two kids were perfect, but these two might send us into an early grave.
Luck was on my side: it wasn’t Lennon being fussy. He was curled asleep between Odette and me on the sofa, giving him the attention he needed, even in his sleeping form. I couldn’t helpthe grin that took over my face as I looked at my sleeping family. This was all I’d ever need, all I could ever want, and if I could bottle up this feeling right here and sell it, I’d never have to worry about money again.
A clearing of a throat had me looking over at my daughter Lux as she wiped the sleep from her eyes.
“Daddy!” She started in a shout but immediately toned down to a whisper once she saw the horror-filled look I shot at a sleeping Lennon, praying it didn’t wake him. Lux tried her best not to laugh. She had asked us the other day if she could stay home from school because she didn’t sleepone winkbecause of her brother.
“Sorry, Daddy,” she whispered and scooted off the sofa, where she sat nestled into the other side of her mom and came over to me. “I just got so excited!”
“It’s okay, baby girl. Happy New Year!” I picked her up and tucked her into my side but was very careful not to jostle Lennon or Odette awake.
I kissed Lux on the nose, and she squealed a little, which caused Odette to stir and her eyes start to flutter open. She immediately softened when she became fully aware and she took in Lux and me, with Lennon all but squished in between us. Her eyes filled with gratitude and tears, and I used my one free hand that wasn’t holding our daughter to wipe them away before they fell and held her cheek in my hand as she nuzzled into it. I lifted her chin with my thumb so she could see me.
“Thank you,” I mouthed in her direction, and I knew she knew what I was thanking her for. This family. The chance toactuallybe a family. The look she gave me took my breath away.
“In this life and the next,” she mouthed back to me, and I couldn’t help but lean down to kiss her.
“Happy New Year, Odette.” I tried to say it quietly, but I couldn’t seem to keep my emotions at bay, and it rumbled out louder than I had anticipated.
The small bundle of joy we brought into this world that we appropriately named Lennon due to his healthy lungs, woke up with a vengeance and let us know immediately how unhappy he was that he wasn’t the center of attention.
Lux groaned from beside us, “Way to go. No sleep foranybody.”She did her best to pout but was unable to hide her smile.
Odette stood up to stretch and laughed at our daughter. “Youbeggedus for a sibling.”
“I changed my mind.”
“Too late, kid; he’s already here.” Odette said with a smirk.
She held her hands out to me so I could hand her Lennon. “Still feel like thanking me?” She winked as I placed our son in her arms.
“Always.”
Chapter 2
February 2021
Odette
“I’m going to kill him, Wynn. Straight upkill him.”
Her laugh sounded over the phone, and I couldn’t help but smile at her happiness. I never thought I’d hear the lightness she now carried in her tone.
