Sam glanced at Nick, who indicated she should be the one to update the twins.
“So we got some big news today,” Sam said.
“Good news?”Aubrey asked with trepidation that tugged at Sam’s heart.The poor kid had been through so much at far too young an age to handle it all.
“The best news.Remember how we told you that we applied to adopt you two and Elijah, so we’ll be a family in all the ways that matter, including legally?”
“Uh-huh,” Alden said.“But our mommy and daddy will always be our mommy and daddy, right?”
“Always and forever,” Nick said.“Nothing will ever change that, but Sam and I will be the ones to take care of you until you’re old enough to take care of yourselves.”
“Right,” Aubrey said.“And Scotty will be our other big brother.”
“You know it,” Scotty said with a fist bump for each twin.
“Today,” Sam said, “we learned it’ll be officially official on April twentieth when we go to court to see the judge, which is really soon.”
“Can we have a party to celebrate?”Aubrey asked.
“We sure can.”Sam smiled at the precious child.“You and Alden can plan it.Anything you want.”
“Um, that’ll mean peanut butter and Fluff for everyone,” Scotty said.
“Whatever they want.It’s their big day.”
“You can help us plan it, Scotty,” Alden said.
“I’ll make sure there’s something that’s actually edible.”
“Can we invite Jack and Ella and Ethan and Abby?”Alden asked of their cousins.
“Of course.They wouldn’t want to miss it.”
“And Alex and Noah and baby Maisie!”Alden said of Gonzo’s son and Shelby’s kids.
Sam loved how their people had become the twins’ people in just a few short months.“You can invite anyone you want.”
“Are we going to change our names?”Alden asked.
“We were thinking Armstrong-Cappuano if you’re down with that,” Nick said.“But you can use A dash C on your papers at school so you don’t have to write it out every time.”
“That’s cool,” Alden said, sounding relieved, as Aubrey nodded.
“Group hug,” Sam said, pulling everyone into a big pile on the couch, which led to much laughter and screaming from tickling perpetrated by Scotty.
After they released the kids to go play, Sam’s mom came over to hug her.“This makes me so happy for you and Nick, honey.Such a beautiful family.”
“Thank you.It certainly didn’t happen the way we thought it would, but I wouldn’t trade them for anything.”
The three kids had Nick pinned to the floor and were trying to keep him there while he threatened to bust loose from their hold.Sam wished the rest of the world could see him in dad mode.It would make the people who supported him love him that much more than they already did.
“Look at him,” Sam said softly.“He’s never had this before.”
“It’s wonderful,” Brenda said.“He’s so happy to be a dad and to have this beautiful family to come home to every night.”
“You know, I used to yearn to have a baby, but I’ve started to realize it happened this way because my life is not at all conducive to caring for a newborn.I’d want to be with the baby all the time, and I simply can’t be unless I give up my job, which I’d never want to do.”
“The universe has a way of making sure we get what’s meant for us.”
