“Are you ready for your Christmas gift?” she asked.
“You didn’t have to get me a thing, Sadie. You’re my gift.”
“Well, you might want to rethink that.” She handed him the grainy black and white photo, and he frowned, turning it every which way.
“I don’t understand. What is this?”
“That, my love, is a sonogram picture,” smiled Irene. “And those three spots you see there are three babies. I outta know.”
“Three? You’re carrying triplets?” gasped Ham.
“Don’t faint on me,” she pleaded. “Nathan and Martha knew the moment it happened. I could hardly believe it, but Gray said everything is just fine.”
“No,” he said, shaking his head. “No, I won’t faint. I promise I won’t. Three babies. We need to be here at Belle Fleur. We have to have a cottage here so you’re closer to the hospital and your mom. I need to get the rooms ready. Or is it one room?”
“Ham, calm down. We’ve got a long way to go. It’s only because of the amazing equipment created at G.R.I.P. that we were able to see this so early. I need to take it easy, not do anything out of the norm, so they have plenty of time to grow.”
“Three,” he whispered, leaning down to kiss her belly. “I’m your daddy. I promise to be an amazing daddy.”
Angel, Mary, Wes, Virginia, Gray, and Jazz smiled at the young couple, nodding to one another. New babies and new beginnings. This was going to be a helluva year.
“I told her she would have babies,” smiled Martha.
“But did you tell her how many?” asked Nathan.
“No, not yet. I didn’t want to terrify her.” Martha smiled at the young couple, then turned to her ghostly friends. “Merry Christmas to you all. If I haven’t told you, I love you dearly, and you make this afterlife bearable.”
They all smiled at Martha, moving to mingle with the others. When Nathan began to move, she touched his hand.
“I love you, Nathan.”
“I know. I feel your love every day. It’s why I’m still here and able to watch my grandson, great-grandsons, and new generations thrive. You make my world beautiful. I love you as well.”
“Let’s enjoy this holiday. You never know when it might be our last.”
EXCERPT from PATRICK
“We need to block the road,” said Christopher. “Moose? Get up there and create an avalanche to block this road.”
“Why me?” he frowned.
“Your name is Moose for a reason,” smiled Christopher. “This whole mountainside is ready to roll anyway. Just help it along. Give it a good kick.”
The big man climbed up the side of the mountain above the road, slipping and sliding the whole way. When he reached the larger boulders, he used his weight as leverage, tumbling them down toward the road below. With enough to effectively block oncoming cars, they spread out to wait.
“We’re almost there, brother,” smiled Patrick.
“Almost.”
It was hours of waiting in the hot sun and dust that seemed to never end. With their sand-colored uniforms, they blended into the mountain perfectly. Patrick looked around, shaking his head. Of all the fucking last locations.
Al Safira, Syria, was hot, dirty, and deadly. Patrick and Christopher waited behind the rocky ledge for the transport to appear. Three more SEALs were on the other side of the road, their lookout, sitting on the top of the mountain.
“Fucking Syria,” growled Patrick. “This is our last mission. The hottest spot in the world right now for terrorist activity, and a month before our retirement, this is where they send us.” Christopher grinned at his brother, shaking his head.
“They only send the very best, brother.”
“Coming toward us,” nodded Patrick. “Anyone have eyes on Aziz?”
