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Katie
Katie watched as Paco lured his little cousins into the cardboard box. Trey grabbed Sam by the waist. "They'll never notice if we disappear."
Vanessa said, "You aren't going anywhere. It's family time." She smiled the whole time. Katie wondered when her mother-in-law would stop thinking in terms of before and after. Before her sons came home - after Katie arrived with Paco. Before when Trey was unhappy or at least hid his family - after Jessica left the family and Sam and Quinn were revealed.
Laurie stood beside her looking a bit overwhelmed. Katie didn't think it was the chaos of little kids, but the house. Katie understood because she found it intimidating when she first arrived. She smiled, Dean was talking to the judge, and the enigma of a man seemed engaged in a conversation about her friend's life in the army. Dean was retiring soon and the couple were stateside in Texas. It was an easier trip than from Hawaii. Katie smiled. Tom had surprised her with a trip to Hawaii for February. They had exchanged gifts alone after Bea's party. Dean and Laurie had stayed home and babysat, but were in bed when they returned. They quietly set out the presents from Santa. Paco was too little to understand milk and cookies, but in another year Katie imagined Tom happily eating a cookie or two leaving crumbs behind.
Tom had put her off when she suggested she and Tori have a baby at the same time. At first she was upset, but when Tori cried because she got her period, Katie was just as glad. Tori was used to getting what she wanted when she wanted it, except for Tom. When she didn't conceive right away and then miscarried, Katie watched the spark fade from the perky blonde.
The night before, Tom confessed he wanted to wait to try for baby number two on their Hawaiian vacation. "I was disappointed Paco wasn't conceived where we fell in love."
Katie brushed his lips with her own. "You mean where I fell in love."
He chuckled. "Where we became an us."
She poked his hard chest. "You know I wasn't so happy with your excuses. Not being ready to start looking for a new house. Not wanting me pregnant in the winter."
"You could slip on the ice." He looked so sincere her heart swelled.
"I'm glad we waited, because of poor Tori." She meant it.
Tom suggested. "If she continues to struggle..."
"We'll figure it out." Katie didn't want to hurt Tori again.
The trip Tom arranged was not until the end of February, so hopefully Tori would be pregnant by then. Tom expected to conceive in Hawaii, but Katie wondered if he remembered his high school health class because some things couldn't be controlled. Plus they were together for a few cycles before she got pregnant. Unlike Tori, they let nature take its course without worrying about it.
Laurie bumped her shoulder. "They are so sweet."
Three little boys' heads were poking out of the box. Ironically, the only redhead was Paco. The twins were blonde like their mother, but they had the same green eyes as their big sister. Quinn was busy talking Tori and Jon's ear off.
Trey said, "I just heard about Hawaii. Who's babysitting?"
Both Vanessa and Laurie replied at the same time. "Me!"
Katie looked at Tom with a slack jaw.
Tom
When Tom saw the frightened look on his wife's face, he wanted to laugh, but he knew women could be competitive over kids. He considered scaring his brother by telling him he could, but knew his mother and friend would rebel. Paco would be happiest with his cousins, except poor Sam would bear the brunt of it.
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A Billion Reasons (Wish 8)
Romance(Complete) Monty Whitby grew up knowing exactly what was expected of him. As the sole heir of Whitby Enterprises, he will one day take over, but his father never misses the opportunity to tell him he will never meet his expectations. Once Monty's re...
