are waiting for you,” Dad tells me, and I open my eyes and see Gareth, Mitchell, and Max standing together under a string of lights set up around the pergola. Wondering what they’re up to, I walk toward them, and my heart lodges in my throat when Gareth drops to one knee.
“What are you doing?”
“Asking you to spend the rest of your life with me.”
“And me,” Mitchell says.
“And me,” Max adds.
I look around at my family then at my boys, and tears spill from my eyes.
“What do you say, baby? Are you gonna run or jump?”
“Jump. Definitely jump!” I rush toward him and throw myself into his arms, laughing as I pepper kisses on his face. I lean back when he takes my hand and watch, holding my breath, as he slides a gorgeous yellow gold ring with one large diamond and two smaller ones up against it onto my finger. I stare at the ring then look at my boys and know wherever Beth is, she’s an idiot for not appreciating what she had. I also know I will never make the same mistake.
_______________
One year later . . .
“Open them,” I say, and both Mitchell and Max tear into their boxes wrapped in white paper then toss the tissue paper out onto the floor. I see the looks of confusion then realization fill their eyes and laugh when they both look between their father and me.
“Seriously?” Max asks.
“No way,” Mitchell says, holding up his shirt that says Big Brother #1 the exact same shirt as his brother’s, except Max’s says Big Brother #2.
“Way.” I laugh, and then start to cry when they rush forward to hug me. “I love you boys. I hope you know that.”
“We know. You tell us all the time,” Max says, letting me go so he can hug his dad while Mitchell sits next to me.
I do tell them I love them all the time. Fearing that you will never be able to tell the people you love how you feel will do that to you. Now, not a day goes by where I don’t show them exactly what they mean to me. And I’m sure sometimes I sound like a broken record telling them that I love them all the time, but oh well. Some things are worth repeating.
“Hey, December,” Max calls out, sounding shy and I look to where he’s still wrapped in his dad’s arms.
“Yeah honey?”
“Umm, do you think that maybe since the baby will call you mom, that maybe we could call you mom too? You know just so he or she isn’t confused?”
My heart lodges in my throat and I look at Mitchell and he nods then at Gareth who smiles softly. “I would love that,” I barely get out over the lump in my throat.
“Awesome,” he says softly, and I sob.
_______________
Eight months later . . .
“Let me have her,” I hear Mitchell say, and even though I’m completely exhausted after almost fifteen hours of labor, I still find the strength to smile.
“It’s my turn to hold her. You had her for-like-ever,” Max hisses quietly, and I force my eyes open. It takes a minute for them to focus in the dim lighting, but when they do, I see my boys sitting on the small couch next to my bed, fussing over their sister.
“How about you both stop fighting over your sister?” Gareth suggests, stepping into view, and then I watch with amazement as he gently picks up our daughter and holds her against his wide chest making him look even more perfect. “Your grandma will be here in just a few minutes to take you two home.”
“Do we have to leave?”
“You boys need to rest,” I say, and both of them look to the bed where I’m lying, and I give them a tired smile. “Soon, Molly will be home keeping us all up, and you’ll wish you could sleep.”
“She hasn’t cried once, Mom,” Mitchell says as he stands and walks toward me.
“Yeah Mom, even when the nurse had to do some tests on her, she was quiet,” Max adds, walking around to the other side of the bed.
I smile at them, look at Gareth holding Molly, and shake my head. “I’m sure she knew you guys would all protect her,” I say softly. “She’s lucky and I’m lucky to have you guys.”
“We’re lucky to have you too, baby,” Gareth says, and my throat gets tight. It’s hard to remember my life before them, before I took a chance and jumped. Now I can’t imagine anything better than what I have, because I truly have it all.