Chapter 87

Alex is four years old.

"Baby?" Aurora fluttered her eyes as the twins sat next to me while I lay on the bed. Her little fingers rested on my baby bump, and she stared at it as if expecting the baby to emerge at any moment.

I was six months pregnant and starting to show. We'd waited a long time to tell the twins because, after my complications with them, this was a high-risk pregnancy. We wanted to ensure both the baby and ourselves were safe before involving our toddlers.

"Mama?" Alex frowned. "Why one more baby?"

"Well…" I trailed off, looking to my husband for help. He shrugged from his position on the bed behind the twins.

I glared at him before smiling at Alex. "Don't you want a younger brother or sister, sweetheart?"

His frown deepened. "Brother or sister?"

"Well, we don't know the gender yet," I said. "I didn't even know before you and Aurora were born."

"Girl!" Aurora grinned.

"You think it's going to be a girl?" Gabriel mused from behind.

She nodded quickly, leaving me and moving toward her father. He quickly lifted her onto his lap, kissing her head.

My eyes flickered back to Alex, who seemed lost in thought.

"Alex?" I called softly, resisting the urge to laugh. He was four, but he could act like fourteen.

"Big brother, Mama?" he asked, and I smiled.

"Yes, my love, you'll be a big brother."

He huffed. "Unnecessary!"

My lips parted in surprise. My husband finally intervened. "Alex Whitlock," Gabriel said sternly, "Do not call your younger sibling unnecessary!"

Alex's frown deepened, turning into a sob. His eyes darted between me and Gabriel. "You no love me!"

"Alex!" My eyes widened, and I sat up to get him, but he was already rolling off the bed. "Of course we love you!"

Gabriel shook his head, taking Aurora so he could follow his son, who was stomping out of the room. "If you love me, then why a new baby?!"

"Alex, wait!" I called, getting up slowly and carefully as Gabriel sighed and followed him.

"Can you not run?" Gabriel's voice echoed from the hallway.

"I'll be right back, okay, Auro?" I told my daughter before following the father-son duo. I wasn't keen on leaving them alone.

They were insane together. Alex would throw a tantrum and demand the craziest things, and his father would agree without batting an eye.

Chapter 57

The last time Alex was upset, I promised him a new car and forgot to follow up while prepping for the wedding. When he complained to Gabriel, guess what Gabriel got him?

A car. A shiny, new, black BMW.

I had to suppress my smile, remembering the morning I woke up to the new car, initially thinking it was my husband's love of cars. Then my son was screaming in daycare, telling all his friends his father bought him a car so he could drive it there every day.

I was furious. Really furious.

But now, in retrospect, it was funny.

"Alex? Gabriel?" I called, wondering where they'd gone. There was no noise from the twins' room or play area.

"Sophia! SOPHIA!" Gabriel screamed.

He didn't call me "Freckles."

Keeping my hand on my bump, my heart pounding so hard I thought it would burst, I ran toward the source—the stairs.

Blood.

I saw blood. Not a lot, but not a little.

Alex was sobbing, wailing.

"Soph, Sophia!" Gabriel's voice snapped me out of it. He was leaning down, pressing on Alex's head. "He was running up the stairs and tripped. I—I think he needs stitches. I'm taking him to the hospital, okay?"

I froze. I stared, frozen. Alex's cries were lessening, his eyes drowsy. Gabriel was talking to him, trying to keep him awake, saying it would be okay. Gabriel's hand was covered in blood.

A nightmare. This felt like a nightmare.

I would have stayed frozen if Aurora's cry hadn't shaken me.

"Mama! Mama! Alex! Mama!" Aurora tugged at my dress, and I snapped out of it.

I grabbed my daughter, holding her close. My high-risk pregnancy meant I shouldn't lift weights, including my babies, but I didn't care.

"Shh," I coaxed my crying daughter. "Alex is going to be okay, okay?"

I rushed out, yelling something—I don't know what—because Luna rushed in, yelped, and the driver got the car.

Gabriel rushed Alex into the back seat. I got in, buckled Aurora, and cradled my son. Gabriel drove.

"Alex? Alex, baby?" I called, tears filling my eyes. Aurora sobbed incoherently. He didn't respond. His eyes were closed.

"It's going to be okay, baby," I mumbled, unsure who I was talking to. "It's going to be okay."

I don't know how fast Gabriel drove or how many times I whispered "I love you" to Alex, but when we reached the hospital, Gabriel carried Alex into the emergency room. Aurora was in my arms, sobbing silently.

"It's going to be okay, baby," I coaxed, rubbing her back.

"Alex! Blood, Mama!" She sobbed harder, and I repeated that he'd be okay until Gabriel took Aurora from my arms. He put one arm around her, the other around me, pulling me close.

I cried. I should have been strong, but I couldn't. "He's my baby, Gabriel," I sniffed, trying to hide my tears from Aurora. "He's my baby."

Seconds felt like minutes, minutes like forever. I sat in the waiting area, staring at the dried blood on my skin. Gabriel filled out forms, taking Aurora with him.

I waited what felt like an eternity—about fifteen minutes—until the doctor reappeared. I stood, and Gabriel approached. Aurora was silent, sucking her thumb, a candy bar unopened in her hand, her head resting on Gabriel's shoulder.

"Doctor?" I asked, fearfully.

"The bleeding stopped, and he needed four stitches," he said. "No signs of concussion or anything serious yet, but we'll know more when he wakes up."

I wiped away tears, careful not to smear blood on my face or Aurora.

"Will he—will he be okay?" I stammered.

"He'll be in pain for a week or so and will be under observation for a few days. We'll give him pain medication, rest, and fluids, and he should be fine except for a small scar," the doctor said.

I nodded, thanking God silently.

"Thank you," Gabriel said, and we exchanged relieved looks.

We kept Aurora entertained until the nurse said Alex was awake. We rushed in, ignoring the one-visitor rule.

"Oh, my baby!" My tears flowed again when I saw him sobbing silently.

"Mama! Pain!" He cried. I collected him in my arms.

"Alex! My silly boy. I love you so much." I kissed his forehead, cheeks, nose, showering him with kisses until he smiled despite the pain.

"I love you, baby," I said. "Having another baby won't make me love you less. It will make me love you even more."

His eyes found his father, whom I bet he'd been looking for. I'd smothered him first.

Alex moved from my arms to Gabriel's. Gabriel didn't smother him with kisses; he just held his son tight. I saw tears in his eyes.

"You scared us, Alex," Gabriel said, wiping Alex's tears. "Your mother and I love you and Aurora more than anything in the world. And that will never change, okay?"

Alex nodded hesitantly before Aurora hugged him, sending them tumbling on the bed. They babbled in a language only they understood, making us giggle.

After their babbling, I took Alex again. I squeezed him so tight he wiggled free.

"I'm going to hold you like this forever," I said, holding him closer.

"Mama," he scolded in his little voice, making me cry. "No cry! Mama!"

"Yes, yes. Sorry!" I wiped my tears. "Is it still hurting, love?"

He shook his head, though I knew he was hurting; the doctor had given only a small dose of painkillers. My strong boy.

"Is baby okay?" He nodded, and I nodded, placing his hand on my bump.

"Baby loves you so much," I said. "And baby can't wait to meet you."

"Brother?" His eyes shone.

I shrugged. "You'll be the big brother, love."

"Sister!" Aurora clapped, jumping on the bed.

Alex wanted to join her but couldn't because of the pain. He snuggled into my arms, and I held him close, with no intention of ever letting go.