Page 38 of The Frock Up
"Love you too, sweetness. Forever."
"And ever."
Epilogue Two
Millie
Three years later
"Alright, I'm calling it." Keiko flopped into the chair beside me. "We've officially lost control. The children are our rulers now."
I laughed, tipping my glass in her direction. "You're the one who said sugar was a great idea."
"Forgive me. I knew not what I was doing."
As if on cue, one of the nephews sprinted up to us, spraying us in the face with his water pistol before laughing manically and rushing away to join the rest of the tribe.
"Jesus," Keiko groaned, swiping at the water on her face. "Who in their right mind would want kids?"
I looked pointedly at her swollen belly. "Mm, who indeed?"
She waved me off. "Bloating, darling. It's all bloating."
"Uh-huh."
I searched the lawn, finding Ash in the midst of the wild-child pack, spray gun in one hand, our son clinging wildly to his back both laughing uproariously as they attempted to scramble out of the water-spray attack.
"Did they give you a date?" Keiko asked, pouring another glass of mocktail for herself.
"No." Nervous butterflies began to flitter in my stomach. "But they said it could be any day now."
After a lengthy process, we'd been approved as a foster family. Ash had been particularly passionate about giving kids the same opportunities his dad had given him growing up. We were now in the metaphorical waiting room, holding our breath for the phone call.
"You'll be awesome. But don't expect me to baby sit." Keiko stood with a groan, her hands pressing into the small of her back. "These old bones weren't made for chasing kids."
I hid a smile. My friend was in deep, deep denial about her pregnancy. As she would say—there was a no vacancy sign on that uterus.
"See? There she is."
I turned to see my boys walking up the slight incline towards me, their bodies soaked, their expressions nearly identical grins.
Be still my heart.
Ash was the kind of father you wished everyone could have—hands on, proactive, willing to do whatever was necessary to give his kid the best life possible.
For a while I'd fretted that our little munchkin might grow up to be an entitled dick—but Ash had settled those worries early on.
"Momma!"
I held out my arms, laughing when Ash plopped our wet baby in my lap. Xavier wrapped his arms around my neck, his chubby little fingers getting caught in my hair.
"You're all wet," I said, blowing raspberries on his neck, making him squeal.
"Wet!"
I looked up to see Ash pulling his cell out of his back pocket, his expression shifting as he hit answer.
"Hello?
