Page 44 of Embattled Ever After

Lights glowed inside the house and somebody moved across the window. John pulled his truck into the driveway, glad most of the snow had melted from the hard surfaces. Both the driveway and the ramp were clear, making it ten times easier for him.

John pressed the button to start the hydraulic lift down. Shannon circled the truck to him, tucking the ultrasound pictures into her coat pocket.

Duncan answered his door with a smile. “I thought I recognized the sound of your truck exhaust. Come in.”

Shannon hugged him as soon as she was inside the door, then turned to smile at a sleepy looking Alex.

John moved inside the foyer enough that Duncan could close the door, then held his hand out in greeting. Duncan shook, but John held on. Seeming to sense something, Duncan leaned down to give him a shoulder bump. “You okay, Gunny?”

John clenched his jaw and nodded, letting him go.

Duncan was Duncan, though, and he knew something was up.

“We were just heading to the kitchen to get some tea. Want to join us?”

Hell, yes. Although he could use something stronger than tea.

Shannon vibrated with excitement, but didn’t say anything until they were settled around the kitchen table, cups in hand. Then without a word, she handed the pictures over to Duncan. He grabbed a pair of reading glasses from the counter, then returned to look down at the pictures. “Looks like Palmer has some swimmers.”

John laughed, but Shannon sniffled. Duncan glanced at her. “What am I missing? Looks like you have a beautiful baby, here.”

Alex drew the small pictures toward her, then looked at Shannon with dawning joy in her eyes. “Twins?”

Shannon nodded, then burst into tears.

The kitchen erupted into movement. Duncan reached for a box of tissues and Alex got up to circle the table to her side, giving her a huge hug. John rubbed her back, wondering yet again how in the hell they were going to manage two babies.

Duncan pounded him on the back. “Congratulations, Palmer. What a nice surprise.”

John glanced at him, wondering if it was a nice surprise. He was still too dazed to decide. Then he found himself grinning in spite of all the worry cluttering his head. “Not what I expected to hear today.”

Alex stood and moved the few feet to give him a hug as well, and John was surprised into responding. Then she sat back down. “You two will be amazing parents. Heartfelt congratulations to you.”

“Thank you,” he rumbled, throat tight.

“Twins are so special.”

The women leaned toward each other to have a conversation and Duncan gave him a look. “You okay, Gunny?”

John nodded and drew in a deep breath. “Just a lot to think about. One kid was crazy enough, but I can’t wrap my head around two.”

Duncan grinned at him. “Couldn’t have happened to a better guy.”

“Fuck you, Wilde.”

They laughed together and John felt a little of the tension of the day ease. Duncan Wilde was not his father by any means, but he had the type of personality that could calm him down. He considered Duncan his best friend in the world.

Clearing his throat, he shifted topics. “How did Harmony House, go?”

Duncan waved a hand. “It was fine. Bunch of guys there, like we expected. When we were leaving though, Alex thought she saw Aiden.”

John sat back in his chair, surprised. “Really? Why did she think that?”

He shrugged. “She thought he looked like him.”

“He did,” Alex inserted. “I’d put money on it.”

John scowled, wondering if the doctor had seen what she wanted to see. “Last place you saw him was in Kansas City though, right? Months ago.”

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