Page 15 of Family Bonds- Jarrett & Andi

Mac laughed. “He doesn’t do it much at home because Sidney is pretty strict.”

“I need to be,” Sidney said. “Even more so now.”

Jarrett lifted his eyebrow. “Is Mac in the doghouse?”

“I want to say yes, but this wasn’t his fault,” Sidney said.

“What’s going on?” his mother asked. “Everything okay?”

“I’m fine,” Mac said. “Sidney is the one in shock.”

It was the grin on his brother’s face. “Are you pregnant, Sidney?” his mother asked.

“I am. Not planned,” Sidney said. “But not a bad thing either.”

“Congratulations,” his mother said, rushing to hug her daughter-in-law. “Sometimes the surprises are the best. When are you due?”

“Let’s all have a seat,” Mac said. “We are going to need it.”

Jarrett frowned. That didn’t sound good.

“What’s wrong?” he asked right away. Everyone sat, but he stayed leaning against the wall. There weren’t enough seats unless he grabbed a dining room chair and, for the moment, he’d rather stay in the room.

Mac was next to his wife holding her hand. His motheronthe couch too. Jennie was sitting on Alex’s lap in the other chair.

“I’m due mid-April. I’m just out of the first trimester. And the shocker is that I’m having twins.”

“Oh shit,” Alex said. “Now I know why you said this has nothing to do with you, Mac.”

Though they had twins in their family, none in their branch for generations. Far enough back it probably didn’t count.

But Sidney was a twin, and unfortunately her twin sister died when they were kids.

“I had something to do with it,” Mac said, grinning. “But now Sidney is going to have all sorts of ideas for her books.”

Sidney was a popular children’s author and illustrator. She used to be a bartender and that was how Mac and she met, but after Jace was born, she quit and focused on her writing and drawing.

To the best of his knowledge, his sister-in-law was killing it and working herownhours.

In hiseyes,you couldn’t ask for much more than that in life.

“I’ll just have to find the time,” Sidney said.

“You know I’ll love to help you out with the babies and give you some time to get work done.”

His mother did that when Jace was just a baby. Going over several times a week and watching Jace, or his nephew coming here to spend time with his grandparents.

He’d watched Jace a time or two but not often. He just worked too much or could get called out.

“I’ll need the help,” Sidney said. “The biggest problem is the house. No way it’s big enough.”

“I’ve got a call into Drew to see if he knows of anything coming on the market or someone looking to move something. I think my house will go fast. It’s a good starter home. Finding something bigger that I can afford will be harder.”

“I told you we can get a fixer,” Sidney said. “We know we’ll have to.”

“Like you want to be in construction with kids underfoot,” Mac said.

“If you find something before the babies are born, I’ll help out,” his father said. “Gives me something to do.”

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