Page 121 of Stables

“Uppie, daddy.” Paisley appears next to my leg, rubbing her bleary eyes beneath her wild hair.

“Hi, princess.” I pull her onto my knee so we can both watch the celebrations. “Did you sleep okay?”

Her red cheeks bob as she nods. “Mommy’s happy?”

Char’s face glows as her hands move animatedly in her conversation. It’s as if the sun itself shifted its alignment to highlight her in the window.

Like an angel in an aura from heaven.

“Yes, baby girl. Mommy’s happy.” I let my arm drape across her lap as we both watch Char.

It makes my chest hurt how deeply I can love that woman.

I never thought it was possible to find someone who I could care about so deeply.

With a tiny sigh, Paisley drops her head against my arm. “Good. She’s my favorite person.”

I fight down a chuckle. “Mine, too.”

Paisley’s head whips around and her little eyes narrow, her pink lips purse. After staring at me for a long moment, her features soften. “Okay, I’ll share.”

I have to bite the inside of my mouth to keep from laughing. “That’s very kind of you. We can both love her. Your mommy deserves it all.”

With a much more dramatic sigh, she drops her forehead back to my arm. “Yea, she does.”

She relaxes against me. I wonder if she’s dozing back off until her voice muffles against my sleeve. “I’m hungry.”

“I figured.” Standing, I pack her into the kitchen and find the fruit bowl. “Banana or apple?”

“‘Nana, please.” Her grabby hands reach out before I’ve finished peeling it to break the top off.

Some makes it onto my collar, some into her mouth. But she seems content.

Her toes dig into my belly when she starts to wiggle. “Down?”

Like a sprinter, she runs across the floor to the toybox that seems to have found a permanent home near Caesar's bed.

With all these little kids, it might be an idea to build a playroom or two.

Mason joins me at the table, still holding Jack who’s fallen asleep on his shoulder.

“You got some catching up to do.” He winks at me.

I surrender. “Yea, yea. I’m a late bloomer. But I’m doing my best.”

“You know—” Mason pauses to take a sip of coffee. “—your kids are gonna be hell on her if they have your noggin.” He laughs as he sets down his cup.

“Definitely a problem you didn’t have to worry about.” I tease him back.

I didn’t know how much I missed spending time around my family until I saw them in a new light.

Mason has his shit figured out, and his priorities straight.

I really am the one lagging behind. But I’m on the right course now.

“So, back to this shit.” He waves his hands over the map and papers. “Vet said it was lutalyse contamination. I was hoping it was some sort of bug. She seems to think it’s diluted by now, there weren’t any traces in this pond.”

“That causes them to abort. Who the hell would do that?” My mood shifts dark quickly.

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