Page 124 of All I Need

The End

One month later

“I’VE NEVER BEEN SO TIRED in my life,” Ellie mumbles, flopping down on the couch face first. I’m not sure the last time she held a brush in her hands and by the look of her hair, it’s been a while. Still, she’s beautiful. A little smelly, but still beautiful.

I lift up baby Bryant’s tiny hand. “But I’m so cute in the middle of the night, Mommy,” I say in my best baby voice.

“Cute or not, Mama wants sleeeeeeeep,” she whines.

I place Bryant in his little bouncy chair just as Addi begins to stir, crying for the attention she loves to demand of me. Daddy’s girl already and I don’t give a shit. She has me so wrapped around her finger and even at only four weeks, the little stinker knows it.

She blinks up at me when I reach for her out of the swing she was just resting in. She sighs contentedly as soon as she’s in my arms.

Total Daddy’s girl.

Ellie rolls her head so she’s looking at me from her place on the couch. She’s wearing just a t-shirt, some fuzzy socks that go up to her shins. And that’s it. That’s all the energy she has in her to get dressed.

“You’re such a sucker. She was totally fine in the swing until you walked in and had to speak. Then she heard your voice and I’m pretty sure I saw her head perk up and she was all “oh, Daddy’s holding my brother and he should be holding me so I’ll squeak and he’ll jump.” Honestly, Walker. You’re so screwed.”

“I don’t mind,” I murmur, kissing my sweet baby angel on the head.

Brutus comes over, nudges his head into Ellie’s hand that’s dangling off the couch and licks it before moving over to sit next to Bryant, his best friend. From the minute we brought the babies home, Brutus claimed Bryant and Sadie, our new chocolate lab mix, claimed Addi. Both of them acting as their charge’s protector.

“Ellie girl, why don’t you go take a bath? Relax a little while. Both babies are fed. Changed. Happy. I’ve got this for a few hours. You need sleep.”

“So do you.”

“I’m Superman, didn’t you know?”

“Only Addi thinks that. Besides, I’ll probably fall asleep in the bath then I’ll drown and you’d be alone to raise these little trouble causers.”

I chuckle at her dramatics. “Fine. A shower, then.”

“I smell, don’t I?”

I lift my finger and thumb, spread out just a small space between. “Little bit,” I say, laughing.

She giggles then groans while rising up off the couch. “Alright, alright. I’m going. I might even shave.”

“Lucky me.”

“Mm hmm. Maybe if you play your cards right, you will get lucky.”

As she’s walking past, I tug on her arm, bringing her down to me. Addi coos from her place on my chest when I kiss her mom. “I’m gonna hold you to that.”

I once thought my life was perfect but then this crazy woman appeared on the side of the road and my life changed forever. Turns out, this, right here, this unexpected life that I’ve been given, is…

All I Need.

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