Page 28 of The Griffin, the Tiger, and Their House Cat Omega

“I-I think that’s for the grown-ups to decide,” Matthew hedged.

“Fine. But just so you know, there’s lots of space in my room. I can share.”

“Good to know,” I murmured.

Later that night, after she was in bed, Matthew asked, “Do you think… Do you think it’s time?”

“That’s up to you,” Allen said, scooping him up onto his lap. “It’s your body. You get to decide.”

“But do you both want to have more babies.”

“Heck yeah,” I said a little too loudly.

“Very much so.”

Matthew took a deep breath. “Then…I think I want to go off my birth control and see what happens.”

Allen grinned, still holding him. “I think we should go see what happens now.”

Matthew giggled. “It…it doesn’t work that way.”

“Who says it doesn’t?” Allen teased, walking toward the bedroom.

And I followed—right behind.

Chapter Eighteen

Matthew

We didn’t have to try long. My mates were the most efficient babymakers on the face of the earth, and a week after I went off my birth control I suspected that we’d succeeded in our quest, but I still wanted to wait a little bit longer to be sure. Many people had the custom of not saying anything outside the family until the first trimester passed, since that was when there was the greatest danger of losing a pregnancy, but I wasn’t saying anything to anyone, not even my mates for at least a couple of weeks.

In fact, I didn’t even take a test for that length of time. House cat shifters had an especially high miscarriage rate, and I didn’t want to say anything if there was a change the baby might not make it. I got up every morning and went to work then came home and had dinner with my mates, my secret burning inside me. I told myself it was for their benefit and that since I hadn’t used the test that I’d bought and hidden in the bathroom drawer I didn’t even know for sure whether I was pregnant.

But as the days passed, a gut feeling became an upset stomach and my doubts faded into certainty. Work was extra busy at this time of year with all the tourism and we were picking up new accounts it seemed like every day, The Animals contracts had been signed and Bob was very pleased with me about that to the point he insisted that I continue to handle that account myself along with continuing to set up new customers. I didn’t have any other active accounts, but I did have a lot of driving around to potential new customers, many of whom were clubs and bars who wanted me there late in the afternoon or evening, keeping me away from everyone else until well after Flora was in bed.

I hated that, wanting to spend more time with our sweet girl. Especially if she was going to have the sibling she had asked us for. She would be an only child with three adults completely focused on her for a limited time.

I kept putting off the test, telling myself it was still early and I could still lose the baby until one morning when I got up from the table at breakfast and darted into the bathroom. It was the first time that happened in front of anyone in this case River, since Allen was in the shower in the master bathroom.

River came in and found me hunched over the toilet, throwing up the little bit of oatmeal I’d managed to eat. He sat on the side of the tub and rubbed my back until I sat back on my heels and gave him what had to be the guiltiest look in history.

His gaze in return held a question. Or maybe he already knew.

“I-I think I need to take a pregnancy test.” I dropped my gaze to the floor.

“I didn’t think it was the oatmeal,” he said, handing me a wet washcloth.

“No.” I wiped my mouth with the cloth. “Your oatmeal was very good.” Unfortunately, the very mention of it had a terrible effect, and I was sick all over again. When I stopped, he eased me to my feet.

“I’ll go buy a test,” he said. “You go lie down.”

I reached down and opened the drawer, pulled out the box. “I have one.”

“Oh, mate, how long have you known?”

“I don’t know, officially. But I’ve been pretty sure for a couple of weeks.”

He studied me for a long moment. “Why don’t you do your thing with the stick and then come back to the living room and rest on the couch until I get back from dropping Flora off at school, and then we’ll all three talk about this okay?”

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