Page 83 of Beyond Oblivion

He pulled into our driveway and then squeezed my hand, putting the gear into Park. His eyes poured over me, half pleading, half hopeful. “So, does this mean we’re telling everyone?”

I nodded, feeling a surge of excitement wash over me. “Yes. I think it’s time.”

For a moment, Trenton didn’t say anything, and then he turned to face me fully, his eyes glistening with something deeper, something more vulnerable than I’d ever seen. He blinked once, twice, but a single tear slipped down his cheek, catching the glow of the corner streetlight.

“Baby,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. “This… this is everything I’ve ever wanted.”

I reached up, brushing the tear from his cheek, feeling my own eyes sting with the intensity of everything we’d been holding inside, even if it had been just a few days. I leaned over, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek, my hand lingering on his face as he turned to meet my gaze. “I know.” My voice was barely a whisper. “It’s everything I’ve ever wanted, too.”

The silence between us was thick, filled with everything we hadn’t yet put into words. All the plans we’d whispered about in quiet moments, the future we’d sketched in bits and pieces over the years, felt closer now, real and within reach. It was as if all those fragments were aligning, finally coming into focus, settling into something we could both feel. This was the life we’d been building toward, and in that quiet moment, it felt as solid as his hand in mine.

Chapter Twenty

Trenton

Dad’s house was alive with that wild, familiar Maddox energy, the kind that’s inevitable when we’re all crammed under one roof. It felt like someone had shaken up a can of chaos and popped the lid. Meanwhile, Abby was on high alert, doing her best impression of a zookeeper wrangling a pair of wild monkeys hopped up on the two pounds of sugar we’d all just consumed for dessert—the family favorite: Falyn’s famous Chocolate Lava Cake and ice cream. Travis was home with a fever, so she was relying on the rest of us to help her keep the twins—two tiny demolition experts in disguise—from laying waste to every fragile family relic in the room. Across from us, Taylor and Falyn were neck-deep in negotiations with Hadley and Hollis, who were locked in an intense game of Who Can Be Louder, which didnothelp the already ear-splitting noise levels.

And then there was Olive, our honorary Maddox, sandwiched between Camille and me, happily in her element. To her, this kind of domestic anarchy wasn’t just welcome; it was a refreshing contrast to a household ran by older parents hovering over an only child. Tyler and his wife, Ellison, were joining the madness from Colorado, their amused expressions pixelated on Hollis’s tablet, propped up at the head of the table like they were some kind of digital VIPs.

Dad was unfazed, more likebeyond thrilled, his eyes twinkling as he took in the commotion. Family gatherings were his version of pure bliss, and that afternoon was about to be even better than he could’ve imagined. Camille gave my hand a quick squeeze, her eyes darting around the room. She looked a little nervous but was trying to hide it behind a smile. I gave her a reassuring brush with my thumb and cleared my throat to get everyone’s attention.

Hey,” I called out, my voice carrying over the cacophony, and heads turned my way, curiosity written across every face. The room didn’t go silent exactly—this was a Maddox family gathering, after all, so there was still a hum of whispers and the occasional thud of a shoe on a sibling’s shin under the table—but the noise settled enough for me to feel like I could finally speak without shouting.

I held up my hand, trying to keep things light. “I know you’re all wondering why we called this family meeting. Thank you to Thomas and Liis for flying in on short notice and before Team Taylor had to head back home to Colorado, but trust me, it’s worth both the effort and the suspense.”

“Hey,” Tyler’s voice cut in from the tablet speaker. “Sorry we couldn’t make it work. If I wasn’t running this training, we’d be there.”

“Travis is sorry he couldn’t be here, too,” Abby said, trading glances with Thomas and Liis.

“We’re excited to hear whatever it is, though. He had to wait on me so we could listen together. Before Gavin, I would’ve driven here like I was racing Dale Earnhardt, Jr.,” Ellison teased.

“Well, that didn’t work out for him, so maybe slow it down, sis,” Dad said.

“She used to drive ninety everywhere she went, Dad,” Tyler said. “Gavin is the only reason she drives the speed limit now.”

“I feel like a grandma. But at least I don’t drive slow in the passing lane,” Ellison grumbled. “There is a special place in Hell for those people. Those without five-year-old passengers are trying to break the law for real. I used to be one of them.”

Dad laughed, his belly bouncing as he lifted his glasses to wipe his eyes.

“No worries,” I said. “Just glad the training finished by lunch so you could be here…ish. So, listen. For everyone’s sake, and Mom’s breakables, let’s all remain calm, m’kay? No running, no tackling, and, for the love of everything sacred, no accidental fires. This is a day for big news, not the day we break Dad’s Hummel figurines or, God forbid, one of Mom’s Waterford crystals.” I shot a look at Jessica and James, who suddenly looked suspiciously innocent.

A few chuckles rippled through the room, and Tyler and Ellison’s virtual faces leaned in closer from the tablet, eyebrows raised. Olive, always my sidekick, whispered in my ear, “If there’s a fire, I’m getting the marshmallows.”

I grinned and gave her a quick wink. “Only if you share.” I looked to my wife, gesturing for her to go next. “Honey, you do the honors.”

Camille took a breath, fidgeting. “Well, I don’t really know how this goes, so I’m just going to say it. I’ll just, uh… just going to be direct and blurt it out, okay?” She paused, looking down at her hand in mine. “Okay.” She looked up at everyone. “It’s really early, but we wanted you to know, to celebrate with you now just in case… you know… it changes.”

“No, we don’t know,” Abby said, looking utterly confused. “You’re not moving, are you?”

“You’re moving?” Dad asked, his face suddenly pale.

Olive’s expression matched his.

Thomas and Liis traded glances. No one was expecting what Camille was about to say, and that made me even more eager for her to say it. “Tell ’em, baby doll.”

“So,” Camille said, taking another breath. “We’re having a baby.”

For a beat, silence. And then the room erupted.

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