Page 158 of As The Shifter World Turns

“Try these curry puffs,” Neil told me.

I glanced over my shoulder. “Should we be talking about food and enjoying it when Archer has just scattered his dad’s ashes?”

“I can’t tell you how to feel or what to do, and we’ll always be sad when someone dies, but perhaps if we accept death as part of life, and understand that laughing at funny things the dead person said or did or eating food they enjoyed isn’t being disrespectful.”

“Is all of this food that George loved?” I peered at the curry puffs, brownies, mac and cheese, pizza, green chicken curry. And toffee apples. “I just thought Micah was overcome with grief and ordered a weird selection of food.”

Neil nodded. “There are different ways of grieving and celebrating life, and everyone has to do what’s right for them. But enjoying food that made George happy seems like a great way to do it.”

He was right. “Wanna hand me a curry puff. I haven’t eaten one since I was a kid.”

Later, as Ryder drove us home, I said, “We should make an appointment with a lawyer and have them draw up a will.”

“I think that’s an excellent idea.”

“And I’ll ask Neil, Archer and Daire if they’ll be the baby’s guardians. Unless you have someone else in mind.”

“I’m okay with that.”

My wish as a parent was to protect our child and I had to look into the future and face something that was painful. But once it was done, I could take comfort in knowing we’d done everything we could to safeguard our little one.

64

OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES

Ryder

“Morning, mate.” I loved the sound of that. I was pretty sure it would never get old. I had a sickeningly sweet habit of calling him that as often as possible and I wasn’t even close to sorry. It made me happy and from the look in his eyes most of the time, it made him happy too. Of course now, his eyes were closed and all I could see was his mouth curling up into a sleepy smile.

“I made you waffles,” I offered by way of temptation. If he didn’t need to be somewhere later that morning, I’d have let him sleep the day away. Heck, I’d have encouraged him to, but he had to work—which was one of the things I’d been meaning to talk to him about since we mated. “Really yummy waffles.”

Ivor’s morning sickness was getting better but it wasn’t great. Some days he was fine, like when he ate curry puffs, and other days he puked. Eating before he got out of bed seemed to help and it was something I could easily provide. I’d rather take his pukiness from him, but that wasn’t a thing that could happen, so waffles it was.

“Waffles?” He smiled sleepily and pushed himself up to sit. “You don’t have to do this, you know. I can just keep crackers by the bed. That’s what the book said.”

“The book was looking for simple solutions, not the best ones.”

“And waffles are the best?” He covered my arm with his hand.

“Mine are.” They were from a box mix, but they still were fabulous. I gave the old waffle iron I found at a yard sale the credit for their amazingness. It was probably older than me and weighed a ton. Loved it.

“True.” He took the tray I offered him. “I put butter on them butI can get syrup or something if you want.” He always wanted just butter, but being pregnant who knew. He might want pickles on it or something weird.

“Butter is perfect. Sit with me?” Things were still not super smooth with us but they had improved and this meant a ton to me. Proof we were going to be okay… for real.

“Let me grab mine.” I jogged out to the kitchen and grabbed my plate of now tepid, lopsided waffles. The test one always ended up like that.

Once back in the bedroom, I sat beside him.

“I was wondering something,” I started just as he filled his mouth because I was a chicken and wanted him to think it through before he answered. This was really important to me for some reason and I wanted the answer to be in the affirmative. Would I press him if it was not? Absolutely no, but I’d be disappointed, that was for sure.

“How do you feel about coming back to work with me after the baby is born? You could work from home and not have the stress of childcare and all that.” It sounded less crappy when I practiced it in my head. “I mean we wouldn’t… I mean I’ll eat now.”

I shoved a forkful of waffle into my mouth waiting for him to respond and being flustered because he did what I wanted him to and thought first.

“I like my job. They offered me a better health insurance plan with no deductible. I love the flexibility—they even said I could work from home most of the week after the baby comes. It’s a good job, Ryder. I lucked out with it.” He had so many solid reasons. But still… it felt like more than that.

“I can give you all of that too,” I countered, although not the deductible insurance part. I would need to look into it more. But I’d find a way.

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