Page 49 of Abundant Moon
“Robyn, you must come and see the twins. Please – before you go.”
She moved to stand behind the loveseat, looking over their shoulders. Both babies were darker-skinned than William but lighter than Jack, with black hair and eyes. They did indeed look like twins, though she suspected their individuality would increase as they grew. Marie’s nose looked more like Robyn’s than either of her fathers, and Kiah’s oval face definitely favored her as well. They were beautiful children and while Robyn admired them, they did not tug at her heartstrings as she’d feared earlier.
Both men stood as she moved away from the couch to pick up the carryall with her things and head for the door. After donning hat and coat, she turned to say goodbye. She kissed the top of each infant’s head and accepted a one-arm hug from each of her former mates.
“It may feel funny between us for a while, but you know I love you both. Take care of those precious little ones – they’re beautiful. Congratulations, dads. It’s going to be a whole new world!”
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LATER THAT WEEK
Jack and William loved feeding time as much as the babies did. Necessity turned into a soothing ritual, interrupted only by sucking noises and occasional burps – usually ending with a diaper change and a two to three hour nap. The couple quickly learned to utilize those valuable hours of peace to accomplish everyday chores without interruption. Cooking, bathing, laundry, extra sleep, and intimacy were all squeezed into those islands of calm before the storm. Once the babies were awake, there were few opportunities to get much done.
The normal feeding routine involved switching infants after the first burping, allowing them to get used to both their fathers. They did the same with bathing, dressing, diaper changes or even snuggling. By the time the twins were mobile and talking, they would clearly understand the dads didn’t play favorites, and dealing with one the same as dealing with the other. Jack insisted this was especially important for Kiah’s sake. As an Alpha, he would be looking for any exploitable weakness in the parental units, and William tended to be a softie.
With full tummies and dry diapers, the pups were put down for a nap. For now, the crib sat in a corner of the master bedroom, surrounded by a folding room divider. At this age, the babies didn’t understand what their dads were doing in bed, but it made William self-conscious to think the little ones were watching them. When it truly became a problem, Marie and Kiah would be moved into the spare room and given their own beds.
Though chores awaited, the randy couple shucked their clothes in haste. Squeezing a little lovemaking in now made it easier to face the messy kitchen and mounds of dirty laundry later. Jack didn’t argue, and without a word, grabbed the lube. So far, parenting had proved to be a daunting task; entirely opposite of the quiet retirement they’d once envisioned. If a disheveled home, lack of sleep, and on-the-fly intimacy became the price of having a family, well, they’d pay it – and treasure every minute.
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GLADSTONE’S WATERFRONT, early April
A silver SUV pulled up to the front entrance of the Delta Avenue Apartments and slowed to a stop. Inside, Dominic Bluett leaned over to give his Aunt Carol Jo a hug and kiss her cheek.
“Thank you for supper. I enjoyed catching up.”
Carol Jo gave him a dazzling smile.
“You’re welcome sweetie! It’s been tough getting together this winter, but I promise we’ll do it more often. Your Uncle Larry wants to practice his grilling skills on you once the weather gets a bit warmer.”
Dominic bit his lower lip and gave her the side-eye.
“Should I be afraid?”
Carol Jo laughed, slapping the steering wheel.
“No, Dom. He’s actually a good cook – for a man. He just has some new recipes to try, and you’re the guinea pig.”
Dominic relaxed and smiled.
“All right. As long as he isn’tcookingguinea pigs, I’ll give it a go. Thanks again for supper!”
Dominic exited the vehicle and waved as Carol Jo pulled away. She’d been good to him since he moved to Gladstone, despite his checkered past, and his efforts to start a new life after prison were starting to pay off. Unfortunately, those improvements did not include his current domicile. With the rickety old elevator out of order, again, he used the stairs to reach his fifth floor apartment.
Winded at the top, he unlocked the door and stepped inside. It looked much better in here now than when he’d first arrived last fall. The landlord refused to spend a dime, but gave him permission to fix the entry door, paint the walls, and hang curtains. The carpet remained worn and stained with use, a putrid gray-green which Dominic covered with area rugs from the thrift store. To make it more homey, he hung some wall art, scattered a few bright pillows and knickknacks, and added several potted plants. Not a bad transformation if you asked him.
His Aunt Carol Jo promised to find him something better, but apartments were scarce in town - leaving this place the only option. He still loved the tall windows and gorgeous view of Little Bay de Noc – including the heavily forested land beyond. It was owned by a strange group of people who established a nature preserve, living in underground houses. Some of his customers at the grocery store had worked on the property in the last few years, and declared it beautiful, well-kept, and inhabited by friendly folks.
Though the locals usually referred to it as “the commune”, it didn’t seem to fit the definition. Others claimed it was a nudist colony or some nutty religious group who wanted to avoid society. While Dominic didn’t buy any of those theories, he did believe strange things happened over there based on his own personal observations. He’d been keeping a journal detailing numerous sightings over the last six months, aided by his binoculars. Unless he’d totally lost his mind, those people turned themselves into wolves and back again in seconds.
Yes, it sounded crazy, but he’d seen it more than once with his own eyes! If some popular books and movies were to be believed, beings like this were called shape shifters – yet no one actually thought they werereal. Dominic didn’t want to broach the subject with people who knew him, lest he be locked up again.
The internet provided the safest way to explore the idea, so he’d established an anonymous blog called Strange Things to see if anyone else out there agreed with him. Most likely, nothing would ever come of it, but maybe someone else knew more than he did. As long as his true identity remained hidden, what harm could it do?
