Page 49 of Stripping Keys
Finally, Anna places a hand on her husband’s and smiles. “It’s over. We can drop it and be grateful it’s done. My children are all getting along on this, so leave it be, Michael.”
Grandma Ryan points a finger at all of us and huffs. “No cookies for you all for a month.” She then points a finger at Marshall, West, Griz, and me. “As for you four, I expect you at my house tomorrow morning. My gutters need to be taken care of, and I’ve got some things out at the barn that need handling. Be there bright and early.”
The four of us all look at her for a moment, then at each other. I give them a shrug and turn to her. “We’ll be there.”
“Good, now, let’s order dinner, I’m starving.” The old woman leans back in her seat, and the conversation about what Marla did was over. Talk switched to dinner and what everyone wanted.
The only thing left to deal with was West. Or maybe not, considering it was done and over with. It didn’t matter. If he tried, I’d tell him to drop it. My woman knew the score if something were to happen again.
Leaning back in my seat, my woman in my arms, I couldn’t help feeling better than I ever have before. There’s been a lot in my life I thought I’d never have, her being one of them.
Stripping away the past, it’s given me one hell of a future. One that I get to have with the woman who I’ve wanted since the first time I heard her voice. The past would no longer be a part of me or her. It’s not needed. It doesn’t exist for either of us.
Marla had my heart, and I had hers. It didn’t matter if words were spoken or not. We both knew the truth. Actions always speak louder than any simple three-word sentence ever could.
EPILOGUE
MARLA
TWO YEARS LATER . . .
“That’s it, baby, you got this,” Keys says, brushing hair out of my face.
“Shut up before I kill you,” I snap, squeezing the hand in mine tighter and pushing.
“I told you that she wasn’t going to be happy not to have the epidural,” Marley says from my other side. “She doesn’t do pain well.”
“Oh shut up,” I tell her and squeeze her hand as well.
The two of them were helping me through this, and no one else. Well, except for the doctor between my legs.
“Come on, Marla, with this next contraction, I want you to push as hard as you can, your baby is almost here,” the doctor says calmly.
On the next contraction, I do as she says. It hurts. Sweat coated my face, mixing with the tears from the pain. Marley wasright, I don’t do well with pain. But I didn’t want to have the epidural. I wanted to do this naturally.
I wanted to change my mind, but I made Keys swear to me he wouldn’t let me. Dumb move on my part.
Moments later, the nurse places a little baby on my chest. “Congratulations, you have little . . .”
Another contraction hits me, and I feel the need to push all over again.
“Oh my, looks like we have a surprise in here,” the doctor says. “Sorry, Marla, but gonna need you to push again.”
The nurse takes the baby from my chest, and Marley lets my hand go to follow her while Keys and the doctor coach me through pushing through the contraction.
“That’s it, baby, you got this,” Keys says, kissing the top of my head.
Relief fills me when the room is filled with the sounds of baby cries. Both babies.
“Congratulations, Marla, you have twin boys.”
Twins.
Boys.
I’d gone through my whole pregnancy thinking I’d have just one baby, instead, there were two.
After the doctor finishes with me, she leaves the room.
