Page 41 of Decoded
“She took off when Charlie was born. When they were discharged from the hospital, Lincoln was prepared to take them both to his place, but she insisted on driving her car. Nicole said she’d meet him and Charlie there, but she never showed up. He was a mess, worried she had wrecked, or something awful had happened to her. She finally texted him the next day and said she just wasn’t ready to be a mom, but knew he’d be a great dad.” Keaton looks over at me. “He is, you know? He loves her so much and I know if I’m ever lucky enough to have a child of my own, Linc will give me the best advice.”
Seeing how much Keaton cares for his family makes me love him that much more. My voice is quiet. “So, you want kids?”
He chuckles lightly. “I know it’s something people usually talk about before they get married, but yeah, I really do. I turned forty this year, so I’d like to start sooner rather than later, but I’d wait if you weren’t ready yet, Anna. And if you decide that’s not something you want, I’d respect that, too.”
My heart is pounding in my chest as I realize what this beautiful man just confessed. “You want kids withme?”
“I want everything with you, Anna.” He leans over and places the softest kiss on my lips. It isn't enough, so I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him closer, strengthening the kiss between us until he pulls back and lets out a laugh.
“As much as I would love to start on the baby making, Baby, can we maybe not do it in the car right outside my mom’s house?” I let out a laugh and allow him to escape my hold. Then we head inside so I can meet the first woman he ever loved.
Chapter twenty-nine
Keaton
N
erves build in my gut, knowing I’m about to have the two most important women in my life meet one another. I just hope my mom is the incredible woman I got to grow up with and not the shell of the broken one we’ve had these past several years.
While I was initially furious with my brother for barging into my house and seeing parts of my wife no other man should ever see, I couldn’t blame him after I heard what was going on.
“She won’t get out of bed, Keat. She’s soiled herself multiple times these past few days because she refuses to move. She won’t talk to me. She won’t even talk to Charlie. I clean her up. I feed her. And I’m tired. I’m so fucking tired. But I do it anyway because I can’t lose her. We can’t lose her, Keat.”
He may be a complete ass most of the time, but I admire the hell out of my brother. Lincoln moved back into our childhood home the same month that Nicole had skipped out. At first Mama was amazing. We still couldn’t get her to leave the house, but she took care of Charlie when Lincoln had to work and madesure he knew how to be the best father. Things were great for a long while, but when Charlie started Kindergarten this past year, Mama took a turn for the worse. It’s been hell on all of us, but Lincoln bears the brunt of it.
I realize it isn’t fair to let Anna walk in without knowing what she might see on the other side of those big double doors. “Anna,” I begin to warn her as we step up on the large wraparound porch, but I don’t have the chance to give her a heads-up thanks to the tiny spitfire who has now joined us.
“It’s about time you show up. You’re old and slow.” Charlie quips and I can’t help but smile at my filter-lacking niece.
“Charlene Elizabeth Fisher,” Lincoln bellows from inside the house. “Don’t be fucking rude.”
“Ooo you just got full-named, Pipsqueak.” I snatch her up and dangle her in my arms, holding her upside down. “You better behave. In fact, you should be extra nice to Anna because she’s extra special.” I smile over at Anna, and she looks at me curiously.
Charlie squirms in my arms, but her giggles let me know she loves our interaction. “What makes her extra special?”
“Well, you see, Pip, Anna is my wife.” I look between my two girls as both of their jaws drop. Charlie shocks me with a hell of a lift to right herself and then demands I let her go. She runs off to the kitchen hollering out for her dad, no doubt giving him the news I just dropped on her. Secret keeping isn’t a strong suit of hers.
“Keaton,” Anna hisses, “you really think this is the time to announce to your family that we’re actually married?” She looks so cute with her brows furrowed and her I can’t help but give her scrunched up nose a kiss.
“I think it’s the perfect time. I want everyone to know who you are to me, Anna.”
“Well, I personally think the timing is a bit late.” I turn and can’t help but feel my face light up as I take in my mother. Today is a good day.
She’s not only gotten herself out of bed, but she’s showered and done her hair and makeup. She’s wearing white pants with a hot pink top and her signature earrings she always used to wear. It was always a highlight of our day growing up to see which pair Mama chose for the day. Today she went with a pair of sparkly flamingos.
“Mama, I want you to meet Anna Keith, my wife. Anna, this is my mom, Sharon.”
“Keith?” She raises her eyebrows and looks between the two of us. “You kept your last name?”
“Oh, it’s just,” Anna stumbles over her words, “you see, we didn’t really plan on getting married and so, well, I just didn’t, I mean, I haven’t…”
Mama smiles at Anna and goes over to embrace her in a hug. “You have every right to keep your name as it is, take his, or change it to something like Glitter Shimmertits. I was just teasing you a bit to properly welcome you into this family.” Mama steps back from the hug and loops her arm with Anna’s. “Now, come sit down with me and let’s chat long enough to make my son squirm.”
Anna smiles over at me and then follows the woman who raised me into the living room.
Nothing good can come from the two of them talking about my childhood, but I decide it’s best to leave the two of them to chat and get to know one another. I go off to the kitchen, finding my brother making burger patties. I head over to the sink to wash up and help him. “Mama looks good.”
Lincoln nods, “When I came back home, I walked into her room, and she looked like she was on her deathbed. About made a call to the damn coroner. I told her you and Cam weregonna come over for dinner and she didn’t move or open her eyes. Nothing. But then I mentioned you were bringing a woman along. She blinked up at me but didn’t speak. So, I added the little fact that you had gotten married out in Vegas to this woman, and I couldn’t cover my ears in time for the shriek that woman let out. I don’t know where her strength came from, but she pushed me off the damn bed and told me to get the hell out of her room so she could get ready to meet her daughter-in-law.”
