Page 41 of Daniil
We chuckle together, and for a moment, the worry lifts.
“He looks a lot like the twins did at this age,” Sandor comments quietly, staring down at my sleepy son.
“I can’t wait for you to meet the boys,” Lennox gushes.“They’re so damn cute.”
“I’m looking forward to it too.”
“Your suite is ready, with a crib and everything Micah will need.We have enough babies around for there to be plenty of things you can borrow while you’re here.”
“I appreciate that.”
We head to the elevator en masse, someone I don’t recognize carrying our luggage.I didn’t bring a lot, but babies are messy, and Micah often goes through five or six outfits in a day, depending on what we’re doing.
“You’re pregnant again,” I say softly, putting a hand on her protruding stomach.
She rolls her eyes.“Yes.Yes, I am.”Then she elbows her husband.
He grunts, though his eyes glitter with amusement.
“She’s mad because it’s another set of twins.”
“Another…” I gape at her.“Is that…normal?”
“Actually, yes.The chances of having a second set of twins goes up exponentially when you conceived the first naturally.”
“Oh, wow.”
“So, I figured I needed to just get it over with.”
“Four in… just over two years.”I grimace.“That’s a lot.”
“Yes.It is.”She gives Sandor the side eye.
“We have a nanny,” he says.“And we can get another.”
“It took youeight monthsto find a nanny we both liked and trusted,” she mutters.“How long will it take to find another?”
He shrugs.“We’ll see.”
They bicker playfully the whole way to my suite and then continue their banter as Daniil shows me around the room.
“It’s a suite with a bedroom that has a sitting area.We put the crib there, but if that doesn’t suit your needs then?—”
“It’s fine,” I interrupt quickly.“Everything looks good.”
“There’s a fridge and microwave so you can make Micah’s bottles and oatmeal.If you text me when you’re up, I can join you in the morning to help show you around and come up with a plan so you feel comfortable.”
“All right.Thank you.”I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to sleep here at the palace, but there’s no point in taking it out on him.I agreed to come, and he’s bent over backwards to make things easy on me.
“We’ll let you rest since it’s late,” Lennox says, “but text me tomorrow and I’ll come by.I’m working an early shift, so I’ll be free by three.”
“Thanks.”
There are a few instructions about locking up, using the key card, and a handful of other details I tune out, but within ten minutes Micah’s in his crib and I’m alone.
There’s a big bay window overlooking the city and I stand there, staring out at a landscape that’s fairly foreign to me.I’ve been here twice before but it feels different this time.Scarier.Less exotic and more dangerous.And I’m not sure why.I spent several years serving in the Middle East and never had this much anxiety.
Having a baby changes you, I realize.
