Page 55 of Indirect Attack
“Yeah, she is,” I chuckled.
With Tri and Ashley’s two little ones and Herman and Scarlett’s twin toddlers, our mom had found a new passion. And with everyone home for the Fourth of July, she was happier than I’d seen her in a long time.
“You guys ready?” Herman crouched down by another firework, waiting until the mothers corralled the kids to light it. It shot into the sky with a whistle, then exploded in a shower of multicolored sparkles. Kids and adults alike cheered.
“Do you think the animals will be okay?” Jasmine leaned over and murmured the question in my ear.
“They’ll be fine.”
I’d been listening but hadn’t heard a peep from our two cows, the goats, the chickens, ducks, or the horse. And the dogs were running after the kids, barking with wild glee.
When we’d invited everyone over to the farm for the celebration, we weren’t sure how it would all work out. But everything had gone perfectly, from the food to the music to the fireworks to the entire family gathered around the table for the first time since our wedding.
Even my father seemed happy, sitting in a lawn chair with his beer and talking with my father-in-law. My mother-in-law chatted with Rosa, Sam’s wife, who was home from one of her far-flung posts with Doctors Without Borders.
“Aside from the worry about the animals, how are you doing?”
I wrapped my hand around Jasmine’s and brought her hand up to my lips so I could kiss it. Even in the dark, I could see her pleased blush.
“I’m fine,” she said, then gave me a small, reassuring smile. “Really. I’m a little tired but having a great time. It’s so nice having everyone here.”
Kissing her hand again, I gave it another squeeze. “You think it’s time?”
Jasmine paused for an uncertain second, then nodded. “Yeah.”
I flashed her a grin, then pushed to my feet, flipping through my phone to pause the music. The lack of sound grabbed everyone’s attention as I’d hoped, and gradually the talking and noise died away.
“So,” I started, glancing around at my family. “We’re happy everyone can be here—”
“Wouldn’t miss seeing my little brother as Farmer John,” Herman quipped, only to be shushed by Scarlett. I glanced at Jasmine, and she giggled.
“—Anyway, we’re glad everyone can be here, especially since we have an announcement to make.” I reached out my hand and pulled Jasmine to her feet to hook her around the shoulders and pull her into my side. “Do you want to tell them?”
Jasmine’s smile grew. “We’re pregnant!”
Delighted gasps and cries of happiness met Jasmine’s announcement, and we were both suddenly engulfed in arms and well wishes. When I could escape, I pulled out the bottle of champagne I’d saved for a toast and poured orange juice for Jasmine and the kids. My father even offered me a cigar, something he’d never done before. We partied and danced until the adults, not to mention the kids, were fading, promising to have a late brunch in the morning at my parents’ house.
Before they left, as I started to clean up, I saw Jasmine’s parents talking with her. They looked like they were over-the-moon with happiness, her mother giving more hugs and kisses, then putting a hand on her daughter’s belly for a moment. There were tears in her eyes as she gave me a goodbye hug, and my father-in-law opted for a hug himself instead of his usual handshake.
“They seemed happy,” I said, carrying another tray of food into the kitchen.
Two years, a lot of back-breaking work, and a surprising amount of help from my retired father, and the house was finally what we’d dreamed about. We had made the kitchen larger, taking it down to the studs before building it back up. Now it was one of Jasmine’s favorite places in the house.
What we had now was a real home, a base from which Jasmine could return after her digs or simply a day of teaching. I had a place I could use my hands and tend to the animals andan art studio in the barn loft I’d always wanted. It was a place I could seek refuge when my combat memories grew too much. It was everything I’d wanted and dreamed about, but even more, because this was real life. Of course, every moment wasn’t wedded bliss, but that was part of what made it beautiful—all the real moments as we built a life together.
And now we were building another life together. Soon, we would have our own toys on the front lawn, and life would change, and it would be that much more beautiful.
Jasmine and I cleaned up what we could, left what could stay, and made our way back inside to the dark, quiet house. As much as I loved having my family around, to say they were raucous was to understate what it was like to be with the entire Rusev clan. The midnight silence was welcomed and peaceful.
“I’m going to make a last check on the animals.”
Jasmine nodded and gave me a peck on the cheek before heading to our room.
When I’d seen every animal settled and safe with no lasting problems from the noises of the night, the guardian dogs on the prowl, I called the other two dogs and headed inside. After chasing the kids all night, the mutts immediately headed to their own beds. But I padded to the bathroom.
The master bedroom and bathroom were two other rooms that had received heavy alterations—we had enlarged both, added larger windows to bring in more light, made a walk-in closet, and updated the entire thing. I’d also created a bathroom that was magazine-worthy as a wedding gift while Jasmine had been away on a dig. My goal had been to surprise her with it when she’d come home, and to say she’d been ecstatic would be an understatement.
I found her in the soaking tub, her favorite part of the bathroom renovation. She’d spent a lot of time there, soakingaway the morning—and afternoon, and evening—sickness that had dogged her through the never-ending first trimester.
