Blood in the Water

Epilogue

"Catch Daddy," Colter yelled.
Connor caught the football.

      Connor and Jackson were playing football with the boys. Lydia and I were sitting on my screened-in porch, examining the mountains. Parklynn was napping in my arms. Lydia was holding her baby Karsyn.

"These girls are going to be just like us. They'll have each other and then there will be all of the other boys," Lydia said.
"I still can't believe Lucas and Xana had twins," I said.
"Me neither. The dynamics are going to be so similar."

    I heard a knock on the door. I answered. Lucas and his wife, Xana were standing in the doorway.

"Come on in," I said.

      I was still grasping Parklynn. They had their boys in their arms. They were only a few months younger than our girls. Drew arrived next. Vera and him strolled through the door with their baby, Reece. It's crazy how it feels like we were all just kids yesterday, but we're the ones having kids now. Connor and Jackson finished grilling.

"We can go lay the babies down for a nap so we can eat," I said.
We all agreed.

    I brought them to the nursery and we laid the 5 babies side by side in the crib. I got a picture of them. I couldn't imagine anything more adorable. Connor and Jackson came in with the older boys and the burgers. We got the kid's food ready first.

"Shoot we don't have ketchup," I said.
"Oh it's fine we do," Lydia said.

     She walked next door and grabbed theirs. Yes, Lydia and Jackson live next door. We all caught up while eating Jackson's famous smash burgers. The other boys don't live far, but it's hard to get everyone together now that we all have kids. Lydia is over every day, but I think it's important to have the entire group together very often.

    After dinner, I started doing the dishes. We watched the sun go down and then Vera and Drew decided it was time to go. They headed out so Lucas and Xana felt like they should too. I watched them both drive away. Lydia helped me finish the dishes.

"Jackson and Maddox it's time to go home, I have a client at 8 am," she yelled into the backyard.

     I still couldn't believe she was a hairstylist. She was so good at doing my hair in high school, it just made sense.

"See you tomorrow," I said.
She winked as her boys followed her out. Connor and Colter pursued them inside.
"It's time for you to go to sleep Colt," I told him. "Mommy noooo," he begged.
"I'll tell you a story," Connor informed him.
"I love your stories, Daddy."
"Well, you better go get ready because the faster you do the longer of a story you get."
Colter ran to go get his PJs on.

     Connor kissed me on the forehead.

"Is Parklynn asleep?" He asked.
"Yeah she was out like a light," I replied.
"Well I need to go tell Colt my story," he said. "I'll come with. I like your stories too," I winked.

      Colter was already in bed when we looked in there. We sat in the chairs next to his bed.

    "Once upon a time your mommy and I were surfing together with Aunt Lydia and Uncle Jackson when a shark came out of nowhere and got mommy's leg. Your Mom was so brave and swam to shore. I fought off the shark with my bare hands. Aunt Lydia called for help and your mom was taken away in an ambulance. She was crying out for me so I went with her. That's why one of her legs is fake," Connor told him.
Colter was staring at us with his mouth wide open.

"Whoa Mommy that's crazy," he said.
"Yeah, buddy. Your Dad saved me."
"Okay lights out," Connor said.

     He flipped off the lights and we both kissed Connor before going back to our room.

"You saved mommy huh?" I asked.
He laughed.

     We got into our pajamas and went to sleep before Parklynn could wake us up. We both had work early in the morning so we needed every second we could acquire. I finally got my full E.R. Nurse license after years of school. Our income is going to be so much better now that I'm not an intern. Not that we don't have money, Connor is a criminal lawyer. I think we did pretty well for ourselves.

"Goodnight baby," he said.