Motorcycle Girl: Book Two

Chapter 40: Coping

Almost an hour later, the doorbell rings.

Just as I start to get up, I hear the front door throw open.

"Opal!" I hear Matthew call.

I hear the sound of small hurried footsteps. I'm standing up now, and a very familiar girl with straight blonde hair and bright blue eyes runs into the breakfast area. She has on black leggings, boots, and a white sweater, a big bulge where her diaper rests. Her blue eyes are wide as she looks around, and then her eyes land on me.

"Uncle Nathan!" She squeals. She runs into the living room, launching herself into my arms. I catch her easily, smiling. "I missed you so much!" She throws her tiny arms around my neck and locks her little legs around me. I laugh and hug her back. Matthew comes into view.

"Sorry, I was going to wait at the door but she was so excited..." he trails off.

"It's okay." I say. Opal's sweater is cold and I feel her small hands press into the back of my neck and they're cold. "Did they come in?" I ask. He shakes his head. I set Opal down on the ground and walk out of the living room, down the hall to the front door. I pull it open.

They're all waiting.

"You guys can come in." I move so they can walk in, shutting the door behind Uncle Ryan.

"Aww! This is so cute!" Peyton says, feeling the railing to the stairs. She knocks on it. "Is this real wood?"

I nod. "All the wood in this house is real."

"Even the floors?"

"Even the floors." I nod. "Let's go, everyones in the living room."

"Isn't that the living room?" Aunt Clara asks, pointing to the room on the left.

"This house has three." I say, gesturing for them to follow me.

They all follow me down the hall to the living room. Odette is standing up now, talking to Opal.

"Can you feel the baby move?" Opal asks.

"Yes."

"Can the baby hear me?" She questions.

"Yes." Odette laughs.

"Does the baby know who I am?"

"Maybe." She smiles.

"When am I see my cousin?" She asks.

"In December, around the time Santa comes."

"Really? Santa is getting me a cousin for Christmas?! Mommy, did you hear Auntie? I get a whole living breathing cousin for Christmas!"

"I did hear that." Peyton smiles at Odette, who returns it and then frowns.

"You guys can put your jackets in the closet." She looks at me. "Nathan, go show them the closet."

It's not her being bossy either, it's just her being my wife.

I kiss her temple and walk them over to the closet so they can hang their coats.

They do, and then I walk them around the house.

"Formal living room, dining room, breakfast area, actual living room, lanai, kitchen, dining room again, bathroom, mud room, garage, study..." I walk them down to the basement. "There's a kitchen over there but there's no stove...there's a door to outside, a bathroom, and a bedroom."

I lead them upstairs and then back around to the top floor. "Bedroom...we painted the ceiling in here because it used to have blue splattered paint in here and it looked really stupid...there's another bedroom, another bedroom, bathroom, and then-" I open the door to the master. "Odette and I's room, and bathroom." I lead them into the bathroom. "And closet."