The Scars That Make Us (Second Generation Book 3)

Chapter 36

JACE

Lacey Sloane Copeland was birth at 11:22 am coming in at 8lbs 8ozs and 21.5 inches long. She’s got her daddy’s serious-looking eyes, but her mama’s cute little cupid bow lips and so far she’s as bald as the day is new. But she’s beautiful, and something beyond words is happening as I look across the room and see my wife holding our niece, swaddled in a big purple blanket.

Harlow had a difficult time with Lacey’s birth and it was a little stressful for a few days. She felt well enough for us to go see her once she was done in recovery, but then that night she started to get sick and her blood pressure dropped super low. Turns out they needed to open her back up and then do a blood transfusion. It meant her staying almost a week in the hospital. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen Lyle so stressed out and worried and that guy had been through some shit in his life.

Lacey is two weeks old now and looking at Harlow, you wouldn’t know any different. She’s got her color back, she’s laughing with the girls, and she’s even yelling at Lyle when he tries to help her out too much. Our women are all so damn stubborn, but then again we’re a bunch of mules ourselves, so of course, we didn’t pick the weak ones.

With two new babies, family dinners have become more passing the baby and cooing at Vivienne and Lacey rather than eating and being loud around the table. Peyton is loving the babies too. She is still working on gentle, but Miles and Ember have successfully prevented her from full out throwing toys at the two babies so far.

“You seem deep in thought over here, son,” My mom takes a seat next to me, handing me one of the cherry cookies that Grandma made for dessert. She looks across at the girls and then back at me.

“Just thinking about how different things are. I remember how things changed once my aunts started having babies and it feels like we’re back there, ya know?” It’s different around here in just the last two months. A good different though.”

“I agree. I love seeing this happen though. I love our family growing, even if in some cases it is happening in a way that we weren’t really planned for.”

“Which one of us are you talking about, mama?”

Mom laughs, “Frankly the only one that didn’t come as a total shock was Harlow and Lyle. Geez, the rest of you are just off doing all this crazy shit and coming to us after the fact with your marriages and your babies. I’m sometimes afraid to open up door number 4 with your brother.”

“If it makes you feel any better, I’m not sure Deacon is planning on surprising you with anything.”

“I’m not sure about that. At this point, if he got his head out of his ass with Stef, I WOULD be surprised.”

I tip my cookie up to my mom as if it were a bottle of beer. “Good point.”

“Oh, looks like the baby might be free, I’m going to get myself some cuddles.” I look over and see that Catarina gave Lacey back to Harlow and she’s headed my way. Her and my mom exchange a small conversation as they pass each other. I reach out and grab Cat’s hands and pull her down onto my lap, placing my hands over her stomach.

“Your mom said that when our baby is born she gets first dibs on all baby cuddles and will swoop in and steal him or her from whoever is currently holding the baby.”

“I’m going to hold her to that if we need a few hours for a break.” I kiss the back of Catarina’s neck and feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand up with a shiver. “How is Harlow feeling?”

“She’s doing good. She said between Lyle, Brooke, and Tracy, she’s been spoiled like made crazy. Lyle still gets pissy anytime she tries to walk down the stairs by herself.”