After a one-night stand I had three kids novel Chapter 196

Chapter 196

Knightly

“Sure,” Allison says, disappointedly.

“The man who raised me is native. For the first seventeen years of my life, I lived on a reservation. I had a friend. Her name was Lacy. She was the only girl who hung out with me at school. She was lovely. Brilliant. When the sunlight hit her brown eyes, it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. They shone like an amber crystal when you hold them up to the sun.

“When we were fourteen, Lacy went missing, like many, many other native girls. We looked everywhere. Law enforcement and everyone in the reservation who was capable scoured the woods, open fields, beach caverns, and areas known for bodies washing up.

“Her family fell apart. Her eldest brother hung himself in their backyard. Her mother was institutionalized because she grieved in the most painful kind of way. Her dad became a really bad drunk. We never heard from her again. We didn’t know what had happened or if she had run away. She was just gone as if she never existed, and no one gave a fuck.

“I dream about her all the time. Ayrie’s middle name is Lacy. That’s what the L initial is. A part of me knows she’s gone and that it wasn’t pleasant. A part of me wishes that she’s out there somewhere. Now that I know that vampires and werewolves exist, I’m hoping she was chosen to be something more.

“I will never get the chance to say goodbye or go to her grave to tell her all the cool shit she’s missing out on. She never got to meet my kids or leave the res the way we had planned. No one will ever see her designs on the runway. She wanted to incorporate our traditions into them.

“I could never, with good conscience, allow someone else to feel that pain. I can’t deny the families of the people who died at our hands here the chance to grieve their lost ones so that they can move on. I don’t want that feeling of not knowing how or why to harm them in a manner that isn’t fair.

“It was Eloise’s mistake that led them here. We shouldn’t harbor ill will toward those who didn’t get a say in the orders they were given. I know all about your traditions and that you’re hard–wired to stick to them. So am I, and I want you all to learn them just as I am learning yours. I think it’s a fair trade, all things considered.”

Allison looked like she had been prepared to argue over this some more, but she simply nods, looking almost ashamed that she never considered there would be a reason for her sending them back. I didn’t either. I just chalked it up to her being a fair person altogether.

Phoebe excuses them, and they leave without saying a word. That was true. The story wasn’t just something that she used to get her way. Her tone and the ache I feel in my chest are real. Not that I think she would make that up. There’s still so much I don’t know that makes Phoebe who she is. She finishes her tea and smiles sleepily at me.

I get up and scoop her to take her to bed. She doesn’t fight me or tell me to leave. I know she’s tired because I am too. I couldn’t sleep without her by my side last night, and I know she doesn’t like to sleep alone. I settle us in and dim the lights. For a moment, the two of us are completely silent until the door opens and Ayrie pokes her head in.

“Hello,” she whispers and waves at us. “We come in?”

“Yes, please,” Phoebe waves them in.

Melody and Ayrie come in. They shut the door behind them quietly before approaching the bed. It’s the cutest thing ever. Melody has been happy here. She doesn’t cause trouble. If anything, she keeps Ayrie out of it. Ayrie loves tutoring her, and they enjoy making a mess with their art.

“Mommy, are you okay?” Ayrie pats the bed.

“Come up here, both of you,” she taps the bed. The girls both giggle and climb onto the bed. “I’m okay. Midnight and I got a little angry with someone. I’m sorry that I scared you guys,” she pulls Melody closer because, as a pack wolf, Mel felt it just as severely as our son. “I’m sorry I woke you up.

“Issokay. Is the baby good too?” Melody asks, pointing at her belly. She then reaches into her pocket and offers Phoebe a little cat toy. “That’s for her..

“Thank you, Mel. I think she’s going to love it,” Phoebe takes it from her and shows me. It’s hairy. Where do they get these things?

“What’s her name?” she asks. Phoebe stiffens and then shrugs.

1/2

“We haven’t thought about it yet.”

“We should,” Ayrie crawls over to me to sit on my lap. “What about Lola?”

“Mm,” Phoebe hums.

“Yeah, let’s try again,” l’agree.

“What about Tape?” Melody asks. “It’s sticky. Like babies.”

“That’s a good one,” Ayrie nods. “Tape.”

Phoebe presses her lips together and holds Melody.

“We’ll keep thinking,” she smiles and then turns to Ayrie. “Where’s your brother?”

“Playing house roughing with Pop–pop and Uncle Elliot,” Ayrie yawns. Melody follows. “We take a nap with you guys?”

“Yes, you guys take a nap and I’ll go check on the boys,” I agree.

“I can take my shoes off,” Melody says, scooting to the end of the bed.

“Will you be okay?” I ask Phoebe.

“Yeah, I can use a nap. I think we all can,” she moves to the middle of the bed. Ayrie wiggles under the blanket to the left, and Melody to the right. The three of them get comfortable.

“I’ll be back later,” I say with a smile.

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