Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 54509 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 273(@200wpm)___ 218(@250wpm)___ 182(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54509 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 273(@200wpm)___ 218(@250wpm)___ 182(@300wpm)
Maybe it was because she had been so cold earlier that if felt good to be in dragon form where her body temperature was greatly increased, but she was really content like this and she suspected that it might not be the last time she elected to sleep down here instead of up above in her own bed.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
In the months that followed, everything changed. The old leader passed away and Yakov began renovations on the large home they would eventually inhabit. Yakov had no intention of giving up his other home, electing to make it his private office for work matters in order to preserve the tunnel system’s limited access and his archives that were housed in hidden panels on the opposite side, especially after Aileen told him about the children that Kevin claimed he killed in the tunnels. He wasn’t about to risk anyone else getting into them and had the upper exits on those that could be gotten into sealed off so that they were only accessible from the inside.
For now, Aileen would reside there with him and then move the rest of her things out of her rental once the renovations were completed on the new place. Time seemed to fly by as the time drew closer for the babies to be born and she wasn’t sure she was ready, but it wasn’t like she would ever be certain she was ready to have so many children at once.
When the time came, however, she found that it wasn’t nearly the horror story she had anticipated. The new house had only been completed days before she went into labor and she had had the cribs she purchased delivered directly to the new nursery.
“Wow, this room is bigger than your whole house in town,” Grant exclaimed as he entered the new nursery.
“That it is.”
“Okay. Just tell me where you want things and we’ll bring them in. I have six cribs, two dressers and two changing tables. Though I don’t know why you would need to start a daycare center if you are going to live in a place like this.”
“What can I say. I love babies. Maybe I’ll keep some of them.”
He looked at her uncertainly and she smiled. He laughed, assuming she was kidding and she showed him where everything went. Within the hour, it was all set up and ready to add linens and such. She and he stood around looking at the arrangement.
“Good?” he asked.
“Perfect,” she replied.
Yakov entered and looked around at all the cribs, a broad smile forming on his face.
“I like this. It’s a good place.”
“Good. Let me know if you need anything else,” Grant replied, handing Yakov his card.
Yakov glanced down at it and nodded.
“I will. You do good work.”
“Thanks. Enjoy your new baby.”
“We certainly will,” Yakov replied.
Aileen thanked him again and he left.
It was only two days later when she found herself doubled over in pain, filled with the worse pains she’d ever had in her life, but by the time they arrived at the doctor’s clinic, things had eased up a bit. She was on the table and being prepped within the hour and babies began joining the world a short time after that.
“Boy. Five pounds, four ounces. Time, eleven oh four” the doctor said, calling out the first sex and time of birth. It was followed by four more boys and finally, one little girl. By noon, Aileen and Yakov were the proud parents of one little girl and five little boys. All were small, due to being multiples, but were at a healthy weight and possessed all their digits.
“I pity the boy that messes with this little girl,” Dr. Curtis laughed as he handed her off to one of his assistants. There were several of them tending the babies and placing them in incubators. Aileen had managed to get through it all with relative ease, but she was exhausted. She lay back on the pillow, eager to see her new babies, but feeling like she wanted to close her eyes and sleep.
“I’m going to let you hold the babies for just a couple of minutes, Aileen, and then we’re going to take them away and check them out a bit more fully while you get some rest. I’m going to give you a very mild sedative that’s going to help you sleep, so don’t fight it. You’re going to need your energy when I send you home with all these little dragons,” Dr. Curtis joked.
Aileen smiled and began accepting the babies that were all being laid against her chest. Yakov, who had held her hand through it all was smiling broadly and touching them softly, as if he were afraid he would break them. It was obvious that he was a proud father already.
“Are you happy?” she asked.
“I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my life. A year ago I didn’t want a wife. I didn’t want kids. I’m glad that the universe saw fit to ruin my life and force this on me. It’s the best thing life ever handed to me.”