Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 71075 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71075 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
“Thanks, I appreciate that,” I tell her, shaking my head.
Around the time that Jade was pregnant with Oliver, Cybil and Tanner admitted to Jade and me that they were not going to be able to have another child without the use of a surrogate and that they didn’t think they would ever trust anyone enough to carry their child, so Claire would be it for them.
The night they talked to us about that, I found my wife out on the deck of our room crying, and after I calmed her down, she told me that she wanted to carry their child for them but wasn’t sure that it was something I would be okay with. I can be honest in saying that it took me a good two weeks of researching, soul-searching, and talking to Jade to come around to her way of thinking.
Then, after a lot of conversations between the four of us, we agreed to move forward after Jade had had time to heal from Oliver’s birth and settle into motherhood. It took two rounds of IVF for her to become pregnant, and any day now she will be giving birth to Cybil and Tanner’s son. Something that I know the two of them are very much looking forward to.
“I’m just anxious to meet him already.” Cybil rubs Jade’s belly.
“I’m anxious to sleep through the night without my bladder being stomped on,” Jade says, taking Oliver from me when he reaches for her.
“I forgot what that’s like,” Everly says.
Margret wraps her arm around her shoulders, asking, “When are you going to give me another niece or nephew?”
“In a few months,” Blake answers before Everly can open her mouth, and we all laugh. “I’m serious.” He shrugs.
“Wait, you’re pregnant?” Margret asks, looking between her brother and his wife.
“I thought we were going to wait another week before we told everyone.” Everly sighs as Blake wraps his arm around her waist.
“We already knew,” Tanner says, and Everly shoots her husband a dirty look.
“You should know by now that Blake and the guys gossip like a bunch of schoolgirls,” my wife says, tipping her head back to grin at me, and I touch my lips to hers, not even bothering calling her a liar, because she’s right.
“I guess you’re right.” Everly lets out a breath. “Maybe we shouldn’t let them spend so much time together.”
“That will never happen,” Cybil says, looking between us, and she’s right. Blake, Tanner, and even Mason are my brothers, and I know it’s the same for them. We’ve been through a lot together over the years, and now that we’re all married with kids, we’ve just gotten closer. And the best part is knowing that our kids are going to grow up together. There will never be a time when they don’t have people around who love them. And growing up like I did, I know that in this life there is nothing better than that. Family is love, acceptance, and showing up for each other. I always had that in my sister, and somehow I was lucky enough to find it with my wife and the people surrounding me right now.