Chapter Eight

Stephen

I rushed my family home as fast as I could. I was on the edge, my anger ready to spill over. I needed a touch of normalcy to ground me.

Stephen - Honey, I'm going to bathe the twins and get them into their pajamas, then change myself. Are you okay with Jay?

Trinity - Of course. Are you okay, daddy?

She walks over and I pull her into a hug, kissing the top of her head.

Stephen - I will be, momma.

Trinity - Okay. Holler if you need help.

Stephen - Will do.

I took the twins upstairs to our ensuite and got them in the bath. While they splashed around, I changed. I was so focused on the kids that I didn't even notice my wife had joined me.

Trinity - Mmm, I like this shirt on you, babe.

I turned to my wife and saw that familiar look in her eyes.

Stephen - Don't give me that look, little lady.

Trinity - What look?

She bit her bottom lip, shifting her hip that was supporting our son.

Stephen - Naughty momma.

Nathaniel - No, daddy naughty.

Stephen - Hey! What did I do, you little monkey? Momma started it.

Trinity - Hahaha, momma wouldn't do that, would she, baby boy?

Nathaniel - No, it was daddy.

Trinity - Hahaha.

Stephen - Oh, that's it, little man.

I splashed water at my son, who laughed in response. Such a momma's boy, this one.

We got the kids out of the bath and settled in the lounge. They'd have dinner when Willie and Belle arrived, then it would be bedtime.

We were halfway through an episode of Bubble Guppies when the doorbell rang.

Stephen - Saved by the bell!

Trinity - You love it really, daddy. Haha.

Stephen - Yes, I do, baby. Want to see something funny, momma?

Trinity - Sure.

Stephen - Nate, come with daddy. Let's make snarly faces.

Nathaniel - Snarly face.

Trinity - What the hell is a snarly face?

Stephen - Come, momma. I'll show you.

I took my wife's hand and led her to the door, with Nate running ahead of us.

Stephen - Look, buddy, it's Uncle Clint and Willie. Give them a snarly.

I opened the door for my boy and there it was.

Stephen - Hahahahahahaha.

Trinity - Oh my god, Nate. Hahaha.

Clint - Hey! You giving me a snarly face, boy?

Mia - Hahaha.

We all laughed as Clint got down on his hands and knees and gave Nate a snarly face in return.

Nate - Snarly, Uncle.

Clint - My man, high five.

Nate and Clint high-fived before they hugged.

Mia - Hello, my love.

Clint - Hi, baby.

Mia - Hahaha, idiot, not you.

Mia moved towards Trinity and they hugged and kissed.

Clint - Hey, can you do that again?

Trinity - Do what?

Clint - That kiss. But maybe hold it a little longer this time.

Stephen - Hahaha.

Mia - Pervert!

Trinity - Pervert!

Stephen - Hahaha.

Trinity - And you, stop laughing!

Stephen - Yes, dear.

Clint - Hahaha.

Mia - You too.

Clint - Yes, dear.

Trinity - Hahaha, stop it, both of you, and get inside.

As I walked in and gave Clint a bro hug, I realized I didn't tell him nearly enough how much I appreciated him. He just knew exactly when I needed him. When I got home earlier, I was on the verge of exploding. But this, being surrounded by family, all of them, kept my head in check.

Stephen - Good to see you, brother. I needed this after today.

Clint - Wanna head out for a smoke and get it off your chest, bro?

Stephen - Yeah, man, I do.

Clint - Yeah, you do, bro.

He nodded at me, understanding. That night in Barcelona nearly did me in. I can't believe I was on the verge of handing myself over and losing all this. But truth be told, if I had to, I would do it in a heartbeat to protect them all.

The four of us were sitting out on the side patio so we could see the kids in the lounge room while we smoked a spliff and filled Clint and Mia in on what happened yesterday.

Mia - Aww, my poor little puddings must have been terrified. I'll have to give them extra special Auntie hugs before bed.

Trinity - Livy will love that. She's fascinated with your belly.

Stephen - Obsessed is more like it. She asks us every day if there's really a baby in there.

Mia - Awwww, Clint! We need a girl. Livy is too cute. You know you want one of her.

Clint - Hey, I'll plant as many as you need, babe, until you get what you want.

He winked at her and we all laughed. I glanced sideways at my wife and smirked.

Trinity - Don't you go there.

She pointed her finger at me and we all laughed again.

I was sitting there, thinking how much I really needed this, when we saw Benji and Maddie followed by Felicity, Dave, and Belle walk in. That dark cloud I had just managed to shake off instantly returned.

Trinity - Baby.

Stephen - Hmm? Sorry, what's that, beautiful?

I stroked her face and made eye contact with her. I knew she sensed my shift by the look in her eyes.

Trinity - Are you hearing me?

Stephen - I am, baby. I know.

That was all we needed to say. She was right there, we were in this together.

Trinity - You see them in there?

I looked over at my kids and my wife rested her head on my shoulder, placing her hand with our wedding rings on it over my heart.

Trinity - We love you, daddy. We've got you, okay?

Stephen - I love you.

I placed my hand over my wife's on my chest and kissed the side of her head. As I looked up, I saw the tension Mia and Clint were feeling too as I watched him stroke Mia's belly, then lean forward to kiss her stomach and his unborn child.

After putting some stuff in the kitchen, they walked outside and everyone greeted each other.

The girls all headed inside to feed the kids and put them to sleep, with the monitor on in our main bed so Jay could be in his crib while we sparked a few joints and caught up.

Stephen - So, how's the non-bachelor life going?

Benji - It's going.

Clint - Hahaha, got your balls twisted already, hey mate?

Benji - Can I ask a serious question?

Dave - When aren't you serious, mate?

Benji - True! I'll drink to that. Anyway, I'm sure this can't just be me that has this issue, that's why I'm putting it out there. No messing around either, Clint, honest answer.

Clint - Alright, man.

Benji - Do all women leave so much hair around the place?

Stephen - Yes.

Clint - Yes.

Dave - Yes.

We all burst out laughing.

Benji - How? How the fuck do they have any left? Everywhere I turn, there's her fucking hair.

Stephen - It’s a universal problem, my friend. I used to complain about it all the time when Trinity and I first moved in together.

Clint - I still complain about it now.

Dave - I feel you, man. Every damn morning, my sink is covered in my woman’s hair.

Benji - Ok, thanks. At least I know I’m not just getting old and pedantic.

Stephen - Oh, you are, mate.

Clint - Hahaha.

Benji - Hahaha, jerk.

It took the girls about forty-five minutes to return after finally getting the kids settled, and Benji placed an order for food.

Benji - Guys, I just wanted to let you know Maddie is here. I’ve brought her up to speed now. She’ll be able to assist as well.

Maddie - Quite a headache, huh?

Mia - Shit, sorry girl! I never realized you were in Legal too.

Maddie - It’s all good, honey. I don’t think we ever talked about it, to be honest. That’s how we met.

Benji - Yeah, she was the first one to get under my skin. It pissed me off that she took me to trial to get my win. She wouldn’t back down. Hell of a fight too.

Clint - Bullshit it didn’t piss you off. It gave you a hard-on.

Benji - Hahaha, that too.

Everyone laughs and Maddie playfully slaps him.

Benji - Maddie is going to eventually come over to work with me once I get the practice up and running.

Stephen - Brilliant, guys. Congratulations.

Trinity - I recommend office sex. It’s hot as hell.

Benji spits his beer out and everyone bursts out laughing.

Benji - For fuck’s sake, Trinity! Where did that come from? Haha.

Trinity - I honestly thought I said it in my head, not out loud. Damn wine! One glass after pregnancy and you’re back to being a lightweight.

Mia - Yep.

Felicity - Yes!

Maddie looks at Benji, who is smirking at her.

Maddie - No office sex.

She points her finger at him, raising her eyebrow as we all laugh.

Benji - Come on, teenagers. Get back on track. Not everything is about sex.

Clint - Hahaha, you convincing yourself then?

Benji - Not even close.

Dave - Hahaha.

Benji - So anyway, it brings me to my point. Things aren’t as straightforward as we thought.

Clint - What have they got?

Benji - DNA.

Trinity - Whose?

Benji - Mike Suarez, aka Daniel Rodriguez.

Dave - Ok, so what does that mean?

Benji - The DNA they managed to uncover was from the inside of a utility truck.

Benji - The DNA was first confirmed to be from a corpse, then identified. So it took much longer for testing and identification. However, it has come back as conclusively belonging to him, proving their theory that he is, in fact, deceased.

Trinity - So what does that mean for the case? How have they linked it together?

Benji - The utility truck where the trace evidence of DNA was found was tracked back by them to the last known locations by the GPS.

Benji - One being your property.