Looming Test Results

ZACH

“See this, girls? It’s a duck. Quack quack.” I’m holding a stuffed duck above Tilly and Ella, who are spread out on Ella’s play-mat. Tilly’s gummy grin is a far cry from the fussy baby Sophie handed over to us last week.

“Quack quack, Tilly,” she giggles, her tiny arms waving around as if she’s trying to grab the duck from me.

“She likes you,” Violet observes from the couch. She’s cradling a cup of coffee while using a breast pump, Lola nestled at her feet. I can’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy; I haven’t had any of her milk since last night, and I’m starting to feel the effects.

She’s pumping because I just fed both girls at the same time. It was a terrible idea; trying to hold two babies of different sizes and weights while using my chin to prop up their bottles was a nightmare. I’ll have to figure out a different feeding strategy, maybe sitting on the floor with a baby in each hand.

“You’re pretty cute, Tilly. Look at those chubby cheeks,” I coo, gently squishing her face between my thumb and finger.

Violet chuckles from behind me, her laughter making Tilly’s lips pucker up even more.

“The boys have been gone a while. What do you think Catherine sent them to get?” I ask, glancing back at Violet. God, she’s beautiful.

“Did Catherine arrange for you to do the swab, you sneaky thing?” She grins at me, the kind of grin that makes me want to flip her over and take her right there.

But I can’t, not with the girls here.

“Catherine might have given us a little help.”

“So, you’re glad I didn’t go shopping then? Or is Callum in on it too?” She shakes her head, her hair catching the sunlight and shimmering with a dozen shades of copper. It’s mesmerizing.

“I haven’t told him yet,” she admits. I thought she would have; she’s not one for keeping secrets.

“When we get the results then?” She nods in response to my question.

She carefully removes her pumps, turns them off, and heads to the kitchen. I watch as she empties each pump bottle into a bag, squeezing out the air before sealing it. She labels each bag and places them in a container in the fridge.

“Why couldn’t I have had one of those delicious breasts?” I ask, half-joking.

She glances over her shoulder at me, a smile playing on her lips. “Because, Zach, I need a stockpile just in case. You can have some later…I suppose,” she teases.

I’m up in an instant, pulling her against me. She squeals in surprise as I spin her around and lift her onto the counter.

“You suppose, do you? What if I turned you around now and sucked until you fed me too? What would you do, huh?” I ask, my voice low and husky.

“I wouldn’t do anything, and you know it…” she replies, her voice just as husky as mine.

“Because you like it, you naughty girl. You’re just as dirty-minded as I am,” I say, pulling down her tank top and taking one of her breasts into my mouth. Her head falls back against the cupboard as she closes her eyes.

“Zach, we might need some help with the groceries?” Tyler calls out. Damn it. Talk about bad timing.

“Looks like you’re needed, baby,” Violet says, grinning at me.

“This isn’t over, Violet,” I warn her, watching as she hops off the counter and saunters back to the girls.

“Zach?” Tyler calls again, and I have to grit my teeth. “Damn…who knew my husband would be such a cock block?” I grumble, heading to the front door. I’m greeted by bags and boxes of groceries scattered all over the floor.

“Holy shit, how much food did you guys get?” I exclaim.

“I said the same thing. Catherine gave us a list, and we followed it to a T,” Callum replies, grinning at me.

“Catherine?” I call out, knowing she’s somewhere nearby.

“Oh, good. You boys got everything I needed.”

“Needed? Damn, Catherine, if we need this much food then we might have to get second jobs,” Callum jokes.

“Don’t worry, dear, this will last nearly the whole month,” she reassures him, pulling out food bags and starting to divide the meat into sealed bags.

I watch for a moment, fascinated by her efficiency, before realizing I don’t need to learn this. I pay her to do this stuff, after all. Instead, I turn my attention to Lola, who’s scratching at the bell on the bifold doors, signaling she needs to go outside.

“Come on then, Lola,” I say, sliding the doors open and following her out with a poop bag in hand.

“Domestication suits you,” Dante comments from the garden bench.

“Damn, Dante,” I reply, realizing what he and Catherine were up to.

“Sorry for cock blocking you,” I tease, “guess we both missed out.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he lies.

“Sure you don’t,” I retort, picking up Lola’s poop and heading back inside. But I can’t resist one last jab. “Catherine left some of her red lipstick on your collar,” I say, grinning as he checks his collar.

He rolls his eyes but smiles back at me as I walk back inside.

“Good girl, Lola,” I praise her, clicking the clicker and giving her a treat. I pat her head before joining Violet on the floor with the girls.

Tilly reaches out to me as I lay down next to her and Ella, grabbing a fistful of my hair.

“Ouch,” I wince, trying to pry her tiny fingers from my hair. Violet is practically in tears from laughing so hard.

“She likes hair,” Violet explains, finally managing to free my hair from Tilly’s grip. “Oh, I think you made him mad, Tilly. I think you hurt his big bad feelings,” she coos in a baby voice.

“You see this, Ella? Mommy and Tilly are bullying Daddy,” I say, grinning up at Violet. She stops laughing, a strange look on her face. Oh shit, did I just insinuate that I’m Tilly’s dad?

“I meant Ella’s daddy,” I clarify, but Violet just shakes her head and goes back to playing with Tilly.

“Vi, I didn’t—”

“I know, it’s okay. It just took me by surprise, that’s all,” she interrupts, bouncing Tilly on her knee.

“Well, how have these two been this afternoon?” Callum asks, bounding over to us with Tyler in tow. Neither of them seem to notice the tension between Violet and me.

Tyler scoops up Ella from her spot next to me, settling himself in the exact place she’d been. He snuggles into Ella, peppering her with gentle kisses before he speaks.

“Have you been good for mommy and daddy?” he coos at Ella, then turns his attention to Tilly, his hand gently stroking her head. “And have you been good for Violet and Zach?” he asks, avoiding the blunder I just made.

Tilly responds with a series of babbling sounds, while Violet and I exchange a stunned look. We’re both still reeling from my slip-up. Yeah…damn. I just referred to myself as daddy without considering the implications.

Damn, this situation is a mess.

Tyler regales the girls with tales of his and Callum’s grand adventure at the grocery store, humorously exaggerating Callum’s shock at the price of “real” food.

He’s been different today, less antagonistic toward Tilly. He’s made an effort with her, and she’s been noticeably easier to handle because of it.

No tears, just laughter. Perhaps last week marked the beginning of us all falling for little bird’s child.

Damn, I wish those test results would hurry up.