Chapter 481

It takes a little over two hours, but finally the last of the doctors leaves, the door clicking shut behind them.

“Finally,” Roger sighs, falling back into the linens of the freshly-changed bed.

“Now we just have to get our stupid family to leave and we’ll get some sleep – ” “Excuse me,” I say, glaring over at him. “If you think you’re tired -” “Fine fine,” he sighs, turning his head to grin at me. “You’re right. What can I get you, my love? Do you want anything?” The doctor officially gave me and Jesse a clean bill of health after I delivered the placenta and Jesse had his first feeding and full check-up. It was, of course, a relief to have everything turn out right and relatively easy -especially in comparison to Ella’s experiences – but now that they’re all gone?

Honestly, it all feels very real.

Like now I have to be a mom, and Roger has to be a dadall by ourselves.

“I don’t know,” I say, laughing a little and looking between Roger and our little baby. “Honestly, it’s all kind of weird, isn’t it? All of this fuss and then they just... leave you alone with a baby. To do what you will.” “I know,” he says, looking at me with wide eyes.

“I’m glad you know what to do.

I’m totally lost.” “I don’t know what to do!” I protest, laughing and shaking my head.

“What!?” he breaths, sitting up sharply.

“I’m just a doctor, Roger!” I say, laughing harder now and feeling a little hysterical as well as exhausted. “People come to me pregnant, but then I send the babies home with them! I don’t know what to do with a kid – that’s Ella’s department.” “Well then,”

he says, looking anxiously towards the door. “I take back my previous words. Ella has to stay – for like, ever.” “Or at least until this kid is six -” “Can we push to seven?” Roger asks, looking at me with real anxiety that just makes me laugh harder.

There’s a little knock on the door but suddenly Roger and I are laughing too hard to answer it. It cracks open anyway and Ella again peeks her head in.

“I thought I heard the hysteria of new parents,” she says, shaking her head at us and smiling as she comes into the room. “Are you totally freaking out?” “Full meltdown,” Roger says, wiping a tear of mirth from his eyes. “What are we supposed to like...do with him?” he asks, gesturing to the baby as Sinclair comes in after Ella, shutting the door and grinning at us. Rafe fusses, starting to blink awake in Sinclair’s arms.

“You’re suppose to love him,” Ella says, coming close and reaching for the baby, which I gladly hand off to her. ” And, you know.

Keep him alive.” “Loving I can do,” Roger sighs as Ella folds her legs beneath her on the bed and Sinclair pulls a chair up to the bedside, completing our little group of six. “The rest...we’re going to need some help.” “It’s not so hard,” Sinclair says kindly, smiling down at Rafe who yawns and looks around at us sleepily, a little confused. “They sleep a lot their first couple of weeks.

And then, after that, they find ways to tell you what they want.” “Maybe we should trade,” Roger says, looking dubiously between Rafe and Jesse. “Yours looks...sturdier.” Ella grins suddenly and looks at me like she’s considering the idea but I just laugh and shake my head. “You can’t take my baby, Ella,” I say, crossing my arms.

“Even if Roger is inept, I still like him.” “I didn’t say I didn’t like him,” Roger murmurs, sighing and leaning against me, happy.

Rafe lets out a surprised little screech all of a sudden and all of our eyes turn to him as his own gaze fastens on his cousin, his eyes going wide like he’s noticing him for the first time.

Which, I mean, he honestly probably is.

“Do you want to see the baby, Rafe?” Ella coos, leaning forward so that Rafe can meet Jesse face-to-face for the first time.

I smile in surprise and delight when my sweet nephew really does lean forward to see Jesse, his face very curious. Rafe lets out another little squeak, more demanding this time, and reaches out his hands towards the baby.

“Oh my god,” Sinclair murmurs, looking down at his son with a fascinated and pleased expression. “He really does want to go to him!” “This is Jesse,” Ella says, laughing a little as she beams at her own baby. ” He’s your new cousin! And I think you’re going to be best friends.” “They’d better be,” Roger murmurs.” Because they’re going to be together a lot.

It’s going to be very inconvenient if they don’t like each other.” “Oh,” I scold, giving him a light smack on the chest. “They will.

Besides, shut up, I want to watch this...” And the two of us lean forward as Sinclair sits Rafe on the bed, letting him lean forward and continue to reach for the baby.

“Lay them down,” Ella says softly, her voice a little awed, “next to each other -” “What?” Sinclair asks.

“Please,” Ella says, almost beyond herself, as if she’s speaking from instinct.

“Let’s just...try it...” Sinclair looks at me and Roger and I just shrug, fine with it if Ella is. I don’t see Roger’s response, but I don’t hear a protest, so I assume it’s okay.

And so Sinclair gently flips Rafe on his back and lays him out on the blankets, and Ella very gently, very tentatively places Jesse next to him, close enough for Rafe to touch.

To my shock, the usually rambunctious Rafe stays very, very still for a moment as he stares at his cousin. And then he begins to turn, and almost gently reaches for Jesse – And the moment they touch, when Rafe’s fingers brush against Jesse’s cheek, and Jesse’s little eyes flutter open – All four of us parents take a sharp intake of breath.

Because we all feel it – each and every one of us.

We look around at each other for a spilt second and then all of our eyes dart back to our kids, who are still touching, just barely, skin to skin.

Rafe babbles a little, saying hello to his new cousin, who just sighs and closes his eyes again.

“Oh...oh my god...” Ella says, her hands going to her mouth for a split second before she reaches down and gathers Jesse back up into her arms. ” Did you guys...” “Um, yeah,” Roger says, and I turn my head to see him staring wide-eyed at Ella.

“Yeah, I think it’s fair to say we all felt that.” “What was it?” I breathe, fascinated and confused but...not at all scared.

“It’s a bond,” Sinclair murmurs, pulling a now-giggling Rafe into his lap and stroking his broad hand over his son’s hair as he looks around at the rest of us.

“Can’t you all feel it?” Each of us, I think, shifts our minds inwards to that place in our hearts or our minds or our souls where our wolves live, where we access our bonds. And Dominic is right – it’s not a bond with me, not really. But the bond between me and Jesse, which shines rich and bright between us? There’s... something new there, another bond that I can sense beyond it. I can’t reach it, or touch it... But I know it’s there.

“Oh...weird,” Roger murmurs, his eyes bright now as he smiles at his brother.

“Our kids have a bond? Do...do we have a bond?” “Uhm, only the bonds of brotherhood that we forged sharing a bedroom for ten years,” Sinclair says, shooting Roger a little glare. “I mean, siblings are bonded through their parents, of course, but a bond like this? And between cousins?” He shakes his head.

“I mean,” Ella says, giving a smug little shrug. “We knew they were special.” “Just because you like them doesn’t mean they’re special,” I say, rolling my eyes at my sister and reaching out for my baby. Ella laughs and leans over to pass Jesse back to me. I smile when he’s back in my arms, dropping a kiss to his perfect, tiny little cheek.

“I like them and they’re special. What do you think it means?” We all look to Sinclair, who just gives a little shrug. “I have no idea,” he says, “why should I know?” “Because you’re the one who figured it out,” Roger says, laughing a little.

“Well,” Sinclair says on a sigh. ” That’s all I’ve got. Maybe it has something to do with being grandchildren of the goddess. Or...

their gifts, or something. I have no idea.” “I wonder if any future kids will be likewise bonded,” I murmur, smiling a little as I think of that possibility. Because, honestly, even though I’m bone tired...I’m already starting to forget some of the miseries of pregnancy.

I know that I’ve only been a mom for a couple of hours now but...I already really love it. I’m starting to understand Ella’s mania for more, honestly. I smile down at my baby, thinking that if he’s this great already... Well, then I probably want like...five more.

Maybe not anytime soon...I want to enjoy this one first. But yeah. Quite suddenly, I definitely want more.

“Only one way to find out,” Sinclair says, and I don’t miss the way that he smiles at Ella. I grin privately to myself, but my smile quickly turns into a yawn.

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