Epilogue 2
AVA
Two Years Later
“Need some help?” I turn at the sound of my husband’s voice and find him leaning against the doorframe to my closet.
My eyes narrow. “How long have you been standing there?”
The smirk that I usually love expands into a full-blown smile.
“Long enough to know that you should have called me to come help you a long time ago” he says brushing past me to get the box off the top shelf.
“I thought I could reach it” I mutter as he hands it to me.
“Av, you know you’re supposed to be staying off your feet. Doctor’s orders.”
“I know, but I needed the shoes in this box, and I didn’t want to bother you. I know you’re working.”
A frown pulls at the corners of Liam’s mouth. “You know you’re never a bother. Whatever I can do to keep you off your feet I’ll do” he says dropping a kiss on the tip of my nose and then my lips.
Before I know it, he’s bent and scooped me up into his arms and walks out of the closet.
“Liam! Are you insane? Put me down.”
“Why? I’m carrying you too bed.”
“Because I weigh twice as much as I normally do. I’m huge. You could strain yourself.”
He pauses. Literally pauses with me still in his arms to stare at me incredulously. “First of all, you’re not huge. Second of all, you’re not heavy. I bench press more than you weigh daily. I won’t strain myself.”
“Whatever you say,” I mutter. He’s almost to the bed when I feel a gush of water leave me.
He pauses again.
“Uh babe, either you just wet yourself or-“
“My water just broke.” I finish the thought just as a contraction slams into me.
His eyes widen in panic and he holds me as pain laces through me. Once it subsides, he takes off in the opposite direction towards the door.
“We’ve gotta go! I’ve gotta call mom and dad and the guys an-“
“Liam…Liam!” I yell once I realize he’s not listening to me.
“Put me down,” I say and for once he listens. “You’ve gotta calm down. I need my overnight bag. You can call on the way to the hospital.”
He calms down enough and fortunately we get to the hospital in one piece.
I’m in labor for fourteen hours. And then finally, blessedly we welcome a baby girl into the world.
Exhaustion weighs heavily on me as I watch Liam hold our daughter for the first time. He looks up at me and his eyes our glistening in a way I’ve never seem them do before. “Thank you.”
I’m the one that should be thanking him though. He’s given me more than I ever dreamed I would have. A new and full life.
***
Coming Soon is LEVI, the second book in the Trace Brothers Series. Keep Reading for an excerpt.
Chapter 1
MIA
10 Years Old
Closing the book in my hands, I let out a deep breath. I place it on the growing pile I’ve already read today and count them.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
I get up from my bed and walk over to the window. Up on the second floor, I have a clear view of the park. We only moved two days ago, and Mommy and Daddy have been busy ever since we moved in. Daddy got a new job as surgeon a few months ago so we left our old house in Arizona and moved to this one in Chicago.
I didn’t mind as much as my sister Mya did. It’s not like I had that many friends back in Arizona anyways. Mya on the other hand, had plenty of friends and activities see was in. When they told us, we were moving she threw a fit and cried.
“But all my friends are here! I don’t wanna move! Please don’t make us move!” she’d cried with big, fat tears rolling down her cheeks. I’d hugged her and told her it would be okay. After Daddy talked to her, she calmed down and agreed that this could be a good thing.
Leaving the pile of books on my bed, I go in search of Mya to see if she wants to play. Her room is down the hall from mines and I find her and Mommy in their trying on dresses.
A stab of loneliness hits me in the chest at seeing them both smiling, laughing and talking.
Having fun.
Without me. They seem to do that often.
As I enter the room, they both look up and over at me.
“Hi,” I say stopping short in the doorway. “Mya do you wanna go play with our dolls?”
Mya opens her mouth to say something but before she can Mommy says, “We don’t have time for that right now Mia. We have to go to the store and pick up the rest of the material for Mya’s pageant dress. Isn’t that right, Mya?”
Mya smiles. “Yes, Mommy.”
I perk up. I don’t really like shopping for clothes but maybe I’ll be able to spend some time with them if I go.
“Can I go too?” I ask.
Mom turns and frowns at me. “Sorry, Mia this is for your sister only. Why don’t you go read a book or something?”
My stomach sinks. “Oh, okay,” I mutter turning my face away so they can’t see the disappointment on it.
“Sorry Mia, maybe we can play later?” Mya says.
I force a smile onto my face before turning back to her and saying, “Yeah, sure.”
I hear their laughter all the way down the hallway as I make my way back to my room. Mya and I are twins. We have the same skin tone, facial features, and hair, but sometimes I feel like an outsider. Sometimes I feel like
