They follow not long after I started cooking, and even though Cohen starts to fuss over Lucky Charms, he eats the eggs, bacon, and pancakes quickly before asking for seconds.
“Daddy! Did you see? I looked out my window this morning and there’s a gigantic trampoween out there! Santa brought it. I knew he would! Can I have a motorcycle when I get older? Maddox Locke has one!”
Jesus, it’s hard to follow his train of thought sometimes.
“Why don’t we talk about that when you’re old enough?”
“Okay. Can I get wiener rings yet?”
Melissa sputters out a snort-like laugh. Of course she would leave the answering to me.
“Cohen, we talked about this the last time you asked for . . . wiener rings. Let’s wait until you’re older—way older—before we talk about that one, okay?”
“Okay. Can I have a monkey?”
“How about we stick to the trampoline before we start bringing in zoo animals?”
“Okay. Can we wake up my girls now so we can open up our presents?” He’s literally bouncing in his seat.
“How about this? The girls are so small that they aren’t going to miss anything if you start, and they can join us when they wake up. How about we go open some of your presents or at least go see what Santa brought before we go wake them up?”
His brow crinkles and he tilts his head to the side before speaking. “Why would I do that? My girls need to be with me. I can wait.”
How did I get so lucky?
“You’re one awesome big brother, you know that?”
“Yup!”
We finish up our breakfast. Cohen helps Melissa clean up the dishes, and I go check on the girls. I am just about to step through the threshold of their room when I hear my phone ringing from the office down the hall.
Knowing it’s either work related or one of the guys, I groan and head off to my office.
“Cage,” I bark in the phone.
“My, aren’t we happy this morning,” Axel laughs in my ear.
“You try having two newborns and a kid who thinks waking up before the roosters is a brilliant idea.”
“Yeah, I’ve got one of those kids. Nate was up at five this morning. He isn’t even old enough to know what the hell is going on, but I swear that kid ran right into the living room and started tearing shit open.”
We laugh and continue talking for a few minutes before he gets silent.
“So . . . Izzy gave me my gift.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah . . .” He trails off, and I’m not really sure what I’m supposed to say here. Obviously he’s calling because he wants to tell me what she got him, but I’m not sure what it could be that warrants a call at seven in the morning.
“I reckon next year I’ll get a taste of the early rising kid while trying to keep a baby asleep.”
It’s early, but it’s not early enough that I don’t catch his meaning.
“No shit? Congratulations, brother! Another little Reid, huh?”
“Best feeling in the world, Greg. Once Izzy held those little angels of yours in her arms, she dragged my ass home and told me she wanted another baby immediately. So I guess in some weird way I should say thanks for turning my wife into a baby-craving sex maniac.”
“HA! Well, I’m happy I could help you out.”
“Yeah, yeah. Feels good, you know? Having our kids so close together. Going to make for one hell of an interesting future, seeing these kids grow up together.”
“As long as you keep reminding Nate to stay away from my girls, we should all just be fine.”
We joke back and forth before hanging up. I take off back down the hall and into the girls’ bedroom. Looking over the crib they’re still sharing. I see identically beautiful faces staring up at me. It causes my heart to skip a beat and a smile to pull at my lips.
“Good morning, my lovely little ladies! I just talked to your Uncle Axel, but don’t you worry. I reminded him that you aren’t ever going to be dating so I’m sure he’s talking to Nate right now about that.”
They keep looking up at me, and I smile, rubbing their heads before going about our routine. It takes me longer than Melissa, mostly because I don’t have that magic touch it seems only mothers possess. I keep reminding them that they aren’t ever going to date and they’re going to stay daddy’s little girls for the rest of their lives.
It isn’t until later that night that I think about Axel and Izzy’s new little baby coming, and I smile when I wonder about the chances that they would have a girl. Knowing Axel and his extreme protectiveness over Izzy, it’s going to be funny as hell to watch him with a daughter.
“You ready for bed?” Melissa drops down next to me and reaches over to turn off the news.
“Beauty, if you’re coming with me, then hell yeah. Way I see it, I’ve got about two hours before someone is waking up for more food. That’s a lot of time to spend between these legs.”
She smacks my arm but doesn’t waste a second, jumping up and rushing to our bedroom.
I don’t get two hours that night. Nope, my girls decide to sleep a little longer. I spend the next four hours worshiping my wife and remembering each and every time just how lucky I am to have this life.
15 Years Later
Cohen