She squirmed before nuzzling her face against my chest. She moaned, her baby voice finding a straight shot to my heart. In that moment, I knew exactly what Cane was talking about. I loved this little girl with every bit of me. Hot tears stung my eyes, clouding my vision of her perfect round face and slightly upturned nose.
Max’s hand found my shoulder, undoubtedly thinking that this would be hard for me. And it was, in a lot of ways. It was something I probably would never experience first-hand. But holding my niece, perfect and beautiful, wasn’t something I was taking for granted. I already loved her as much as if she were my own.
“How you feeling, Max?” Cane asked.
“Alright. My arm is sore, but it’s healing. Or so I’m told by my nurse,” he winked at me. “I’m getting a lot of sympathy, so I’m not complaining much.”
Cane cleared his throat. “What happened with Sam?”
“She’s in a psychiatric hospital in Phoenix.” He blew out a breath. “I just . . . I hate that this happened to her. But at least she’s safe now, right?”
Cane nodded. “What happened with Blaine?”
Max laughed. “Well, I guess he’s finally moving to California. He has to do another thing for the police—a statement or something. And then he said he’s leaving.”
“That’s good,” Cane said, taking his cell out and snapping a pic of me and Annie.
The nurse administering Jada’s meds left the room. I looked up to my sister and she smiled. “She’s beautiful, isn’t she?”
“She so is,” I said, touching her little cheeks with the back of my knuckles. “Too bad she isn’t a little older and she could be the flower girl next weekend.”
“I’m going to keep her this little forever,” Cane said, completely serious.
“Good luck with that,” I laughed.
“Is everything ready for the wedding?” Jada asked.
I nodded. “Fern got the church pushed back an extra week because some little princess decided to come early,” I cooed to Annie. “But it all worked out. Now we’ll get to take a honeymoon since Cane will be at work.”
Cane laughed. “Glad I could make your lives easier.”
“Me, too.”
Annie started crying and I started to get up, but Cane took her from me.
“Cane, really?” I asked as he picked her up, kissed her on the top of the head, and handed her to her mommy.
“It is the way it is,” he said matter-of-factly. “You may as well get used to it.”
“We’ll get out of here so you can breastfeed,” I told my sister. “Isa has your freezer full of frozen meals already. You have nothing to worry about for awhile.”
Max took my hand in his, our fingers interlocked, and we started out the door. Cane followed us in the hallway.
He cleared his throat, his hands jammed into the front pockets of his jeans. “Hey, um,” he started nervously. “My mom is coming to Phoenix on Thursday. Connor is supposed to bring her to our house to, well, meet me, I guess. How fucked up is that?” He looked to the floor and cleared his throat. “I was wondering,” he looked to the ceiling and then to Max’s face. “I was wondering if there was any way you could be there, too. I know it makes me sound like a fucking pussy and I guess I am, but I just need someone there to keep me from going off if things go south.”
Max laughed. “Whatever you need. How are things going with you and Connor?”
“He’s cool. Smart.” Cane laughed. “I wanted to break his face at first, but he’s an alright guy. He’s in the middle of this shit as much as I am, so I can’t blame him.”
“I’m glad you’re looking at it that way,” Max said, wincing a little. “Look, man, I gotta get home and take something for the pain. My shoulder’s killing me.”
“We’ll talk to you later,” I told Cane. I gave him a quick hug and we congratulated him again before heading out of the hospital.
I got my man situated in the passenger seat of my car and started the engine. Before I could pull out, I turned to face him. “Do you think, from here on out, we can have a nice, normal, boring life together?”
Max laughed, holding his good hand over his bad shoulder. “You don’t think our life so far has been boring?”
“Seriously?” I grinned.
“It’s all about how you look at it, sweetheart.”
The End
KARI
Almost six years later . . .
Jada and I sat on the back porch of the cabin in Payson, watching Max and Cane teach Annie and Ben how to fish. Annie looked like a doll in her little yellow sundress and pink rubber boots. Ben had on a pair of overalls, barefoot, looking the part of the country boy.
“I can do it!” Ben said, reaching for a worm.
“You’ll put that hook through your finger!” Cane said, taking the worm away from him. “Here, let Daddy help.”
Ben made a face. “Uncle Max will help. He fishes. Daddy gets wet.”
Max burst out laughing. “Come here, buddy. Don’t listen to your daddy when it comes to fishing.”
Cane sat on the ground, defeated, making Max laugh harder.