One Year Later New Year’s Eve
“Come to Daddy, Zoey.”
“Come see your Dad, Joey boy.”
“Lily, you can do it for Dad.”
“Do this for Daddy, Linc.”
All the little ones stood in a line about 15 feet from their fathers. Lily, the youngest, took off first. Close behind was Linc; he caught up then he passed her. Lily giggled and followed him.
Carson’s and Tommy’s kids seemed to do everything in lockstep at fourteen months. They took three steps each, then Zoey fell, and Joey stretched out his hand to help her. In the end, she crossed the finish line still holding that hand babbling, “Da, da, da.”
Carson scooped her up, his eyes misty. She was a lot heavier now, after a year of his and Grace’s tender care. Her black hair was a mass of curls and ironically her eyes were the color of his.
Tommy swung up Joey, who turned out to be a hefty boy with thick blond hair. “Okay, buddy, let’s have a little chat so a girl doesn’t beat you again.”
“Sexist, Tommy!” Grace called out.
Carson leaned over and kissed her. Life had been a dream since they married on New Year’s, just a year ago.
“Happy love?”
“How could I not be? I have everything I want in life.”
In a surprise move, Carson took an open spot in the CCFD for a parttime firefighter. He floated mostly, but the variety was interesting. And he had the whole afternoon with Zoey. Grace surprised him by doing the same. She had her class back for one more year before they went to the Senior High and they were happy to share her for an afternoon. Ms. Ngyen’s daughter babysat Zoey in the mornings then they all spent the rest of the day together.
Noah cuddled Lily and dropped down next to them.
“Miss the fire department?” Carson asked.
“Nah. I need to be home. And when I go back in the fall, I’ll teach at the Academy.”
Chloe hadn’t taken a new movie since the child was born and they enjoyed their time together. Currently, she was reading scripts again and planned to resume her career soon.
Adam and Tim approached them and sat down too.
Tim was red-faced. “Whew, those kids wore me out.” He’d been playing with them in the vast playroom behind Carson’s garage with his two girls and Adam’s and the four younger boys.
“I know the feeling.” This from Adam. “Hey, I just heard you’re assigned to the area which covers your firehouse.” Tim had taken a job as a Battalion Chief.
“Yeah. You just wait until your kid goes to college. Time to change things up. And it’s a boon to be with my guys.”
“How’s Ava?”
“Once Kathy left in the fall, she decided to go back to college.”
“For what?”
“Her PhD. And she’s still teaching.” He poked Adam in the ribs. “Tell him what you guys are doing.”
“When Janelle left we decided to take classes in art, dance and archery.”
“You sound like you’re having a midlife crisis.”
They all laughed.
Tommy walked over with Joey.
Zoey reached up. “Jo Jo.”
And the boy responded, “Zo Zo.”
“I never heard that,” Carson said to Grace. “Have you?”
“Nope. It’s new.”
“Me, neither.” This from Tom. “But they are close and gravitate to each other when we’re together.”
“When they’re teens, this might be a problem,” Carson said sternly.
Tommy grinned. Stef waved at them across the room. She was the department’s up-and-coming lieutenant. She’d get an early captaincy. Funny how those things didn’t seem to be important to Carson anymore.
Jarek whistled with his fingers in his mouth from the center of the room. “It’s getting to be their bedtime.”
The kids all went down around seven thirty and they needed baths, changing and book reading.
“Oh, Lord, don’t let the guys do it.” This from Chloe.
No one listened to her. Jarek led the way. Tommy and Joey and Noah and Lily joined them. Carson brought Zoey.
Tim and Adam exchanged glances then bolted up. “We’re keeping them company.” They climbed the stairs to the five guest bedrooms where the babies would sleep with their parents, joking and bragging about their kids.
The women watched them go and settled around Grace in the additional couches they bought for company.
“When’s Faith coming?” Chloe asked. They often invited Grace’s twin to join them.
“For dinner.” She smiled.
“The caterers must be done soon.” Ava sniffed. “The house smells like meat and dough.”
“A duck, a turkey and a ham. Lots of breads. Veggies and a few vegan dishes.”
“Yum.” This from Stef, who looked around. “I love this house. It’s huge and has every kind of room you could imagine. Don’t you, Grace?”
“I love how Carson loves this house. And of course the amenities are wonderful. But I’d live in a shack with him if I had to.”
“God, you two. New love.”
“Real love,” she said.
Then Ava Daniels said, “Those Brothers of Fire are something else, aren’t they?”
“They’re as tight as they ever were, especially now that Carson’s back.” This from Stef.
“What about you Grace?” Beth asked. She looked lovely as ever with her hair longer and her face relaxed. “Are you happy being in the Brothers of Fire family?
“You know I am.”
All five women embraced Grace with warmth and kindness and acceptance. She always envied the Brothers of Fire and now she had her own support group.
Stef mused, “They’ve all changed so much since they hooked back up.”
“What’s your favorite change?” Lacey asked.
“That Adam shares his feelings with me and the girls.”
“That Tim’s home more.”
“That Noah and I get to spend so much time together.”
“That Tommy has grown into a wonderful father.” She winked. “And lover.”
“That Jarek and I have fights over who gets to hold Linc.”
Grace smiled. “That Carson is really here with us. Sometimes, he talks so much I wish he’d shut up.”
“You don’t mean that.”
“No, I don’t. His counseling has really helped him open up, though.”
“I’m so glad, Grace.” This from Lacey.
“When he suggested you name your son Linc, I knew he was healing.”
“We’d thought about it but were afraid he’d feel bad.”
“Nope. Looks like none of them feel bad.”
Of course, they had mild upsets. And the couples disagreed. But Grace was so grateful for all she had with Carson.
The best thing was he was grateful too.
* * * * *
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