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Danny came out of his bedroom, shutting the door with that same secretive smile I’d seen appear several times for a few days now. He’d been decidedly less antagonistic since Mariang had agreed to go to the Justice of the Peace and sign their marriage license three weeks ago. Apparently, an Omen getting married in Terraway was a big deal, and took months and months of planning. Danny got irritable waiting in line to file their paperwork. They were officially married now, though no song and dance had been done to commemorate the occasion just yet. Their marriage was something of a secret that only our families knew about, with Terraway not being let in on the joyous union until the big wedding to-do. The bells and whistles would be held at Kabayo’s castle in Silo, as was the tradition for Omen weddings and funerals.
I nodded to Danny in the hallway, knowing it was usually when I spoke that his smile disappeared. “Hey, kid. I’ll help Mason set up the crib in the nursery tonight. Do you want the bassinet in your room now, or wait until later?”
I blinked at him, unsure why he was being so nice. “Um, thanks. Whatever’s easiest for you guys. But you don’t have to, you know. I can put the crib together.”
“I don’t mind.” Danny looked back at his bedroom door, ensuring it was shut as he lowered his voice. “Can I ask you something?”
No good can come of this. I waved him into my bedroom where I fished out the books Finn had given me, along with my notebooks where I’d translated the stories as best I could. “Sure. What’s up?”
“Have you felt the baby kick yet?”
Of all the things I ever thought Danny might ask me, that was last on the list. “Not yet. Sometimes I feel something that’s almost like movement, but it’s hard to tell. Nothing as definite as kicking yet.”
Danny’s mouth drew to the side. “Oh.” He glanced over his shoulder to make sure we were alone. I heard Boston snoring from his bedroom down the hall. “Can I... Would it be okay if I felt it?” He stared at my belly as if gearing up for climbing a mountain.
“Are you serious?”
“Never mind. Forget I asked.”
The fog of distance settled over Danny again, and I was desperate to get the nice guy back. “No, no. You just surprised me, is all. That’s fine. No one ever asks. They just up and put their hands all over my stomach. It’s unnerving. Thanks for asking. Makes me almost feel like a person again.” I pointed to my silk-covered belly, trying to smile through my confusion. “Go nuts.”
Danny was hesitant, not sure where he was supposed to touch me. He had several false starts before his hand landed on my stomach just above my belly button. His eyes grew round with fascination. “Wicked! It’s so hard. I thought it would be soft for some reason. Is it off the wall to think a whole person’s growing inside you?”
“Totally freaky.” I smiled at Danny, floored at how tender and precious he was being. I rarely saw him care about anything other than Mariang, and even that was laced with an edge of “don’t you dare look at me while I’m being nice.” I moved his hand to where I was pretty sure the head was. “Feel that little lump? I think that might be the head.”
“Are you serious?” He felt around carefully, transfixed. “I’ve been reading up on the whole baby thing, and some books are saying the baby can hear people’s voices even this early on. Do you think my niece can hear me right this very second?”
“You’ve honestly never been sweeter than you are right now. You’re reading up on babies to get to know your niece? That’s Uncle of the Year stuff right there. Ollie’s going to have some steep competition.” We shared a smile before Danny went back to staring at my belly as he felt along the equator. “I think she can hear you, yeah.”
Danny’s smile fell. “I don’t want her to be frightened of me. I’m not all that great with kids. Or people.”
Understatement, pal.
His eyebrows drew together. “The little ones take one look at me and run straight for Mariang. She’s got a way about her.”
“I’m not well practiced with kids, either. And if you don’t want her to be afraid of you, be like this more often. Be sweet. Kids like sweet, I hear.”
With his free hand, he rubbed the back of his neck – a thing he did when he was anxious. “Would it be okay if I read to her or something sometime? I mean, I don’t know if I believe the books, but I don’t want her to be born and have no idea who I am when I try to hold her.”
“You really need to tell Mariang you’re asking me this. It’s super adorable, Danny. She’ll fall head over heels in love with you all over again if you tell her you want to read to your niece. Of course you can. That’d be great. She’s probably sick of hearing my voice anyways. Mason talks to her all the time before we go to sleep.”
“He does? Then I’m falling behind. Yeah, I need to start doing that straightaway. What’s he reading her? I don’t want to read the same thing, and have her hate me because I’m boring her.”
I bit back a smile at his cuteness because he was totally serious. “Mason’s been running through the lineage of his father’s kingdom, teaching her how to set traps and how to track the undead to bury them. Pretty boring as far as bedtime stories go. She’ll probably be happy to get a break and hear a story from you.”
“Okay. Thanks. Do you have a name yet? I should probably start calling her something other than ‘baby’.”
“Yeah, but I don’t want to tell you. You’ll say it’s stupid, and I really like it.”
Danny’s eyebrows danced mischievously, erasing his monster of Frankenstein features and making him look... handsome? It was hard to tell. “I’ll tell you my secret if you tell me yours. I promise not to say it’s stupid, even if it is.”
I sighed, waiting for the magic of our precious moment devoid of conflict to fade. “Fine. September Serendipity Reese.”
Danny let the name roll around for a few seconds as he tempered his response. “That’s brilliant. Really. I like the September bit for sure.” Danny let out a light chuckle that quickly died on his lips. “Reese? I was hoping she’d be Vandershot.”
I swallowed hard, making sure to keep my voice even. “But Von’s not my husband. He’s not in the baby’s life. My last name’s Reese, and September will be my daughter only, not his.”
Danny nodded, sullen. “I guess that makes sense.”
“That doesn’t make you any less an uncle, though.” I watched him nod, grateful he wasn’t taking story time off the table. “Alright, I told you my secret. Your turn. Fess up. And I want something good, not like admitting you secretly like wearing women’s lacy underwear, or something else we already know. I want a really juicy secret.”
Danny’s smile revived his features as he looked down at me, lowering his voice to a whisper. “Mariang took a pregnancy test a few days ago. We agreed we wouldn’t say anything, but I can’t keep it in! It’s still early, but she’s pregnant.”
I covered my mouth to stifle a shriek. “Are you serious? That’s wonderful!” I hopped up on the balls of my feet, clapping my hands in excitement. I could imagine Mariang with a swollen belly, graceful as anything, an elegant knocked up ballerina. “Oh, she’ll be a great mama. You guys so deserve something good for a change! Why aren’t you telling anyone? Why’s it a secret?”
“She didn’t want to steal your thunder, what with the baby shower and all.”
My nose crinkled in distaste. “My thunder? Who the crap cares about that? She’s too thoughtful.” I pulled his wrist to drag him out into the hallway toward her room. “Let’s go tell her it’s fine. Oh, I can’t wait to see the look on Ezra’s face!”
Danny planted his feet steadfast on my carpet. “She’s napping. The baby makes her quite sleepy.” He grinned. “I’m already a husband, and now I’m going to be a dad.”
I discarded my caution and threw my arms around Danny, reaching up on my toes to peck his cheek. “Congratulations! That’s the best news I’ve heard all day. September’s going to have a cousin! And so close in age. Oh, I’m so happy!” I kissed his face all over, making him laugh.
“See? I knew you’d be cool. You don’t care about the thunder part of life. Mariang’s always wanted a sister, so she treads lightly around you, afraid she’ll do something wrong and you’ll hate her forever.”
“That’s silly. Come get me when she wakes up, so I can do a real freak-out. I’ve got to go downstairs now, though. Finn’s waiting.”
Danny frowned. “You let Finn in the door? I thought you were holding out for Von.”
I returned his sour expression. “I’m not holding out for any guy. Von split, and I stopped dreamwalking with him a while ago, so either he fell out of love with me, or I did. Either way, it’s over. He’s not coming back, and that’s that. And things would be too complicated with Finn, but we’re friends, so we’re just hanging out in the living room for a while. You’re welcome to join us.”
“Pass. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. It won’t be long before you cave. It’s the wrong move, but whatever.”
I pulled back from him, affronted. “Butt out of it. I’m allowed to sit in a house full of people with a guy. I’m allowed to have friends who aren’t my family or the people who get paid to guard me.”
“I’m just saying.”
Bev’s tried and true excuse for her endless insults smacked me afresh when it birthed out of Danny’s mouth. “Quit ‘just saying’.”
“What about Mason? After the baby’s not so much a baby anymore, he’d make a great father.”
My mouth dropped open. “Are you serious? Mason and I are good the way we are. Quit trying to marry me off.”
“October, you can’t do this alone.”
I stepped backward, looking up at him with unquenchable anger. “Am I alone? Is that what you’re telling me? Ollie, Ezra, Mariang, Mason, Lynna and Boston don’t count? I need a husband, or I’m alone? Screw you! That’s the meanest thing you could’ve said to me. I’m barely holding it together most days. Don’t come in and crap all over it because my life doesn’t shine as golden as yours.”
Danny crossed his arms over his chest. “Ollie’s going to go off and have a family of his own one day. Ezra, Mariang and I will be around, of course, but we’re going to have our own baby to worry about. Sooner or later Mason’s going to meet someone. Sure, he’ll still work for you, but one day he’ll have his own family. And Boston? Really? You’re counting on Bos to be a solid role model for your kid? He couldn’t even make it through the baby shower sober.”
“Get out! You’re such a jerk, coming in all nice and pulling this crap when my guard’s down. This is the best I can do, Danny. I can’t make Von want to be with me.”
Danny rolled his eyes, reaching for the door. “Whatever. You’re getting hysterical. I’m leaving.”
“You’re not leaving; I’m kicking you out!” I was shaking with rage, so I knew I needed to calm down. As soon as the door shut, I changed out of my dress and donned a form-fitting black stretchy shirt and some comfortable dark purple capri yoga pants. I didn’t bother with socks as I scooped up my books and padded down the stairs, putting as much space between myself and the smackjack known as Danny.