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We made love for what seemed like hours of emotional and physical paradise. When Boston cleared his throat to slowly bring us out of our haze, I’m guessing it had only been about eight minutes, which was how long his showers tended to last.
Von took longer to come out of the mind-meld than I did. He was still blinking the room into focus while I frantically patted my body down to make sure that I was, in fact, clothed in front of Boston. The park had felt so real. Von had felt so real. He collapsed beside me on the bed, spent and breathing hard. The only article of clothing lost between the two of us was his shirt that had been discarded onto the floor.
Boston kept his eyes on the ceiling. “Seriously, mates. Put a sock on the door or something. I don’t need to see that. I mean, you look and sound like you’re having sex, just with all your clothes on.”
“I’m sorry,” I breathed, my chest jumping up and down, my face flushed. “It’s hard to get a handle on things.”
Boston shoved his shirt over his head, moved to the dresser and pulled something out of his wallet to whip at Von. “Might want to suit up next time. You don’t want to reimpregnate her.”
Von tossed the condom back at his grinning brother. “Pretend there’s a sock on the door, mate. We’ll be down for breakfast in a few.”
Boston acted out a crude gesture before he left the bedroom, looking more like himself than he had in months. I wasn’t so sure if that was a good thing or a bad one. Boston unplugged was a total perv.
I rolled over (harder to do than it sounds), and put my hand over Von’s lips when he leaned in for another round of too much passion. “First off, happy birthday. Second, that was amazing. Third, we have to start our day, so don’t even think about a round two right now.”
Von’s face shifted to a tender adoration as he traced my cheekbone and thumbed my lips. “Best birthday yet. I’ve got my girls. I’ve got the rest of my pepper, ketchup and chocolate cake. What else could I possibly need?”
“Presents,” I whispered.
His hand migrated down to outline my curves all the way down to the swell of my hip. “You’re my present, and I think it’s time I unwrapped you.”
I bit my lower lip. “Crap, that was good.” I indulged us in a simple kiss that only reintroduced sparks of blue and gold with a faint sole wind chime in the background before I pulled away. I knew I was on the verge of ruining the mood, but I had to voice my fear. “You’re not leaving this time?”
“Never,” Von vowed, running his knuckle over my baby bump. “I’m never leaving you again.”
My nerves gave way to a smile of relief. “Happy birthday, Von.”
He let out a low growl as he brought my wrist to his lips and sucked on the delicate skin.
I groaned, but then yanked my hand back and lightly shoved him with it. “Okay, okay. Up you get. I’ve still got to finish your birthday present, so go eat your breakfast. I’ll be down in twenty.”
When he left for downstairs, I dressed for the day, and then slipped into the guest room and pulled out the pieces of the gift Boston and I had been working on. I set them up in our bedroom and all down the long hallway. When I’d suggested the idea, Boston had laughed and called me mad. Little did he know that madness was my specialty.
I dressed in a long, fitted peach blouse that hung down past my hips and hugged my belly, paired with black leggings that were super amazingly comfortable. After pulling my hair up into a bun and brushing my teeth, I went down to join Von for breakfast. He was opening his gift from Ezra, which turned out to be a pocket watch. “So you’re never late for work,” Ezra told him with a gentle smile. Then he took the watch by the end of the chain, pressed a button on the back that slid out a ring of razors on the side. He shocked us all by flinging it around his head like a lasso, and letting the watch fly, striking out at the napkin on the table. Then he yanked the chain, recoiling it like a yo-yo, and retracted the razors that had retrieved the napkin and partially shredded it for him. “It’s a handy little thing if you’re in a pinch and find yourself without a weapon.”
“Wicked!” Boston and Von said in unison. Von took the watch and turned it over in his hands, depressing the button to test it over and over.
Mariang was too excited to stand still; she bobbed on the balls of her feet with a grin that couldn’t be contained without the occasional muted squeal of anticipation.
Von turned to her with a sweet smirk. “Have you come bearing gifts for your king, love?”
Mariang produced a rectangular package that had been expertly wrapped, thwapping it on the table with too much excitement. “Open it!”
Von made a show of shaking the package, taking the wrapping paper off without tearing it, and gently sliding the paper off the box with excruciating slow-pokeness. “Is it... Did you get me a roller coaster?”
“You’re absolutely killing me, Von!” She looked like she was ten seconds away from opening the box herself just to have done with it.
Von laughed at her, setting the box down completely to adore her antics and pull her into a tight hug. “I love it already, and I love you for loving me this much. Best sister a handsome bloke like myself could ask for.”
Mariang was a ball of eagerness in his arms. “Just open it already! You’re drawing it out to torture me. Don’t you know how much I’ve wanted to give you this every day? I simply can’t wait another minute!”
Boston made a crass joke about Mariang giving it to Von every day, but luckily his mouth was full of food, so only I caught the bulk of it. I slapped Boston upside the back of the head. “Behave,” I admonished him with a squinty eye he returned to me.
“Well, if you can’t wait another minute.” Von yawned and stretched. “I think I fancy a nap before I finish opening my gifts.”
Mariang picked up the box and shoved it into his arms. “Don’t you dare.”
Von sniggered at her as he lifted the lid, pulling out a book with my name and Von’s on it in beautifully scripted letters. “What’s this now?” He flipped open to the first page. His antagonism softened, and the teasing was replaced with a tender expression. “What did you do?”
“It’s a book of October’s pregnancy. I knew you’d want every detail when you found out the baby was yours, so I kept track of it all. It’s stats from every doctor’s appointment, photos of her bump growing every week, ultrasound printouts...” She tucked in beside him at the tall counter in the kitchen and flipped to a page in the middle. “Here’s a list of all the things that made her throw up, and on this side is all the cravings. Then here’s the things she did to take care of the baby and herself.” She wrapped her arms around Von’s neck. “It’s like you didn’t miss a thing now.”
“I can see that.” Von’s eyes raked in every detail of the pages, taking his time flipping through each one, laughing and commenting when some new tidbit struck him. “You really kept track of everything. It’s even got her weight in here.”
I paled. “Hey, wait a second.” I saddled up next to Von to peer over his shoulder, ready to defend myself against the incriminating evidence. I frowned. “It doesn’t have my weight in here.”
“Gotcha.” Von took the opportunity with me so close to give my lips a light kiss. He swept the kitchen in a brush of blue and gold. It quickly faded and left us both with a contented sigh while Mariang screeched her happiness. “That’s all I wanted for my birthday. Buckets of you.”
I moved to the other side of the counter with pink cheeks to stand next to Danny, who I knew wouldn’t fawn over our kiss. Mariang was beside herself. “Is that... Are you... Did I just... Are you two back together, then?” She was already hopping. Her arms flung around Von again, kissing his cheek before she flitted to me to do the same.
I held up my hand to stave off her elation. “We’re not back together. We’re figuring things out for now.”
Von stared at me, his happiness hitting a decrescendo as he fixed me with a wounded look. I’m not sure what he was expecting, but without at least a conversation, I didn’t know why he assumed we were together.
Von swallowed hard before a breezy smile reappeared on his lips. He held out his hands expectantly. “More presents! I demand a truckload!”
Boston slid a long box to Von, who opened it with less flourish. He pulled out a long silver knife that looked a little worn, but was freshly polished. “It was Bishop’s,” he said, and I could tell by the forced level chin that he was trying to be nonchalant about it. “I think he’d want you to have it. Keep the family safe and all. You were the one who always looked after us. It should go to you.”
Von held it with reverent appreciation, turning it over before sliding it into its sheath. He set it down and stood, eyeing Boston with a dramatic expression that made me wary. “Come here, you!” Then Von tackled Boston off his stool in a bear hug that was equal parts forceful and affectionate.
Boston fell to the floor with an “oof!” The two quickly devolved into wrestling cubs, rolling around on the kitchen floor, cuffing and trying to dominate with laughter that just kept coming. It was the perfect way to show Boston he was loved, and that his gift had hit right to the heart of who Von was.
The two recovered after Lynna came in and started whapping them with her dish towel, warning them to take it outside before they made a mess of her kitchen. They reclaimed their stools with winded matching grins, shoving each other lightheartedly as they continued eating their breakfast.
Boston looked up from his porridge to me. “You’re up, sis.”
I shook my head a miniscule amount, hoping he’d let it go. “We don’t do birthday stuff in my family, so I didn’t get you anything, Von. I hope that’s alright.”
Von smiled at me, ever the good sport for not looking even a little crestfallen. “That’s alright, Peach. You gave me the best gift this morning, and you’re carrying my baby. You’re like, a walking present.”
Danny looked up at the ceiling. “Finally, a likeminded person. Birthday gifts are such rubbish.”
Mariang’s tone steeled, which was so uncharacteristic of her passive dealings with Danny that I couldn’t help but gawk. “Danny, just let Von be happy this one day! No one’s asked you to give your own brother a present. I simply asked you not to rain on his parade this year. He gets one parade a year. Let him enjoy it for once.”
Danny froze at being publicly chastised. No one spoke for a solid eight seconds. Finally Boston broke the tension. “October, give Von your gift.”
“I told you, I didn’t get him anything.”
Boston’s face soured. “Why would you say that? You were so excited putting it together. He’ll love it.”
I didn’t know how to tell Boston that I was pretty sure Von wouldn’t love it. Mariang had gotten him the most precious handmade gift. Ezra had given him the coolest gift. Boston had given him the most sentimental gift. Lynna had made him a blood cake, winning the award for the weirdest gift. Mine was stupid, and I didn’t want Von to think I was stupid. “I’m sorry, Von. I didn’t get you anything.”
“It’s fine, Peach. I really don’t care.”
Boston’s spoon clanged in his empty bowl. “You’re being a coward, and I don’t know why. Come on, Von. I’ll show you what she made you.”
I looked up at Ezra, hoping he’d intervene, but he wrapped his arms around Von and Mariang, corralling them up the stairs. I hung back with Danny, wringing my hands and wanting to hide. “It’s not finished! I can do it better. I just need more time, Von.” I looked up at Danny, fear plain on my face. “I’m going for a walk, okay?”
Danny went with me to the mud room off the side of the kitchen. He grabbed his coat off the hook, and handed me mine. “Let’s go.”