Page 45 of Unlocked

“Yes, so it seems. I’m going to need all the help I can get,” I say turning to him. Luke’s eyebrow’s shoot up. “You have nearly thirty years of experience on me, looking after all of us.” Luke belly laughs, and the rest of us join him.

“Thank you.” He wheezes, trying to get himself under control. “I was freaking out just a little at Marley’s confession. I needed the reminder that no child she and I create could ever be as bad as the three of you.” Luke smirks at us. I should be offended, but he’s correct. Marley is entirely too kind, too good to create a hellion like me or my brothers.

“So you’re saying there’s hope for me, then?” I ask. “I won’t have to pay for my raising?” Luke shakes his head.

“Shelby is way too good for you; that’s true,” Luke admits. “But I’m not sure even her sweetness can overcome all that is you.” My brothers roar with laughter at my expense. I don’t take offense. I have faith my sweet girl’s traits will win out. She’s just that good.

Epilogue

BO

Shelby’s howl has me clenching my teeth. She has a death grip on my hand. Her brow is soaked in sweat. “I…I can’t do this,” she huffs, her head falling back. She’s breathing so hard. Her grip loosens, but I keep holding on. A nurse adjusts the oxygen mask on Shelby’s face.

“Yes, you can, my sweet girl,” I encourage. “You’re doing great.” I take the cloth the nurse had given me, patting her face to remove the moisture. I’m getting concerned, but I’d never let Shelby know. I glance at the mid-wife, who doesn’t seem to be worried, but we’ve been at this for hours. My sweet girl is getting fatigued. This baby needs to make their appearance soon. This labor has been very hard on my girl.

Her grip tightens again, the first sign another contraction is coming. My free arm goes behind her back helping her raise up as she bears down. I count softly to her, like we’d learned in the Lamaze classes. She growls out a cry from the effort. “That’s it; you’re doing so good, baby,” I praise.

“You’re almost there, Shelby,” the mid-wife says, her gaze trained on Shelby’s opening. I glance up at the mirror they have positioned so we can see when our baby makes their arrival. My eyes sting, seeing the soft black hair pressing forward as Shelbytries to bring him or her into the world. “Give one more big push and we’ll have this baby here.” I’m anxious to see our baby. We elected not to know the sex of the baby. We decided this one would be a surprise.

Four years ago, Shelby had given me a son, Axel Bo Robertson. A year later we had twins, Amelia Lynn and Ashton Luke. Now we are waiting to see if we’re adding another boy or if Millie is getting her wish for a sister. I lean down to kiss Shelby’s forehead. She’s the best mother for my children I could have ever asked for. She has the patience of Job. Not only with the kids, but with me, too. I do try to be the man she needs, but even being a husband for nearly five years and a father for four, I’m still the clown of the family. I’m much happier down in the floor playing horse for the kids than being an adult. Marley complains she doesn’t know how Shelby puts up with me, but my sweet girl just laughs, saying she wouldn’t have me any other way. I know it’s true. I wouldn’t change a thing about her either. I’m still amazed at how easily we fell in love. A love that grows stronger each and every day.

“Okay, here we go!” the mid-wife calls. “Push, Shelby! Push hard!” I lift her up, feeling her body strain with the effort. With a gush of fluids, our baby arrives. I glance over the drape to see a tiny little winker and ball sack. Poor Millie isn’t getting her sister. “It’s a boy!” the mid-wife announces as she lays our son up on Shelby’s chest.

“Here daddy, I’ll let you do the honors,” the mid-wife hands me a pair of scissors, pointing to where she wants me to cut the cord. I’ve been blessed to be able to cut each of my children’s cord. I slice through the thick tissue, eager to be finished so I can be with my sweet girl and our new son. I pass the scissors back to the nurse and turn back to my girl.

“Hey, sweet girl,” I murmur. Shelby looks up at me, fatigue evident on her face, but a beautiful smile on her face. “I love you. Thank you for bringing our son into the world.” Her smile grows.

“I love you, Bo. Thank you for giving me another son,” Shelby whispers. I kiss her lips as we cradle our new baby on her chest. “Adrian Lane,” Shelby recites the name we’d chosen if the baby was a boy. I gaze down at the perfect little human we’ve created. His little hand wraps around my finger, gripping tightly. I’m always amazed at how tiny a newborn’s hands are. Having a four-year-old and two three-year-olds, I had thought their hands are small, but seeing Adrian’s little hand makes me realize just how much they’ve grown.

“He’s perfect,” I tell Shelby. “Just like our other three.” She nods, looking down at him dreamily. “Poor Millie, she’s going to be disappointed.”

Shelby shakes her head. “She’s going to love him,” she declares. “You know she loves babies whether male or female. She thinks she’s the momma to all her little cousins.” I chuckle, knowing it’s true. “Besides we can try again in another year or two.” I cock my head to take in my wife.Is she serious?Just last week she declared this was the last baby she’s carrying. Granted, her feet were swollen, the kids were arguing over a toy, and she’d been at the restaurant all day on her feet, even though I’d forbidden it. I should have known she’d defy me and stay all day instead of the four hours a day I’d suggested.

Marley and Shelby had opened a restaurant, Baby Girl’s, just a few months after they’d both given birth to their first child. Luke and Marley have two boys and in another couple of months will bring my niece into the world. Both Luke and Marley have declared they are finished having children after this one. Of course, Luke is in his forties now, so we love to bust his chops about being too old to father more children.

“Did they slip some pain medication into your IV when I wasn’t looking?” I ask Shelby, causing her to frown up at me. “Because I think you just suggested we try for another girl?” She grins. “I’m pretty sure my wife told me I wasn’t allowed to get her pregnant again.”

“Oh poo! You know I was exhausted when I said that,” she scoffs. “I would like one more, boy or girl, but in a couple of years.”

I’m happy to have as many as Shelby wants, but I do worry about the toll it takes on her body to carry and nurture our children. This pregnancy has been almost as difficult as the twins. She’s had issues with high blood pressure and gestational diabetes. My girl has handled it all like a trooper. She’s lost weight since we first got together, not because I wanted her to, but due to getting her hypoglycemia under control. Additionally she says it’s because she’s so happy, she doesn’t eat to make herself feel better anymore.

“Whatever my sweet girl wants,” I say, planting a kiss to her lips. “I love you, and you.” I lean over to kiss our son’s forehead. His dark eyes blink sleepily. Poor guy is worn out like his momma. They’ve had a hard day.

Hours later, Shelby is sleeping after having fed our son for the first time. I’m seated in the rocking chair, by her bed. Our son in my arms. He drifted off thirty minutes ago, and I should lay him down in the bassinet, but I’m soaking in my bonding time with my boy. I rise to my feet and ease him down, knowing it won’t be long until he’s eager to feed again. I’ll need to catch a cat nap after his next feeding. Shelby will need me rested to help her through the night.

Once Adrian is settled. I pull my phone from my pocket. It’s getting late, but I need to check on our munchkins before they are down for the night. They should have gotten to Luke’sby now. The whole family has been by to meet the newest Robertson, but they’ve all left to allow Shelby to get some sleep.

Daisy and Ace are up visiting with their son Ethan Maddox, or Mad-dog as I like to call him. He’s a precocious little man. The same age as our twins. I know even with Luke, Marley, Daisy, Ace, Enos, and Rosco staying over, the adults are going to have their hands full with Luke’s two boys, my three children, and Daisy’s son all running wild.

The line rings four times, I’m expecting to get voicemail when the FaceTime call finally connects. Luke breaths out a breathless, “Robertson!” His face is flushed, and it’s all I can see like he’s holding the phone up close.

“Y’all already in bed?” I question not bothering with a greeting. I’m seriously hoping I’m not interrupting something. A chuckle comes over the line.

“Nah, we are playing tag to tire the kids out.” Luke wheezes. I roll my eyes. I bet Marley and Daisy are having a fit. My brothers and I love to rile the kids up before bed. Our theory is if we play with them hard enough, they’ll be worn out and sleep through the night. The women don’t agree with us, so it’s been an ongoing good-natured feud. We always win, of course.

“You’re getting too old for that shit,” I tease, “You know that, right?”

“Fuck you!” my brother threatens, without any anger on his face. “Luke! Language!” Marley scolds in the background. We do try to keep our swearing out of earshot of the kids.

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