Page 46 of Inevitably Yours

“Bet you never thought she’d change so drastically, did you?” With those words, he wrapped his body around Stacy’s. Claiming.

“Only the latter, she’s still pint-sized.”

“Hey.” Stacy pouted, but everyone else just laughed. “Well, at least I don’t have bacon on my ass.”

“Yeah, but you love bacon, and you love my ass.”

“All right, all right,” Andy spoke up and gently lifted his daughter back into his arms. “Get a room already, you two, there is a baby present.”

“Ha,” Walker barked. “I seem to recall you not giving a fuck about language and behavior in front of my precious little angel.”

“Well—”

“What about—”

“Blow m—”

“Excuse me.”

Everyone spoke at once and the volume had risen to an almost deafening level. A shrill whistle pierced through all the arguing and insults. All eyes turned to the matriarch smoothing down her suit as if she didn’t just piss off every dog within a two-mile radius.

“If you will all kindly zip it, the good doctor there has something to say.”

Every head whipped around to the portly man in white who was clearing his throat. “Um, yes. Miss Thorne is doing just fine, as is the baby, if you hadn’t noticed. She’s resting now, and her sister is with her. She expended quite a bit of energy today so don’t worry if she sleeps through the night. It’s perfectly normal. But, if things stay the same, I see no reason I can’t discharge them both tomorrow evening. However, someone is here to take the baby back to the nursery.”

No one wanted to see her go, but they all cooed their goodbyes anyway. Andy approached John as the others left. “You’re more than welcome to stay the night here, we have the room, and I know it would mean a lot to Augusta.”

John agreed it would be nice, and he was tempted, but he had something else in mind. “As much as I want to stay, I feel this time is for the four of y’all to bond and adjust. I think I’d like to go to her place and make it nice for her homecoming.” John shared his plans, most of them anyway. He wanted Andy’s approval.

“I think that’s an excellent idea. January thought as much and is ready to head back, too. She can give you a lift? Plus, she can keep an eye on that head of yours since I am assuming you haven’t seen a doctor yet? Better yet, stop off down stairs and just let them have a look. I know it will help Augusta’s peace of mind.”

“Sure.”

John didn’t want to do anything that could potentially hurt Augusta, and if he did have a concussion and didn’t get at least looked at, that was just creating unnecessary risk of problems. He wanted to make sure he was in perfect shape when she was finally ready to come home.

---