Page 111 of Without Bound
I take Anais’ hand in mine and pull her closer to the television that has the numbers flashing on the screen. The clock hits ten seconds and we all count along. When it strikes zero, I lift Anais in my arms and look into her gorgeous brown eyes. They twinkle from the lights above. Or is it the lights twinkling from her eyes?
“Happy New Year, my little butterfly.”
“Happy New Year, mi cariño.”
She kisses me hard and I restrain myself from going further out of respect for Nix.
When we separate I caress her face and remind her, “We’ll always do it together.”
“Together.”
EPILOGUE
10 years later…
“I don’t understand why we both have to be here. Isn’t this shi-stuff usually for girls?” Bishop grumbles when we open the front door to Cami and Vaughan’s house.
“Will you quit being a grumpy old man? I didn’t even care if we had one or not, but you know the girls. They insisted on it. Then Vaughan started whining which made Nix pout and before we knew it, the entire crew and all of their minis were coming, too,” I explain, and smooth my hands over his chest and rise up on my toes to place a chaste kiss on his lips.
But of course, nothing with Bishop is chaste and soon our small kiss turns passionate.
“Eeeewww,” little voices call out and we break.
“You ew,” Bishop jokes, crouching down to pick up a kid in each arm.
“My mommy,” Alfie pouts and points to me.
“No. My mommy.” Farrah whines and reaches over to smack Alfie.
“Hey. No ma’am. You do not hit your little brother, Farrah. Not okay.” Bishop looks at her with the most serious face he can make which is actually quite laughable.
The moment Bishop Michaels held his baby girl in his arms, he turned from teddy bear to complete mush. That little thing just bats an eyelash and he says“anything for you, my little beauty”and gives in to whatever she’s asking for. I can’t even begin to tell you how large her doll collection is because every time she sees a new one, all she has to say is“daddy”and he jumps. No, not jumps. He leaps.
Then there’s Alfie. Alford Darius Michaels. The name sake of his grandfather and great-grandfather. The little boy his daddy and uncle call a future hall of famer. The kid is two and a half and he can already swing a bat like nobody’s business.
“Daddy,” Farrah cries and buries her head in his shoulder.
“C’mere, Alfie. Let’s go see your cousins.” I pull him into my arms so that Bishop can comfort his princess. Probably with promises of a new pony.
We finally make it to the living room where adults are congregating and they cheer.
“There she is,” Vivian sings. “The woman of the hour.”
“What about me?” Bishop says as he walks up behind me with Farrah hanging tightly to his neck.
“Well, when you’re eight months pregnant with yet another kid, we’ll cheer and dance for you. Until then, shut it.” Viv sasses, and rolls her eyes.
“There’s my man. Come here, Alfie.” Uncle Nix comes walking in from outside and holds out his arms.
“Nix. Nix,” Alfie shouts and wiggles out of my arms.
His little legs carry him as fast as they can and straight into Uncle Nix’s arms. If there is anyone whose love for Alfie can rival Bishop’s, it’s Phoenix West.
“I missed you buddy.” Nix spins him around and his chubby legs float behind him. “Wanna go see your cousins?” Nix asks, and Alfie nods his head so hard I’m afraid it may topple off his little neck.
Nix bursts through the back door and I hear a chorus of voices shout Alfie’s name. All the kids are here and that is a hell of a lot.
Vaughan and Cami have Sloane and Autumn Jade —who everyone calls AJ— , and of course Dagen who is a woman now. CeCe and Luca have just one, Naveen, but the boy is never short offamily. He and Sloane are only a few months apart and they’re as tight as brothers.
