Part One Hundred and Four

Eight months later …

It was Kalen’s first birthday and we were keeping it small. We had moved to Staten Island because I wanted Kalen to have a home with a garden, somewhere she could play outside whenever she wanted and we had just moved in a week ago.

The house on Shore Acres Road was like a dream home. It had four bedrooms and four bathrooms. The rooms were large and light filtered through the windows, making the space feel even bigger. Outside there was a deck and a jacuzzi.

It was perfect really, although I had to leave the house earlier in the mornings for training but the commute was worth it. I had taken my time in moving in, having painted the walls and plastered some of the exposed brick work because the varying patterns were making me dizzy.

The team and my family had been invited for a day in the jacuzzi, a barbecue and birthday cake. Of course she wanted a princess party and Katiya had dressed up as a princess. Kalen was ecstatic at the sight of her and that warmed my heart.

It was also an alcohol free party and Alexei was playing horsey with her, his knees stained green by the grass as he crawled around on his hands and knees. Hearing her laugh was the most beautiful sound in the world and Coach had sent her a number thirteen shirt with her name on the back.

“Are you still drooling in your sleep over her?” Cooper asked me as we stood by the barbecue as Kalen opened presents.

“Shut up,” I said and he laughed.

“Will it be weird if I say I drool about her too?” he asked me.

“Piss off, Cooper,” I said as my brothers joined us.

“I don’t drool about her, because my wife is hot and she’d kick my ass,” Castiel said.

Castiel and Tiffany had gotten married three months earlier and they were a good fit. Cade was wielding a plastic sword and attacking Mason. It was a perfect day actually and Katiya had changed half an hour ago, into her favorite skin tight yoga pants and a loose sweater.

“Dude, when’s she going to learn to speak properly,” Alexei asked as he grabbed a bottle of water and fell into the chair, out of breath.

“She’s one,” I said.

“She’s calling me Alicey,” he said and we all laughed.

“Someone please get a video of her doing that,” I said.

“Fuck you, Hawthorne, you’re not posting that shit online, I’d never date again,” Alexei protested.

“Fuck you!” Cade yelled and ran down the steps to the grass.

“Oh shit, Tiffany’s going to kill me,” Castiel said as he raced after Cade.

“Nice Alicey,” I said as he glared at me.

“I’m not exactly kid friendly,” he said.

“Let’s eat before Kalen passes out from all the excitement,” I said.

“Daddy!” she yelled and got up on her wobbly legs.

“Oh nice, someone bought you a Barbie Jeep,” I said glaring at Alexander.

“You said no excessive pink, the Jeep’s black,” he said.

“She’s one,” I repeated.

“She’ll grow into it,” he said.

“Yeah right,” I said.

“Vroom vroom,” she said, holding on to the side of the electric car.

By the end of the day Kalen had cake in her hair, her hands were sticky and dirty and I won’t even mention her face. She was a happy little girl with an excess of presents that no one year old could ever get tired of playing with.

“Thanks for coming, guys,” I said as we stood by the front door.

“It was a great party, Kage,” Nicholas said.

“We’ll see you on Sunday,” Miles called as Niah closed her eyes against his chest.

I locked the doors after everyone had left and I could hear Kalen and Katiya in her bathroom. I got Kalen’s pajamas out and the pull up pants she wore at bed time.

“I’ll put her to bed, you’ve had a long day,” I said to Katiya as she wrapped a towel around Kalen.

“So have you,” she said but didn’t object further when I picked Kalen up.

“You already bathed her, so this will make us even,” I said and she grinned at me.

I took Kalen to her room and dressed her as she giggled while I kissed her stomach and feet. She smelled like cotton candy and sunshine. I tucked her into her bed and sat down next to her, my arm above her head on her pillow.

“Stoly time,” she said and yawned.

“One day, long, long ago there lived a little girl in a huge castle. She was the most beautiful little girl in the whole wide world, when she opened her eyes in the morning the sun would rise and when she went to sleep the moon would shine in the sky. This little girl was very special because she was an ice princess and …”

Kalen’s eyes had drifted closed and I knew she was asleep. She’d never been a difficult child and I loved her sweetness, her hugs and slobbery kisses, I even loved her sticky little hands that always managed to land in my face whenever she hugged me.

I headed to Katiya’s room to remind her of Kalen’s doctor appointment in the morning for her check-up. I knocked once and opened the door slightly. Sometimes she had her earphones on listening to music and wouldn’t hear me.

Only the lamp in her bedroom was on and her bathroom door was ajar. I planned on knocking and then just speaking to her through the door when I stopped short. I could see her reflection in the mirror. She was in the tub with her head back, candles flickering and casting shadows.

I couldn’t look away as she touched herself and I had to stop myself from walking into that bathroom and asking her if she needed an extra hand. I was staring and being a pervert but she looked so sensual, vulnerable almost and I knew I had to leave before I did something stupid.