Chapter 113 I Miss Having a Project

Chapter 113 I Miss Having a Project
The late morning sun beat down on the sparkling water behind the massive Stark lake cabin, creating the absolute perfect backdrop for Olive’s third birthday weekend. The entire extended family had completely taken over the sprawling property, turning the quiet getaway into a chaotic, laughter-filled party zone.
Down at the edge of the water, the men were officially on toddler duty. Owen, Thomas, Tate, Ben, and David had rolled up their board shorts and waded into the shallows, splashing around with the girls.
Suddenly, a tiny, outraged shriek pierced the peaceful morning air.
"Ah! No!" Olive yelled, instantly pulling her leg up out of the water like she had been electrocuted.
"What happened, sweet pea?" Owen asked, immediately lunging forward to catch her under the arms.
"Fishy ate my toes!" Olive declared, pointing an accusatory, chubby finger at the crystal-clear water where a tiny, harmless minnow darted away.
The immediate, collective burst of deep laughter from her father, grandfather, and uncles completely broke the tension. But Olive was not amused.
She planted her hands firmly on her hips, her dark curls bouncing as she glared at the circle of highly amused men. "Not funny!"
Determined to find a more sympathetic audience, Olive spun around and began to march out of the water, her wet, stomping feet kicking up sand as she headed straight for the shoreline where Leona was relaxing in a lounge chair.
Seeing her fierce little stomp, Owen couldn't resist. He let out a playful, theatrical roar and splashed out of the water right behind her. "I'm going to get the toes!"
Olive’s angry facade instantly melted. She let out a breathless, hysterical giggle and broke into a full sprint, her little legs carrying her as fast as they could across the sand before Owen scooped her up into a massive bear hug, effectively ending the swimming session.
By the afternoon, the party had moved onto the massive back deck. Olive and Hazel had been wrangled into dry clothes, both girls sporting matching denim overalls over white t-shirts, their wild, dark curls pulled up into identical pigtails. Running through the house together, they looked so much alike they practically passed for twins.
The pile of brightly wrapped gifts sitting on the patio table was wildly excessive—far more than any three-year-old could ever possibly need—but Olive enjoyed every single one of them, enthusiastically tearing into the paper with Hazel trying her best to "help."
When it was finally time for dessert, Leona brought out the masterpiece: a massive, towering birthday cake covered entirely in bright, multi-colored polka dots of all different sizes.
As everyone dug into the sweet vanilla cake, Claire cleared her throat, grabbing David’s hand across the table. She looked over at Leona and Owen, who were currently busy wiping frosting off of two identical, sticky faces.
"Actually," Claire beamed, her eyes shining with happy tears, "David and I have a little announcement. Watching you two with these beautiful, curly-headed girls completely changed our hearts. We're pregnant!"
The deck erupted into massive cheers. Leona immediately jumped up to pull Claire into a tight hug. As the celebrations continued, the picture-perfect reality of their growing family was undeniable. Across the table, Maya was happily curled up against Tate’s side, while Ben had his arm draped affectionately around the back of Sarah’s chair. It was just one massive, unconditionally happy family.
That night, after the chaos had finally settled, the cabin fell beautifully quiet. Up in the spacious guest bedroom, Olive and Hazel were tucked safely away together in a large, portable playpen, completely exhausted and fast asleep.
Leona pulled the plush duvet back, sliding into the comfortable bed next to Owen. She let out a long, contented sigh, resting her head on his shoulder.
"I was thinking today," Leona murmured into the quiet room, her fingers tracing the cotton of his t-shirt. "With the girls getting a little older... I think I'm ready to start looking at going back to work part-time. I miss having a project."
Owen immediately wrapped his arm around her, kissing her forehead. "Whatever you want to do, Leo. You know I'll support you."
They drifted off peacefully, but a few hours later, the absolute dead of the night was suddenly broken. Leona bolted upright, throwing the covers back in a panic. She barely made it to the attached guest bathroom before she was violently throwing up.
Owen was right behind her in seconds, crouching on the cold tile and gently gathering her heavy braid to keep it out of her face. "I've got you," he whispered, his free hand rubbing her back. "Are you okay?"
Leona leaned back against the cool tub, wiping her mouth with a trembling hand and letting out a miserable groan. "Ugh. I'm fine. That polka-dot cake was just way too sweet. I must have eaten too much frosting."
Owen kissed her temple and carried her back to bed, totally convinced by the sugar-crash excuse.
But the reality hit entirely differently the next morning.
Down in the sprawling cabin kitchen, the mouth-watering smell of Thomas’s famous buttermilk pancakes filled the air. The family was gathering around the massive island, pouring coffee and grabbing plates.
Leona sat down on a barstool, giving Thomas a grateful smile as he slid a warm, perfectly golden pancake onto her plate. She picked up her fork, cut a small piece, and took a bite.
The absolute second the pancake hit her tongue, her stomach violently rolled. The room completely spun. Leona dropped her fork with a clatter, slapped her hand over her mouth, and bolted directly out of the kitchen, sprinting for the nearest powder room.
The entire kitchen went dead silent.
Owen practically dropped his coffee mug, his gray eyes wide with sudden realization. He looked at the pancake on Leona's plate, and then looked slowly up at his father.
There was only one other time in her entire life that Thomas’s famous, beloved pancakes had ever made Leona sick. And it was the exact week she had found out she was pregnant with Hazel.