Chapter 63: Excited

Gray

“Hey,” I greeted Vaughn nervously when he barged through our house door.

“Vaughn!” My wife gushed out, “Guess wh-”

“HOW was the city?” I swiftly cut her off.

We’re pregnant, and even though it has nothing to do with Vaughn, he is fucked in the head. She just cannot flat out say “I’m having a baby.”

No way in hell. Vaughn would have a heart attack if he knew that I was going to be a father. He has to be let down easy. Telling him that I’m going to be raising some unlucky youngster is like telling him that someone died.

Vaughn threw his bags into the spare room. “Uh, as good as it could get, I suppose.” He mumbled, looking back and forth between Claire and me. He was reading the tension between us. “What the hell is your problem?” he asked, lying down onto the sofa and not really caring enough to continue to probe for an answer.

I glanced at Claire quickly, giving her a deathly keep-your-mouth-shut look. She nodded in understanding. But suddenly her hand flew up to clutch her mouth. Her eyes grew wide with surprise.

Shit, not this again.

I ran to the bathroom to haul open the door for her. She fell to her knees around the toilet and hurled up every bit of food she had in her stomach.

She is getting worse and worse. It is like whatever is growing inside of her is eating her alive.

I do not think Trent said that she would get this sick. Maybe there is something wrong. I do not think throwing up this much for a baby should be normal.

I sighed, rubbing her back and holding her blonde hair. “Are you okay?” I mumbled.

She shook her head and continued to barf into the toilet.

It is disgusting. I hate doing this. It is horrible.

But I have to put up with it. I am the one who knocked her up.

What if she is not okay?

“Gray?” I heard the deep Nebraskan accent call from the other room. “What the fuck is wrong with her?”

“Uh…” I yelled back. “Nothing. She is just feelin’ a little sick here lately.”

He snickered. “Yeah, well she better not fucking give it to me. I already had enough sick days as it is.”

Claire muttered under her breath, “Asshole.”

I rolled my eyes behind her back. She is short circuited lately. Hormones and stuff, I guess. I thought Claire was moody enough as it was. Now it is like somebody released a tiger in our home.

“Be good,” I whispered to her. “He does not know.”

Claire snapped up. “And why the hell not, Gray?” she hissed. “Are you ashamed or something?”

Ugh, fuck.

“Goddess, Gray! Grow the fuck up! How the hell do you expect to be able to raise a-”

I reached out and grabbed her mouth to shut her up.

Vaughn looked up from the couch and snickered. “What the hell are you gonna be raisin’?”

I quickly thought on my feet. “I’m getting my own horse.”

Vaughn raised an eyebrow. “Yeah? Well, we used to work in a barn years ago. I think he can handle it, Claire.”

My wife scoffed and dug her sharp teeth into my hand that was covering her mouth.

“OW!” I yelled. “What the hell, Claire!”

Claire snickered. “Oh shut up, Gray.” She mumbled, then pointed in Vaughn’s direction. “And don’t you dare fuck with me with your snide comments and your negative attitude this weekend while you’re here. Any other time I would deal with it, but right now I would probably stab you.”

Vaughn’s face sickened with horror and shock while Claire turned back on her heel and stormed out of the house.

“What the hell is your problem?” he demanded after her.

“Oh she’s just-” I started, trying to think up an excuse quick.

She cut me off while pulling open the door. “Pregnant!” she yelled back.

I cringed at the door slam behind her.

Fuck.

I turned around to see Vaughn still staring quizzically at the door.

I do not know why the fuck I am so hesitant on telling him that I am going to be a dad. It is weird, I guess. Everything that we both went through together.

And the fact that I am married with a kid on the way, and he is still living day to day, shipping animals around. I guess I feel bad for him more than anything.

Vaughn looked up at my face. I am not sure what the fuck I look like right now. Probably just as surprised as him.

His eyes darted to the bathroom where Claire was throwing up again. He was trying to piece things together on his own.

Then he turned his head toward the spare bedroom, noticing the walls had been repainted from dark brown to a neutral yellow.

He looked back at me, his face in complete shock. “Seriously?” he tested. “Dead serious?”

I nodded.

He took off his hat and slapped it down beside him, pulling his hair out of his face. “Well, what in the hell are you going to do?” he mumbled, sympathy in his voice. “I guess you could live with me for a while if you wanted, but your blacksmithing is here in Wears Valley, so I do not know what kind of full time jobs you would find elsewhere.”

“Leave?” I snapped. “Seriously?”

Vaughn looked back up at me. “You honestly do not think you would be a good father, do you?”

“And why the fuck wouldn’t I be?” I bellowed.

He squinted his eyes and jumped to his feet. “Well, I dunno. Let’s see,” he muttered with too much sarcasm. “You would just fuck up its mind.”

I edged closer, having to look up at him since he was tall as hell.

“You take that back,” I threatened. “Take it back.”

“No fucking way,” he sneered. “We are both messed up. We were ditched and left to fend for ourselves, and you just expect to raise a kid?”

My head felt like it was about to explode.

I grabbed him by the buttons of his shirt so hard that two popped off.

“You are a damn asshole,” I yelled. “I married Claire. I slept with her knowing this could happen. And honestly, I am excited about it.”

Vaughn’s jaw dropped. “How the fuck can you be excited? It is going to ruin your life.”

“Oh shut the fuck up,” I screamed. “I finally get to fix something. I can be the father I never had.”

He laughed mockingly.

I snapped.

My fist smashed into his jaw.

He stumbled back.

“What the fuck, dude!” I shouted. “You are supposed to be my best friend.”

I threw his bags out the door and pointed. “Get the fuck out of my house.”

Vaughn

I do not know how long I wandered through Wears Valley before I ended up by the creek.

I kicked a rock and cursed under my breath.

Then the air changed.

Light reflected off the water. Not natural light.

A woman stood above the creek, hovering, calm and unreal.

“Do not swear,” she said gently.

I froze.

She was not a goddess. Not a legend. Just something old. Something that did not belong to a storybook or a festival.

She knew my name.

She told me about the kids. About the twins. About the future.

Savannah and Shalyn.

When I woke up in the inn, I told myself it was a dream.

Until I felt something sharp in my back.

A small golden feather.

My initials etched into it.

V.S.

I stared at it until my hands shook.

It was real.

At dawn, I built the cribs.

Two of them.

When Claire asked why there were two, I just told her to get another ultrasound.

She laughed it off.

Later, over breakfast, they talked about names.

Shalyn.

Savannah.

I nearly choked on my eggs.

It was all true.

And whether I liked it or not, those two little monsters were coming.

And I was not going anywhere.