Absolution (The Protectors 1)

Mace let Sampson go at the same time Izzy reached us and the dog made a beeline for Devlin, who managed to brace himself against its impact.

“Hi, baby girl,” I said as I squeezed Izzy.

“You’ve gotta call me little girl now ‘cause I’m not the baby anymore,” Izzy announced. I smiled at that and then greeted Ryan as he gave me a hug.

“Hey buddy, welcome home,” I said as I ruffled his hair.

“Thanks.”

“He’s sad ‘cause he had to leave his new girlfriend,” Izzy said.

“Am not!” Ryan returned.

The kids went back and forth with each other but my eyes were on Devlin as he held his hand out for Casey who was at the top of the stairs. My gaze fell to the baby in her arms and I felt tears sting my eyes.

“I’ve got her,” Cole said to me as he lifted Izzy from my arms. I managed a quick “thank you” before I started walking forward and as I passed Devlin, I brushed his arm with my hand. He gave me a smile and then headed towards the car.

Neither Casey nor I spoke as I wrapped my arms around her, careful not to jostle the baby. This time around I was the one to wipe at Casey’s tears and then I turned my attention to the baby.

“Oh God,” I whispered. “She’s perfect.”

“I know,” Casey said, her voice thick with emotion. “Here,” she said as she passed the baby to me.

It took me a second to adjust to the feel of the wriggly baby in my arms but a rush of rightness overcame me. Someday I would have this. It wasn’t something Mace and Cole and I had discussed yet but I knew in my bones that it was in our future.

“Did you decide on a name yet?” I asked.

Casey nodded. “Amanda Carrie Prescott.”

I smiled. Amanda had been Casey’s sister. And I knew my friend had chosen Carrie as a way to keep the girl who’d been one of us with us forever. Cole was going to be thrilled.

I shifted the baby so that I was holding her with one arm against my chest and put my other arm around Casey’s shoulders as we began walking towards our family.

“Welcome home, Casey,” I said even though I knew, as my eyes locked on Mace and Cole, that I was the one who’d finally come home.

The End