Rainbows Ever After (Rainbows 1.50)

“Hundred and one, but who’s counting,” I said, taking another one.

She rolled her eyes at me. “Go get everyone.”

“They can wait; look, he moved his nose!” I pointed, and her head snapped down to see as I took another photo.

She shook her head, and looked at me. “We’ve become ‘those people,’ Levi.”

“What people?”

“Those people with thousands of photos of their kids, who get super excited when their kid has gas.”

I snickered and put my phone back in my pocket. “Everyone wants to be those people, but they just don’t know it.”

“Oh my gosh, your daddy is cuckoo,” she said to our son who’d been in and out of sleep for the last couple of hours. Who knew watching someone, a child, our child, sleep would be so exciting?

“Knock knock,” a very familiar voice called from behind the door just before my sister, Bethan, now a blonde, poked her head inside. The moment she saw the baby, she gasped and invited herself all the way in, dressed in a long, one-shoulder black gown.

“He’s beautiful, Thea.” She gasped hovering over them.

“I had something to do with that, too,” I said, but she just waved me off, cooing at the baby. But her and Thea were laughing again.

“Don’t take it personally,” Tristan muttered, entering the room next, in his black tux, Bellamy asleep in his arms, the bottom her puffy gold dress sticking out under his arm. “She’s upset with me and has decided to take it out on the whole male sex.”

He sighed tiredly before his brown eyes shifted, and the corner of his lips turned up. “I’d shake your hand, but father duties.” He lifted Bellamy a little in his arms. “He looks like a future heartbreaker.”

“With parents like us, how could he not be?” I said softly, looking at how big Bellamy was already. Three years old, soon to be four. “Do you want me call for a small bed for her?”

“Never, and Happy New Year,” he replied, moving over to say hello to Thea and Ulric. Bethan placed her hand on his Ulric’s head, smiling up to him, and they shared a look. Whatever fight they were having, or had, was apparently a moot point.

“Oh…” I turned to see my mother, dressed in a champagne gown, her hair pinned up. She stepped inside, with her hand over her mouth.

“I’d like to hold him sometime today, Denise,” my father said to her, and she smacked his arm.

He gave me a handshake, which led to a hug. “Congratulations, son.”

“Thank you, Dad.” I exhaled patting his back as he patted my own.

“He’s … oh … he’s perfect.” My mother cried as she held him in her arms. “Walter, come and see.”

You didn’t have to tell him twice. He walked over to them, putting his hand on Thea’s cheek as she laid back on the pillows, before he turned to my mother and son. “Look at those cheeks. Just like when Levi was born,” he whispered down to Ulric.

I’d just taken a step to them when there was a knock at the door again and and in walked Thea’s little sister, Selene, and her father, Benjamin, still bundled up. Selene gave me a huge hug, and had you know her three years ago, you’d never realize this was the same person.

“I would say 'way to go,' but my sister kinda did all the hard work…” she teased and I pitched her side making her jump. “Just kidding … but not really.” She ran away from me, and toward her sister before I could get her again. “Sis, you finally look like the mom you are.”

“Oh, you are so lucky I’m on painkillers or I’d kick you,” Thea grumbled, but still accepted the hug.

“Ben?” I looked back to him when he hadn’t moved.

He blinked, coming out of whatever deep thought he’d lost himself in. Putting his hand on my shoulder, he gave it a good squeeze. Nothing else needed to be said; I understood from the look on his face, as he headed over to his daughter.

“Hi, Daddy,” she said to him.

“Hi, Thea bear.” He kissed her forehead. “You did good.”

My mother moved, lifting Ulric for Ben to hold. But he just froze. My mother, never one to be ignored, took his arms and carefully put Ulric in them, still supporting his head until he did it himself.

“Thea, you sure he’s yours? He so calm.” He laughed, his eyes glistening with tears. “Your mother screamed her pretty little head off when I first held her.”