“I know people will think this is fucked up, but I’m glad I’m going to get to share my life with you. With all of you,” Micah said.
“While we’re all sharing our fucked-up feelings,” Eric said. “Don’t let me turn into my father with my kid. I would never forgive myself if I was to hurt him or her. I … don’t let me.”
“Eric, man, you could never hurt our child,” Micah said. “Can you believe how fucked up we all are?”
They heard Daphne’s humming coming closer.
“And yet, she still loves us,” Dean said. “Come on, let’s get this over with.”
All three of them made their way into the kitchen where Daphne sang to herself, swinging her hips to a beat.
She had started to get a rounded stomach. It wasn’t as pronounced, but Dean couldn’t wait until she was fully pregnant. Her tits had already started to get bigger. He had no choice but to buy her large bras to accommodate. She refused to go completely bare.
Still, he loved removing them.
He cleared his throat and she looked up, smiling. She put down her knife as she’d been slicing some strawberries. She came toward them, but Micah with all of his nerves, dropped to one knee, offering up the closed velvet box and mumbling the proposal.
Daphne paused.
Micah glanced up. “Marry us.” He spoke the words so fast that even Dean had a hard time hearing him.
“What he means to say,” he said, “is we love you. We all love you and want to spend the rest of our lives with you and our baby. Will you please do us the honor of marrying all of us?”
“I can’t marry all of you.”
“We know,” Eric said. “To us, we will be married together. We are bound to each other, but in the eyes of the law, you’ll be married to Micah.”
“If you want me,” Micah said.
Daphne’s eyes filled with tears.
“Is the ring ugly?” Micah asked. He cursed and quickly opened the box. “Shit, sorry. Please, marry us.”
“Micah, stop begging. Of course, I’ll marry you. This is all just a little unexpected.” She went to Micah, cupping his face and kissing him hard.
Once she broke the kiss, Micah got to his feet, took out the ring, and placed it on her finger. Surrounding her, Dean kissed her, then Eric.
Tears fell down Daphne’s cheeks and the smile on her lips was going to stay with him forever.
“I don’t know how we’re going to make this work, but I love you. I love you all so much.”
They all held her as she laughed, holding each of them and kissing them. Each time she got close to him, he felt the bump of their child. He couldn’t wait for their family to begin.
They were all broken from their past, but together, they had found each other and what they really wanted. He knew without a doubt Daphne could heal them all, just as they could all heal her. They were never going to be alone again.
Lifting her up in his arms, he nodded at his friends to follow.
“I’m making dinner,” she said.
“You can make dinner later. Right now, I think it’s only fair that we make love to our fiancée. I know it’s been too long since you were on my cock.”
“Did anyone ever tell you that you are a romantic?” she asked.
“I just know when to say the right things.”
With Eric and Micah at his back, he carried Daphne to their room. This was how their life was going to be. All of them together, making it work. It was a future he’d always wanted, and one he knew was coming, just like their woman was about to.
Epilogue
Ten years later
Daphne carried out the large bowl of potato salad. She came to a stop when she heard the screaming and growls coming from the yard. She watched as Micah chased after their three sons, Paul, Phillip, and John. Eric held their newborn in his arms, Rebecca. Their other two girls, the twins, Jane and Star, were around Dean, who was barbecuing on the porch. It was one of their rare occasions where they’d closed the bed-and-breakfast for the weekend and were just spending time together as a family.
She had invited her best friend Bethany, but she was enjoying the weekend with her own family.
“Mommy’s got food,” Micah said.
Before she knew what was happening, the kids rushed toward the table as Micah came toward her. He grabbed the bowl from her arms and kissed her hard. “I’d love to be chasing you.”
“I am not going to run, thank you very much.” She put a hand to her swollen stomach where their second set of twins lay. She wasn’t due for another four months, but she was already the size of a tank.
Eric and Dean each kissed her as they loaded up the table with food. She sat down and helped dish out food to their children. Rebecca had fallen asleep and was resting in her crib.