Only With Me (With Me 2)

My mother dropped her spatula. “What? They had the baby? How? Why?” Then she covered her mouth with her hands. “You were Plan D, weren’t you?”

Gabi laughed. “Yes, Katerina. I don’t think I was originally part of Plan D, but I helped execute it.”

My mother started to cry as I wrapped the two women I loved more than life in my arms. “You’re both nuts do you know that?”

Pushing away from me, my mother was on the phone and running out to the living room to the few people still here.

“Thano had the baby! The baby is here.”

“Opa!” was cried out by everyone in the living room.

Gabi shook her head. “She does know Kilyn was the one who actually had the baby?”

Chuckling, I said, “She knows. Hey, where is Kira?”

“Claire took her up to the hospital while I kept everyone occupied with the cook off. Thano and Kilyn wanted it to be just them for a bit.”

I drew her closer to me, my lips inches from hers. “That was brilliant by the way. The whole cook off thing.”

She shrugged. “I’m slowly figuring out how to manage your mother.”

Our mouths crashed together in a slow sweet kiss.

When Gabi finally pulled back, she gave me an evil little grin. “By the way, Aunt Maria said she liked my moussaka better than your moms!”

“You better take that secret to the grave with you.”

Laughing, she said, “I promised her it would stay between the two of us.”

“Come on, let’s go meet our new niece or nephew.”

She pulled my arm back to stop me from walking then whispered, “It’s a boy, but I wanted your mom to be surprised.”

My heart squeezed in my chest at her words. I knew my mother could be a royal pain in the ass. But that small sweet gesture by Gabi just showed how much she cared for her.

Then I realized what she had said. Thano has a little boy. Damn. I’d never in my life been jealous of one of my brothers before, but with them both having kids now I was finding I was more and more jealous of both of them.

“Awesome. Then let’s lock this place up and go meet the next Drivas heartbreaker.”

Gabi and I sat in the waiting room and played with Kira while a steady stream of family came in and out of Kilyn’s room.

“She has to be exhausted, Nic. This is insane. Why won’t she tell your mother enough already?”

I shrugged. “Dad even tried to get everyone to leave.”

Gabi stood up. “We haven’t even had a chance to really look at Alec. I want to hold him before Kilyn passes out.”

The resolve to do something was already in full swing. I stood and took Kira’s hand. “Let’s go see your baby brother.”

Kira clapped. “Yay! Once Mitera came in, I couldn’t get to him anymore.”

I laughed as I scooped up my niece and followed a very determined Gabi to Kilyn’s room.

When we walked in both Kilyn and Thano looked exhausted. My mother was standing over the baby telling Aunt Agnes how Alec meant men in Greek. Yiayia was sitting in the corner watching TV with Dad. Well, Dad was actually asleep. Cousin Sophia was talking to Claire about setting her up with a nice Greek boy to which Claire declared she’d rather die an old maid.

Gabi cleared her throat loudly then spoke loudly. “I’m going to have to ask everyone to leave now.”

All talking ceased and every head turned to look at my wife.

“What?” my mother asked with a half laugh.

“It’s time for everyone to leave. Kilyn is exhausted, and the nurse needs to do a few tests on Alec, so I think now would be the perfect time to say goodbye and let everyone rest. Besides, Kira would really like to spend some time with her baby brother and her parents without someone trying to take the baby from her.”

“Yeah! What Aunt Gabi said!” Kira piped in.

Thano was smiling at Gabi and Kilyn looked as if she was about to burst into tears of joy when she saw people gathering up their things and heading out. Each person stopped to look at the baby one more time.

Everyone was telling Thano and Kilyn how beautiful Alec was.

When Yiayia walked up, she leaned over and took the baby in. “Don’t spit on him, Yiayia!” Kilyn cried out.

Gabi turned to me. “I didn’t think the Greeks still did that silly superstition anymore.”

I was about to answer her when my mother walked up and said, “You will make a wonderful mother someday.” She moved her lips and fake spit on Gabi. To which Gabi yelped and jumped back. Then they all followed my mother’s lead as they passed Gabi by.

When it came to Yiayia, Gabi cringed and closed her eyes. When Yiayia placed her hand on Gabi stomach she smiled. Gabi opened her eyes and gazed at my grandmother.