“God, you look like Mom like that. I remember when she was pregnant with you. I swear you two could be twins,” Ty says, sitting down next to me. He pulls his wife MJ into his lap, resting his hand on her small baby bump like Brandon has his on mine.
“She would have loved this.” I look over at him. My eyes water, not because I’m sad, but because I’m happy. We all are. This was all Mama ever wanted. For the family to be close and happy. I knew that was her dying wish when I’d read their will after she passed. They’d split up the land, but made sure we’d all be stuck together. She got what she wanted, and I’d spent my life until now making sure that happened, too.
Making sure all of us stayed close. Making sure all my brothers always had what they needed until they found their wives.
I rest my hand on top of Brandon’s.
“I think these babies might be my last,” I say looking at my belly.
“Nah. We keep popping them out, we won’t even need farmhands anymore. We’ll just have our own little crews,” Ty says.
Brandon laughs before he adds his own two cents. “I’m good with three, but she said the same thing last time. Wait until these boys start crawling around and she’ll be wanting another.”
I think about our twins crawling all around and I feel my face drop. I don’t like that idea.
Brandon laughs even harder. “See? She’s pregnant and already thinking about another baby.”
“Whatever,” I mumble because I know he’s right.
“No need to pout. You can have as many babies as you want, little lamb.”
“Well, I’m definitely done,” MJ says, and Ty shakes his head behind her. I have to hide my giggle.
“I’ll never be done,” Trace’s wife, Addison, says, a giant smile on her face. I believe her. She barely makes it past the six-week all-clear mark from one baby and Trace has another one in her. I think all these men have pregnancy fetishes or something.
“I think I’m good for a little while,” Blake’s wife, Luciana says, holding a baby in her arms.
I smile, resting my head back and closing my eyes for a second. I sit contentedly, enjoying the sounds of our family talking and playing, and feel happiness encircling us.
I don’t think I could ask for anything more than this, and I know Brandon is right. This birthday party is perfect because it’s got everything anyone could ever need. Love.
THE END