Page 49 of Hotwife

“I’m going to go give Caroline hers,” Des said, giving me a kiss on the cheek and taking the other box. “I’ll make sure everything is in order, don’t worry.”

Once Des disappeared into the fragrant kitchen, I gave my sister another hug. “So, how’s it been while we’ve been away?”

“Pretty good. Jimmy Chew and Dobby have been keeping us company. The catering business is booming. Turns out with Caroline’s cooking and my party planning, we’re the perfect team. But enough about me. Are you excited?”

“Nervous and excited,” I smiled.

“Go on and scurry into the kitchen,” my sister instructed, peeking out the front door. “He’s here.”

My heart fluttered with anticipation as I made my way into our giant kitchen. Caroline had filled the table with flowers, decorations, and bruschetta, while the spicy fragrance of pasta bolognese caught the air. After greeting my sister-in-law, I found Des sitting at the table, holding another box, a box that made my heart burst in both love and a tiny bit of worry. He patted his lap with a smile and I came to sit, kissing his cheek. I was on my fourth semester at my university, taking the majority of my classes online and speeding ahead in my exams. I was on track to graduate early and then move onto a Bachelors Degree in Marine Science. My plan was to eventually work with the sharks and bigger fish at the Atlanta Aquarium. Our ceremony was a spiritual hand-fasting on Desmond’s favorite spot on Mount Townsend. During fall break, Des and I decided to take our honeymoon in Europe, just the two of us. We spent three weeks in India before settling for the remainder of the trip in Germany. I fell in love with Berlin, just as Des thought I would. Everything he’d promised it would be held up. Thought I might have preferred Indian cuisine over bratwurst.

“How long is their flight delayed? They said they’d be here yesterday and today is-”

Pausing in the kitchen in a sharp suit and tie, my debonair husband stood. Jumping up, I threw myself into his arms. “Surprise,” I whispered as Cedric clutched me close, burying his face in my wild hair.

“This is the best birthday surprise ever,” he breathed. “You bunch of con-artists, making me think I’d be spending my birthday alone.”

“What’s family for if we don’t fuck with you every now and then?” Desmond grinned, sauntering over to give Cedric a bear hug.

My sister leaned over Caroline’s pan and inhaled. “We hope you like the decorations and food. We made Tiramisu for dessert.”

“We?” Caroline raised an eyebrow and my sister laughed.

“Okay, she did.”

“Is that pasta bolognese? Ah, you guys, thank you.” Cedric tucked me under his arm and I nuzzled into his warmth. Cedric had spent the summer traveling himself, doing Doctors Without Borders and helping with surgeries around the world. They’d even reached out to him about taking a corporate position on his off-travel time.

“We have one more surprise,” I whispered, heart racing. My sister put a hand over her smiling mouth and suppressed a screech.

“Oh?” Cedric asked, pulling me close. “Is it kitchen appropriate?” He eyed my sister and her wife and I elbowed him in the ribs.

“Not that kind of surprise,” I teased.

Desmond handed me the box attached to a balloon with a saying that made my heart flutter, but Ced hadn’t read it yet. “That surprise comes later,” he winked.

“Ew, gross you guys. Just open the box!” my sister clapped.

Wiggling the top off, Cedric stood stunned. “Is this real?”

I nodded. “We took the test just too weeks ago and doctors in Berlin confirmed… We wanted to wait to surprise you-”

My husband picked me up and spun me around the room, kissing my neck and laughing. When he sat me gently on my feet, tears dotted his cheeks. “I can’t believe it,” he laughed.

We’d all three been trying for over a year now with not so much as a faint line. Then suddenly, poof, here it was. Our little miracle.

“Read the sign, Pops.” Desmond tugged on the balloon and Cedric looked up, reading it out loud.

“Happy Birthday Dad,” he laughed. “We’re dads now, Des.”

Caroline and Odie walked over, wiping tears from their bottom lashes. My sister was sniffling. She’d been hoping to have a baby in the house for so long. Laughter exploded in the kitchen at my sister’s next words. The radiance of our joy drowning out all other sounds. No ticking clocks, no idle television chatter, or lonely bags of popcorn popping. Just one enormous family, a house full of life and lives full of adventure excited about what the future would bring. Ready for our next adventure, as a team of five. Laughter echoed through our home at Odette’s declaration.

“This kid isn’t going to get away with shit, having three moms and two dads.”

THE END