Hourglass Squared

by K, S

  Happy tears flowed down my face as my best friend stood at my side, and I watched my husband with our beautiful, perfect twins.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  Brooke

  THE WAILING OF Hope's cries made me toss the heavy comforter off my body. She was a month old today and had her routine down pat. I swore I could literally set a clock to her nightly two-in-the-morning wake-up.

  "I got her, honey. Go back to bed," Josh soothed as he uncovered himself and swung his legs.

  "Josh, I got her. You go back to work tomorrow. You need your rest." I pulled on his shoulder to make him fall back into bed.

  Before I had my robe tied and my slippers on, Josh was soundly snoring behind me on the bed. I crossed the hall to the nursery where Hope's cries were still alerting me to her need for some attention.

  "Oh, sweet baby," I cooed as I scooped her up and cradled her in my arms. "Hush now, mommy is here," I reassured her as I swayed back in forth. I leaned down and opened the mini-refrigerator Josh had put in her room and pulled out a pre-made bottle to start warming, as I kept talking to her in hushed tones.

  As she calmed down and began nibbling on her fingers, I walked over to the changing table and laid her down, making quick work of her soiled diaper before picking her back up again. "Aw, is my sweet girl hungry? Huh? Do you want your bottle?" I smiled as I looked down on this precious gift from God and captivated her attention.

  The light on the warmer turned green, and I grabbed the warm bottle, quickly giving it a shake and testing it on my wrist to ensure it was perfect for Hope. She must have smelled the milk because she began burrowing into me, famished and on the hunt for the bottle.

  "It's coming, it's coming, princess." I carefully sat in the glider and got us all situated for her feeding. As the bottle drained into her mouth, Hope's eye began to grow heavy, drooping closed while her little mouth worked away on the nipple of the bottle, until finally they didn't open again.

  After enjoying the moment of holding my precious girl in my arms, I began to grow tired myself, pushing myself back up to my feet so I could put her to bed. As I laid her down on her pink sheet, Hope stirred a little in hunt for the warmth my body had been providing her. The sight made my heart fill even more with love, because I was here for this. I was getting better every day, and I was confident that all my fears would never come to pass. Hope would never have to know what it was like to grow up without a mommy.

  As I crawled back into bed, careful to not disturb Josh, I sent Sav a quick text, knowing she'd probably be up with Emma and Ethan.

  How are my perfect niece and nephew?

  Within a minute, my screen lit up with a reply.

  Wide awake! It seems just as I finish nursing one, the other is starving, and I haven't quite mastered feeding them at the same time. Thank God, you gave up Penelope for me. You're the best.

  With a chuckle, I placed my phone back on the nightstand and curled up into my husband.

  "Is our princess back asleep in her throne?" he asked in a gravelly sleep-filled voice.

  "She is," I whispered, pressing my lips against his. "Now go back to sleep before she wakes up to start her day."

  In no time at all, Josh was back asleep, and I could feel myself joining him in his dreams.

  The next morning was a bit chaotic. Josh was reluctant to leave his girls and seemed to be moping around the kitchen as I brewed the coffee. Already in his slacks, dress shirt, and tie, he clung to his daughter as he danced around the kitchen. As the aroma of the brewing coffee beans filled the air, I turned and leaned back against the granite countertop, admiring the most breathtaking view in history: a daddy and his little girl.

  After a few moments, I grabbed down a thermos, fixed Josh's coffee to-go and carried it over to him for a trade. "Coffee for a baby?" I joked, setting the cup down on the counter so both my hands were free.

  "No." Josh held on to Hope tighter.

  "Oh, come on, you big baby. Go to work. We will be here when you get home. We have to get going ourselves to see Savannah and the babies at their house. I haven't even seen the place yet!" I slid my hands between Hope's tiny body and Josh's arms, taking my life in my own hands and I took her from him.

  "I'm just working a half-day. If you get tired, don't feel good, Hope gets cranky — anything — you call me, got it?" He crossed his now-empty arms over his chest and flexed his muscles, the dress shirt clinging to him thread by thread as his muscles pulled it taut.

  "Yes sir." I shifted Hope to one arm and saluted him.

  "Oh my God," he panicked, bracing his hands under my arm to catch Hope. "Don't do that. What if she moved and you dropped her?"

  Furrowing my brow, I glared at Josh. "I am perfectly capable of holding my baby. Go to work." I stretched my arm out and pointed toward the front door, furious and amused at his freak-out.

  "I love you, Brooke Worthington," he crooned as he leaned down and kissed my lips. "And you, Hope." After leaning down a bit more, he placed a quick peck on her forehead, making her scrunch up her face.

  Once Josh left, Hope and I quickly readied ourselves to drive over to Savannah's. After dressing myself and then Hope, I loaded her into her carrier and then the car. Once I had taken my seat and started the engine, I drove ever so carefully as I made my way to their new house.

  After entering the code Jake had given me, I drove through the elaborate gates and up the drive to their home. The photos Josh had shown me didn't do it justice; their house was gorgeous. I put the car in park and turned the key to shut of the ignition as I stared at the house through the windshield. It was the perfect combination of Savannah and Jake, nature and sophistication. I didn't think it was possible to blend the two so seamlessly until setting my eyes on their home.

  Just as I lifted Hope's carrier out of the car, the front door swung open, and Savannah's squeal carried for miles.

  "Give me my baby!" She bustled down the stairs at us like a tornado.

  "Don't you have two of your own?" I teased as Savannah took the carrier from my arms and began walking inside without me. Briskly following behind her, I walked into the foyer where black-and-white photos were on the walls of Savannah and Jake, Josh and me, and all the babies, a sight I never imagined seeing in Savannah's home. A husband. Kids. A family.

  Jake came from a hallway, a baby in each arm, smiling widely at me as he walked toward us.

  "Ooo," I cried excitedly. "Give me one." I stretched out my arms as Jake passed over Ethan to me. His little outfit was swimming on him, but so cute as if he was about to be in a photo shoot of his own.

  "Oh, you guys, he is just perfect." I leaned in to his face and breathed in the smell of baby lotion.

  In the meantime, Savannah was unbuckling a now-awake Hope and cooing to her, "Well, hello there, blue eyes. You've missed your Aunt Sav, haven't you?" She began instinctively rocking as Hope nestled up into her, while we all walked to sit in the living room.

  After a few minutes, Ethan began to fuss and search for food, and so we all rotated babies. Ethan going to Sav, Jake joyously taking Hope, and me getting to snuggle Emma. As I looked around the room at us, all filled with bundled babies, I became overwhelmed with emotions, tears brimming in my eyes.

  "Brooke, what's wrong?" Jake asked.

  "Absolutely nothing. This is just perfect."

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

  Savannah

  I CLIMBED INTO bed and sprawled out, taking up all of the room just as Jake emerged from the shower. His skin glistened, still damp, and the white towel clung just below his hips, allowing me full view of my gorgeous husband. I watched as he crossed the room and silently shut our door then twisted the lock behind him.

  Intrigued by what he was doing, I lifted myself onto my elbows and watched him as he made his way back over to the bed, dropping his towel in the process. A low, carnal purr left my lips at the sight of him standing there completely naked.

  His strong hands began to slide up my legs, finally resting on my hips, an
d suddenly he'd pulled my body down the bed to where my legs were hanging off the edge with him between them.

  I sat up, my fingers tiptoeing over his sculpted chest, finally linking themselves around his neck. "You know we've got two more weeks until we can do this, right?"

  He huffed, leaning his forehead against mine. "Don't remind me. I'm just trying to imagine how good it will be when it finally happens."

  Pressing my lips to his, I slipped my tongue into his mouth, still able to taste the mint of his toothpaste. "Let's get some rest. They're going to be crying in three hours."

  Jake let out a groan as he climbed past me and into bed. "No more babies. One pregnancy is enough. Had I known we'd have to give up sex for six weeks after, I may have reconsidered impregnating you in the first place."

  Not able to help my laughter, I shimmied up the sheets and curled in next to him and rested my head on his chest, "Don't you dare say that. Those babies are the best thing that has ever happened to us, and who's to say I wouldn't want more?"

  Jake's body shifted underneath me, and he creased his eyebrows, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "This coming from the woman who spent more than half of her pregnancy upset that squatters had taken over her body. The same woman who cried for days, praying that the test results and bloodwork was wrong, and she really wasn't pregnant? And now you think you want to do it all over again?"

  I shook my head at my husband while simultaneously slapping his stomach, then rested back down, my finger now tracing each one of his defined abs. "Maybe one more, or a few. You don't want any more?" I asked, suddenly sad at the thought of never being pregnant again.

  His arm squeezed my body tighter to him. "I could definitely go for a few more." His deep, tired voice whispered into my ear before he pressed his lips to the top of my head.

  A smile splayed across my face as I drifted to sleep.

  The next morning I was up with the rising sun, tending to my beautiful twins. Ethan was just like his daddy, always happy to start a new day. So I always dealt with him first and let Emma sleep a bit longer. Finishing his feeding, I patted his tiny back as I picked out an outfit for the day.

  The eight of us, including Penelope, were going up to the mountain house for the weekend to get away for a few days.

  After I laid Ethan down on the changing table, I reached over and opened the wooden blinds, allowing the sun to shine through the window, and as I did every morning, I dressed Ethan while singing to him.

  "Good morning, Good morning, Good morning from the sun. Good morning, Good morning, Good morning, everyone!"

  His little feet kicked and his hands flailed, as smiles and giggles filled the room.

  Jake's voice sounded behind me soon after my morning song was finished. "How's my boy? Ready to start the day?"

  I lifted Ethan off the changing table and passed him over to Jake. "All set. Now to wake up Sleeping Beauty." I crossed the room and leaned over Emma's crib, gently rubbing her back to wake her.

  "Good morning, baby girl. It's time to rise and shine." I lifted Emma from her crib and cradled her in my arms, and Jake leaned in, kissing her face, then my lips.

  "Josh and the girls will be here in an hour. Does that give you enough time to get her ready and then yourself?"

  I nodded my head, sitting down in the glider to feed Emma. "That should be perfect. Just check with your mom and make sure that the babies' suitcases are all packed."

  After I'd finished feeding and dressing my adorable baby girl, I made my way down the hall and into the master bathroom. Emma lounged in her bouncy seat, perfectly placed right next to me on the bathroom sink top as I did my make-up in the mirror.

  "Never leave the house looking anything less than fabulous. You never know who you are going to run into, and, regardless of how nice people are, they will always judge you based on your appearance."

  Taking a brand new blush brush that I hadn't used yet, I swiped Emma's cheeks with the soft bristles.

  "Are you two ready?" Jake asked, as we were coming up on the hour timeframe he'd given me earlier.

  "Yes, I just need to dress, and then we are all set. Take Emma downstairs, and I'll be down in a minute."

  I slipped into the closet in search of an outfit as I listened to Jake talking to our daughter, telling her she was perfect just the way she was, and he never wanted her to wear makeup.

  Traveling with three newborns was a true test of patience, but once we'd made it to the cabin and the babies were fed and taking a nap, Jake, Brooke, Josh, and I were finally able to sit down and relax.

  Penelope was in the kitchen cooking, and the four of us were lounged out on the couches in the living room, Brooke and I glued to the baby monitors. "Okay, so I know the babies are still brand new, but I think we need to start thinking about their first birthdays. Should we do them together as one big party, or should we have separate parties? Also, Brooke, what about photographers? I don't want anyone else shooting the parties, but there's no way I am going to be behind the camera the entire time."

  I looked at the three most important people in my life, besides my children, and could not help but laugh at their stares.

  Josh piped up first. "First birthdays already? Really, Sav? Let's not wish their lives away. Besides, Brooke's birthday is coming up first, so why don't we talk about those plans? Maybe the four of us can go away for a week. Leave the babies with Mom?"

  Jake agreed, "That sounds great."

  Brooke and I held each other's stare before she answered, her response the same as mine would have been had I said it out loud. "We cannot leave the babies. It's too soon."

  Hearing the cries of Emma, I hopped up and ran off to get her. Making my way back, I cradled her snugly in my arms. "I agree with Brooke. I'm not ready to leave these precious little ones behind just yet, so if we go, we have to take them with us."

  I plopped down on the couch next to Jake, and he took Emma from my hands, kissing her soft cheeks. I couldn't help but laugh as her face scrunched underneath the scruff of his beard.

  The weekend had passed too quickly, and we'd made it back home. Penelope was in the kitchen tending to dinner, while I bathed the twins. Jake stepped into the master bathroom just as I finished and needed a hand.

  "Would you grab a towel and take Emma? I'll finish up with Ethan and meet you in the nursery."

  I handed Emma over to Jake, and he wrapped her snugly in her pink blanket and then looked back to Ethan and me. "Hard to believe how times have changed. I'll never forget the day I was in here while you were talking to our squatters."

  I smiled, unable to comprehend how I could have possibly been so upset about these beautiful, precious gifts. Standing, I held my son in my arms as I pressed myself onto my tiptoes, leaning in to kiss my husband. "This life, right here. This is perfect."

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

  Brooke

  THE ALARM BLARED in my ears, bouncing around in my head, trying to wake me up and bring me to life. How had this day already arrived? I was both excited and nervous. What would they expect of me? What if I couldn't do it?

  "Rise and shine, beautiful." Josh crooned, as the smell of chai tea and bacon filled the bedroom.

  "Ooo, breakfast." I half-sighed and half-moaned in appreciation as the aroma made my mouth water with starvation.

  "Yes, a balanced meal of pig fat and weird tea to jumpstart your morning," he teased, as he set the wood tray over my lap and pecked my lips swiftly.

  "You're an angel. How is Hope?" I asked as I took a big bite of the cooked-to-perfection bacon, not too crispy, exactly how I liked it.

  "Still sleeping soundly. Mom will be here in thirty minutes, and I don't leave for an hour, so go get glammed up and dressed for work. It's your first day back, and I'm sure they are all anxious to have you back home."

  After finishing my bacon, I climbed out of bed and trudged into the bathroom. Once inside, I turned the shower on hot and watched as the steam billowed out of the opening. When it was the ideal
temperature, I slipped my robe off and stepped under the cascading water. It was such a relief on my aching muscles that I stood beneath the spray, just letting it wash over me and drip down my body. Knowing time was running out, I quickly grabbed my shampoo and began sudsing up my hair, filling the small, tiled shower with the aroma of coconut water.

  Once I had shaved my legs and conditioned my hair, I shut off the water and stepped out to grab a fluffy towel. I patted my face dry as my body shivered from the cold air. As I stepped up to the mirror covered in dew, I took my towel and wiped it clean, giving myself a look at my blurred reflection. My body looked so torn and battered between the stretch marks from Hope, the scar marks from the cancer, and the bones protruding from the chemo and loss of appetite. Grateful I was finally on the mend, I pulled in a deep cleansing breath and thanked God up above for saving me, for granting me the love of my family, and most importantly, the blessings of my husband, best friend, and daughter. The battle scars left behind were just reminders of how strong I was.

  Grabbing a dress from my closet that fit close to my body made me feel a bit more feminine, even if I had nothing more than mosquito bites up top now. As I smoothed out the fabric, I smiled in the full-length mirror in our bedroom, determined to not let my new figure make me feel less of a woman. It'd been forever since I'd been with my husband, and I knew I needed to overcome my last reservations about being intimate with him. Honestly, Josh should be put up for sainthood at this point for his patience with me.

  As I stared into the vanity mirror applying my makeup, Josh came in holding Hope, bouncing and swaying as he walked toward me.

  "Well, hello, gorgeous, My God, I may not let you go to work and just tie your fine self to the bed." He leaned down and planted a deep kiss on my lips before twisting to let me kiss Hope.

  After saying my goodbyes and giving Penelope strict instructions, I slid into my car and made my way to my second home. Each mile that passed, I grew more excited, more eager to put my brilliance in design-editing to work. I had actually missed work, and as I made my way there, I could feel a sense of self-worth coming back to life. As much as I would have loved to stay home with Hope all day, I knew that my passion for my work couldn't be ignored either. The only downside of going back now was that Savannah had two more weeks before she returned as well to complete the amazing duo that we had become at Hourglass.