by Ellie Wade
“I love their hair!” Love chuckles, running her hand over Alana’s fuzzy black hair. She stares down at her sister with such wonderment.
“I know, right? They’re so adorable.” Alma sits beside Love on the sofa, holding Asher and admiring his equally impressive pouf of black hair.
Love kisses Alana’s head. “I didn’t have this much hair?”
“No.” Alma grins. “You were almost bald. Some wispy brown pieces were covering your head, but not this much. Your hair started really growing when you were about six months old.”
“I wonder if it’s going to stay curly,” Love says, twisting a piece of Alana’s hair between her fingers.
“We’ll see.” Alma shrugs. “Babies change so much.”
“They’re just so cute. You make the most adorable babies.” Love looks at Alma and me.
“That’s all your mom,” I say. “You were just as precious. Still are.” I shoot her a wink.
“They’re going to love you so much,” Alma tells Love. “They’re lucky to have you. You’re going to be the best big sister.”
Lee-Anne enters the living room, followed by Luca. She hands me a reusable cloth bag that smells like the spice cabinet in the kitchen.
“All the natural remedies and lotions from gas to diaper rash,” she tells me. “Now, let me see my babies!”
Over the next hour, all of our best friends arrive to visit with the babies. Newborns sure are magical, awe-inducing little things. There’s nothing else quite as precious.
Catered food arrives, and we eat and celebrate the healthy birth of the twins.
There’s so much love here in this home. It’s all Alma. She’s fostered these relationships and built this community. And now our children have all these people to love and protect them as they grow. What a gift.
Most days, I wake up and still can’t believe that this is my life. It’s more than I could’ve ever dreamed. I got it all, and I don’t take any of it for granted. I remember what it felt like when Alma wasn’t mine, and that makes every single moment with her brighter, every day of our life an adventure.
Alma means soul, and it’s fitting really since she owns mine. Everything I am is so entangled with everything she is. I’d be lost without her.
She’s my best friend. My lover. My partner
My soul mate.
Had things been different and we not ended up together, I would’ve survived, but I wouldn’t have truly lived. For how does one live without the other half of their soul?
I’m eternally grateful that I’ll never have to find out.
Alma
“Get them ready!” Love calls out from the other side of the room, holding the two most annoying toys in the world up in the air. The all-encompassing turtle toys shake in her grasp. They’re neon turtles with every known texture, made from patches of squishy, crinkly, scratchy, and soft fabric. The turtles light up and play repeating music that make one’s ears want to bleed.
But the twins love them to the point of obsession.
I look at Amos, who holds Alana, and he nods.
“You got this, buddy,” I say to Asher, setting him down on all fours just as Amos sets down Alana.
Love wiggles the two toys, the loud music catching their attention. She sets them on the floor, and the babies are off, crawling toward their turtle.
We cheer them on in an adorable little baby race. We make bets on which baby will arrive first, but their cuteness factor will—of course—make them both winners.
“Come on, Ash!” Love cheers on her brother. “Let’s go, baby girl.” She smiles toward Alana.
The pudgy twins make grunting noises as they crawl, causing us all to laugh. The ability to crawl is a recent endeavor, and it takes much effort on their parts. Asher is ahead of Alana by a few inches when he suddenly stops, seeing a piece of lint on the rug. He squeezes the fuzz between his fingers and raises his hand to his mouth.
“Love,” I call out, motioning toward Asher.
“I got it,” Amos says with a chuckle and runs toward Asher, pulling the lint from his drooly fingers before it reaches his mouth.
Alana makes it to her turtle and sits back onto her diapered bottom and starts chewing on its nose.
“Aw, Ash. You had it, buddy.” Amos picks him up and kisses his head.
“Girls rule, right Aly?” Love holds out her hand to Alana. “High five?”
Alana looks at Love’s extended hand and then back at her turtle, failing the new skill that Love’s been working with her on.
“She’ll get it,” I tell Love and plop down on the sofa, exhausted. Raising three humans is no joke. I’m tired all the time, but I wouldn’t trade a second of it. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been. Plus, eventually, the twins will start sleeping through the night. Soon, I hope.
A steamy cup of coffee appears before me, and I look up to Amos, holding it out toward me.
I gasp with glee and take the mug from him. “Thank you, babe. You’re the best.”
He leans in for a kiss. “I love you. Is there anything else you need?”
“Just you.” I grin.
“That I can do.” He sits down beside me, and I lean into him.
The twins play on the area rug. Asher swats his turtle against the base of the end table over and over again, each time switching the song the toy plays. Alana lies on her back, apparently deciding that now is a good time to see if her foot fits in her mouth.
“Mom, can I show you the new dance I learned?” Love asks.
She’s not allowed on social media yet, but her best friend learns all these dances from a popular app and teaches them to Love. When the girls hang out, all they want to do is dance.
“Of course! Let’s see it.”
Love turns on the music and starts dancing. She bites down on her tongue in concentration, and I hold my smile as not to embarrass her, but I think it’s so cute when she does that. It’s something she’s been doing since she was the twins’ age.
She finishes the routine, and Amos and I sound our approval.
“Awesome.”
“Love it.”
“Thank you. Oh, there’s another one, too. I don’t know it as well, but I’m still pretty good.”
“Alright, let’s see it,” Amos says.
Love begins another routine, and I wiggle closer to Amos, loving the way the warmth of his body feels against mine. Amos is my safe place, my home, and in truth, he always has been. I’m so fortunate to be able to navigate this life with him.
Sitting here, watching my babies—all three of them—in their happy places fills me with joy. The twins, in all their pudgy-legged, teething, drooling glory, flinging around their most prized possessions while my little pre-teen perfects the most absurd dances like her status in life depends on it is my paradise. The fact that I get to experience it all with Amos is a gift from the universe.
Life is unpredictable, brutal, and beautiful all at once. Sometimes it seems to take as much as it gives. This moment, right here, though, in my happy place with my favorite people, makes all the heartache worth it. I can’t change the past, but I can appreciate the present, and I do. I’m so grateful for every day.
I’ve been fortunate in this life to have two soul mates.
It’s a crazy notion, but I know it to be true. In my heart, I believe this was my path. I was destined to love them both.
One helped me grow into the woman I was meant to be. He showed me a love with unimaginable devotion and passion. He taught me how to forgive despite the struggle. He proved that even those with the darkest demons can shine the brightest light. Because of him, I learned to judge less and listen more. Through him, I learned to live every day to the fullest and to love my people with my whole heart because life is short and precious. He started us on this path of service so I can live my life knowing I’m making the world a better place, one child at a time. Most importantly, he gave me my daughter and the strength to live without him.
The other has been my r
ock for as long as I can remember. He loved me when I felt unlovable. He was my family when I had none, and my strength when I felt weak. He never let me falter, my steady rock through every moment of my life. He lifted me up and put me first throughout our entire lives. He loved me quietly until he could love me loudly. He’s my forever person. Steady, strong, resilient, and faithful in his affections. With him, I’m never afraid. Beyond unconditional forever love, he’s given me peace.
He’s given me two little miracles and Love an incredible father—and a home where we’ll all grow knowing that he’s there loving us and protecting us…Always.
Dear Readers,
I hope you adored Alma, Amos, and Love’s HEA as much I as I do! Admittedly, it was hard to let go of Leo. **tears** I had a difficult time with Alma moving on but she deserves a lifetime of happiness, and Amos is just the man to fill her life with joy.
When I was writing Bared Souls, I knew that Amos was in love with Alma, and I knew that after Leo’s passing they’d be together. I hadn’t planned on writing their story but I received so many reader messages asking me to, and I’m so grateful. It seriously fills my soul with so much happiness and gratitude when I receive messages from readers. This industry can be hard, and those messages keep me going. So, if you’re someone who reached out to me…thank you! Thank you for embracing Leo and Alma in the way that you did, and wanting more.
I honestly wasn’t sure how Bared Souls would be received. A part of me thought people would hate it as it touches on some difficult topics but I felt compelled to write it. It’s been a therapeutic journey, and I’m so humbled that it affected so many of you in the way that it did. And now, with some gentle urges from you all, it’s turning into a series!
The next book will be Quinn’s story which I’m excited to write. Cat will also get a book, along with some new characters that are being introduced in Quinn’s book. (Hint—Jude, the police officer).
Thank you again for all your love and support. It means the world to me.
Thank you so much for reading.
Make your journey a beautiful one.
Love,
Ellie
Acknowledgments
I want to thank my readers so very much. Thank you for reading my stories and loving my words! I wouldn’t be living this dream without you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
To my girls—Gayla, Suzanne, Amy C., Kylie, Amy E., and Kim—You all are so awesome. Seriously, each of you is a gift, and you have helped me in invaluable, different ways. I love you all so much. XOXO
To my cover artist, Letitia Hasser from RBA Designs—Thank you! Your work inspires me. You are a true artist, and I am so grateful to work with you. People do judge a book by its cover, so thank you for making mine gorgeous! XO
To my editor, Jenny Sims from Editing4Indies—Finding you was a true gift, one that I hope to always have on this journey. Thank you for always fitting me in! I am so grateful for you and everything you have done to make this book the best it can be. XOXO
Lastly, to my loyal readers—I love you! Thank you for reaching out, reviewing, and sharing your book recs with your friends. There are seriously great people in this book community, and I am humbled by your support. Your messages breathe life into my writing and keep me going on this journey. Truly, thank you! Because of you, indie authors get their stories out. Thank you for supporting all authors and the great stories they write.
You can connect with me on several places, and I would love to hear from you.
Join my readers group: www.facebook.com/groups/wadeswarriorsforthehea
Find me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/EllieWadeAuthor
Find me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/authorelliewade
Visit my website: www.elliewade.com
Remember, the greatest gift you can give an author is a review. If you feel so inclined, please leave a review on the various retailer sites. It doesn’t have to be fancy. A couple of sentences would be awesome!
I could honestly write a whole book about everyone in this world whom I am thankful for. I am blessed in so many ways, and I am beyond grateful for this beautiful life. XOXO
Forever,
Ellie <3
Other Titles by Ellie Wade
The Flawed Heart Series
Finding London
Keeping London
Loving London
Eternally London
Taming Georgia
The Choices Series
A Beautiful Kind of Love
A Forever Kind of Love
A Grateful Kind of Love
The Beautiful Souls Collection
Bared Souls
Kindred Souls
Captivated Souls
Stand-alones
Fragment
Forever Baby
A Hundred Ways to Love
Chasing Memories
Boxsets
The Flawed Heart Series
The Beautiful Souls Collection
The Choices Series
About the Author
Ellie Wade resides in southeast Michigan with her husband, three children, and three dogs. She has a master’s in education from Eastern Michigan University, and she is a huge University of Michigan sports fan. She loves the beauty of her home state, especially the lakes and the gorgeous autumn weather. When she is not writing, she is reading, snuggling up with her kids, or spending time with family and friends. She loves traveling and exploring new places with her family.
