Southern Spirits

by Shelley Stringer

  “Sort of. But without all the cool toys,” he retorted as he leaned up and kissed my ever-expanding belly.

  “Oh, by the way, what was that interesting little conversation I overhead earlier? You were on your cell when I came out here,” Banton questioned, raising an eyebrow.

  “Well, I guess you might as well know. Constance called for advice.”

  “Oh, Lord…what now?”

  “Well, it seems our dear Constance is having a bad bout of morning sickness,” I revealed as Banton raised his head inquiringly.

  “Really? That’s great! That’s really great! Seems you two are truly unique,” he exclaimed as he sat upright and pulled me in for a kiss.

  “Well, you know Constance. We’re really going to have some family drama now.”

  Constance and Ty married in February on the beach, complete with sand castles, ice sculptures, and enough bridesmaids to line the beach for a country mile. Constance got her barefoot wedding wish, and Aunt Sue got to spend enough of Uncle Lon’s money to put him in a tailspin for months. I giggled as I thought about the wild weekend we’d all spent together.

  “What are you thinking about?” Banton whispered as he touched my cheek.

  “I was just thinking about their wedding and all the drama after,” I murmured as I watched Elly toddling back and forth, picking flowers and handing them to Matty.

  Banton smiled at the memory.

  I stood at the French doors, watching Everett as he held Ava’s hand, picking their way through the sandcastles that had escaped the wrecking ball that was our son. She skipped happily along beside him as they approached the door.

  “Bebe, you are looking radiant today…doesn’t Aunt Chandler look beautiful in her dress?’ Everett asked Ava. She nodded enthusiastically at me as I picked her up in my arms.

  “My An Andler is the most beautiful, cept for my Mommy Cwadia,” she whispered as she leaned into Everett’s ear. I smiled conspiratorially at him as I put Ava back down in the floor. Everyone sat gathered around the fireplace, enjoying the left-over champagne and resting their feet.

  “Unca Ebret?”

  “What, my princess?” he asked her as he took a place beside me on the ottoman.

  “Wiwl I eber hab another daddy, wike my Daddy Will?” she asked as she looked inquiringly at Claudia.

  Claudia spoke softly. “No one will ever be able to replace your Daddy Will. But maybe someday,” she answered as her eyes misted.

  Ava then looked up at Everett, who was watching Claudia intently.

  “Unca Ebret, wiwl you pweese marry my Mommie Cwadia, and be my new Daddy? I wuv you aweady,” she said simply as Julia choked on her champagne. Mr. Matt chuckled as Mrs. Elaine covered his hand with hers.

  Everett cleared his throat as everyone waited with baited breath.

  “My dear, sweet Ava…now that sounds like a good idea. We will have to think about that one,” he answered as he continued to gaze at Claudia. She blushed. Ava ran across the room and jumped into her lap, burying her head in Claudia’s chest.

  Of course, that would be a moment to write in our family’s history, to be recanted again and again. Everett and Claudia had already given in to their feelings and had been dating ever since. “Yeah, that was something. Thank Ava for breaking the ice between Everett and Claudia.”

  “I’m thinking we’ll have another wedding before the year is out.”

  “Humm. So it seems,” Banton muttered as he rose to get Matty, who had wandered too far away from us.

  After several moments grinning as I watched the twins, a thought occurred to me as sadness swept over me. Banton scooped Matty up and swung him back to the blanket. After depositing him beside Elly, he sank down beside me and pulled me into his side.

  “Sweetheart, what is it?” Banton asked, drawing his eyebrows together. Lifting his hand, he caressed my forehead as to erase the worry lines. “What are you thinking?”

  “I was just thinking about Elly,” I responded, releasing my breath as I blinked up at him. “The kids are Aldon, Banton…it hadn’t occurred to me before, but…”

  “But what? Yes, they are Aldon.”

  “Aldon women can’t reproduce. Ellyson won’t ever be able to have children,” I muttered sadly. She toddled back toward me with her hands outstretched to show me a butterfly that had landed on her arm. She giggled as I touched it, causing it to fly away. The tears gathered in my eyes as I pulled her into my lap.

  I gazed back at Banton, and I watched as tears gathered in his eyes. As he took a deep breath, he seemed to come to a conclusion, shaking his head to clear his eyes.

  “But here’s the thing, Chandler. They’re still an unknown. They may be transformed Aldon children, but Elly’s still half your daughter. She is half fader, one of the fertile as Olivia puts it. She has your and Constance’s genetics…and we both know you have proved Dr. Renault wrong.” His eyes warmed as he grinned. He leaned back slowly, and then placed his hands gently around my face, drawing me down for a kiss. After several moments, he moved his hands down to baby Collins, snuggled safely in my belly. Caressing it slowly with his hand, he gazed back up into my eyes.

  “Maybe it has something to do with my virile mate,” I quipped as I traced the outline of his lips.

  “She looks so much like you, except for my dimple,” he murmured. His eyes darkened. “Hmm. Maybe I’d rather she couldn’t…the thought of…” he sputtered as he tried to put his fear into words. “There will be too many teenage boys. They will come sniffing around, wanting to date her, wanting...Oh, God…I’ll have to be ready!” he exclaimed in the most adorable manner possible. “I know, I was a teenage boy once…and they’ll be like me!”

  I grinned, my heart so full of love for this man…the father of my children...my love, my entire life. I placed my hands gently on his face and pulled him to my lips as I murmured, “Oh, Banton, don’t worry. There isn’t another male like you on the planet. I promise.”

  Author’s Notes

  What a journey it has been to write The Southern Series! I have so many people to thank. First and foremost, the most deserving of my thanks are my husband and my boys, who understand my crazy need to write and support me through my fits of seclusion.

  Then there are the crazy ladies who make up Shelley’s Southern Street Team. Linda Lambert and friends…you ladies are the best, and have helped to put The Southern Series on the map in the book blogging world.

  Last, but not least, are my main beta readers. A gigantic thank you is in order for Julie Lama, Ashley Ward, Cindy Henry, Amelia Cato, Angela Turket (my comma Nazi), Katy Hardin, and Audrey Schaffner. Being an Indie author with no budget, I couldn’t do this without you.

  “Southern Spirits” was supposed to be the last book in the series, but as I sent this book to print, I decided I’m not ready to leave the family and friends on Rue Dauphine behind just yet. So watch for announcements about upcoming projects. You can follow me on Facebook on my author page, Shelley L. Stringer, Author, on twitter and Pinterest, or you can find me at www.shelleystringerauthor.com.