“She,” Leah corrected him.
“I thought you didn’t know.”
“We don’t.”
“Well, the odds are it’ll be another miniature Bryson buck. Ron passed down those strong male genes.”
Leah lifted crossed fingers. “I’m holding out hope because of Hannah.”
Amanda perched on the couch’s armrest, next to Marc. “Hannah’s just an anomaly, that’s all. She lured us into the false hope that more estrogen could be born into the family to even out all that testosterone. It was a trap.”
“There’s nothing wrong with all the testosterone in this family. I, for one, am not complaining.” Teddy leaned over Marc, waved his hand under his own nose and inhaled. “That alpha scent’s an aphrodisiac.”
Marc grinned and puffed out his chest.
“Maybe for the adult male gorillas, Teddy,” Leah said. “But the baby gorillas are just stinky creatures.”
“Just a warning,” Teddy said, now leaning into her. “They get worse before they get better.”
“Great,” Leah moaned. “Another reason to want a girl.”
“Do you care what you two have, Marc?” Amanda asked him.
“I want whatever makes my wife happy.”
Amanda whispered loudly to Leah. “Ask for an Infiniti SUV. Tell him that will make you happy.”
The sound of the front door closing got the adults quiet. Max’s heavy boots came in their direction and when he appeared in the open entryway to the living room, he had an armful of a squirming ball of fur.
“I think this is the last present of the day,” Max announced, catching the kids’ attention. And Greg’s.
Everyone ten and under squealed or screamed and ran up to Max, surrounding him and trying to pet the twelve-week-old puppy Amanda and Max adopted from a local rescue. Trouble, Menace and Chaos also rushed over to see what the fuss was about and meet the newest four-legged member of the family.
“Aw, whose puppy is that?” Hannah asked, her eyes alit with excitement.
“Officially? Greg’s.” Max answered his daughter.
Greg slowly got up from the floor where he was playing with one of the kid’s new toys and approached Max. “He— He’s for me?” he asked, his eyes rolling, his hands twisting in impossible directions as his arms jerked.
“She,” Max corrected. “And yes, she is, Bud. Santa delivered her to us, so we could give her to you.”
“I... I didn’t ask S-santa for a puppy!”
“You didn’t?” Max asked. “Well, then maybe it was a mix-up and we need to give her back to Santa.”
“No!” Greg laughed, reaching out to pet the puppy’s head. “’Manda, Santa gots me a puppy!”
“I see that, Bud. You get to name her, too,” Amanda said from the couch, a huge smile on her face.
Mary Ann called out, “Please don’t name her something crazy like Havoc.”
Greg boomed out another laugh. “Havoc!”
“That’s a perfect name,” Adam said with a laugh. “She’ll fit right in.”
Mary Ann covered her face with her hands and shook her head.
“There you go, Mom.” Marc snorted. “You did it. It’s your fault.”
“Havoc,” Leah repeated. “I like it. No worse than Menace or Trouble.”
“Or Chaos,” Amanda added.
“What is she?” Leah asked Greg’s sister.
Amanda lifted a shoulder. “They think she’s a mix between a Border Collie and a whosey-whatsit. Which means they have no idea.”
“But you got her from the Border Collie rescue?”
“Yes. They had a whole litter.” Amanda lowered her voice. “Just in case you want a third dog to go along with the third kid. You can name it Disaster.”
Leah turned her head and hid her laugh from her mother-in-law, who scowled at Amanda and complained, “Whatever happened to normal dog names like Rover or Duke?”
When she could manage it, Leah answered Amanda. “I think we have our hands full. Trouble is still a damn puppy at a year old. She chewed up Jax’s slippers and then pooped them out in pieces.”
Amanda snorted. “Did you try to sew them back together?”
“Unfortunately, my sewing skills are lacking.”
Greg was now sitting on the floor with a licking puppy in his lap. Chaos laid by his side, his tail thumping slowly against the floor and accepting licks from the puppy when she got tired of eating Greg’s face.
“Chaos has slowed down a lot,” Leah whispered to her sister-in-law.
“It’s why we decided to do this now.” Amanda also kept her voice down so the kids wouldn’t hear them.
“Same reason we got Trouble. I know it’ll devastate the kids when Menace goes. He’s been around their whole lives. Plus, this one,” Leah reached over Teddy to pat Marc’s knee, “will take it way harder than the boys.”
“Hey, I had him before I met you. He was my first true love.”
“Yes, he was and I doubt you would have tolerated me shitting in your shoes like he did,” Leah teased her husband.
“I might have given you a pass if you did it while you were naked.”
“Eww,” Teddy screeched, jumping up from the couch and rushing over to Adam. “Hold me, handsome. Your cousin is giving me nightmares.”
“C’mere, wife,” Marc ordered, pulling Leah closer to him. “Havoc wasn’t the last present.”
“No, it isn’t,” Amanda said with a pointed look.
“I’m not talking about that one. I’m talking about the one I asked Carly to bring.”
Leah stared at Marc. “For me?”
“Yes...” Her husband lifted his chin at Carly, who got up, dug through her diaper bag and pulled out what looked like a greeting card sized envelope.
After her sister-in-law handed it to her, Leah glanced at Marc, who looked a bit unsure. Pale even.
“What is this?” Leah asked suspiciously.
“It’s a surprise.”
“Are we going on a second honeymoon? If so, then we should wait until after the baby is born—”
“No.”
“Is it the spa gift certificate you mentioned yesterday? I could use some pampering.” Ron’s strong hands massaging her feet made her want to book a whole day of the same.
“No. But it’s up to you whether you open it now or later... Or not at all. I know you wanted to keep it a surprise but I figured today would be the perfect day, if any, for you to find out what we’re having.”
“You’re havin’ a baby!” Greg yelled from across the room.
Leah realized all eyes were no longer on the puppy, but on them.
“I meant, what kind of baby,” Marc clarified.
“A human baby, silly!” Greg said, his puppy now on the floor, playing tug-of-war with his shoelaces.
Leah felt the blood drain from her face. She was desperate to know, but she was afraid to be disappointed. In truth, like most parents, she’d be happy as long as her child was born healthy. But also, deep down inside, she really, really, really wanted a girl this time. She insisted their second dog be female, simply so Leah wasn’t the only one in the house. But a little girl...
Not just any little girl. Marc’s. Possibly with his dark hair and stunning blue eyes.
She’d be a daddy’s girl.
Damn hormones were making her eyes burn.
She flipped the envelope over and over in her hands, staring at it, very aware that everyone was still watching her. After a few more turns, she lifted her eyes to her husband. “Do you know?”
“No, I told Carly not to tell me. I wanted to find out at the same time as you.”
“Thank you,” she mumbled, a tear threatening to fall from the corner of her eye. She quickly caught it before it did. “It shouldn’t matter.”
“I know,” Marc said softly.
“He or she will be a part of us. That’s all that matters.”
“I know. You can throw that into the fire if you want and we can wait.”
Leah tried to swallow, but her throat was closing up. She really wanted to know but she was scared.
Her finger slipped under the corner of the sealed flap and as she slid it along the edge, she carefully worked it open. Then she paused, still staring at it. “We could choose a name if we know.”
“Baby, do it or don’t. It’s up to you.”
Leah gnawed at her bottom lip. It didn’t make sense that the kids were so quiet. It wasn’t like them. How could everyone be so focused on her and this decision?
She closed her eyes, flipped the flap up and slid out the card. Marc jerked next to her and she heard his breath catch. Opening her eyes, she read the front of the card.
It’s a boy!
Leah stopped breathing, trying to fight back her emotions. One heartbeat. Two.
“Open it!” screeched Carly. It was unlike her to be so impatient.
Leah opened the card and pink glitter went flying everywhere. Inside was large handwritten block lettering.
JUST KIDDING!
This one doesn’t have a penis!
Hooray for more vaginas!
Leah slapped a hand over her mouth and Marc yelled, “Thank fuck!”
His mother scolded, “Marc! Language!”
Greg boomed out another, “Fuck!”
Austin and Jax ran over and grabbed the card from her. “What is it, Mommy?”
“You’re getting a baby sister,” she told her boys through her tears.
“Is that good?” Austin asked, confused.
“It’s great. It means grandma will have another girl to spoil when you two are hanging out with grandpa.”
Teddy clapped and bounced on his toes, wrapped up in Adam’s arms. “It also means we’ll have a girl to dress up since Hannah no longer lets us dress her.”
Max and Amanda, Matt and Carly, Adam and Teddy along with Ron and Mary Ann came over, each giving her a hug and their congratulations.
Leah glanced over at a grinning Carly, who was now holding Levi and swaying back and forth. “A penis can’t be hiding, right?”
“Well, that’s always a possibility, but every time I’ve done the ultrasound on you, I did not see one.”
“And if she had one it would be big enough to see,” Marc said. “Us Brysons aren’t small. Right, Pop?”
“Right. I—”
“Ron!” Mary Ann squawked. “It’s Christmas. That’s not a conversation to have today or in front of the kids.”
“You heard your mother, no penis discussions on Christmas.”
“There’s never not a good time to talk about penis,” Teddy stage-whispered.
“Penis!” Greg crowed toward the ceiling, making the puppy bark, which, in turn, made all the dogs bark. “I got a penis, too! No vag... ina!”
“Yes, Greg, vaginas are yucky,” Teddy told him with a dramatic shudder and a wrinkled nose.
Leah ignored them and leaned into her husband, turning her face up to him. He lowered his mouth and brushed his lips over hers.
“It wouldn’t be a Bryson family holiday without total bedlam,” she murmured.
“Would you want it any other way?” he whispered against her lips.
“No.”
“Are you happy?”
“You, the boys, your family, make me happy. Never doubt that. Finding out this baby’s a girl was just the bow on the box. But the gift inside would’ve been great all the same.” She sighed with contentment, one hand on her belly and one hand cupping her husband’s stubbled cheek. “It’s been an amazing day.”
“The day’s only beginning,” Marc reminded her.
True. One more surprise needed to be revealed.
And it was a doozy.
Chapter Eleven
Teddy & Adam
Adam’s stomach churned, his mouth was as dry as the Registan Desert in Afghanistan, his throat tight. And his heart thumped wildly.
“Why do you keep glancing at your watch?” Teddy asked as Adam lifted his wrist for the hundredth time.
Adam still had him pulled into his arms, his fiancé’s back pressed to him, the arm without his watch stretched across Teddy’s chest, holding him close.
“And why is your heart doing a crazy thumpty-thump, handsome? I can feel it.”
“Too much caffeine.”
“Are you anxious to give me my present? Is that why you keep checking the time?”
Fuck yes, he was anxious.
His surprise had taken months of planning and secrecy. Of course he was nervous that it could turn into a complete disaster. Teddy wasn’t the most cooperative of people. The slightest misstep could create a whole dramatic episode, effectively ruining Adam’s surprise single-handedly.
“I’m so happy there’s going to be another girl in the family,” Teddy murmured plucking at Adam’s sleeve. “We need to have a serious discussion about what we want to do. I’m not getting any younger, you know.”
“We’ll discuss it.” And they would. He just needed to get through today first. Once they were on their trip to Aruba, they’d have all the time in the world to make those plans. No family or work schedules interfering. A whole week with just the two of them.
Adam couldn’t wait. It would be the perfect time to reconnect since the two of them were so busy. Adam had worked a lot of overtime to pay for today’s surprise and Teddy was a business owner, so he tended to work long days. Sometimes there were days they hardly saw each other.
Sometimes they were reduced to only having a quickie, because if days went by without sex, Teddy got it in his head that Adam was losing interest or looking for sex elsewhere. Just like yesterday morning’s meltdown.
Teddy’s parents’ rejection, as well as his first lover’s, had given the man some deep-seated doubt of believing that real love existed. Now a part of the Bryson family, Teddy shouldn’t be so skeptical since they were surrounded daily by couples who were undoubtedly perfect examples of true and lasting love. Even the older generation, like Ron and Mary Ann and Adam’s parents, not only loved each other but were still in love. And yes, there was a difference.
Both his and his uncle’s families were built solidly on love, trust and honesty. Adam wanted his relationship and possible future family to be built on the same.
He hated keeping secrets from Teddy, but the time was quickly approaching when it would be over and he could reveal everything Adam had worked so hard—with the help of his cousins and their wives—to plan.
Now, it just needed to go off without a hitch.
Unfortunately, with the Brysons, there always seemed to be a hitch.
A knock on the door had the dogs scrambling in that direction.
“Somebody’s here!” Greg yelled, just in case everybody hadn’t heard the loud knocks or the cacophony of excited barking.
“Who’s that?” Teddy asked. “It can’t be a solicitor on Christmas day, can it?”
“Probably my brother,” Ron said, getting up from his recliner, aka throne, by the fire.
Teddy squealed and twisted within Adam’s arms. “You didn’t tell me your parents were coming.”
Adam shot him a hopefully cool and collected smile, even though inside he was shitting bricks. “I wanted to surprise you.”
“Oh!” Teddy clapped his hands and bounced on his toes. “My other mom and dad are here!”
He broke free from Adam and rushed after Ron. Adam sucked in a deep breath, trying to settle his nerves.
Max whacked him on the back and laughed. “Just keep your shit together. Otherwise, you’ll blow it.”
Adam could only nod.
“And Jet!” Teddy screamed from the front entryway at the same volume as a tea kettle-whistle.
Teddy followed Adam’s parents, Cathy and Randall, into the living room, with his sister, Jet, on their heels.
“They’re not carrying food, either,” Teddy announced, “so now I’m wondering if we’re all getting Chinese food later.”
“We had Chinese last night,” Hannah announced. “I don’t
want it again.”
“I love Chinese!” Oliver exclaimed. “I can eat it every night.”
“Oh, maybe we can get pizza,” Hannah suggested.
“I’m sure the pizza places are all closed today,” Adam mumbled, thinking he just might pass out.
Maybe he needed to sit down.
“Did you know that it started to snow?” Adam’s mother announced, shooting Adam a worried look, as she walked deeper into the living room.
Was his face as green as it felt?
“Wow, look at that haul under the tree.” She went around giving hugs and kisses to everyone, while Adam’s father gave out hugs and handshakes.
“I gots a puppy!” Greg announced.
“I see that, Greg! How lucky you are! Are you going to share that puppy with Oliver and Hannah?”
Greg nodded and gave Adam’s mother a toothy grin. “Yup.”
Havoc was now wrestling with Chaos’s thick, bushy tail.
“So, when are we eating, Momma Bryson?” Teddy asked Mary Ann.
Randall spoke up first. “I suggest we go for a walk before the snow gets any deeper. Your trees look great with that light dusting of snow, Ron. I see you’ve been working hard on keeping them trimmed perfectly. I bet you sold a bunch this year.”
“I did. The boys help their old grandfather out.”
Randall sighed. “Maybe one day soon I’ll have some grandchildren of my own. Right, kids?” He eyed Adam and Jet.
“Right, Dad. But Adam’s older. He should go first,” Jet quickly said. “I’m just starting out in my career, no time for being a single mother.”
“You can find a man, have babies and still work, Jet,” Cathy suggested. “It’s called multitasking. You don’t need to be so single-minded.”
“Or another woman, Jet?” Teddy asked, his eyebrows lifted all the way to his hairline. “No one here will judge if you like tacos instead of hot dogs.”
Jet laughed and shook her head. “Career first, love later.”
“Like Mom said, you can have both,” Adam reminded his sister, doing his best not to puke.
“Meh,” she muttered. “I can also have my career and lots of sex without any strings.”
“Oh, now that’s a good plan,” Teddy said.
A Bryson Family Christmas: Brothers in Blue, book 4 Page 17
