Amaya
“Another baby? Wow. It’s funny you said that because I quit taking the pill.”
“So you planned on having another one without me knowing? Seriously, babe, I want a do over.”
I look over my coffee cup from where we’re seated at the counter. Trace never takes his eyes off of me as he calls Chase into the kitchen. “Hey, little man. How do you feel about a little brother or sister?”
“A brother… yes. A sister… yuck.”
We both erupt in laughter. “We can name him Chance.”
“Why daddy?”
“Because we’re getting a second chance to be a family.”
“I like it,” I say, shaking my head yes.
I look at my son in a serious manner to try and relay a message to him. “We don’t get to pick if we get a boy or a girl, Chase. There’s no way for us to know what we’re getting. Would you still love a sister?”
He cocks his little head looking just like his daddy. “Are we still gonna name her Chance?”
“Well, I guess we better hope for a boy, because I don’t think Chance will fit for a girl.”
Trace leans in and growls in my direction, “We’ll just keep trying until we get our second chance.”
“You’re incorrigible.”
“You are so right. I’m bad and I’m not changing.”
“I want to be bad too then.” Chance jumps up and down on his daddy’s knee.
“We don’t mean bad like that sweetie. We mean daddy catches the bad guys.” I cut my eyes at Trace. When his phone rings he smirks in my direction.
“Saved by the bell.”
I watch him as he goes in the living room to talk in private.
“Okay, Mommy. I’m going to play.” He hugs my leg and looks up at me with big innocent eyes. “I’ll take a sister—girls aren’t all bad, not if they’re like you.”
I laugh as he runs toward his room to play. These two add so much love to my life that I can’t imagine my heart being any fuller.
The look on Trace’s face as he comes back in the room makes me glad Chase isn’t still in here.
“They're both dead. The cops who went to her house said it looked like a murder-suicide.”
“I feel terrible about what I’m getting ready to say, but I still need to say it. I wanted them dead. I wanted to know they could never come back and threaten us again.”
He reaches over and pulls me into him. I feel safe, protected in his arms. “You think that’s bad? I was debating killing them to ensure my family’s safety.”
“Well, confession may be good for the soul, but let’s keep this secret between us.”
“Absolutely. Some things aren’t meant to be shared. No secrets between us, but the rest of the world doesn’t need to know what we’ve been through.”
“Speaking of that, I’ve been thinking about what to say when Chase gets old enough to ask questions.”
“I’ve got big shoulders, babe. I don’t think it’s going to be a problem. I think if he grew up without me in his life there would be questions. I would never throw you under the bus where he’s concerned. I hope you know that.”
“I don’t think you would. I don’t ever want him to think you didn’t want to be here for the first three years of his life.”
He places a hand on each of my shoulders, and I know he’s getting ready to say something serious. I feel like I’m holding my breath in anticipation.
“Amaya, there are some things we can’t outrun. We have to face them and tell the truth. If he asks you, then give him age appropriate answers. You didn’t want me feel pressured or obligated. We plan our lives and then life happens—that’s what happened to us.”
“Then let’s get on with living.”
“Let’s do that and let’s keep trying for baby number two.”
“I love you, Trace.”
“I love you too, babe. I love you too.”
Epilogue
Watching my family in the hospital room as they welcome Chance into the world is like nothing I’ve ever experienced. The wedding was simple but that’s how we wanted it to be. It didn’t take long to get pregnant with Chance. Of course that might have something to do with the fact we can’t keep our hands off of each other.
Chase and his daddy are inseparable and it warms my heart to see them together. I can’t go back and undo any of the things I’ve done, but I have been able to get past the guilt. I’ve learned some valuable lessons in all this. Secrets have a way of resurrecting no matter how deep we bury them in graves of obscurity.
Our lives are so knit together, and it feels like we’ve been together for ever. I’m so glad we don’t feel the emptiness of three years lost. I do believe in second chances now, and this new member of our family confirms we can have do-overs.
Angelina’s kidnapping was a terrible thing, but if it hadn’t have happened I don’t know if my family would be together, and that thought terrifies me.
“I like his name, Mom. I like what you said about second chances and how everyone deserves one too.”
Trace is the one who answers him. “Chance is our second chance to be a family, son. We’ll never be away from each other again.”
“And you’re sure we’ll never be away from each other again, Daddy?” His little face is angelic as he looks at his father anticipating his answer. He thinks his dad hangs the moon, and to be honest, I do too.
“We will never be away from each other again, son. I can’t imagine my life without you and your mom—and now Chance.”
“I love you, Daddy.”
“I love you too, son, and I love your beautiful mother too.”
“So am I gonna have a sister later?”
“We sure are, son.”
“Hey guys… give Mom a break now and let’s get Chance at least walking and talking.”
Trace makes his way over to my bedside and says something that means more than anything he could say to me. “We’ve got the rest of our lives. There’s plenty of time for more brothers and sisters.”
The End
Look for more of Suzanne Steele’s books available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Suzanne-Steele/e/B00C9L6YRQ
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