Resolution (Saviour #2)(109)
He leans back so he can look me in the eyes but doesn’t let go of my waist. “Well for one, you did just fine on your own and for two, you made me so f*cking hard when you went off like that, I couldn’t string a sentence together.” He kisses me on the mouth.
“Let’s go and collect my daughter and tell her she’s going to have to learn to share her kingdom with another Daddy’s little princess.”
“Oh Joy.” Is all I can muster.
We wait till we are home and Ryder has arrived before breaking the news, Sophie is being dropped off tomorrow so we get Ava to ourselves tonight, Gabe called Ryder earlier and told him to come over for a beer after work and we now have Sonny on FaceTime. Ava is sitting on a bar stall at the bench top, she’s sitting next to Ryder whilst staring down at the lap top swooning over Sonny, her and Sophie have told me that they think that he’s hot and she’s blatantly flirting with him now as they banter over which code is harder, AFL or Rugby Union. This is all quite worrying really, seeing as Ava is ten years younger than Sonny and even worse, is holding her own with the argument they’re having.
“Anyway.” Gabe interrupts. “The reason we have got you all here together, is because we have news.”
Ava looks at me straight away. “Have you set a date for the wedding?” I shake my head and smile at her.
I actually haven’t really given the wedding any kind of thought in days. Weeks even, it’s obviously more important to everyone else than it is to me. Gabe pulls me in front of the laptop so we are standing between Ava and Ryder. All of us looking down at Sonny. “We just wanted you all to hear together that we’re pregnant. Your Mum, Lauren’s having twins.”
“No f*cking way!” Sonny’s big voice bounces from the laptop and around the room.
“Twins! You’re having twins, you’re pregnant? Oh, my f*cking God.”
“Ava.” Gabe and I both say at the same time. She bursts into tears and throws her arms around her Dad’s neck. “I’m sorry. I’m just so f*cking happy.”
“Ava!” Even Ryder and Sonny join in the reprimand this time and we all laugh. My eyes travel back to Sonny’s on the screen. “Do you have a problem with this news Sonn?”
“No. No Mum, not if you don’t. But f*ck Mum. Me and Jess were only talking about having kids ourselves the other day. Twins, bloody hell mother, do you know what they are?”
“Yeah. One of each.” Gabe and I both say together.
Ava starts to wail louder. “I’m getting a little sister, I’m finally getting a little sister. I’m so Totes Emosh right now. I need to call Sophie.” She heads down the stairs. Her high pitched wail going with her.
I realise Ryder hasn’t said anything but Gabe beats me to it. “Are we okay with this dude?”
Ryder shakes his head. “Man. You knocked up my mother. What the f*ck bro? With twins no less. Now I have to share my inheritance with three other kids, probably four in fact, what with the way she treats Ava as her own. Can you just make sure that you cap it at two? Take up knitting or something Mum and stop keep having sex.”
Bloody hell, he had me there for a minute, I actually thought I was going to vomit over the laptop! We spend the next ten minutes laughing and joking with the boys before Sonny has to head to training. Ryder stays and has a few more beers, he’s joined by his girlfriend Layla, who comes by to pick him up so he doesn’t drive home, but then she has a few drinks too as Jo and Jake arrive with champagne after I text her and all of my friends our good news. She actually brings a bottle of non-alcoholic champers so that I can join in the celebrations. We end up with an impromptu gathering of our friends and family. After drinking a number of beers and at least three glasses of champagne, Ryder decides he wants to make a speech.
“I just want all of you here know, how happy… How f*cking over the moon me and my brother are for my Mum and Gabe. These two babies are so lucky, she has done such a stellar job raising Sonny and me. You all know the shit she has been through with my Dad but she kept all of that. We could have had a truly terrible childhood, but I can honestly say, hand on heart we had the best of times growing up, she always kept the shit side of my Dad away from us and always made sure we were safe and protected from it. And if, despite all of that I was given the chance of the happiest of childhoods. I can only imagine what a great time these two new babies are going to have being raised by not only my amazing Mum, but also this bloke here. Coz he’s pretty special too and I have no doubt, no doubt whatsoever that together, they are going to make brilliant parents. In fact, I’m actually a bit jealous of Bruce and Sheila. Gabe, how about you adopt me? Is it okay if I start calling you Dad now?”
Despite laughing at Ryder’s jokes, I watch as Gabe’s eyes fill with tears at Ryder’s words and I know how touched he is by them. I watch as he shakes hands with my son and then pulls him in for a man hug. Right at that moment, I feel an overwhelming sense of calm, I am so happy and content with my life right now, my boys are happy and loving life. The babies I have growing inside me are well and healthy and whatever else life might throw my way, I can deal with it, because right by my side I have with me Gabriel Wilde. The man who will love beyond measure for the rest of my life. The man that I just know I was born to be with. The man I know was born to be my saviour.