Runaway Wolf

Lots of Babies

Sylvia

It turns out that all my stress baking was a good thing because there's enough goods in the fridge that I could take a week off and they'd still have something to sell. Trev patiently waited for me to finish getting ready on the bed like a well-behaved boy. What was he up to? The one most important thing I've learned about him so far is that he is never well-behaved unless properly motivated. Was it because of my comment earlier about how he'll only get to touch my bottom if he behaves? If so, that is useful to know.

            Val has already been checked into a room when we arrive, and she looks miserable, yet excited. Whether it's because she's finally getting to meet her babies or finally getting them out of her, I'm not sure. Travis looks frazzled and stressed, but grateful to see his brother here. It's clear that they're close and Travis is feeding off the calm energy Trev seems to be projecting. It must be strange for them to see Trev being the calm one.

            "Hi, Sylvia, it's nice to see you again," Val says, giving me a sweet smile.

            "It's nice to see you again, Val. You doin' okay, sugar?" I ask, leaving Trev to talk to his brother to step closer to her bed.

            "As well as I can be when I'm about to be cut open. I just want them to be okay."

            "They will be, just you wait and see. Will they have to stay here in the NICU for a while?"

            Val shakes her head. "No, Sandy, Trav's mom, is a registered nurse and a trained midwife. She bought a few incubators, and we have an ambulance to take the babies home tomorrow. We don't want to risk anyone seeing them shift while they're here. I'll have to check myself out AMA, but I don't care. Sandy can keep on eye on me at home."

            I'm about to respond when a nurse knocks on the door and steps into the room and tells us they're ready to take Val down to the operating room. I can see the glint of fear in her eyes, but she'll be okay.

            "Well, Trav, don't vomit and don't pass out or I'll make fun of you for it for the rest of your life."

            Travis sighs and moves to stand on the opposite side of Val. "As big of a jerk as you are, it's good to have you back to normal."

            Trev grins and stuffs his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "It's good to be back. We'll see you on the other side, Val. Pretty please tell me if Trav faints."

            The nurse wheels Val down and we follow behind until we reach a waiting room. Trev takes a seat beside me and rests his arm over the back of mine. The smell in here is a little sterile with the sting of alcohol, which only reminds me of the smell of that medical examiner's office, so I rest my head against Trev's shoulder, so his scent overwhelms everything else. There're a few other people in the waiting room, chatting quietly, and I tune out the sound, so I don't accidentally listen in to what are surely private conversations.

            "What's going to happen after Val and your brother leave tomorrow?" I ask him in a quiet voice.

            "We go with or we stay here. I'd like to go back to Coeur d'Alene, but I'm happy wherever you are. If we go, I am a little worried my mom's going to like you so much I'll never see you again and I quite like having you all to myself."

            I don't want to take Trev away from his family, but I do worry they're going to hate me for bringing the trouble that's following me to their front door. Sometimes it feels like I'm just waiting for the day Jeffery finds me and I hate the anxiety it causes to knot in my stomach. I can't help feeling like I'm cursing Trev's family to the same fate as my own. A piece of me wants to run, to go as far from here as I can so they'll be safe, but I don't want to see that heartbreak in Trev's eyes again. I know the courting period has finally started now that we aren't fighting the instincts and the more it progresses the worse off we'll be if I leave, which only makes me want to flee more. Am I a coward?