Turning The Page

One Hundred

"Daddy..." The way Addy keeps whispering back to me I know that I'm not going to get anywhere anytime soon with my sweet Bean... Not with the way he is currently over the moon staring at possibly some of the cutest moments this conference history has ever seen... The kids being released from daycare and being reintroduced to their parents... All of them having made little friends... All of them wanting to show their mommies and daddies what they made today... All of them future Alphas and Betas and Lunas and leaders of tomorrow's packs... And one day when they come here as adults they'll smile and think back on handing their parents Marconi necklaces and paint prints of their paws... 

And for once... I maybe feel a little bit sad that I won't have this moment with our own little bundle of joy anytime soon... Not because little Sj won't be here anytime soon... They'll actually be here so soon that I'm actually starting to panic thinking about whether or not we'll get the library and nurseries finished in time...Just that we won't ever be coming back here if I can help it... I have no interest in ever seeing Alic or Kelvin or any of the rest of them ever again with the exception of our new friends, the four of them sticking close by while we linger at the snack table so that Cricket and Aurie can continue to satisfy their snacking needs, and so my Sweet Pea has access to the hot water at beverage station, his borrowed hot water bottle still tucked all folded up in my back pocket in case he needs it even though he's been refusing the last two days thinking... Thinking that it might hurt the baby if he keeps it on for too long... Something about needing to keep his temperature cozy but stable... And while I think it might be a bit early to worry about that kind of thing I don't think that it's awful that he's already thinking of all the ways he can care for our little Bean Sprout... Not in the least... 

The way Addy smiles over hearing my thoughts... Over hearing me call our little Nugget a Bean Sprout knowing full well that he is a full-grown Bean...It's too adorable for words... Especially since it makes him just the tiniest bit shy... Shy enough to need extra cuddles from Daddy, even in front of everyone else... 

"You two are so cute! I don't know if or how I'll ever get over it."

...

Adrian

...

When Lukas pipes up it makes me jump a tiny bit, and I find myself burying my face into Daddy's chest to a chorus of cues and the feel of Cricket being brave enough to step up and flutter his fingers into my sides to tickle me and make the cuteness they find in my behavior even more extreme as I squirm and wiggle trying to keep in the giggles he's causing... Daddy not coming to rescue me until I let out a shriek that garners attention from some of the others around us and only because he knows I won't like the extra attention when I'm finally given a moment to calm my giggles and think about all of the stares we're getting... His hands gentle as he stops Cricket for me with the sweetest smile he can offer to someone who isn't me. 

"He isn't wrong... I don't think I've ever seen two mates so bonded... And that's saying something because I've literally walked in on him and Aurie more than once. I know what bonded looks like." The way Cricket rolls his eyes while stepping back, his smile wide as he observes us while melting back against Harper's chest, his own mate wrapping his arms around Cricket's waste and making his smile just that much bigger while he gets just as cozied up as I am and just as happy about it... Even if he did just make Aurie's face get redder than mine.

"Cricket!"

"What? We legit just spent the week not only knowing that the two of them have been boning every single second they've been alone, to the point where Addy's probably knocked up, but even helping them facilitate it. I have kids, Aurie. I think it's safe for Silas and Addy to assume that we also get laid on the regular. Though, I am sorry if saying that upset you." The way Cricket ends his statement... The apology at the end... It comes with him reaching over to his best friend to take him by the hand and giving it a squeeze, a small smile being shared between them while Aurie reaches behind himself to pull Lukas a little bit closer to him until he's being cradled from behind just like Cricket and I... The three of us three peas in a pod... Our pods being our respective and respected mates that we just can't get enough of... And that in and of itself seems perfect. 

...

Silas

...

"If we are cute... That means you guys are cute too. You get just as many snuggles as I do." Even as Addy says the words out loud I can't believe the level of audacity in his statement, the others going just as slack-jawed as I do over his insinuation that anyone could come anywhere close to his level of static cling... That both of us have... 

I don't think I've ever actually seen another couple have to stay within sight of each other, preferably touching as much as possible... And judging by the looks on our friend's faces... And the faces of the people within earshot of that bold lie... I know that I'm not necessarily wrong... And neither is Harper when he raises his eyebrows at us and says, "Excuse you? I don't think we heard you right Adrian."

My sweet Sugar Cube does nothing but toss his head back a bit so that we all can hear the mischievous giggle that leaves his lips before he pops up onto his toes to steal a kiss from me before mumbling, "Okay so maybe not as many... But maybe kind of close?"