Mia had spent the morning hanging out with the wives. Little Macy had convinced her to take her to play outside, and the little girl was having a blast. Macy was a sassy little bundle of joy, and Mia was loving every sweet moment.
Wraith walked up as Mia was playing hide and seek with Macy.
“Uncy. Hide Macy.”
“Shh… come on, munchkin. Let’s go. I’ll hide with you.” Wraith scooped her up in his arms and took off running around the house. “Good luck finding us, Mia. Macy and I are the hide and seek champs of the world.”
“Of world!” Macy giggled as Wraith ran with her.
The group stepped outside from the house, seeing Wraith running away. Slade and Colt shoved each other back and forth, roughhousing, as usual.
“What do you say, guys? A group hide and seek game?” Slade asked.
Candy shook her head at her husband as the best friends shoved each other back and forth. “Will you two ever grow up?”
“Never! Too bad we didn’t bring our kids with us, Candy. They would have had a blast this weekend.”
“Next time, baby. We can invite everyone to Florida and do this again sometime.”
Just as Colt was about to take off running, Mia slapped him in the back of the head. “You’re it! The porch is home base. I’m safe.”
Isis just shook her head and laughed. “I’m going back inside. This little one needs a diaper change. Don’t you, Madison? You smell like poo-poo.”
Gage followed, wiggling his brows at his wife. “And daddy needs to convince his love to put the baby down for a nap. Daddy needs some sexy time.”
Isis slapped his arm. “Not in front of the baby.”
“Like Madison knows what I’m talking about. Move it, woman. Daddy needs his special time.”
Mia laughed as the couple flirted while they headed back inside.
Colt grabbed his wife’s hand. “Come on, Holly. We have a munchkin and a monster to find. Team up.”
As everyone ran in different directions, Mia watched the family play together with the little girl. She missed big family gatherings like this. Thinking back to her childhood, she remembered her cousins playing games in the backyard of her parent’s home. Those years had been long gone. Everyone had gone on different life paths.
There was something complete here with the Evans family and friends. Something she missed and craved. Family. All those lonely nights in her apartment back in Indiana felt far away. For the first time in years, she felt like she belonged.
Mia heard the patio sliding door close behind her. She turned to see who was coming and Cyrus was standing there smiling at her with baby Elias.
“Goo. Gaa.” The baby cooed, looking up at him and grabbing his beard.
“Hey, babe. Meet, Elias. I call him Eli.”
Mia walked over to take the baby in her arms. “Hi, little one. Have you had fun with Cyrus this morning?”
“Ga ga.”
“He likes you. Tammy was having a bad morning, so I agreed to take him for the day so she can rest.” Cyrus pulled her to the patio chairs. “She’s bad, Mia. Tammy can barely stand up. I think she’s been holding on, hoping I would come around for the baby. I’m going to talk to her doctor first thing Monday and see what her prognosis is. Tammy says they keep mentioning Hospice.”
“So, she’s in the final stages then. One of my salon sisters’ mothers went through the same thing. That’s sort of the last step just to keep them comfortable.”
“Yes. Mia… I’m sorry about all of this. Holly’s right, it’s not fair to you.”
“I’m a big girl, Cy. I can handle it. Life isn’t always fair. Truth is, I think we were so caught up in each other, we’ve been ignoring the fact there is a real-world around us. Everything with us has been so… perfect. But life isn’t perfect, is it?”
“No. I suppose not. You’re right. I’ve been living in this fantasy world with you. If we want to make it, we need to figure out what our future means to us.”
“What does it mean to you?” she asked.
“That’s what I want to know. I know what I want, but do you?”
“Well, I want a family and future. Being here with your family, I’ve felt for the first time that I belong. I feel the love in your family and friends, and I want to be part of that. I love you, Cyrus, and I’m not getting any younger. I’m a thirty-something woman and I feel like my life has been on hold. Until now, I didn’t have any real direction to what I wanted. I know now what I want is you.”
“And if that means, Elias is part of the package deal?” he asked.
“Are you going to adopt him?”
“Yes. I can’t let his father get to him. He’s an abusive, murderous, evil man. If I said no, what kind of person would I be?”
“Human. It’s a big responsibility. The moment she mentioned you taking Elias, I saw your eyes light up. You really want this, don’t you?”
“Yes, but I want you too.”
“Then I guess we need to plan for taking care of a baby and figuring out how to juggle work and family life.”
“You mean it?”
“Yep. I’m not giving up my chance to manage Doom. So, we need to work out how to raise a child and be on the road too.”
Cyrus got excited and pulled the baby and Mia into his arms. “I love you, flower. I’m going to make this work. I promise.” Cyrus yelled to the sky. “I’M GOING TO BE A DADDY! WHOO!”
Wraith ran around the house with Macy over his shoulder as she laughed hysterically. “Uncy Cy! Save Macy!”
“No way, munchkin. You’re Uncy Wraith’s baby girl now. Uncle Cy can’t save you. You let the monster get you.”
“Monter Uncy Wray Wray.”
“Monster? I’ll show you a monster!”
The little girl giggled as Wraith spun in the air, making her laugh even more.
Mia snuggled into Cyrus’ arms, holding Elias to her chest as she watched Wraith playing with the Macy. Elias was cuddled to her, looking in her eye as if he knew that she was going to be his mother someday.
“I guess it’s time to get to know each other, little one. Hi. I’m Mia. I’m going to be your second mommy.”
“Gaa gaa gaa.”
“It’s nice to meet you too.”