Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 109783 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 549(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109783 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 549(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Once we reached it, we hurried back into bed, afraid that at any second, one of them might wake again.
I pulled Callie into my arms and she rested her cheek on my chest. “I’m so tired, every inch of my body hurts. I didn’t know this kind of tired existed.”
“I’m so tired I feel like there are wee gremlins living in my nerve endings and I just want to scream,” Callie whimpered comically. “But I’m too tired to scream.” Her laugh ended on a sob that made me chuckle and pull her close for a kiss.
“I know, I know.” I did. I totally fucking knew what she meant.
“They’re worth it, though. They are worth it, right?”
For some reason, this made us both burst into laughter. And then we had to hush each other so we wouldn’t wake the kids.
“We’re losing our minds.” Callie gasped, trying to stifle the hysteria.
“Just a bit.”
“Why is it so hard? I mean, Harley was hard, but it was manageable hard. Two of them … it’s like they’ve quadrupled on us. Like gremlins when you pour water on them.”
I snorted. “What’s with the gremlin analogies?”
“Is that an anal … an anal—”
“Are you saying anal?”
Now she snorted. “No anal … ahnahlogy. Analogy. Couldn’t get that out. You’re not getting anal, by the way.”
Lips trembling with amusement at her tired nonsense, I replied, “I don’t remember asking. Though at least I wouldn’t get you pregnant.”
“True. We can do anal. When I’m not tired. Which could be awhile. Though I suppose I wouldn’t have to do much, so have at it.”
“As sexy as that offer was, I’ll pass. Mostly because I’m too fucking tired to fuck any part of you.” I stared at the ceiling in horror. “What have we become?”
Callie laugh-groaned again and patted my stomach. “Sleep. It’ll all seem better in the morning.”
I cuddled her closer. “I love you. I love our children, too, by the way.”
“Love you and love them and love sleep,” Callie mumbled.
My eyes closed and I was out like a light.
An hour later, Xander woke us again.
The next morning I called Sloane. She was always offering to help, and I knew Callie didn’t want to take her up on it just yet, but we were done. We were both zombies.
I pretended to get ready for work as usual, all the while trying to help Callie change and feed Harley and Xander. About ten minutes before I’d usually leave for work, we heard the vehicle pull up outside.
Callie looked up from putting Harley’s shoes on. Xander was in his high chair, slapping his hands against the tray that usually contained his food and thankfully no longer did. “Who could that be?”
“It’s your mum.”
“My mum? Why?”
“I called her.”
My wife’s face fell. “Lewis, you didn’t.”
“Granny!” Harley jumped to her feet from her little stool. “Granny’s ’ere!”
“No arguments,” I told Callie as I strode downstairs to open the door. Relief thrummed through me at the sight of my sunny mother-in-law on the other side.
“Gran is here to save the day.” Sloane swooped in, rushing past me with an energy I envied as she took the stairs two at a time.
“Granny!” I heard Harley scream.
As I came upstairs, Harley was jumping up and down at her granny’s feet, showing off her teeth in a delighted grimace.
“Is that a new dance?” Sloane asked, jumping up and down with her.
It made Harley giggle hysterically. “Granny!” She said it as if Sloane were the silly one.
“Mum, you don’t need to be here.” Callie crossed the room.
“Yes, I do.” Sloane ran her eyes over her daughter. “You’re exhausted. You both are. I’m going to take the kids today. Walker is off work, so he’s going to help. And you two are going to get some sleep.”
“Two?” Callie’s eyes flew to mine.
“I’m not going in today.”
Somehow, that made it easier for her to give in. Together we gathered up all the kids’ things and packed them into Sloane’s car. Harley was delighted to be spending the day with her gran, enough so not to complain about the car seat. Sloane had two car seats for Harley and Xander already set up in the back.
“Call if you need us. Bring them back if they’re fussing.”
“I’ve raised two children, baby girl. I can deal with some fussing.” Sloane kissed Callie’s forehead. “Now go sleep. I’ll bring the kids back around dinnertime.”
“Mum—”
“Nope. It’s done.” Sloane threw us a dazzling smile and hopped into her car. She waved as she backed out.
Callie looked ready to burst into tears.
“Hey, hey, come on.” I nudged her toward the house. “We are going to sleep, mo chridhe, and it will make you feel like a human being again. I promise.”
“I feel bad.”
“Don’t.” I took her by the shoulders once we were inside. “Cal, we have to be able to function properly to look after our children, and we’re lucky we have support to help us do that.” I spun her around before she could protest and guided her toward our bedroom.