Sugar’s phone beeps and she looks, smiles, then hands it to Julia.
“Now that deserves a celebration,” she responds handing it back.
“What was that?” I ask.
She glances at the kids and says under her breath, “Our old classmate was denied P-A-R-O-L-E.”
Sugar knows a few lawyers in Minnesota and asked them to keep tabs on Parker. He ended up with multiple charges of sexual assault, and some were truly horrific. Julia dreaded testifying, but he ended up taking a plea deal for leniency. He received a fifteen-year sentence and is now up for parole. Over the last few months other women started coming forward with accusations dating back to his high school days. The cases were beyond the statute of limitation, but the parole board agreed to hear their victim impact stories. Getting denied is great news and hopefully he’ll stay in that cold Minnesota prison for his entire term.
After a few campfire songs and unscary ghost stories I stand up. “I’m gonna grab another drink. Anyone need a refill?”
“I’m good,” Julia says.
I notice her glass is still full. “Did you not like the wine?”
“It didn’t go with my hotdog, but it’s fine. Just don’t want a headache later.”
I kiss the top of her head. “Wanna water?”
She nods.
Sugar holds up her empty glass with a smile. “I thought it paired well with tonight’s pork. I would love a refill.”
I bring Sugar a refill, Julia her water, and beers for me and Z.
A few minutes later, Kara and Evander lean against each in a lounge chair, their eyes slowly closing.
Z stands up and stretches. “I think it’s time for our little crew to turn in.”
A chorus of “Noooooo” comes from them.
“Yep, you heard him,” I say as I rise with him. He and I are on bedtime duty tonight. “Everyone below the age of seven needs to have teeth brushed, pajamas on, and under the covers in fifteen minutes.”
The girls share a room with twin beds and the boys have a bigger room with two queens. Kurt and Evander sleep together while Nash gets his own. （Bed wetter）。
After turning off the lights around the cabin, I head to mine and Julia’s bedroom. It’s spacious with a view of the waterfall. The lights are out and the room is empty, so I quietly open the bathroom door.
“Hey, you in here?” I ask.
“Don’t come in,” she calls from the toilet, but it’s too late. It’s not like I haven’t seen her pee before.
“Sorry, babe. Let me—“
I pause when I see them. Three little plastic sticks sitting on the edge of the counter. She follows my eyes then holds up a fourth that was between her legs. She sets it next to the others, a tremble in her hand.
“Uh… Is that what I think it is?” I mean, I know what they are, but the world feels like it’s spinning a little and I need confirmation.
She grimaces. “Yes.”
“How long have you known?”
She points at her collection of pregnancy tests, then pushes at a strand of hair in her face. “Obviously, I don’t yet, but I’ve been queasy, and I can smell everything. I mean, I can normally smell, but not like this.”
I kneel down next to her. “Is it like when you were pregnant with the terrors and could smell dirt?”
She nods. “Exactly like that, but I just had my period, so I don’t know what’s going on.”
“Should I run out and get more tests, or do you think these four will be enough?”
“Ha-ha, funny guy, this is serious. We haven’t even talked about having a baby, plus all of the kids will be in school this fall, and I just thought it might give us time to, you know, catch our breath. I don’t think my boobs can handle another triple attack of breastfeeding.”
“What are you talking about? The odds of having triplets again can’t be that high. And hey, they’re still the best boobs I’ve seen in years.”
She narrows her gaze. “They better damn well be.”
“I kid, I kid.”
Her phone starts to chime that the timer is up. She gives me a lingering look, then, takes a deep breath.
“The first one is ready. Are you, Eric? I mean, can we do this again?”
“Abso-fucking-lutely. Let’s look at the same time, yeah?”
She takes a deep breath and nods.
I take her hand and lace it with mine.
“I peed on that hand,” she says and I laugh.
“I’ve seen so much pee since we had kids, yours isn’t going to bother me. Ready?” We lean over to the counter. “Whatta we got here?”