Twisted Fate

Chapter Twenty-Seven

It took a little over an hour to pick out what we'd need. We picked out cribs that converted to beds as they grew, a changing station, decor, some stuffed animals, and a comfortable rocking chair.

Undoubtedly, the rocking chair took the longest to pick out. Nikki and I argued so intensely over which was more comfortable, that we didn't notice Mikko had disappeared.

"He wouldn't have left us," she told me when she noticed my change in behavior. "He's around here somewhere."

When I went in search of him, Nikki was right behind me. We found Mikko in the stroller section. He had a man by the neck, pushed up against the wall. We stayed back enough that we could keep an eye out for the worker who had been helping us, but close enough that Nikki could hear.

Nikki smirked. "Marshall has a rat in his pack," she whispered as she looked over at the man. "He's telling Mikko that Marshall's escaped up into Canada. He's not sticking around when Mikko's after him."

The worker girl spotted me and smiled. "I'll keep her busy." I walked towards her, deciding I needed help picking out a chair.

Nikki nodded and continued to eavesdrop as she looked over car seats and strollers. I kept the woman busy for maybe ten minutes before Nikki came over.

"Those strollers are amazing." She did sound impressed. "A couple of them have cup holders."

I laughed. "You're so easily impressed."

We looked at strollers, testing them by walking around with them. Mikko showed face ten minutes after Nikki.

"Everything okay?" I asked him. He knew Nikki and I had found out about Marshall's rat.

"Of course. You picked out everything your dad will need?"

I nodded. "Everything we need right now."

I gave the stroller back. We didn't need one now. We'd get one when we got to Mikko's. When we visited we'd have to bring strollers and car seats anyway.

We checked out and went back to the house. "We'll wash everything today while we wait for the fumes in the nursery to go away."

I was only allowed to carry in some blankets and light decor. Heaven forbid the pregnant woman lifting anything over twenty pounds. My dad was sitting around, watching the TV with paint splatters all over his clothes when we walked in.

His eyebrows rose once everything was in. "And this is all essential?"

I nodded. "Yes. This is the basics."

He let out a long whistle. "Things sure have changed since you were a baby."

I scoffed. "I was only one. There are two coming now."