Our Last Secret

chapter sixteen

Months passed by, everything was moving in a blur of pregnancy shopping and trying to keep Lani and Sam happy, or me and Jake would have to pay if they weren't. Lani will be having our baby girl in just a month and Sam has four months left.

"Owen," Lani called out in her sweet voice. I sighed and stood in the doorway. She grinned innocently at me.

"What food do you want this time?" I asked, knowing she wanted to me to get her something.

"Peanut butter and pickles."

I scrunched my nose up but nodded. "I'll be right back with it." I watched her as she grinned down at the twins, who were lying on our bed, waving their arms about before they held each others hand. I go downstairs into the kitchen and get the jar of peanut butter out of the pantry and the pickles out of the fridge and a fork with napkins.

I walked back upstairs and handed them to Lani. "I really hope you don't keep this habit," I tell her.

"What habit?" she asks.

"The eating peanut butter with pickles," I tell her.

"Oh." She giggles. "Well you know I only eat peanut butter when I'm pregnant."

"At least I'll know in the future what signs to look out for," I said thoughtfully, looking down at the twins.

She smiles. "Don’t worry we aren’t having another for quite a while, well two three years anyway."

I chuckled and looked at her. "Two years," I say quietly. "And you'll want another baby."

"I don’t want our children to be too many years apart, you know that."

"I do, Lani-bear," I said, kissing her temple. She smiles and starts eating.

"Dad," Matt said, wiggling on his spot and holding his arms out. I grin and pick him up. I love that he knows what that means now. He and Nicole can only say a few things but that’s what’s right for their age. Lani grinned at me as I bounced Matt up and down.

"Are you tired buddy?" I ask, smiling. He yawned and his eyes closed, but he was forcing them to stay open. I kissed his forehead. "Go to sleep, Matty." I rock him gently until he falls asleep.

Lani leant back against the headboard and watched me. "You're too good with them," she said, biting her pickle.

"What do you mean?" I turned my head so I could look at her.

"You can get them to sleep and eat and even calm down when I cant."

I smiled. "I guess I can, but so can you, Lani-bear."

"No I can’t they never do any of that for me. And Nicole won’t let me change her clothes! Only her diaper."

I pulled her against my side. "I don't know why they listen to me more now. Maybe as they get old they'll become mummy's little angels," I say, hoping to make her feel better.

"Matt lets me change him and he sometimes calms down and stops crying for me but not always." she says. "It’s bad when you're at work, they won’t do barely anything for me."

I kissed her softly. "I'm sorry that I can't be here to help you, Lani-bear," I said quietly, a frown pulling at my lips.

"I know you have to work." she says. "I just wish you'd let me help more."

"Help how?" I ask, settling back so I could look at her properly.

"With the bills and everything."

"How would you help me?" I frowned. "You can't do anything while you're pregnant."

"I'm pregnant, not useless Owen."