BOOK II
(BOOK I IS GHOST BIRD... DO YOU COPY?)
The book starts off with the final chapter of Ghost Bird... Do You Copy? I will have a new chapter up hopefully tonight or tomorrow. Thank you all so much for starting this new journey with me!! I am excited ;)
Chapter Forty (Chapter One)
In The End, There's Always Love
Fifteen Years Later:
Sang's POV:
I woke up and stretched as I laid on my pillow. I couldn't remember who had fallen asleep with me last night. I had been so tired after the birthday party for Phoenix.
I couldn't believe my little boy was fifteen. Time had passed far too quickly. He reminded me so much of his father, but he had so much of me as well. He was very aware of who his father was, and how important he had been in stopping the war all those years ago. This had made Phoenix very humble, and thankful. At the same time, he was a teenager, and like most teenagers, he had his moments.
I got up out of bed slowly and went to the bathroom to take care of morning needs, wash my hands, and brush my teeth. Once finished, I started my way down the steps hearing the laughter of everyone. I paused, reading some of the letters that we had framed from then.
Sang,
This letter is probably going to be all over the place. There's a lot of sh*t going on and my mind is all over the place. This fu*kin war. I shouldn't be here. I need to be home with you, the guys, and our baby.
Trouble, you better be taking care of yourself or I'm going to kick your pretty arse. I know you worry. Fu*k, I worry. But someday this will be a bad memory that we got through. I know by now you heard we were shot down. It was some scary sh*t. But I don't want to waste time writing every damn detail. Just know that Kota and I are ok. Sure, it was fu*kin rough but we made it out. Enough about this sh*t. Sang, I love you. I love our baby. I dream about feeling our son kick. I want to be home when he's born. I don't think it will happen, but just know that my heart is always with you and our baby. I can't wait to be a dad. You're going to be a great mom. Never doubt that. Sometimes I'm scared. Sometimes I have doubts. But know that I've never doubted us. I always knew we could make this family work. I will never leave you. When I'm away, like now, always know a part of me, my heart, my soul, is there next to you.
They're calling for me. Gotta go. I'll be home soon. Home. I can't fu*kin wait.
Always know I love you.
Gabriel (Submitted by Chris B.)
To Gabriel & Kota.
I heard that your plane got shot down and the two of you are missing. Some say that you must be dead, but how can I trust rumors without any evidence? I have a feeling that you both made it out of that plane, yet I cannot help but worry. I know there is more danger out there if you have indeed survived. I'm sure you have. I cannot bear the idea of losing any member of my family. Charles and I owe it to you two for introducing and leading us to your family, our family. Stay safe and watch over each other.
Sincerely,
Jihoon (Submitted by Lulu)
Dear Sang,
We have only been here for two weeks, but I already miss you more than anything. You are my 10. I miss discussing what books you are reading now, but you are probably reading how-to books for after our child is born. I know you are worried about being a good mother, but you will be the best. I know that. Both Gabe and I have been discussing reading baby books for dads, and he has gone on and on about shopping for baby clothes. I am trying to tell him to calm down and buy something good for a boy or a girl, but you know how picky he is. That's it for now as it's almost time for lights out. I will be counting the days until we are back together again
Love you,
Kota (Submitted by Patricia M.)
They used to make me weep, now I smiled as I read them. I headed the rest of the way down the steps and saw everyone in various states of sitting or standing in our formal dining room.
"Mommy!" I reached down to pick up Averie. She was our youngest, at the age of two. Only for the moment though. I was going to pop any day now, and these two were going to be our last.
"Good morning sweetums," I said as I gave her a good morning kiss.
I looked around at all of our children. We had Averie Grace Taylor, 2; Isis Taylor, 4; Xavier Michael Korba, 5; Alexander Charles Blackbourne, 6; Emily Rose Green, 9; Cadence Lynn Griffin, 10; Cherie Noelle Morgan, 12; Violet Jameson Lee, 14; and of course Phoenix Coleman Lee who had turned 15 yesterday. All of my husbands were still as handsome as the day I had met them, if not more so. Kayli was there with her family. She and Axel had a baby girl named Nova, which I was told meant 'chases butterflies'. Of course Alyosha, 15, was there; with Celia, 23; Vivienne and Roxanne, 19; Nova, 14, whom I had already mentioned; and she and Marc's child Ethen, who was 6. Raven's parents were there talking to my mother. They were laughing amongst themselves as children clamored around them vying for attention from their grandparents.
I sat Averie down and walked over to Phoenix. I signed to him, "Did you enjoy your party?"
Instead of signing back, he crushed me in a big hug. I patted him on the back. He loosened the hug and signed to me, "Where are my uncles?"
"They were a bit busy with an assignment and couldn't make it in. They said they would be in next weekend, but said to facetime them on Tuesday. Everyone wants to talk to you."
"Will I be out on assignment?" He signed.
"You are off this whole week and part of next week." His eyes lit up at that. He loved the Academy, but did enjoy the time off to be with family.
We had the largest Academy unit between the Tomas and our family, not to mention Jihoon, Charles, and Christopher's team. It made it interesting. Did my boys still have assignments? Absolutely. And I worried every time they went out, just as they worried about me when I went out, although my assignments were very few and far between. I worried even more for Phoenix.
He had just started his assignments this past spring. Violet would be starting hers this coming spring. Phoenix was treated just like one of the guys, like there was no disability. The great thing he was able to do that surprised us all, was that he could sense someone coming or moving. He was never spooked. He had told me once it was like the air pressure was changing. Like a space was filled that wasn't supposed to be there. Whatever it was, it was an asset out in the field. He might not be able to hear, but he could hang with the best of them.
"Sang, Pookie!" I was pulled out of my thoughts.
"Yes, Sean?"
"Your water broke, it's time to go." Everyone was right on me.
I had never even felt it. I looked down and tried to see, but my belly blocked everything. "Oh my." I had nothing else to say. This was old hat to everyone by now. We had done home water births on the last five, and they were wonderful and relaxing. We weren't going to change that now. So the boys went upstairs to make sure everything was set up properly.
When I finally reached the top of the stairs, with the help of Owen, North, and Silas, I went into my bathroom suite, stripped and showered off. There was no need for this, it just made me feel better. Putting on my robe I went to my bed which was already covered. Sean was waiting, wiggling his eyebrows.
"Ready for your examination, my lovely?"
"I still have no idea how you can make labor sound sexy." I laughed.
He placed the waterproof monitor leads, then did an internal exam. "You haven't felt any pains at all?"
"No. Why?" I tried to think back from the time I had woken up till now. Nothing came to mind.
"Pookie, you are going to be having those babies any minute. Look at the monitor, you are in full labor!"
"Oh wow!" I watched as the line spiked up at regular intervals. My contractions were about ten seconds apart.
"Get in that pool now," Sean ordered me.
I got in and immediately felt relaxed. The urge to push came on rather suddenly, but instinct took over and I paused to count. I was lost in my own space thinking about one of my happy places. "Oy, Sang!"
"Hey, Meanie." I ran and gave him a hug. I didn't get to talk to him nearly enough.
"'You're doing a great job. The party yesterday was a fu*king blast! My son is the sh*t." He smiled at me.
"He is, isn't he?" Oh, that push was hard. "How are we doing?"
"Looks good so far." He paused and smiled at me. "You are still as beautiful as the day we met. I could kiss Kota for setting Max on you. Damn, fu*king genius. Oh! Here is the first one. Sang, open your eyes!"
I did, breaking my contact with Gabriel for the time being. I reached down helping to bring the first of the twins into the world. We counted to eight before bringing it out of the water.
"It's a girl!" Kota announced. Sean cut the cord, and Kota continued to dry her off. I gave one more push and our second twin was here within seconds of the other. "It's a boy!" Sean announced as Kota turned back around. He had handed our new daughter off to Owen. Kota got to cut the cord this time.
I closed my eyes for one more moment. "You still there, Meanie?"
"I am always here. You did a good job, Trouble. Any names picked out?" He was hugging me now.
"Yes. Kota and I talked about it the other day; Gabrielle Sydney Lee & Sebastian Anthony Lee."
"Fu*king perfect. Just like you. I love you, Sang. Thank you. It's time for me to go. I'll see you in your dreams."
"I love you too." I smiled as he faded away. It was happy as usual.
Kota was speaking to me. "Sang, 10, they are perfect! Sean is going to finish helping you out while we finish with the twins. When you are ready to get out, someone will help you."
I smiled back. Within a couple hours, I had the whole family, plus friends in my room visiting so they could see the twins. My heart continued to grow exponentially with every added member. The best part of it all was that I still had Gabriel in my heart after all of these years. My lesson learned through this up and down journey was that no matter what, Family First.