Chapter 26
“Iris, are you comfortable?” Wesley’s voice drew me from my reverie as I sat nestled among pillows on the couch.
Glancing up from the book I had been pretending to read, I smiled warmly. “I’m fine, Wesley”
He stood nearby, a tray balanced on one hand, holding a glass of water, an assortment of fruit, and a small pile of crackers. “Are you sure? You haven’t moved for an hour. Should I grab another pillow? Maybe you need-”
“Wesley,” I interrupted, a gentle laugh escaping me. “I’m okay. Really”
He placed the tray on the table in front of
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me and settled down beside me, his hand instinctively finding its place on my growing belly.
“I just want to make sure everything is perfect, he murmured, tenderness softening his voice.
“You’re spoiling me,” I teased, leaning into him.
He rewarded me with a smile, pressing a kiss to my temple. “You deserve it.”
Throughout the pregnancy, Wesley had been nothing short of extraordinary.
From the moment I discovered I was expecting, he had wholeheartedly embraced the role of devoted husband and eager father–to–be. He attended every doctor’s appointment, asked countless questions,
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and devoured parenting books long into the night.
“You know,” I remarked one evening as he read aloud from “What to Expect When You’re Expecting,” “soon you’ll know more about this than I do.”
His grin widened as he turned another page. “Good. That way, I can help you through it.”
Once more, I found myself falling in love with him all over again.
Marissa was also expecting, her due date not far from mine.
It was almost comical watching Wesley and Thaddeus navigate the bedlam together.
“I don’t understand why she suddenly craves pickles and chocolate ice cream at two in the
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morning,” Thaddeus groaned during a lunch we all shared one afternoon.
Wesley chuckled. “Just wait. It gets even more unpredictable.”
Their newfound brotherly bond was heartening, filled with shared laughter and stories, as though they hadn’t spent years apart.
As my belly grew, so did our excitement.
Wesley was adamant about transforming one of the guest rooms into a nursery himself. I watched him from a nearby chair as he painted the walls a gentle cream and assembled cribs with meticulous care.
“You don’t have to do everything yourself” I said with a smile as he stepped back to admire his handiwork.
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“I want to,” he insisted, wiping his hands on a rag. “I want them to know how much they’re loved from the very start.”
His words brought tears to my eyes.
When the day finally arrived, it felt as if time had come to a standstill.
Labor was long and exhausting, but Wesley never wavered. He held my hand, whispered words of encouragement, and maintained his calm even when I struggled to do the
same.
“You’re doing amazing, Iris,” he assured me.
And then, after what felt like an eternity, the first cries filled the room.
“It’s a boy!” the doctor announced, holding up
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our son.
Moments later, a second cry echoed.
“And a girl!”
Tears streamed down my face as I held them for the first time. Tiny, perfect, and ours.
Wesley leaned in, kissing my forehead. “You’re incredible,” he whispered. “Thank you for giving me this.”
The weeks that followed were a whirlwind of sleepless nights and profound joy.
We named our son Noah and our daughter Nora. From the moment they entered our lives, they became the center of our world.
Wesley was a natural, changing diapers, rocking them to sleep, and even singing
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lullabies in a soft, off–key voice that never failed to make me smile.
“You’re good at this,” I said one night, watching him hold Nora, her tiny hand curled around his finger.
He met my gaze, eyes filled with
- ve. “It’s
easy when you love them this much.”
As the months passed, Noah and Nora grew quickly, their personalities beginning to shine.
Noah was curious and adventurous, always reaching for things and babbling with wide–eyed excitement. Nora, however, was calm and observant, content to watch the world with a quiet wisdom that seemed beyond her years.
Wesley adored them both, though I could see
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a special fondness for his daughter.
“She’s going to have me wrapped around her little finger” he said one day, holding her in his arms.
“She already does” I teased, noting Nora’s giggle in response.
Marissa and Thaddeus welcomed their son, Jasper, a few weeks after Noah and Nora were born.
As fathers, Wesley and Thaddeus grew ever closer, and our families spent countless afternoons together, filled with laughter and the joy of watching our children play.
“I never thought life could be like this,” Wesley said one evening as we sat on the porch, watching the sunset while the babies slept inside.
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“Neither did I, I admitted, resting my head on his shoulder.
One morning, while preparing breakfast in the kitchen, a sudden wave of nausea
overcame me.
“Iris?” Wesley’s concerned voice reached me as I rushed to the sink.
When I turned around, he was already by my side, his hand gently supporting my back. “What’s wrong?”
Taking a deep breath, the realization hit me.
“I think,” I began, my voice trembling with disbelief and anticipation. “I think I’m pregnant again.” Wesley’s eyes widened, and a jubilant grin spread across his face. “Are you serious?” he asked, his voice brimming
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with excitement.
I nodded, tears trailing down my cheeks.
“Oh!” He enveloped me in a joyous embrace. “This really is a happy family, Iris!”
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