Ash looked at Kane. “Isn’t this her second child?”
“Yeah,” Kane replied.
“Then why—”
“I’m sorry,” Aideen cut Ash off. “Does havin’ a baby make it stop hurtin’ like fuckin’ hell the second time or somethin’?”
Ash bit down on his lower lip, clearly trying to hide his smile.
“No, ma’am,” he replied to Aideen. “It’s just as bad as the first time… or so I’ve been told.”
Aideen leaned back into her pillow and said, “I’m surrounded by fuckin’ eejits.”
“Breath, Ado,” Keela’s voice sounded. “You’re doin’ brilliant, babe.”
“Keela, I’ll make you eat that fuckin’ phone if you’re recordin’ me!” Aideen warned.
The screen went black seconds later, making me laugh.
“She was sweet as pie after she had the baby,” Keela said, laughing too. “I felt sorry for everyone in the room with ‘er when she was pushin’ because for the few minutes I was there, she was a nightmare.”
“Bran!”
I looked up at my name being shouted and smiled at a groggy Damien, who was rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
“Heya, son.” I winked.
Everyone often teased us because since Damien moved back into the house, I had become somewhat of a mother hen to him, and he had zero objections to it.
“You look great,” he beamed as he crossed the room and bent down, hugging me. “Your bump is so much bigger.”
“You aren’t supposed to say that,” Dominic stated from behind his brother. “It upset Bronagh whenever you said it to her.”
Damien straightened. “Bronagh’s emotions were—”
“Were what?” my sister cut him off.
“All over the place,” Damien finished, mischief glinting in his eyes. “You were a crying machine.”
Bronagh grinned as she took Georgie from Dominic and shrugged her shoulders at Damien, not denying she was a hormonal mess whilst pregnant.
“Why were you in the hospital?” Damien asked, concern in his gaze. “Dominic mentioned it’s why you’re home early from your honeymoon.”
“Aideen, Kane, and Alannah aren’t ‘ere,” I said.
“We’ll tell them later,” my sister almost exploded with apprehension. “Please, Branna, is the baby truly okay?”
I looked at Ryder who nodded. I looked from my friends to my sister, and each of them looked scared to death, so I knew I couldn’t leave them in suspense.
“Long story short, I had fallen up at the cabin, and to be safe, we went to the hospital,” I explained then smiled. “It turns out that both of our babies are doin’ really good.”
Bronagh almost let Georgie fall, and if it wasn’t for Dominic grabbing her, my niece would have hit the floor in seconds.
“Shut up!” my sister screeched and lunged at me. “Shut up. Shut up. Shut up!”
I laughed and so did Ryder.
“Both,” Alec said looking at Damien. “Did she just say both?”
He blinked. “I think she did, brother.”
“Well, fuck me sideways,” Alec said. “Another set of twins in the family?”
I nodded, smiling.
“Yes!” Dominic and Damien said in unison and fist bumped one another.
“Why’re you both so excited?” Ryder asked his brothers, his brows raised.
“Because,” Damien grinned, “For years, you always said if you had twins like us, you’d know it was some form of punishment from God.”
I looked at Ryder while he glared at a laughing Damien and a grinning Dominic.
“Is that true?” I asked, chuckling.
“Maybe,” my husband replied, still glaring at his younger brothers.
“They’re identical twin boys like you both, too,” I commented.
They never needed to know that they were technically fraternal twins. No one would believe them anyway if they said they weren’t identical; they look like the exact same person just with different hair colour.
The twins fist bumped again.
“Oh, man,” Dominic laughed, “I’m so happy it’s not me.”
“Or me,” Damien and Alec said in unison, making me laugh.
“Identical twin boys, Branna!”
I looked at my sister when she spoke and wrapped her arms around me once more. I heard her voice break, and it instantly brought tears to my eyes.
“I know, Bee,” I said as I hugged her. “I can’t believe it.”
“Everyone has boys but me!” she cried, making me chuckle.
“Let’s get to babymaking, and I’ll put a boy in you this time... promise,” Dominic chimed in.
Alec snorted. “I bet I’ll have a son before you do.”
Dominic punched Alec, who punched him back. Ryder had to step between them and shove them apart, which brought a big smile to my face.
Some things will never change.
I hugged everyone in the room and showed them the scan pictures of the babies.
“It’s not fair that you get two out of this pregnancy and I’ve to go through it four more times to get the number of kids we want,” Bronagh said, sliding her fingertips over the pictures in awe.
Keela snickered. “Maybe you’ll have twins eventually.”
Dominic placed his hand on his chest and said, “Don’t you wish that upon us, Daley.”
I beamed. “What’s so bad about havin’ twins?”
“I’m a twin,” Dominic said, stating the obvious. “I know how much of a handful we can be.”