Free Vivian by Bernadette Marie Page A

anymore.
    “ Not yet, but you’ll be watching all four girls all night on Friday.”
    Amelia finished her bite and then wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “Excuse me?”
    “ You heard me. I need you guys. I really need you,” she stressed. “Clayton and I want a night alone. ”
    Sam picked up a donut out of the box. “So there is something going on there?”
    “ We’re working through it,” she said in a very somber tone as she set her bags on a chair. “His wife was killed two years ago in a school shooting.”
    The very mention of it had Penelope in tears and Brock moved in quickly to console her.
    “ Damn,” Sam said with a wince. “I’m sorry. I didn’t…”
    “ It’s okay. Things were headed that way from the minute he walked into this house. I got spooked by the wedding ring.”
    “ I noticed he wore it,” Penelope muttered against Brock’s chest.
    “ It was in Seattle. This is his fresh start.”
    “ Seattle?” Sam asked and Vivian nodded. “Kid killed another kid and shot a few more before he shot the teacher he had some romanticized thoughts over.”
    “ That’s her.”
    “ Oh, damn. He seems pretty solid.”
    “ I think his walls are pretty high. Just like mine.” She reached for a donut. “But I think we could tear them down together.”
    Amelia let a smile form on her lips and it always softened her Vivian thought. “The girls all get along well?”
    “ They have already asked to be sisters. This was all on their own. Oh, and they’ve ordered a brother because they think Penelope is having a sister.”
    The very thought of the conversation Emma had with Clayton had her on the verge of hysterical laughter.
    “ When I look at the man I think I could actually give them that.”
    She knew every eye was on her, but she just didn’t care. Clayton North was her miracle and she was going to embrace him.
     
    By seven o’clock all seven kids had been signed in and their first day had begun. She’d forgotten how much fun three-year-olds could be when there were a few of them. They colored, read stories, played on the new playground, had lunch, and then it was naptime. Perhaps it was the excitement of the day, but each of them fell asleep on their little cot within ten minutes. She was fairly sure that would never happen again.
    Penelope sat in the rocking chair, her hands on her enlarged stomach. She’d volunteered to sit while they were all quiet for the next hour.
    Vivian walked to the kitchen and sat down to rest.
    “ I’m going to be tired tonight, but I’m really having fun,” she said even amazed to hear herself say it.
    “ Clayton looked cute getting all the girls out of the car.”
    “ Doesn’t really work though. We’re going to need a different car,” she thought, then looked up to Amelia grinning at her. “What?”
    “ We’re going to have to get a different car. Did you marry the guy?”
    “ No.”
    “ You’re going to.”
    “ Not for a long time.”
    “ Whatever.”
    Now she was on her feet. She found that standing eye to eye with the woman made it seem more even. “I’m not like you two. I don’t just go and marry a man.”
    “ Don’t knock it. You never know what you’ll do.”
    “ I won’t do that.”
    Amelia just chuckled and remained positioned right where she was, leaned against the counter.
    “ I didn’t say it was a bad thing.”
    No, Vivian was sure with Clayton it wouldn’t be.
    She let herself relax. “I’m scared.”
    “ Why?”
    Vivian moved back toward her chair and sat down. “He’s hurt. I’m hurt. There’s so much…junk.”
    Amelia grabbed her water bottle from the counter and sat down across from her.
    “ You’re both human and it’s okay to love again. I feel whole with Sam. And for the first time I’m thinking about things I never thought I would.”
    “ Like what?”
    Amelia smiled. “Family.”
    Vivian studied her. “You’re pregnant?”
    “ Late.”
    “ Pregnant.”
    “ Not confirmed.”
    “