growing - JAYFER- THE MAFIA'S VOW

MARRY YOUR KILLER

Chapter One Hundred Fourteen: The Growing

---

The months passed. Care's stomach grew. The baby grew. The house grew. Percy had painted the nursery. Yellow. Soft. Warm. The color of morning. The color of hope. The color of new beginnings.

Keiran had helped. His hands were covered in paint. His face was covered in paint. His hair was covered in paint. Keigan had watched. His arms were crossed. His face was cold. His eyes were soft.

"You have paint in your hair," Keigan said.

Keiran looked at his brother. "I know."

Keigan pulled a leaf from Keiran's hair. "You have a leaf in your hair."

Keiran grinned. "I was helping."

Keigan's face didn't change. "You were making a mess."

Keiran laughed. "I was making art."

---

Care sat on the steps of the garden. Her hands were on her stomach. Her stomach was round. The baby was moving. Small kicks. Small flutters. Small life. Cole was beside her. His hand was on her stomach. His face was soft.

"She's kicking," Cole said.

Care looked at him. "She?"

Cole's face was soft. "I think it's a girl."

Care raised an eyebrow. "You think?"

Cole kissed her stomach. "I hope it's a girl."

Care smiled. "I hope it's healthy."

---

Lyra was in her corner. Her hands were in her pockets. Her face was blank. Her eyes were on Care. Alex was beside her. His hand was in hers.

"She's getting big," Alex said.

Lyra watched her sister. At the woman who had saved her. At the woman who was growing a life. "She's going to be a mother."

Alex pulled her close. "You're going to be an aunt."

Lyra almost smiled. Almost. "I'm going to be an aunt."

---

Aurora was in the nursery. She was standing in her crib. Her hands were on the rail. Her eyes were on the door. She was waiting. She was always waiting. Alexander was sitting in his crib. His legs were crossed. His face was serious. He was watching his sister. He was always watching his sister.

Jay walked in. "Good morning."

Aurora looked at her mother. "Mama."

Jay picked her up. Her daughter was warm. Her daughter was wiggly. Her daughter was loud. "Aunt Care is going to have a baby."

Aurora looked at her mother. "Baby?"

Jay kissed her forehead. "Baby."

Alexander looked at his mother. His face was serious. His eyes were calm. He touched her face. Small. Warm. Alive. He was saying he understood. He was saying he was ready. He was saying he was home.

Jay kissed his forehead. "I love you too."

---

Keifer walked into the nursery. He took Aurora from Jay's arms. His daughter was warm. His daughter was wiggly. His daughter was loud. "Let's go see Aunt Care."

Aurora grabbed his hair. She pulled. She was strong. She was determined. She was chaos.

Keifer's face didn't change. "You're your mother's daughter."

He took Alexander from Jay's arms. His son was calm. His son was heavy. His son was serious. "Let's go see Aunt Care."

Alexander looked at his father. His eyes were dark. His face was serious. He touched Keifer's face. Small. Warm. Alive. He was saying he loved him. He was saying he was ready. He was saying he was home.

Keifer kissed his forehead. "I love you too."

---

Care was in the living room. Her hands were on her stomach. The baby was moving. Small kicks. Small flutters. Small life. Cole was beside her. His hand was on her stomach. His face was soft.

Aurora crawled into the room. She was fast. She was determined. She was chaos. She reached Care. She pulled herself up. Her hands were on Care's legs. Her face was red. Her determination was fierce.

"Aunt Care," Aurora said.

Care looked at her niece. "Yes?"

Aurora touched Care's stomach. Small. Warm. Alive. "Baby?"

Care's eyes were wet. "Baby."

Aurora kissed Care's stomach. Small. Soft. Sweet. "Baby."

Alexander crawled into the room. He was slower. He was steadier. He was calmer. He reached his sister. He sat beside her. He touched Care's stomach. Small. Warm. Alive. "Baby."

Care pulled them close. Her arms were around them. Her face was wet. "You're going to be the best cousins."

Aurora hugged her. "Best."

Alexander touched her face. "Best."

---

Jay stood in the doorway. Keifer was behind her. His hand was on her back. Their children were on Care's lap. Their children were hugging their aunt. Their children were loving their cousin before the baby was even born.

"They're perfect," Jay said.

Keifer kissed her hair. "They're perfect."

Jay leaned against him. "Care is going to be a mother."

Keifer pulled her close. "Care is going to be a great mother."

---

The baby shower was planned. Percy was in charge. There would be games. There would be prizes. There would be cake. There would be chaos. Honey was beside him, her face calm, her eyes sharp.

"Percy," Honey said. "No elephants."

Percy's face fell. "No elephants?"

Honey crossed her arms. "No elephants."

Percy sighed. "No elephants."

---

The day of the baby shower came. The garden was decorated. Balloons. Streamers. Banners. Pink and blue. The cake was on the table. Two tiers. White frosting. Gold stars. "Welcome Baby" in sparkling letters.

The guests arrived. Rakki and Ci N came first. Rakki was carrying a giant stuffed giraffe. Ci N was carrying a giant stuffed monkey. "For the baby," Rakki said.

Percy's eyes went wide. "Giraffes!"

Rakki grinned. "Giraffes."

Mica and Calix came next. Mica was carrying a box. "Educational toys," Mica said. "Mathematically perfect."

Calix smiled. "She's been working on them for months."

Freya and Erdix came. Freya was carrying a small wooden shield. "For protection," Freya said.

Erdix nodded. "For protection."

Grace and Denzel came. Grace was carrying a small punching bag. "For training," Grace said.

Denzel smiled. "She's been waiting to give it to them."

Kuya Angelo and Ion came. Kuya Angelo was carrying a book. "Stories," Kuya Angelo said. "For bedtime."

Ion smiled. "He's been reading them for weeks."

Tita Gemma and Tita Rachel came. Tita Gemma was crying. Tita Rachel was holding her hand. "A baby," Tita Gemma said. "A new baby."

Tita Rachel kissed her cheek. "A new baby."

---

The games were played. Percy was blindfolded. He had to guess the baby food. He guessed chocolate. It was peas. He made a face. Everyone laughed.

Keiran had to measure Honey's belly with toilet paper. He guessed wrong. The paper was too short. He tried again. The paper was too long. He tried again. The paper was just right. Everyone cheered.

Keigan stood in the corner. His arms were crossed. His face was cold. He did not play. He watched. He was always watching.

Lyra sat on the steps. Alex was beside her. Her face was blank. Her eyes were on Care. "She's happy."

Alex looked at Care. At the woman who was glowing. At the woman who was smiling. At the woman who was going to be a mother. "She's happy."

Lyra almost smiled. Almost. "She deserves to be happy."

---

The presents were opened.

Care got the giraffe from Rakki. She hugged it. She would not let it go. She got the monkey from Ci N. She hugged it too. She had a giraffe in one arm. A monkey in the other. She was happy. She was glowing. She was ready.

She got the educational toys from Mica. She looked at the blocks. She looked at the shapes. She looked at the numbers. "The baby will love these."

Mica's eyes were bright. "Mathematically perfect."

Calix pulled her close. "Mathematically perfect."

She got the wooden shield from Freya. "For protection," Freya said.

Care held the shield. "For protection."

She got the punching bag from Grace. "For training," Grace said.

Care held the punching bag. "For training."

She got the book from Kuya Angelo. "Stories," Kuya Angelo said. "For bedtime."

Care held the book. "For bedtime."

She got the blanket from Tita Gemma. It was handmade. Soft. Pink. Blue. Stars. "For the baby," Tita Gemma said. "For warmth."

Care's eyes were wet. "For warmth."

---

The cake was cut. The pieces were served. Care had cake on her face. On her hands. On her shirt. She was laughing. She was loud. She was happy.

Cole kissed her cheek. "You have cake on your face."

Care looked at him. "You have cake on your shirt."

Cole looked at his shirt. White frosting. Pink sprinkles. "Worth it."

---

The sun was setting when the guests left.

The garden was quiet. The balloons were still. The streamers were still. The banner was still. The presents were inside. Care sat on the steps. Cole was beside her. His hand was in hers. Her hand was on her stomach.

"They're gone," Care said.

Cole kissed her hair. "They're gone."

Care leaned against him. "It was perfect."

Cole pulled her close. "It was chaos."

Care laughed. "It was perfect chaos."

---

The night was quiet. The house was still.

Care lay in Cole's arms. Her head was on his chest. His heart was beating beneath her ear. Her hand was on her stomach. The baby was moving. Small kicks. Small flutters. Small life.

"You're thinking," Cole said.

She looked at him. "I'm thinking about the baby."

He kissed her hair. "What about the baby?"

She looked at the window. At the moon. At the stars. At the life they had built. "I'm thinking about the first kick. The first cry. The first smile. The first word."

He pulled her closer. "The first everything."

She smiled. "The first everything."

He put his hand on her stomach. "I love you."

She put her hand on his. "I love you too."

---

The door creaked. Small footsteps. Soft breathing. Care looked up. Aurora stood in the doorway. She was holding her elephant. She was not going to sleep alone. Behind her, Alexander crawled into the room. He was holding his bear. He was not going to let his sister have all the attention.

"Aunt Care," Aurora said.

Care's heart melted. "Yes?"

Aurora climbed onto the bed. She crawled to Care. She touched her stomach. Small. Warm. Alive. "Baby?"

Care's eyes were wet. "Baby."

Aurora kissed Care's stomach. Small. Soft. Sweet. "Baby."

Alexander climbed onto the bed. He crawled beside his sister. He touched Care's stomach. Small. Warm. Alive. "Baby."