MARRY YOUR KILLER
Chapter One Hundred Fifteen: The Birth
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The call came at midnight.
Jay was in the nursery, the twins asleep in their cribs, their faces soft, their breathing slow. Keifer was beside her, his hand on her back, his face calm. Her phone buzzed. Cole's name flashed on the screen.
"Care's in labor," Cole said. His voice was tight. "We're going to the hospital."
Jay was already moving. "We'll be there."
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The hospital was white. The lights were bright. The walls were clean. The air smelled like antiseptic and anticipation. Jay sat in the waiting room. Keifer was beside her. His hand was in hers. Percy was in the corner, his face pale, his hands shaking. Honey was beside him, her face calm, her eyes sharp.
Aries was with Ella, their hands intertwined, their faces pale. Rakki was with Ci N, her face hard, her eyes wet. Mica was with Calix, her laptop open, her fingers still. Freya was with Erdix, her arms crossed, her face sharp. Grace was with Denzel, her fists clenched. Kuya Angelo was with Ion, his face calm, his hands steady. Tita Gemma was with Tita Rachel, her face wet, her hands shaking. Keiran was with Keigan, his face pale, his hands empty. Keigan was beside him, his arms crossed, his face cold, his eyes red.
Lyra was in the corner. Her hands were in her pockets. Her face was blank. Her eyes were on the door. Alex was beside her. His hand was in hers.
"She's going to be okay," Alex said.
Lyra didn't look at him. "She's strong."
Alex pulled her close. "She's strong."
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The hours passed. The sun rose. The waiting room was quiet. The family was scattered across the chairs, across the floor, across the walls. Percy had stopped pacing. Honey had stopped counting. Keiran had stopped asking questions. Keigan had stopped watching.
Jay sat in the chair by the window. Keifer was beside her. His hand was in hers. The twins were with Lyra, sleeping in her arms, Aurora on one side, Alexander on the other. Lyra's face was blank. Her eyes were soft.
"They're heavy," Lyra said.
Alex looked at the twins. "They're growing."
Lyra looked at Aurora. At her dark hair. At her serious face. At the small hand that was gripping her shirt. "She's your niece."
Alex kissed her forehead. "She's our niece."
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The doctor came out at noon. She was young. Her face was tired. Her scrubs were wrinkled. She looked at the waiting room, at the people scattered across the chairs, the floor, the walls.
"Family of Care?" she asked.
Jay stood up. Keifer was beside her. "I'm her sister."
The doctor smiled. "She's out of delivery. Both mother and baby are healthy. It's a girl."
Jay's knees buckled. Keifer caught her. Percy was crying. Honey was holding him. Aries was crying. Ella was holding them. Rakki was crying. Ci N was holding her. Mica was crying. Calix was holding her. Freya was crying. Erdix was holding her. Grace was crying. Denzel was holding her. Kuya Angelo was crying. Ion was holding him. Tita Gemma was crying. Tita Rachel was holding her. Keiran was crying. Keigan was holding him.
Lyra's face was blank. Her eyes were wet. Alex pulled her close. "A girl."
Lyra held the twins tighter. "A girl."
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Jay walked into the room. Care was sitting up in the bed, her face pale, her eyes tired, her arms full. The baby was small. Pink. Perfect. A tuft of dark hair. Tiny fingers. Tiny toes. A small nose. A small mouth.
"She's beautiful," Jay said.
Care looked at her sister. Her face was wet. "She's perfect."
Jay sat on the edge of the bed. She touched the baby's hand. Small. Warm. Alive. "What's her name?"
Care looked at the baby. "Liana. Liana Cole."
Jay's eyes were wet. "Liana."
Care nodded. "Liana."
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Cole walked into the room. His face was wet. His hands were empty. He walked to the bed. He looked at his daughter. At her dark hair. At her tiny fingers. At her small nose.
"She's perfect," Cole said.
Care pulled him close. "She's perfect."
Cole kissed the baby's forehead. "I love you."
The baby opened her eyes. Just a slit. Just enough. Dark eyes. Care's eyes. Cole's heart.
---
The family gathered in the room.
Percy stood at the foot of the bed. His face was wet. His hands were shaking. "She's beautiful."
Honey was beside him. "She's perfect."
Aries was with Ella. Their faces were soft. Their eyes were bright. "She's tiny."
Rakki was with Ci N. Her face was hard. Her eyes were wet. "She's so small."
Mica was with Calix. Her face was focused. Her eyes were bright. "She has ten fingers and ten toes."
Calix smiled. "Mathematically perfect."
Freya was with Erdix. Her arms were crossed. Her face was sharp. Her eyes were soft. "She's strong."
Grace was with Denzel. Her fists were open. Her face was soft. "She's a fighter."
Kuya Angelo was with Ion. His face was calm. His eyes were wet. "She's a blessing."
Tita Gemma was with Tita Rachel. Her face was wet. Her hands were shaking. "She's a miracle."
Keiran was with Keigan. His face was bright. His voice was loud. "She's so small!"
Keigan looked at the baby. His face was cold. His eyes were soft. "She's small."
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Lyra stood in the doorway. Her hands were in her pockets. Her face was blank. Her eyes were on the baby. Alex was beside her. His hand was in hers.
"Liana," Lyra said.
Alex looked at her. "Liana."
Lyra walked to the bed. She looked at the baby. At her dark hair. At her tiny fingers. At her small nose. She reached out. Her finger touched the baby's hand. Small. Warm. Alive.
Liana grabbed Lyra's finger. She held on. She was strong. She was determined. She was chaos.
Lyra's face was blank. Her eyes were wet. "She's strong."
Alex pulled her close. "She's your niece."
Lyra almost smiled. Almost. "She's my niece."
---
Aurora and Alexander were brought into the room. Aurora was in Keifer's arms. Alexander was in Jay's arms. They looked at the baby. Aurora's eyes were wide. Her face was serious. "Baby?"
Jay kissed her forehead. "Baby."
Aurora reached out. Her hand touched Liana's hand. Small. Warm. Alive. "Baby."
Alexander looked at the baby. His face was serious. His eyes were calm. He touched her face. Small. Warm. Alive. "Liana."
Care's eyes were wet. "He said her name."
Jay looked at her son. "He said her name."
Alexander looked at his mother. His face was serious. His eyes were calm. He touched her face. "Mama."
Jay kissed his forehead. "I love you."
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The sun was setting when the family left.
The room was quiet. Care lay in the bed, Liana in her arms, Cole beside her. His hand was in hers. Her face was soft. Her eyes were tired. Her heart was full.
"You're thinking," Cole said.
She looked at him. "I'm thinking about Liana."
He kissed her hair. "What about Liana?"
She looked at the baby. At her dark hair. At her tiny fingers. At her small nose. "I'm thinking about her first step. Her first word. Her first laugh. Her first everything."
He pulled her closer. "The first everything."
She smiled. "The first everything."
He put his hand on the baby's back. "I love you."
She put her hand on his. "I love you too."
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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.
"Baby," Aurora said.
Care smiled. "Baby."
Aurora climbed onto the bed. She crawled to Liana. She touched her hand. Small. Warm. Alive. "Baby."
Alexander climbed onto the bed. He crawled beside his sister. He touched Liana's face. Small. Warm. Alive. "Liana."
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 bed. Their children were hugging their aunt. Their children were loving their cousin.
"They're perfect," Jay said.
Keifer kissed her hair. "They're perfect."
Jay leaned against him. "Care is a mother."
Keifer pulled her close. "Care is a great mother."
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END OF CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FIFTEEN