Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight. No copyright infringement is intended.

Beta'd by HollettLA.

"Back in the Saddle"

Chapter Three

Sonny/Santino

Due any day, any time now, Maggie rocked the blue nightgown she wore. Big belly and all, she looked sexy as fuck. Maybe if she didn't look as good pregnant, I wouldn't be so down to get her knocked up.

I have no idea how this last pregnancy happened. Damion tried to explain it to me, but it went over my head. My wife was on the pill and then…I don't fucking know, but I was ecstatic to hear the news. Happy. Sure, it's our fourth kid; life will get even crazier.

But fuck it.

Our youngest, Beth, will be going to Pre-K this September, which is all day. Our boys are already in school, too. It's the beginning of summer. Until school starts it might be crazy, but I always take time off during the summer. I'll just take time off from whenever Maggie goes into labor.

Actually, she was due two days ago, which is why we're anticipating she'll go this weekend.

But my son is cool, content to chill out until he's ready to join the world.

I don't know.

If he doesn't come out by next week, they'll induce her, but my wife knows her body.

It's any time, any day…

"Oh my God…" Maggie groaned, sitting down on her side of the bed.

"What?" I jumped up again. I'd just gotten home and undressed, and I was in bed.

For a minute, I was totally relaxed.

"Turn up the A/C?" She waved at her neck. "I'm hot."

I placed a kiss on her cheek and hopped to it, bringing the thermostat down to sixty-five.

But then I raced to get back in bed, horny as fuck.

Maggie laughed at me, or my leap, as she picked up her book on the nightstand.

"Hey…" I ran my nose up her bicep. "How you feelin'?"

She furrowed her brow, staring at nothing. "I'm hot…but what if the kids are cold?" She turned to me. "Beth always kicks her blankets off…" She tried to get up again. "Help."

I was already getting ready to push against her back, help her off the bed. "Where you goin'?"

She looked up to me, rubbing her huge bump. Maggie's carrying bigger than she ever has. This baby was a big one. "To make sure they're not cold." She went to waddle out of the room.

I giggled, watching her cute ass. "You get in bed. I'll do it."

She grinned. "Okay. Thank you."

I sighed, thinking her sweet, but then I raced to check on the kids again.

After all, if I was getting laid tonight, it had to happen before the wife fell asleep.

Any time. Any day. Then no Maggie for Santino. The baby's a deal breaker, which makes it all worth it.

Beth, like Maggie said, had kicked off her blanket, and I covered her back up—making sure to tuck the ends in before I kissed that Angelface. My daughter's on the chubby side, like Kylie used to be when she was little. But she looks just like Maggie, only she has my green eyes. And she's got those chubby cherub cheeks that I love to bite.

Eddie was sprawled out, his feet on his pillow instead of his head, but he had the blanket on. He's like a split between us both. He looks like his mother and me, random features like Maggie and then me, his hair a lighter shade of brown. "Daddy…"

Instantly afraid I'd woken him up, I winced, throwing the covers back down. "Shit…" I felt like crap, peeking underneath. "What's up?"

He rolled over, fast asleep.

I plopped a smooch on his forehead and tiptoed out of there.

My last stop was Little Sonny's room, and his light was now on. It wasn't a minute ago, when I'd assumed he was asleep like the other two. This little motherfucker looks just like me. He could have been my twin back in the day. "Hey…"

He had wide eyes. "You coulda knocked."

"No…" I smiled, entering his bedroom, and I suddenly thought of my father. "You got broads in here?" I went to his closet.

"No!" He scoffed, as if I were serious.

"This is my house." I pointed to the floor. "I don't hafta knock...you get older, we'll get you a lock."

He looked back to his pad of paper, getting into his drawing once more.

"It's late," I said.

"It's summer," he replied.

"I don't care—"

"That's crap!" He covered his mouth.

I chuckled at his brave little ass. "Excuse me?" I think he's spending too much time with my father. And knowing what I used to think of my dad as a kid, I'm always trying to be nicer—more understanding. But I can only be so nice. You give an inch, and these kids take a mile. They'll walk all over you if you're not careful.

Sonny huffed, closing his book. "Can you and Mommy be quiet tonight?"

My eyes almost fell out of my head. "Uh…"

"That's why you want me to go to sleep, right?" He grabbed for his blanket.

Stuck on dumb for a minute, I actually felt like calling for Maggie—wanting her to grab his birth certificate. Was he eight or fucking eighteen? I also had no idea what he knew. If he knew what his mother and I do at night, or…

Dad hinted at this earlier.

I knew I had to ask, but I was terrified of his reply.

"Keep it down?" I asked, steeling my nerves. "What do you mean?" I walked to sit on his bed. "Do we usually disturb you?"

He slumped low into the mattress, his cheeks turning pink. "I don't know…I'm tired."

"Now, you're tired?" I quirked a brow, wanting to push his buttons, push for him to elaborate. Little did I know, I didn't have to push that hard.

"It's gross, okay?" He scowled. "That's Mommy. And, and…I wanna sleep, okay?" He rolled over.

I massaged my forehead, thinking I might give myself a stroke. "What's gross?" I asked.

He groaned, stiffening, much like I wanted to. Only, he was getting angry, and I was mortified. "The naked stuff," he whispered.

Knowing he's mature for his age, but remembering his age nonetheless, I thought of my brother. "We were horsin' around—naked wrestling."

"That's crap."

I widened my arms. "Why's everything crap?"

"I let Uncle Damion use my Xbox, and he told me."

I blinked, staring at him, and then I waved a hand. "Told you…what? And you got questions, you come to me, not your uncle." I'd expected him to ask my father, but maybe Damion told Dad about my son's inquiry.

My brother's a good guy, an upstanding citizen these days. But the fact remains that he still has a warped sense of humor.

I'm just being real.

He also swears that kids understand a lot more than we give them credit for. He'd know, since he's always around kids, I guess.

He's got two girls now—Izzy and his five-month-old, Carolyn—and he's always around kids at the hospital. Dame's an attending pediatric surgeon at Columbia University Hospital, having passed his boards or whatever months ago.

Supposedly, Columbia had a better contract or something. They'd been after his ass for a while, playing hardball—trying to beat NYU and Mount Sinai's offers. They were offering him whatever his heart desired. The only thing my brother actually wanted was a more flexible schedule. And he's not only a surgical machine, like he used to be, a staff physician, working out of the emergency room. Now, he's teamed with a pediatrics group, right at Columbia. He has office hours and then surgical hours, and he barely works the emergency room, although he does have some days when he's on call.

Maybe he wasn't the first in his class in med school. But since he's been on the straight and narrow, working his ass off during residency, he was the most sought after commodity that NYU had.

My parents and I—everyone—we're all so proud of him.

At first, Dame didn't wanna leave NYU, because of all the family ties we have.

Ultimately, when Jordan left, he'd changed his mind. Without his wife around and because she'd no longer be bringing home a paycheck, he left NYU for Columbia—for the bigger salary.

Dad wants him to ride out his contract. Then, our father wants to invest, get Dame his own practice here in Brooklyn. The Skip would be some silent partner; however, that's a few years away.

I digress.

He's happy, and I'm happy for him. We both have happy marriages and healthy children.

But what the fuck did he tell my kid?

Yo, I was tempted to put the current conversation on hold, walk across my lawn, and ask that fucker.

"About sex," Sonny whispered, sitting up and facing me.

His bold demeanor surprised me.

"He said that's where babies come from." He munched on his lip. "You know…kissing naked."

I nodded, trying to remember what the fuck I knew about it at eight. Trust; I always remember just knowing what sex was. Maybe not the mechanics, but there's enough of it on TV, movies…there's fucking everywhere. "Yeah…" I agreed. "When a man digs a woman—they have sex. Sometimes a baby, uh, is the…conclusion, and sometimes…" I stared at the floor.

And sometimes…?

"And sometimes…no." I shrugged, and I'd started to chuckle. "Sometimes you promise to call, and…"

"What?"

I waved a hand. "Forget it. Sex is something people do when they're much older."

He furrowed his brow. "But how…?" Sonny tilted his head to stare at me.

"Uh…" I needed a minute.

"Can I interrupt?" Maggie asked, fucking beaming, and I had no idea how long she'd been standing there.

I blew out a calming breath; she'd saved me. "By all means."

The wife grinned, doing her sexy waddle, mom-swagger as she strolled into the room.

I stood up, helping her ease down. The three of us weren't fitting on his bed without breaking it.

Maggie reached to comb Sonny's messy hair with her fingers. But she couldn't reach, and he wasn't moving.

I gave him the dad eyes, and he was quick to sidle up to her. That's like the only major rule I have. I really don't care if my children are pricks to me, but they better be angels for Mom. It's just how it is.

"God—"

"Oh…" Sonny and I bit out in unison.

Maggie glared at me.

"God…" I encouraged.

Don't get me wrong. Every time she starts an explanation with "God," it's usually interesting. But the mention of God and His infallible ass don't leave much for questions, I don't think.

"Why's this like this?"

"Because God made it."

In Little Sonny's words: that's crap.

"God—" she started again, glancing at me, and I didn't say shit "—created males and females to fit together, like…puzzle pieces."

"That's good." I wanted to clap.

Maggie giggled, ignoring me, and I was cool with that. "You have a penis," she told him. "And females have…vaginas."

"I know that." Sonny's face was beet red. "Mommy, I don't—" He cut himself off, staring at me.

"It's okay," I told him. "Mom knows her stuff." Fuck. Back in the day, I'd taught Maggie, and now the wife's a wildcat in the sack. Trust. Jesus Christ. Trust me.

Little Sonny was embarrassed. Maybe he doesn't know much, but he knows enough to be uncomfortable talking to his mother about it. I wished he wouldn't be, but I remember wanting to throw myself out the window whenever the word "sex" flew out my mother's mouth.

"But when they meet, the puzzle pieces…" Maggie got stuck, bringing her hands together. "Uh, the penis goes into the vagina."

Sonny grimaced. "Why?"

"To make babies." I squeezed his shoulder. "Pay attention." We both stared at Maggie, expectant.

"Not only to make babies," she continued. "Sex—making love—is a way to show love, and feel love, and there's a bunch of different ways to do that. Some of which don't result in a baby. Like, when a man loves a man, or a woman loves a woman. They have the same parts, so…they can't make a baby together, but they can still make love. To make a baby, a female and a male…When the penis and the vagina meet, um, sperm…like tadpoles?"

He shrugged.

Sonny grew up in Brooklyn, like he knows what tadpoles are.

"They're these little…" Maggie pursed her lips. "Anyway, the sperm travels up the penis and spills in the vagina…to meet up with the egg...women carry eggs."

"Like chickens?" he asked. "That's weird."

"Not quite, but the egg grows into a baby."

"Takes nine months." I added, placing my hand on Maggie's stomach. "Capisce?"

Sonny still wore a face. "But how…?"

I sucked my teeth. "You want us to show you?"

"Santino!" Maggie shrieked, swatting at me.

"I was kidding." I kissed her hair. "Look, when you get older, you'll understand better." I had a sense of déjà vu. "It's for adults, so you don't worry about it now. You can't have sex until you're much older—"

"Married," Maggie said.

I rolled my eyes, hoping she didn't see me. "When you're older, your body will start to change, and you'll…understand a lot, a lot more. Things that don't make sense now will start to."

"All married people do it. Even Na-Na and Pop-Pop." Maggie grinned at me.

I almost gagged. "Yeah…"

Sonny still stared at me.

"There's a hole," I said. "The peesh goes into the hole."

"Oh!" Sonny nodded. "And that's how the penis gets its sperm inside."

"Exactly!" I was proud.

"Anything else you wanna know?" Maggie asked.

He shook his head.

"Okay." My wife wiggled her fingers at me, and I helped her up.

I kissed those lips, and she went on to say goodnight to Sonny before leaving the room.

"You got any more questions…? For me?" I looked around us. "You can ask me anything." I think every parent wants that, for their kids to be forthcoming and totally honest, but are scared shitless of it.

"Na-Na and Pop-Pop?" He frowned.

I nodded. "Yup…How do you think I was born?"

"But you're old and they're old, and they still…do that?" He was very interested.

"You know what? Ask Pop-Pop. He'll tell you." Then my face paled, thinking Dad might show him porn. "Um…"

"Pop-Pop will tell me." He nodded.

"We can talk to him together?" I suggested.

Still, I might be an adult, but the thought of Dad plowing Mom was gross.

"You dunno either?" he asked.

"Of course, I do. We'll, uh…we'll try to keep it down." I patted his shoulder. "But…why so interested? What happened—"

"I saw you," Sonny whispered. "I saw you guys."

I scoffed at myself. "Where? What—"

"I just wanted a glass of water, but…the downstairs den by the kitchen." He wrang his hands together. "I'm sorry."

"Shhh. Don't apologize." I gave his cheek a pat. "You didn't do anything wrong." I wondered how much he actually saw. "You have questions, you come to me and your mother. We're your parents. That's our job."

He stared at me again, sucking his top lip into his mouth.

"What's up?" I asked.

"I asked Mom, and…you work at a club, right? But what do you do?"

Holy fuck. I thought I had a few years before I'd get hit with that. But even my younger son wonders what I do for a living. Little Eddie asked, Sonny was there, and I said I worked at a night club. I understood their curiosity, too. When I was growing up, whenever we'd ask where Dad was, Mom would say, "He's working," but we never knew what he did. I think I was around ten when I figured it out. But I didn't have the balls to ask until I had a valid excuse. I'd been doing a report for school, and so much shit about my father was on the internet.

"I manage," I said.

"I thought Uncle Gio managed?"

"It's a different club—both clubs belong to Pop-Pop. We run them, and he's—"

"Yeah, Na-Na says he's retarded."

I barked out a laugh. "Oh, fuck. You mean retired." I palmed my face to laugh so hard, I snorted.

"Oh." He nodded.

"That's a bad word." Maggie would have kicked me in the ass for laughing at that. "Pop-Pop is retired. He's not…the word you said, and you don't ever call people that."

"Okay," he said.

"What are you drawing?" I asked.

His face lit up. "A dinosaur."

"Awesome, lemme see." I peeked over to see the T-Rex outlined on his paper. "Nice. Can I have it for my office?"

Sonny smiled even wider if that was possible. "Ah-huh."

"Cool." I ruffled his hair. "I love you."

"I love you, too." He leaned to hug me, and I squeezed him tight. "When Mommy has the baby, can we stay here and Uncle Damion watch us?"

I chuckled. "No, sorry. Beth'll be going to your uncle's, while you and your brother stay with Na-Na and Pop-Pop. Unless, Uncle Damion might take you and Eddie if youse promise to behave—like, be real good. You, also…depending, uh, after church on Sunday, Grandma and Grandpa Sullivan wanna—"

"Oh, Daddy, no!" He actually whined, which is unlike him.

My eldest likes them as much as Maggie and I do. Eddie and Beth are cool with them as far as I know. But they get on Sonny, quiz him on scripture and shit. And we only last about an hour or two with them. Maggie gets more upset—annoyed being around them. I don't know. I know her mom nags, nitpicks her mothering skills.

I see Robert, her father, quite often. Her parents still live a block over, for crying out loud. We're bound to run into each other.

He approaches me, and I can't run without looking rude, and he asks to set up activities and visits, or invites us over for dinner. We always come through. Kathy never stops by unless she's invited, but her husband will come over whenever, unexpected, to say hello.

Regardless of anything, Maggie's always welcoming, invites them to all the holidays we hold here. Most times, they come to drop off some kind of dessert, stay for a bit, and then leave.

They've never fit in well with my family.

We've gone to their place for Christmas Eve dinner the past two years. They give the kids their gifts. Each year we've left early to cross the street—have dessert with my parents and we've invited her parents, but they never come. Just like we tell them we'll meet them at midnight mass; meanwhile, we put the kids to bed as early as possible.

The rule is always the same. If you're awake, Santa won't come. Same with, "You stop believing, you stop receiving," which is total crap.

But they're not monsters. The Sullivans are religious—ridiculously so—and Maggie's mother has no sense of humor, but they're nice people, and they love our kids.

They try, and we try to meet 'em halfway.

Whatever, I digress, and my mind wanders.

It's better I think of trivial shit like that, in lieu of "work" matters. Despite talking to Dame when he comes by, I don't do shit inside this house. I have a hidden office, off to the side in the basement. That shit is locked like a fortress and has enough weaponry to guard Fort Knox. At least once a year, I gotta clear it out. Fucking Feds probably have the blueprints to my crib, but that room was built after we bought the house. I won't risk it. When shit gets hot, and they come snooping, I drive everything to a storage unit in Jersey City.

They searched my home twice—both times was while Maggie was pregnant with Eddie—and they hardly searched the basement. She got upset when I was hauled into federal. But they had nothing. They got nothing, and they asked me bullshit questions. Carlisle had me outta there within an hour, and I knew it was all going to happen beforehand.

Maggie knew two days before, and she packed our bags—thinking we were gonna lam it, go down to Brazil.

She's too cute.

"I don't wanna go," Little Sonny exclaimed.

"Watch your tone." I stared at him until he settled down. "Na-Na or Pop-Pop will bring you guys to meet them at church…or we will, depending. You'll have lunch." I shrugged. "The baby's not coming just yet, but your mom knows it's soon—very soon."

"Ugh…they're only nice to Beth." He frowned, but I know they're actually not too horrible, just pains in the asses. There also happens to be nothing to do there. They insist on playing Monopoly—board games and crap. That's boring as fuck to my kids. All three are very active, and they love their technology.

Even my Angelface knows how to work an iPad.

"They love you and your brother, too. They just wanna spend time with you guys." I palmed his cheek. "What's wrong with that? A couple of hours is nothing."

He pulled away. "I'm telling Mommy I don't wanna go. She won't make me."

I slumped my shoulders. "You're talking back to me now—being a wise-ass and whining. I'm your father, and if I say you're spending the afternoon with them, you are. Talk back to me again, and…" Sometimes I could smack the kid in the mouth, to be honest. "Understand?"

"Yeah," he whispered. "I just don't understand why we gotta go there."

"What don't you understand about it?" I asked.

"They live right next to Na-Na and Pop-Pop. What's the difference if we go there or stay where we are? Do Na-Na and Pop-Pop not want us there?" Tears welled up in his eyes. "Then…I don't wanna go there either." He was quick to throw himself down, facing away from me.

I sighed, pinching his little ass. "Move over."

He did as I said, but refused to look at me.

I leaned over and bit his ear, growling like a dog. Sonny smiled for a split second, but dug his face into his pillow to be a turd. "Get over here." I turned him, squeezing him to my side. "Look, you know…You know that's not true. You know how much Na-Na and Pop-Pop love you."

"Pop-Pop's my best friend." He sniffled, but he wasn't really crying.

"You're such a faker." I tickled his side. "Cut it out."

Sonny had a stiff upper lip now.

"Na-Na would body check Grandma Sullivan to steal youse away—to have youse instead." I shrugged. "If you won't go, Eddie won't go, and if Eddie won't go, Beth'll whine and refuse…that'll make Mommy's parents feel bad."

The side of his mouth pulled up. "If Mommy has the baby…Na-Na and Pop-Pop will have to bring us to church. But they don't go to church every Sunday. Pop-Pop says he gives enough money."

I tried not to chuckle. "You think you're so smart? If Mommy has the baby, Na-Na and Pop-Pop will go to the hospital, and drop youse off with Mommy's parents."

"Oh." He covered his face. "But I wanna see the baby. When Mommy had Beth—"

"Yeah, I brought youse to visit afterward. You'll be able to see Mom. Just afterward. It's a lot of waiting beforehand. You guys would get bored." Not to mention their mother screaming in pain, depending on how fast they are, how fast the baby's coming—to give her the epidural.

He furrowed his brow. "But…"

"Look, we got days—the whole weekend ahead of us. Your mother could have the baby any minute." My eyes met his. "So…more important than where you'll be spending Sunday, I need you to keep your brother and sister in check. This is our fourth round, but it's still crazy," I explained.

"You did pukies when Beth was born."

"You should have seen me the first time, when you were born." I kissed those sad lips, and he wiped his mouth.

"You were too nervous, and Uncle Damion had to drive. Pop-Pop said you cried like a little girl." He chuckled.

"Pop-Pop cried right next to me." I smiled.

"You were proud—happy I was born."

"Of course. It was the best day of my life. Then, when Eddie was born, that was the best day. When Beth was born, that was the best. And I'm proud of you guys every day." Fuck, I had to stop being a mush, or else I'd cry now.

"Na-Na said I was the biggest baby in the nursery," he said.

"Yup." I nodded. "They all—the doctors, the nurses, the other expectant moms—" I counted off my fingers "—they all marveled at the sheer size of you. You coulda kicked those others babies' asses." I was exaggerating just so he'd smile wider.

He beamed; he always loves to hear about when he was born. "You think you'll puke when this baby comes?"

I quirked a brow, sighing. "Puking—that's always a possibility and tears are a given, happy tears." I kissed his cheek. "Bottom line, I'm going to be worried about Mom, and Mom's going to be worried about you guys. I'm asking you to focus on Mom. All right? You're a big guy. You're not a baby." I tickled his side. "Now, you know what sex is…"

He didn't laugh, and I thought he would.

I hugged him tight. "You know Eddie and Beth are gonna cry when Mom leaves for the hospital—"

A small whimper escaped him, and he wasn't faking.

"Hey…"

When he picked his head up, tears fell from his eyes. "I don't want nothin' to, to happen'a Mommy," he cried, mumbling, "I wanna go wiff'her."

I jutted my lower lip. "She's just…having a baby." Even though this isn't our first time at the rodeo, I was nervous too. I always am. God forbid. "Come on." I knew what he needed and gathered him into my arms.

He buried his head into my chest, his arms and legs around me, as I brought him back to our bedroom.

Maggie was alarmed, still awake and reading. "What's the matter?"

"He's scared—gonna miss you," I mouthed.

Sonny covered his face when I placed him down.

"Come here. Come lie with Mommy." Maggie called him over. "I'll be gone for two days. You'll visit, and we'll be coming home with your new baby brother." She kissed his hair.

He nodded.

But if I said that, he wouldn't believe me.

"There's sick people at the hospital," he said.

"Yes…that's where sick people go to get better. Or, when they need help from a doctor. Like, I need my doctor to deliver the baby, because we can't do it at home," she explained.

"People die in the hospital…when you had Beth, I was too little, I didn't know but…"

Maggie's eyes were panicked. "Yes, that's true, too. But I'm not sick, my little love." She wiped his tears away. "I'll be fine. Okay? Gimme a kiss."

He had no problem laying a wet one on her. Guess I'm gross, but him thinking that got me upset. I didn't want him to worry of such things. It had my chest feeling all tight and shit.

"Mommy's not dying," I said. "Get that shit out your head."

"Hey!" Maggie's tone meant business.

I put my hands up, anger bubbling up inside me.

But it was more fear. The chance of that happening…I don't know the scientific probability, but chances are slim to none.

I just have to die before any of them.

"But Daddy's right…even if he worded it differently than I would have." She smiled, poking at his side until he cracked, grinning back. "I'll be home in two days, maybe less than, and you'll visit. I'm going to miss you guys so much." She hugged him tight while he laid his head on the bump. He kissed it before embracing her once more; I wished I had a camera. "Your brother knows you're here." Maggie's face lit up, staring up to me while she brought Sonny's hand over to her right side.

"He loves me already," Sonny whispered. "That's my baby brother."

"Of course, he loves you." Maggie waved a hand. "He kicks whenever you guys are making a ruckus. He can't wait to get out and play with you."

"Hi, baby," he spoke to her belly.

"There he goes," Maggie giggled, making the bump shake.

"Belly burn?" I asked, clearing my throat. This moment was so sweet, too precious, and it threatened to make me cry again.

No matter how much he learns, no matter how old or smart he gets, he's still Maggie's baby—soft and childlike for his mommy.

"No…just little kicks. It's not that roomy in there." She winked down to Sonny. "He'll be here soon. Real soon."

"'K." He closed his eyes, nestling into her.

Maggie rocked him from side to side. "And if you're not with me, and you miss me, you can always call—doesn't matter what time it is. Or, you can ask to come visit. I'll send Daddy to pick you guys up."

"Yup," I agreed, giving his foot a squeeze.

"Okay." He brought his knuckles to his eyes, rubbing them.

"Sleep…close your eyes," Maggie crooned, pulling the blanket over him.

I pointed. "I'll put him in bed."

Normally, I wouldn't care. Logically, if the kids are sleeping in our bed—which, one of them always sneaks in—we have countless rooms where we can get down to business. But tonight...it could be our last chance to make love before a long hiatus.

My wife glared at me again.

I put my hands up, surrendering, while Cock Blocker Number One snuggled with his mother.

That's what I wanted to do.

"We'll all go to bed." Maggie nodded.

I looked to the clock and saw it was only a little after ten. "I'mma call Dame—see if they're still up to take Beth. Did you talk to Jordan?"

"Yeah. They don't have plans this weekend, so it's cool." She smiled at me. "I know you're not tired. Go hang with Dame . . . I love you." Maggie blew me a kiss.

I blinked, giving her two winks, blowing her a kiss before tonguing the air. My kid didn't see, so it's cool. "I love youse." I jumped on the bed to kiss them both, making them giggle.

"I love you, too, Daddy."

I smiled real wide, giving his leg a squeeze, and then I left the bed.