Twisted Fate by Summer Cooper

6

Logan

Logan somehow managed to get through the rest of the day without dragging Keily off to his car for an explanation, something he thought about over and over as the day wore on. Occasionally, he’d glance over at Joe, happy that the man looked so miserable. He went between the two of them for the rest of the day.

He hated the fact that he was enjoying someone’s misery, but Joe deserved it. He deserved more, because of what he’d done to Logan when they were younger, but this would do. Then his thoughts would shift back to Keily and he had a headache by the time the judge ended court for the day.

Logan waited until Felix got up and then stood himself.

“We’ll be back here tomorrow morning at 9 am.” Felix held out his hand to Logan and they shook. “I’m sorry, I’ve got to get home, it’s my wife’s birthday.”

“Oh, right, yeah, have a good evening then.” Logan’s eyes were already searching for Keily. Her birthday was in December too, Christmas eve.

He couldn’t believe she was carrying triplets but looking at her, he guessed it was possible. She looked like she could barely stand up under the strain, but she managed it. Keily always did find a way to stay standing. She was a fighter.

“See you, Logan,” Felix replied once he’d packed up everything and headed off.

Logan finally found Keily and Rosa when he went outside the courthouse. Rosa was standing protectively behind Keily, her eyes narrowed at him. He didn’t know what Keily might have told the other woman but whatever it was, it looked like she wanted to chew Logan up and spit him out.

“Hi.” He said gently, afraid to poke the bear.

“Hi!” Rosa and Keily said in unison.

“Um, Keily, can I take you to dinner?” He asked, looking at her to avoid the glare of Rosa’s eyes.

“I, well, yes, you can.” She kept her eyes on the ground as she spoke, and he wondered whether she’d bolt if he made a move towards her. Not that she’d be bolting anywhere at the moment.

“I drove her here so if you plan on taking her out you either agree to take her home or bring her back to me.” Rosa ground out, her jaw clenched. Logan looked at her and saw the anger flaring in her eyes. He frowned because he knew he deserved it, but he didn’t like seeing it. He liked Rosa and hated that she was mad at him.

“I’ll take her home, if that’s alright with you, Keily?”

“It’s fine, let’s just, fuck, let’s just get this over with.” She turned and hugged Rosa before she turned back to him, a handbag slung over her shoulder. “Let’s go.”

Logan nodded and put his hand at her back to guide her towards his car.

“I don’t need your hand there, thank you.” She moved away from him.

“Sorry, old habit.” He replied and then rolled his eyes at his own stupid reminder of what he’d done. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine.” She breathed in deep as she settled into the car a moment later and then adjusted the seatbelt.

“Where do you want to go?” He sat there, staring out at the street in front of him, and waited.

“It doesn’t matter, as long as it’s quiet.”

“Sure.” He started the car as he spoke and pulled out. Somewhere quiet, hmm? He drove away from the courthouse and tried to decide where to go.

“Where are we going? Are we heading to your house?” She asked suddenly, panic in her voice.

“It’s quiet, I can cook for us, and we can talk without being interrupted.”

It was a long moment before she responded, but she finally agreed. “Alright.”

“I’m glad I left your insurance alone now.” He said, to break the silence.

“Believe me, I am too.” She answered, still giving short responses, but at least she was saying something.

“How far along are you?” He asked, getting the one question he wanted to ask the most out of the way.

“A little over five months. I’m as big as a house because there are three of them, although two are bigger than the third one.” Keily’s hand came up to her rub at her stomach and Logan felt…something at the gesture. Something warm that spread out of his chest to the rest of his body.

“Do you know what they are yet?”

“They’re babies.” She laughed finally, but relented. “Sorry, I couldn’t resist. Two are girls, the other one we don’t know yet. That one’s down here, at the bottom, curled up and always moves when the doctor tries to see what gender it is.”

“Ah, stubborn then?”

“A little.” Keily relaxed at last and Logan felt some of his own tension easing.

He cut the engine as he pulled up at the house and got out of the car. “What would you like to eat?”

“Whatever is quickest,” Keily answered as she struggled to get out of the car. He offered to help but she brushed his hand away. “I can do it.”

That’s where the baby got its stubbornness from, at least, some of it. He knew he could be just as stubborn, he thought with a smile.

“I can do steaks and salad from a bag.”

“Sounds great.” She pulled herself up finally and they walked into the house.

He led her into the living room and then decided she knew the place; he’d let her roam as she pleased. “Make yourself at home, I’ll just go change and come right back.”

“Alright.” She agreed and turned towards the kitchen.

By the time he came back, in a pair of black lounge pants and black sweatshirt she already had the steaks on, and wore an apron she’d brought when they were together over her dress. “I was too hungry to wait.”

“That’s fine, want me to take over?” He offered.

“Yes, please, my feet are killing me.” She went over to the table and sat down to take her heels off.

He finished the steaks off, tipped the salad into a bowl, added a few things to make it more appealing, and brought it all to the table. He went back for the salad dressing he knew she preferred, two bottles of water, and put them on the table the housekeeper had set up before he arrived back home for the day.

“Do you need anything else?” Logan lifted an eyebrow and looked over at her with a tiny smile. It was strange to be here with her again, to feel so…calm.

“This is fine, thanks.” She said and started to eat.

He watched her while he ate and tried not to think about how much he missed her. How odd it was that he’d started the day dreading seeing her, and now she was here in his house again. He’d wonder how that happened, but her stomach was the answer to that, and an obvious answer at that.

“So, what do you need me to do?” He asked as they finished up their food and sat back from the table.

“What do you mean?” Keily asked as she wiped at her mouth and put her napkin down.

“Do you need money, a place to live? I know you left the apartment…” His voice trailed off as her eyes turned dark and she frowned.

“I don’t need any of that, Logan. I’m taking care of myself for once, and the babies. I have a job and a place to live.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to imply you didn’t.” He answered, feeling like an idiot for being so callous. “It’s just, they’re mine, you said. I’d like to help take care of them, be a part of their lives.”

“I’m fine with that, but please don’t throw money at me. That’s not why I’m here.” She looked him dead in the eye and he could see how tired she was at last. There were hints of dark circles under her eyes and her face wasn’t as animated as it usually was.

“I really didn’t mean to imply it was, Keily. It took both of us to make them, and I accept that.” He pulled his lips in for a moment before he went on. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“It’s fine.” She put her hands on her stomach and looked away. “I just wasn’t expecting you to take it so well, I guess.”

“I’d ask why you didn’t tell me, but I know. I guess I should have...” His voice trailed off.

“Should have what, Logan? Asked the woman you’d just left whether she was pregnant? Who would think to do that? Especially a woman you obviously didn’t like that much when you ended it.” There wasn’t an accusation in her voice, just acceptance.

He was stunned she was so calm, but then, it was Keily. She always surprised him. Maybe he should stop underestimating her so much.

“I see your point.” He paused and tried to think of what else he should say.

“I don’t mind you being in their lives, Logan. To be honest, I’m terrified of what will happen when they’re born. The doctor says they’ll probably be underweight and there’s a risk I’ll go into labor early. It’s all really quite scary and it would be nice to have you there, when it’s time.” She paused, staring out of the window on the other side of the table. “I don’t mean you have to be, but it would be nice to have you there.”

“I’d like to be. And to go to your appointments and everything.” He said quickly, leaning over to be closer to her. “I know this is a strange situation, but I’m glad I know now. We can do this together; I know we can.”

After thinking about it all day, he wasn’t surprised that he was looking forward to being with her for all of this. He was kind of glad he’d found out now, instead of later, after they were born. Should he set up a nursery at the house, he wondered? But then he thought about all the articles he’d seen as he read the news about multiple births being premature and how long they spent in the hospital. He had the money to pay for that, he didn’t care about that. What he did care about was making sure they were taken care of.

“Two girls, huh?” He asked, a smile spreading over his face, bringing his features to life.

“Yes, two girls. And one unknown.” She smiled a smile that nearly made him gasp, it was so beautiful.

It was a smile of pride, of joy, of love, unlike anything he’d ever seen on her face.

“And you’re okay with it? I mean, obviously you are, you’re having them, but you’ve been alone, it couldn’t have been easy.” He immediately wanted to kick himself for reminding her he’d left her.

“No, actually, I’ve had Rosa, who I swore to secrecy by the way. You had every right to leave me, so I don’t blame you, but I didn’t want you to think I’d done this on purpose.” Her words stopped and she looked at him, breath held.

“I know you better than that, Keily.” He dismissed her worries with a wave of his hand. “I would never think that of you.”

“Good. But yeah, I have her, and my sister and I are talking again.” She smiled a pleased smile this time and he smiled back.

“That’s great news, I know it bothered you a lot that she didn’t want to talk to you.”

“It did, but we’re working on it now. Alice, my niece, is so excited about there being three babies and she can barely stand up herself.”

“I bet.” He smiled, enjoying watching her talk about her niece. He’d thought Rosa would stick around, but he hadn’t known about her sister. He was glad she’d managed to mend that bridge. She really had changed, he decided, although he’d known that all along, really.

“So yeah, I’m not really alone, just not with a man.” Her cheeks turned pink and he decided it was best to ignore it. Even if those pink cheeks thawed him a little more.

“You know, Keily, I was a real dick that night I left you.” Logan found himself saying.

He’d spent months trying to hold his own emotions back, trying to deny that he really missed Keily and that he hated not being near her. Now that he was with her though, now that he could smell her and see her, he couldn’t deny it anymore.

“I would like it if...” He started but she held a hand up.

“Please, don’t. If you’re about to say what I think you are, please don’t. I can’t, not right now.” She shook her head even though her eyes pleaded with him to make it all better. “I need to concentrate on making these babies right now and, well, I just can’t right now.”

“I understand.” He answered, but it wasn’t what he wanted to say. He wanted to ask her to stay, forever.