A Secret Fate (37 page)
Authors: Susan Griscom
Tags: #Literature & Fiction, #Mystery; Thriller & Suspense, #Thrillers, #Suspense, #Romance, #Paranormal
“Oh my.” Addison’s wide eyes turned teary as she stood to get a better look at the cake, then picked up Maddi so she could see.
“Woo-hoo! Will you look at that cake! Maia, you have out done yourself with this one,” Gerry’s faced beamed with proud admiration.
“Wow! By the looks of this masterpiece, the bakery must be doing fantastic. Maia, you truly have a gift,” Siana said.
“Thank you, and yes, the bakery is doing remarkably well. Did I tell you I have an order for a six-tier wedding cake next month? It’s the largest one I’ve ever done. And next week we’ll be celebrating our one-year anniversary since the opening of Maia’s Sweet Cakes. We’re going to hold a raffle for one of our specialty cakes.”
“I don’t think you could make a more special cake than this one,” Addison said. “Will you look at those kids, Maddi? That’s you and Shane.”
Maddi leaned forward toward the cake and puckered her lips into a little “o.” Cael couldn’t stop grinning. His daughter looked so much like her mother. He thought for sure he’d come away from this party with permanent smile lines bracketing his mouth. He supposed there could be worse things. He’d never been so happy and proud of Addison. Well, except when she took on Eidolon and tried to appeal to the good side of Elizabeth. Of course, she made the labor of childbirth seem like a piece of cake.
“I have a present for you, Addie.” Breena beamed holding out a small square white box with a black ribbon around it. Breena wore a black velvet top that drooped down on one side, revealing a bare shoulder, with a pair of very short black and white flowered shorts. Cael suddenly realized why his son had become so shy at the mention of her name.
Addie took the small package from her and opened it. She gasped and choked back a sob as she held up a heart-shaped pendant. “Forever Friends.”
“It’s just like the one you gave me years ago.” Breena displayed the necklace she still wore that Addison had given her on her tenth birthday.
“Let’s cut the cake already.” Shane, leaning on his hands plastered to the edge of the table, practically jumped with anticipation. Like himself, Cael’s son had an untamed sweet tooth, particularly for one of Maia’s cakes.
***
Morning fog hovered over the rocks and snaked its way down the side of the cliff. It would be a few more hours before the sun would be making its warm appearance, but Cael knew that once it did, Shane and Maddi would be pestering him to take them down to the beach where they’d dig in the sand hoping to find crabs. Shane usually found a few, but Maddi would mostly squeal whenever he’d show one of them to her. She’d try to touch one, but every time she got within two inches, she’d turn away and run. Her idea of fun was making her version of sand castles Cael always thought they looked more like blobs of dripped sand on top of each other.
He took a sip of the coffee in his hand, turning to see Addison stirring in the bed. The kids were still asleep so he thought he’d let her sleep in too. She was so beautiful. But something was different, something he couldn’t put his finger on that needled at the back of his mind and wouldn’t let up.
He stepped closer to her and as if on cue, she opened her eyes, sat up, pulling her legs to hang over the edge of the bed, and began to stretch her arms. He sat beside her on the edge of the bed and offered his coffee. She peered into the cup ready to grab it, but instead bolted up and sprinted to the bathroom.
Cael stood at the bathroom door, leaning against the doorframe, sipping the strong brew. “You’re pregnant again, aren’t you?”
Addison kept her eyes focused on the toilet and wiped her mouth with a washrag. “Can’t keep much from you, can I?”
“Not when you’re in here throwing up for the third day in a row. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I wanted to wait until I at least took a test, but my tender breasts are pretty convincing. Are you upset?”
“No, of course not. I just find it rather funny that I married a baby-making machine considering you told me that we argued so much about you not wanting any kids.” He grinned and helped her stand.
“You know, I never said I didn’t want kids.”
“Well, you sure didn’t seem very fond of the idea of having babies.”
“I was only worried about the abilities.”
“Addison, I love you more than life itself, and you have to admit, we make pretty awesome kids. Just makes sense to keep making them until …”
“Until my skin can’t take the stretching anymore?”
“I like it when your stomach stretches with my baby inside it. Besides, it always shrinks back.”
“I guess I’m going to have to give up my writing cave for another bedroom.”
“I’ll build you a new one.”
She sighed and he drew her in. “I love you. Don’t ever, ever disappear again.”
“Not on your life.”
***
The months flew by, almost as if summer changed immediately into spring without a thought to fall and winter. Even the rainy season seemed to slip by without a single power outage. Addie sat in the small plastic pool, now for the third time.
“Say hello to your newest daughters, Cael,” Addie said as she stroked the soft tufts of dark hair on the heads of the two babes in her arms. She sat in the shallow rubber pool, a wet towel over the babies and herself.
“Hello, sweet peas. Say hi to your new brother.”
“Don’t forget about us,” Shane piped up, standing on tiptoes to get a better peek at his new brother. “Good thing you had a boy too. I was worried about having to grow up in a house with only sisters.”
“Shane,” Addie scolded. “That’s not nice.”
“I’m with you, pal.” Cael draped his free arm around Shane’s shoulder. “I have to admit, until this little guy popped out, I was a little worried myself.” Cael winked at Addie.
“Don’t encourage him,” she teased.
Maddi leaned over beside her mother and touched one of the baby girls’ arms. “She’s so soft, Mama. Can I hold her?”
“Soon. Let’s get them cleaned up and dried off. Then you and Shane can each take turns holding the babies.
“Addie, you look so wonderful. You’ve done an excellent job,” Maia said, taking one of the baby girls from Addie.
“I can’t believe we had triplets. I expected twins, but never in my life did I ever imagine triplets,” Addie said, admiring her wonderful husband holding their new son.
Cael shook his head, his eyes remaining on the baby in his arms and thought,
I think we should be finished now, don’t you, sweetness?
The words drifted into Addie’s mind as though they came straight from Cael’s mouth, but his lips never moved.
“Did you just say something, babe?” she asked
.
Cael glanced at her, his brows furrowed slightly. “Me? No.”
Not out loud,
he finished in his mind
.
Addie smiled, realizing she was hearing his thoughts. The bond, after almost seven years, had finally returned.
“Cael, look at me,” she said and pushed the words into his mind
. I think five kids are plenty. I love you.
“Wait, you didn’t move your lips.”
How did you do that?
“This is the bond,”
she said, then added silently,
the one I’ve been telling you about that we shared before you disappeared.
Why did it take so long to come back?
She shook her head.
I don’t know, but I’m so very glad it returned.
It will take some getting used to.
We can control it and block each other if we want. At least, we used to be able to do that.
No, I don’t want anything to ever separate us again. Besides, I think we are going to need this extra advantage with all these kids.
Addie laughed and looked at the new baby girl in her arms. “I think you’re right.”
~~Acknowledgments ~~
Writing a book is no easy task and without the people in my life and the support they give me, I wouldn’t have been able to do it. Acknowledgments are also difficult to write, making sure everyone I love is included and not forgotten.
My first thanks is always to my husband, Bud. Thank you, honey, for giving me the opportunity to do what I love and for reading everything I write, without complaining. I also appreciate your mentioning my book to every complete stranger you meet, which embarrasses the heck out of me, but I love it and love you. You are my rock. To my daughter, Traci, thank you for accepting my scatterbrained mind when you visit or during a phone call. A huge thank you to my sons, Brodie and Michael, for helping keep this country safe, I love and miss you—you are my heroes in combat boots. Thank you to my son-in-law, Angelo for helping keep our cities safe and for answering all my cop questions. To my daughters-in-law, Stephanie and Aimee, thanks for reading my books and giving your awesome support. Thank you, Jacob and Spencer, for all your love and support. Thanks, Mom, for your encouragement and support and not making too many comments about my absentmindedness because my mind is usually on a character or a scene and for telling everyone you know I wrote a book.
Thank you, Michelle, my editor, you are the best. You make me laugh at some of your comments and most of all you make me think! Thank you Pam Ripling aka Anne Carter, for answering all my stupid questions that I constantly bug you with. Love and hugs to my beta readers and awesome writer friends, Amber Garza, Michelle Olsen, Tina Donnelly, Trallee Mendonca and Pam Ripling, thank you for your insightful suggestions, you helped pull this book together. And a special thank you to my awesome Personal Assistant, Tina Donnelly, you are making my life easier every day.
About The Author
I grew up in a small town in Pennsylvania, spending most of my time daydreaming or playing around in the mud. I grew out of the mud play, well, most of the time, a good soak in the mud is always fun. I still daydream often and sometimes my daydreams interrupt my daydreams. So I write to remember them. If I didn't write, I think my mind would explode from an overload of fantasy and weirdness. To the annoyance of my friends and family, my characters sometimes become a part of my world. During my childhood, I would frequently get in trouble in school for daydreaming. Eventually, my vivid imagination paid off and I had the privilege of writing and co-directing my sixth-grade class play--a dreadful disaster, though not from my writing, of course. I'm pretty sure it was the acting.
I enjoy writing about characters living in small quaint towns and tend to lean toward the unusual and edgy.
My paranormal playing field delves into a different milieu, abandoning vampires and werewolves, but not discounting them. Someday I might like to write a novel about vamps and those furry creatures. But for now I like the bizarre mixed with romance. A strong hero or heroine confronted with extraordinary forces of nature, powers and capabilities gets my blood running hot as does an steamy contemporary romantic suspense.
Find out more about Susan Griscom by visiting her website.
http://susangriscom.com
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/SMGriscom
Follow Susan on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/SusanGriscom
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