Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 79553 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79553 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
“Have you thought about what you’re going to do once the babies are born?” Easton asks. “Your album releases soon. You planning on touring?”
I look at Kendall, wondering as well. Whatever she wants to do, I’ll support, but we haven’t talked about the logistics yet, aside from her saying she wants to live in New York.
“Actually…” Kendall glances at me, smiling softly. “I’ve been thinking, and this album is going to be my last. Every album has been about the journey of my life, and like the ending of a book, the last one is about me falling in love.” She shrugs. “I’ve been searching for love for so long that I just want to enjoy it. I’m ready to settle down. No more touring. No more traveling. I just want to be a stay-at-home mom and wife.” She sucks her bottom lip into her mouth and then releases it. “If that’s okay with you.”
“Baby…” I pull her into my arms. “I appreciate you asking for my opinion, but you never have to ask my permission to do anything when it comes to your future.”
“I don’t know how this all works,” she admits. “I just wanted to make sure it’s okay. Don’t couples discuss it when one person wants to quit their job?”
I chuckle at how adorable she is. “Yeah, they do. And I love you talking to me.”
“What about Declan?” Easton asks. “They’re going to go back on tour once the band is back up and running.”
“We can’t even get Gage to talk to us,” I mutter, hating the bitterness I hear in my voice, but fuck, it’s been five damn months since we’ve seen Gage. “Is there even a band anymore? We all agreed not to record without him, and based on his actions, I think it’s safe to assume he’s done, which means the band is done.”
“He’s not done,” Kendall says. “He just needs a little more time, and then he’ll be back.”
“Speaking of which,” Camden says. “What are you going to do about the condo?”
“Gage asked us to move forward.” I shrug. “And while the band isn’t doing so, I won’t put my life with Kendall on hold. I’ll keep the condo until the lease is up, so if—”
“Not if,” Kendall says, cutting me off. “When… he will be back.”
I wish I had her confidence, but a part of me is scared Gage may never return.
“He’ll be back,” Kendall says again. “And as far as the band goes… I’m completely supportive of you guys touring. I’ve been doing this for over fourteen years, and I’ve loved every minute of it, but I’m ready to focus on being a mom and a wife now. It’s your turn.” She frames my face and kisses my lips. “And when you’re gone, I’ll visit and travel with you. Whatever it takes. But do not give up on Gage. Raging Chaos is not over. Not by a long shot.”
Five Months Later
“We need to get going to my parents’ house soon,” Kendall says, placing our son gently into his bassinet before climbing onto the bed and kissing the top of our daughter’s head, who’s drinking the last of her bottle, as her eyes flutter open and closed, barely awake.
“Just one more episode,” I tell her, clicking into The Vampire Diaries. “I need to find out if Elena forgives—” My words come to a halt as I, for the first time since we’ve been watching this show, notice the information in the top left corner.
“Are you serious?” I mock glare at Kendall, who scrunches up her nose in confusion.
“What?”
“You’re such a damn cheater!” I whisper-yell. “Nina Doprev? Really? Who is she? If you tell me she plays Elena…”
“It’s a human name!” She laughs, startling Nina—our daughter, not the actress. “I named her after the human, not the vampire. And anyway…” She glares back. “Don’t act like you didn’t cheat too when you named our son Morgan… after Joseph Morgan, the actor who plays Klaus!”
Because she isn’t wrong, I close my mouth and shrug. When Kendall and I agreed that we’d each name one baby, with the other person’s final approval of the name, I thought I was slick. Turns out my wife had the same thoughts.
After propping Nina up against my chest and burping her, I give her the pacifier—or as Kendall calls it, her pluggy—and lay her gently in her car seat since we actually do need to get going soon. Today is Thanksgiving, and since my parents are opening a new chain of Pierce Hotels in Colorado, the only house we’re going to is her parents’.
Kendall takes Morgan from his bassinet and puts him in his car seat, and then we load them up into the SUV parked in the garage. Once they’re both covered with thick blankets, since it’s in the low forties today, we head out of the house. Once we’re out, I hang a left and then drive three houses down…to Kendall’s parents’ house. Yep, you understood that correctly. We found a house only three houses down from her parents, and Easton and Sophia couldn’t be more thrilled. So much so, Sophia has decided to retire so she can focus on being a grandma. Between Layla and Camden’s two kids, our two, and Cynthia due in December, she wanted to be around more often to help out. Something Kendall and I are particularly grateful for. It’s only been a little over a month and a half since Kendall gave birth, and we’re both beyond exhausted. I can’t even imagine how we’d function if we didn’t have our support system.