Full Circle (Tangled Web #4) Read online

  "You're welcomed handsome," she said winking. Then she greeted everyone before leaving the room.

  0***************0

  "Honey, you're huge! You're way bigger than I was with Jasen and Jaden," Brionne said, and I looked at her.

  "Gee, thanks so much, Mom." Cin grimaced then put the cookie in her hand back down.

  "You’re beautiful. Pregnancy becomes you," my mom said and I mouthed 'thank you.' Brionne was going to make my life hell if she kept saying shit like that.

  "Thanks, Emme, but I don't think all this weight is going to come off as easy as it did with Whitley."

  "You're young. You'll be fine. I'm sure Ashton will run with you. He seems to have taken a liking to it since he's been working out, and I know it's something you enjoy."

  "It is, Jax use to run with me after Whit was born but he's so busy now." Cin looked at me.

  "I'll run with you. It'll be fun."

  She smiled at me and I smiled back. She hadn't smiled like that in a while.

  Her expression changed quickly and she closed her eyes taking a deep breath. I walked over and knelt in front of her.

  "You okay?" I asked.

  "I think I need to go the bathroom," she said, trying to stand up.

  "Hold on, let me help you," I said, turning to sit my Cherry Coke on the table.

  When I turned back around, she was already halfway up.

  "I told you to wait."

  "I can't," she said, looking down and lifting up her sundress. She had fluid running down leg.

  "DAD!" I yelled.

  My dad came up behind me and looked at the puddle around Jacinda's feet.

  "Well, looks like it's that time," he said calmly. "I'll get the car." He smiled.

  "This is so embarrassing!" Cin said covering her face.

  "Shhh…" I said hugging her. "We're getting ready to have our babies!" I said excitedly.

  She grabbed my arm.

  "I need a new dress and my bags. And I need a towel to clean this mess up."

  "I got this," Zoya said, smiling and shaking her head at Cin.

  "I'll get you a new dress!" Ali smiled. "Oooh, this is so exciting.

  "I got the bags!" Jasen said. "Where are they?"

  "Her bag is in the closet, in the hallway, and the twin's bag is in the nursery next to Whit's room."

  "Ohhhh!" She yelled doubling over. I took her in my arms quickly.

  "That bad already?"

  She nodded.

  "I don't miss this part…" she panted.

  "This is going to go fast." I told her, looking at my watch to time the contractions.

  My dad came in the door.

  "What are we waiting for? Let's go!" He demanded.

  "Ali, forget the dress!" I shouted. "We need to go!"

  We all took off toward the doors as Ali came down the stairs, dress in hand.

  "MOMMY!" Whitley yelled.

  I went to Whit and kissed her forehead.

  "Mommy's okay, princess. She's getting ready to have your brothers. When we come back, you'll have two new babies to take care of."

  "My brothers are coming?"

  "Yes, honey. I'll send you a picture when they get here okay? Now go with Zoya."

  She nodded and went to Zoya.

  I ran out the door and caught up to Cin and Brionne on the porch. I picked up Cin and carried her to the car. Her contractions were coming fast and hard.

  "She’s progressing quickly. I hope we make to the hospital in time. I'd really hate to deliver my grandsons on the side of the road," my dad said and I looked at him with wide eyes.

  "Step on it, Dad," I said, gesturing to the road and he smirked shaking his head.

  "Ash, you need to call Jax?" Cin panted.

  "Shit, he's going to kill me." I said, taking my cell out.

  He didn't answer, so I text him. Maybe he was still in his meeting and couldn't answer.

  It's time! Meet us at the hospital! –AAB

  "Tara, you need to call Tara too," she said grunting.

  I called Tara's house.

  "TJ, tell Tara it's time! We're on our way to the hospital…right we'll see you there."

  As I was hanging up my phone started to ring.

  "Buchanan." I answered.

  "Ash, how is she?" Jax asked frantically.

  "She's good but I hope you're on your way to the hospital because this is going to go quickly. Her water broke at least once and her contractions are like five minutes apart."

  "I'm leaving now!" He said and hung up.

  "Call Vivian and…" She started and stopped as a contraction hit.

  I looked behind me at the caravan of cars and kissed her forehead.

  "I think Ali took care of that. They're all behind us." I smiled.

  She took my hand and gave it a good squeeze and tried to breathe through the pain.

  "That's it…breathe," I said, stroking her head. "It'll be over soon. I promise."

  "It hurts," she said burying her face into my chest.

  "I know baby, I know." I rubbed her belly. It was hard as a rock.

  "Dad…" I said calmly, more for her than myself. Because inside I was dying, I wanted her out of pain.

  "She's fine, son. She's doing great. Stay calm and she will," he said, looking in the rearview mirror at me.

  I nodded and pulled Cin to me.

  0******************0

  The room was full of people. Elizabeth, Brionne, my mom, Ali, Vivi, my dad and myself. Everyone else decided to wait in the hallway. Jax still hadn't made it and I was worried he wouldn't make it in time.

  Cin was cussing at Tara when she told her that she would once again have to go without an epidural.

  "Fuck that, Tara! I want drugs now damn it!" Cin yelled at her.

  "Cin, the baby is crowning, it's time to push. It's too late."

  I touched Tara's shoulder.

  "I’m sorry."

  She laughed.

  "At least she isn't calling me a bitch."

  "Yet…" I said smiling.

  She laughed again.

  "Okay, I need you to help me put her feet up."

  "Jax isn't here yet…" I frowned.

  "We can't wait. She needs to push."

  I nodded and took my place beside Jacinda. Tara moved her gown up. Her mom went to her other side and she looked at me.

  "Where's Jax?" She asked.

  "He's coming."

  "We need to wait then."

  "Love, we can't. It's time to push."

  "Ashton, I need him." She grimaced through the next contraction.

  "Fuck…okay. I'll call him again."

  I took out my cell and the door burst open.

  "I'm here! I'm here, sweetness," he said breathless, giving his suit jacket to Elizabeth and quickly making his way to the bed.

  "Jax, what the hell…" she moaned.

  "I'm sorry, but I’m here baby, let’s do this," he said, kissing her quickly.

  0****************0

  The first baby's head literally popped out of Jacinda. Tara cleaned his face and suctioned him out. He had very chubby cheeks, and a head full of blonde hair that was wet and stuck to his head. I looked at Jax as he beamed at our son. After Cin pushed the babe the rest of the way out, Tara asked which one of us wanted to cut the first cord. Jax went first. We both seem to think that this baby was his.

  After baby number one was pulled from Cin, a stream of fluid came out. My son's bag had ruptured as well and eight minutes later baby number two was crowning.

  "What the hell?" I said as another head full of blonde hair popped out of Jacinda.

  My dad laughed and ran his hand through his blonde locs. I looked at Jax and he shrugged. Tara wiped off baby number two and suctioned him out as well. I cut his cord and the nurse whisked him away. The crowd swarmed the heaters to admire the twins after they were cleaned off. I heard them talking as I kissed Cin. They were in awe of them. I heard the words beautiful, big, cute and other adjectives being thrown arou
nd.

  "They're beautiful." I told her.

  "Thank you."

  "You did so well." Jax smiled.

  "I did?"

  "Yes, you did," we both said.

  "I want to see them."

  "I'll get them." Jax said, going to the bassinets.

  When Tara finished up with Jacinda Jax brought the twins over. It was my first time seeing them since they were clean. They both had light hair but one of them had a reddish tint to his. He had to be mine. I caressed the baby's cheek.

  "Hey little man," I cooed and his eyes flickered open. Yes, he definitely was mine, blonde hair be damned. Those eyes were all Buchanan. They were freakishly light green cat eyes rimmed in gold. My grandfather, dad, Max and I, all had them. He yawned and the dimples in his cheeks were enormous. I smiled; he got those from Maxwell and mom. My heart swelled in my chest as my son looked at me. He had my family all through him. I leaned in and kissed Jacinda hard.

  "Thank you so much for him," I said sobbing, tears rolling down my face.

  "Thank you. You deserve this…you deserve them."

  Jax was cuddling baby number one and kissing his tiny face. He was a mini replica of Jax. Even with the chubby cheeks you could see the strong jaw line and aristocratic nose and features. He even had those blue-gray Worthington eyes. He was cooing at the baby and smiling. He was just as gone as I was. He looked up at me and I couldn't help but smile. I was so fucking happy.

  "Congratulations," I said gesturing to the baby in his arms.

  "Right back at you. I think we need to celebrate."

  My dad stepped up and pulled a pouch out my mom's bag.

  "I got that covered." He smiled sticking a cigar in his mouth. "Care to join me outside for a smoke."

  We both smiled and looked at Cin.

  "Can we name our sons before you run off patting each other on the back?" She smiled.

  "Of course." Jax smiled back.

  "Well, we already decided on the last names so we were thinking that like Whitley, we'd like to give them family names. Jax chose a name and Ashton chose the other." She looked at us.

  She reached for the baby in Jax's arms and he handed him over reluctantly.

  "Well baby number one," She smiled looking at Jax and he beamed with pride. "He's beautiful Jax," she cried.

  "Yes, he is." He agreed kissing her. "Just like his mommy." He stroked her face.

  She smiled and stifled her tears.

  "Go on, you tell them."

  "We're naming him, Montgomery Bradley Buchanan-Pierce," he said smiling.

  Elizabeth smiled. "I can't believe you named both of your children after my parents."

  "They have great, classic names and it means a lot to Jax," Jacinda said.

  Jax leaned in and kissed Cin then little Monty.

  She grinned. "Now…for baby number two," she said reaching for him. I placed him in her other arm. She kissed him and smiled.

  "These two are going to break a lot of hearts." She shook her head. "They're just too pretty for words."

  "Handsome…" I corrected.

  "No, they're pretty. Look at them. They're every bit as beautiful as Whit."

  She was right, because right now, as babes, they were beautiful. They both had Jacinda's plump red lips and smooth tanned skin, which made their light eyes really stand out. And even though you could pick out things that were me and Jax respectively, you could tell that they were brothers. They looked different but very much alike.

  "Ashton and I also chose a family name." She smiled. "Ashton…"

  "So, this little guy is, Masen Alexander Buchanan-Pierce," I said, stroking his head.

  My dad's head popped up and my mom smiled.

  "You want to name him after me?" My dad smiled.

  "Yes, is that alright?" I asked.

  "I'm honored, but this is your first-born son. Are you sure you don't want him to have your name?" He smiled.

  "Ever since I was a kid, I've wanted to be at least half the man you are and it would be an honor to have my son carry on your name. I know I haven't lived up to all of my potential thus far, but I promise you and him, that I will. I will make you proud of me because I want my son to look up to me the way I look up to you."

  My dad crossed the room in a few strides and wrapped me in his strong arms making me feel like a kid again, despite my 6'2", 213 lb. frame.

  "Ashton, you are a great man and I'm so very proud of you. I know you'll be a great father and your son will love and admire you because you love and admire him…trust me on that. You and Max are my world and I'm a better man because of you. I love you two with all my heart," he said, looking at me then Max across the room.

  I felt another set of strong arms encase me suddenly.

  "Damn it, dad…I love you too." Max sobbed and I laughed. He really was a big baby.

  After Max let us go my mom kissed my dad and hugged me and Max.

  "Masen, is my maiden name," mom said holding Jacinda's hand.

  "Ashton told me, that’s why he chose it. I like it as a first name too though, don’t you?" She asked.

  "You know I do. It's great, thank you," my mom said, hugging Cin and kissing the babies.

  "You and Dad have always been so good to me. You've never judged me, even when Ashton and I weren't together. I’ll forever love you for that."

  "We love you too, Jacinda."

  I smiled as my parents beamed and leaned in to kiss her and both of the babies in her arms.

  "Thank you for making my parents happy," I whispered.

  "You helped." She winked.

  "So, we're happy to introduce you all to, Montgomery Bradley and Masen Alexander Buchanan-Pierce, formally known as babies one and two." Cin laughed.

  "Monty and Mase, I like it. Babe, we have to give our kid a cool name too." Max smiled and I rolled my eyes.

  "These two are going be so wild. I can see it now, the bad ass Buchanan-Pierce boys."

  Jax and I laughed and Cin rolled her eyes.

  "Oh, come on, you know they are. They got good genes, permanent tans, great hair already, and they're rich. Oooo weee, that's a wicked combination!"

  Now everyone was laughing.

  "Maxwell go and sit down somewhere." My dad laughed.

  I looked at Jax.

  "TJ, you've been best friends with Jax and me both for years. You were our friend when we couldn't stand each other and you didn't choose sides or make judgments on either of us and we love you for that. So, we wanted to know if you would do us the honor of being our sons’ godfather."

  Max slapped him on the back.

  "Really, you want me to do it?" He asked smiling.

  "If something happens to one of us, you're the only person who really knows us both well enough to tell our sons about who we really are and we both trust you with our lives."

  "You sure want me to tell them how you were when we were younger?" He joked and everyone laughed. "Seriously guys, I would be honored to be your boys' godfather."

  We both hugged him and he hugged Cin.

  My dad handed him a cigar.

  "Can we get to the celebrating now? I'm a grandpa!" He beamed.

  Max and I laughed shaking our heads.

  "Wait! I need pictures!" Ali shouted. "Huddle together…"

  We took a bunch of pics, some were with Cin, some were with Cin and the babies, some with just the guys, some with grandparents and the babies. My favorite was the one where Cin was holding Mase and Monty and Jax and I were leaning over her kissing the boys on the head.

  "Ali…I need copies of all of those I told her. She smiled and nodded.

  0*******************0

  By the time we got back from our little smoke break Cin had fallen asleep and everyone had started to clear out. Soon there was no one left in the room besides Jax and I. He was in the recliner sleeping and I was lying on the bed with Jacinda, watching TV. I was too pumped to sleep.

  One of the babies started to whimper so I got up and went to see which on
e it was. It was Monty. I picked him up and snuggled him to my cheek. I kissed his little forehead.

  "What's up, Monty? You glad to be on the outside?" I smiled.

  His bright blue eyes tried to focus on my face and I smiled. I think he recognized my voice. The realization of that hit me hard. I was just as much his father as I was Masen's. And I hadn't realized it until that moment, but I loved him just as much. He grimaced a little and I put him to my chest and rocked him slowly.

  "Don't cry little man. Let your mama sleep a little bit."

  I started to hum a song that I had wrote and recorded for them. I played it a lot for Jacinda in the parlor on my baby grand when I was working on it. She would sit on the bench beside me with her head on my shoulder rubbing her swollen belly and rocking along.

  When I was done, he was sleeping again. I lay him in the bassinet and watched him and Masen sleeping. I closed my eyes and sent up a silent prayer to whoever was up there listening that everything works out with Cin, Jax and I.

  I prayed for Jax to understand just how much I needed her and the twins in my life. I prayed for the wisdom to raise our children into good people. But most of all, I prayed for strength, trust, and patience. Because it was hard for me to know that I could never have her the way I truly wanted her. She was his wife and I was what…her boyfriend…her lover? I wasn’t totally happy in this role, but I'd take her anyway I could get her. It seemed like everything I'd ever wanted was just out of my reach, and there was a dull ache always present in my heart because of it.

  "Your song is beautiful, Ashton."

  I walked over to the bed and sat on the edge.

  "Thanks, how are you feeling?"

  "Sore."

  "I'm sorry. You know if I could take your pain away I would."

  "I know." She took my hand. "What's wrong?"

  "Nothing…" I lied.

  "You're lying, tell me the truth."

  I sighed. "I…I just don't want to lose you or the kids. I feel like I'm on borrowed time. Does that make sense?"

  She sat up a little and grimaced.

  "Don't…" I said, trying to stop her.

  "I'm okay. I have to move at some point."

  "Well, just be careful."

  "I will.” She shifted and settled. “Listen Ash, I can’t say that I know exactly how you feel but I think I understand. So, trust me when I say that you are very much a part of this…of us. And I love you."

  "And I love you too, but is that enough?"