~~
Reece
~~
It was all becoming more and more real to me. Just like my Little Bunny had said before, it was starting to feel more and more exciting, more surreal, and more nerve wracking. There was so much stuff that we had to do still and not as much time as I was thinking there was.
Griffin said yesterday that it was just over three months but he also told me once that the babies would probably be about two weeks early since they were twins. They try not to let the babies come that early if they can because it's not safe for them sometimes but there is nothing they can do when there are multiples.
If that was true then I barely had three months left before they came. I needed to get their room set up. I needed to buy the furniture and the clothes and the toys and the diapers and…. and…. and…. What else did I need?
I needed expert help here. I wanted to do all this myself, and I was determined that the nursery was going to be my project, but I didn't know what to buy. I had never had a kid and I hadn't spent much time around them either. What did they need?
There were only two people I could think of to ask advice from. Vincent, who had three kids of his own, and of course my mother. As cliché and childish as it might sound I needed my mom for help here.
I didn't want Trinity to hear the discussion by accident. I wanted to surprise her with my plan and idea. So I took my mom out to lunch at the diner that my Little Bunny and her friends loved to go to. I knew she wasn't going to be there since she was at home and therefore it was safe.
We were seated and ordered out food but that was all that we managed before my mom leveled a knowing look my way and began to talk.
"OK Reece, spill it. What are you planning?"
"Huh?" I was shocked, she figured it out already. "Can't I ask my mother out to lunch from time to time?" I tried to play innocent but she wasn't buying it.
"Boy, you haven't been able to play innocent with me since you were four. You can't lie to me, you never could."
"Hahh." I sighed and looked at her over my cup of coffee. "So, it's that obvious huh?" I grinned sheepishly.
"I knew you were planning something but I don't know what it is. So, I repeat, spill it."
"I want to do the nursery. I want to be the one that paints it, does the floors. The one that puts the furniture together. I want to do it all. But I don't even know where to start." I thumped my head against the table and sighed again. "Hahhh! I'm a failure as a father."
"You're not a failure, Reece. You're a first time father. That means you need to learn. No one is born knowing what to do, why do you think that you would already know?"
"I don't know. I'm supposed to be an all powerful King and ruler of the shifter world alongside my wife. Shouldn't I at least know how to take care of my own family."
"You'll get there, baby, you will. I promise. Your father and I were so nervous when you were first born. I would have sworn that I was doing everything wrong. Then I got used to it all and it just clicked for me. I wasn't nervous anymore and I felt like I was on top of it all. I don't think I did too bad, despite everything." There was a look in her eyes that I couldn't fathom, she looked both proud and disappointed. What the hell?
"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked her with a nervous feeling in my gut.
"It means you're good now but you were once an idiot. I didn't raise you to be that way so I can only assume it came from your father's side of the family." I sighed again. Would I ever be let out from under that cloud? It wasn't as bad as it once was though. It was only brought up in extreme cases. "I'm just playing with you honey. You're a great man and I know that. You will be a wonderful father."
"Thanks, Mom." I smiled at her, the nerves still there but they were a little easier to bear right this minute.
"So, Reece, tell me what your plan for the nursery is. Let's start with colors." I grinned at her since she didn't know for a fact yet that the babies were indeed a boy and a girl. She also didn't know the names that we had decided on. I hoped she would like them.
"Well, I was thinking of doing most of the room in soft shades of yellow and green."
"Oh, going for a neutral color? Are you not going to find out the genders before they're born?"
"No, we know, but I figure that we can use the same nursery in the future if we ever have another baby."
"That's a smart decision. We can move the babies to other rooms when they get older."
"Exactly." I was so glad that she was on the same page as me right now. That made things so much easier.
"So, aside from the yellow and green, what were you planning?"
"I want to paint trees on one wall, something that looks like a forest. Then I want to use glow in the dark paint for the ceiling and paint a starry night sky. There will be other symbols in the room as well that glow in the dark. The moon, paw prints, and other things associated with wolves, warlocks, and the pack."
"I see you've put some thought into all of this." She was smiling but I sensed that there was still something wrong. "Have you talked to Trinity about any of this?"
"No, I haven't." I admitted and that made her look at me with concern.
"You should know this already but pregnant women don't often like surprises. You might want to talk to her about this first."
"Alright, I will talk it over with her." I hung my head, now my plans would have to be changed since it won't be a surprise anymore.
"Good. Now, we need to make a list of all the stuff you need to buy. It will be a long list since you need to buy two of everything." She was starting to tick that list off on her fingers. "Two cribs, two swings, to dressers, two-." She stopped for a second. "You know if they're boys or girls? Which are they?" It was like she had just let that part of the conversation hit her.
"One of each, mom, one of each."
"Really?" She was smiling happily. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Oh Goddess, this is perfect. Do you have names yet?"
"Yes, Reagan and Rika."
"OOOOOHHH! So adorable!" She was squealing happily. "I love them already. I can't wait. I am going to be a Grandma." She was actually bouncing in her seat. I guess this was all going to be a good time as long as we had help like my mom.
I went to talk to my Little Bunny when I got home. She was finishing up an assignment for her online courses.
"Hey Sweetie." I called out to her when I went into our room.
"Hey babe." She smiled at me, using one of the rare terms of endearment that she had reserved for me.
"I wanted to talk to you about the nursery."
"What about it?" She was confused.
"Well, I told my mom today that I want to be the one to set it up. I want to paint it and put everything together."
"That's so sweet of you." She was smiling.
"Yeah, but she said I needed to tell you what I had planned because pregnant women don't like surprises."
"Ahh, well most probably don't, but you've been so great that I can't say no to you."
"Really?" I was skeptical. "You don't mind if I do what I want?"
"I'm sure it will turn out amazing, Reece. Just make what you're planning a reality and I am sure I will love it."
"You're the best, Trinity. I love you."
"I love you too."
I was happy. Really happy. I had full right to make the nursery that was in my imagination. I was going to make the best place for my babies that there ever could be. I would make it super comfortable for Trinity for when she needed to be in there with them, or me since I wasn't going to make her do it all. It was going to be the best nursery there ever was.
