@A_Vow_of_Silence plot point alert!
Chapter 6
Daisy’s scheduled induction was four days later, which would give Luke ample time to bond with their as yet unborn son before the band goes on the mini-tour for their upcoming third album. As soon as she woke up on the day of the appointment, March 1st, Daisy called her ex-fiancé Jesse to see if he could watch the kids while she and Luke were at the hospital.
“Well, sure!” he agreed. “I’ll bring my girlfriend as well.”
“Oh, what’s her name?”
“Her name is Roxanne; she moved here from Quebec a few months ago. She’s a really cool girl, so I’m excited for you to meet her.”
“Me too. The induction is at eleven, so can you be here by ten?”
“Absolutely! Give the kiddoes my love, would you?”
“Sure thing.”
“Did Jesse say yes?” Luke asked his girlfriend.
“Yeah, he and his girlfriend are coming at ten. Would you be a dear and get the twins out of bed, please? I’ll get Connor.”
“Sure.”
Daisy and Luke shared a quick kiss on the lips before Daisy got up and went to Connor’s room. She could hear him loudly playing with his toys, telling her he was already awake.
“Hey, buddy,” Daisy said to her son. “Guess what today is?”
“Um… my birthday?” Connor guessed.
“No, that’s in October, about seven months from now. It’s baby day!” Connor stared at her with a blank expression. “Your stepdad and I are going to the hospital today, and the next time you see me, bubba will be here!”
Connor’s baby blues glistened as he finally understood what Daisy was saying. “Oh! Do I get to play with him?”
“When he gets older, yeah. But for now, all he’s going to do is eat, sleep, cry, and eliminate… but you can certainly have first dibs on holding him. What would you like for breakfast?”
“Pancakes. Do we have any more Mickey ones?”
“We might! I’ll have to check the freezer, though. Come on.”
Connor followed Daisy downstairs, where Luke was already in the kitchen making breakfast. Meanwhile, Jade and Audrey were in their highchairs drinking their bottles.
“Luke, can you look in the freezer and see if we have any Mickey Mouse pancakes left?”
“Nah, we don’t; I already checked,” Luke said. “Would Connor like some French toast instead?”
“What’s French toast?” Connor asked, scrunching his nose.
“It’s a breakfast food like pancakes,” Daisy said. “Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.”
Connor gave Daisy a confused look. “I’m not knocking anything,” he said. This got a giggle out of Daisy.
“It’s an expression, bud. It means ‘don’t say you don’t like it when you haven’t tried it.’”
After breakfast, Daisy and Luke worked to tidy up the house before Jesse and Roxanne got there. They finished just as the doorbell rang at ten. When Daisy opened it, she saw Jesse standing there next to a tall, curvy woman with long brown hair.
“Hey, Jess,” Daisy said. “Come on in, both of you.”
“Thank you,” the woman said, following Jesse inside. “You must be Daisy! I’m Roxanne; it’s nice to meet you. And…” She stopped in her tracks when she saw Luke. “Oh, my God! Jess, you didn’t tell me your ex was dating Luke Hemmings!” She had a French Canadian accent as she spoke.
“Well, I did tell you his name was Luke,” Jesse said. “I just didn’t tell you his last name.”
“Are you a fan, too?” Daisy asked Roxanne.
“Oh, I’m a huge fan!” Roxanne gushed. “But you’re safe; my favorite member is Ashton.”
“Mine is Luke, and not just because he’s my boyfriend.”
“And mine is Daisy… not just because I’m dating her,” Luke quipped.
Daisy giggled when Luke kissed her neck. “Luke, you’re such a dork!”
“Well, a cute dork, I’d hope.”
“My favorite kind of dork.”
“Daddy!” Connor yelled, running towards Jesse like a bull. “I miss you!”
“I missed you, too, buddy,” he said. “Where are your sisters?”
“They’re napping,” Luke said. “I just put them down.”
“Connor, tell Daddy what’s happening today,” Daisy prompted.
“I’m getting a baby brother!” he squealed, jumping up and down.
Roxanne bent down to meet Connor’s eyes. “Are you excited? What’s your name, by the way? I’m Roxanne, and I’m dating your daddy.”
“I’m Connor,” he flirted. “Watch what I can do!”
“Connor Landon English, don’t you dare!” Daisy scolded when she saw him reaching for the bottom of his shirt.
But Connor didn’t listen. He started to take the shirt off to show Roxanne his abs. Then, Daisy hurriedly pushed it back down over his body, blushing along the way.
“Connor, you’re embarrassing me,” she said.
“So, does he have a tendency to undress himself?” Roxanne asked.
“Only when he meets a female for the first time. He’s really big on girls, and he’s only four.”
Luke laughed. “I still remember the first time he met Savannah, Calum’s gal. He took his entire shirt off, then his pants. Thank God, I stopped him before he could push his undies down.”
“So, let me tell you what the kids’ routines are,” Daisy began. By the time she was finished, it was 10:24, almost time to leave for the hospital. “Any questions?”
“No, I got this,” Roxanne said. “I’m sure Jesse will be more than happy to help me, too.”
“Of course, babe,” Jesse said, putting an arm around her shoulder. “Good luck with the delivery, Dais!”
“Thank you,” Daisy said.
“Connor, be good for your dad and step-mum,” Luke ordered. After Connor responded, Daisy went upstairs to say goodbye to the twins.
“Girls, are you ready to meet your baby brother soon?” Daisy asked usual, Jade was still awake, but Audrey was sleeping like a rock.
“Mama, go-go?” Jade asked sadly. Daisy could see tears welling up in her eyes, so she picked her up to prevent her from waking Audrey up with her cries.
“Yes-yes, Mama, go-go,” Daisy said. “But she’ll be back!”
“Pommis?”
“I promise.” Daisy kissed Jade on the cheek and laid her back down. Then, she kissed Audrey’s cheek, tucked her in, and crept out of the room.
Savannah and Calum got home at 3 pm to see somebody sitting on the doorstep on her phone. Calum groaned at this, as he knew exactly who that somebody was.
“What’s wrong, babe?” Savannah asked as she got out. But Calum pulled her back.
“Wait in the car,” he said. “I have to handle this myself.”