* * * * *

The first chink in this organized domestic perfection was due to a combination of fatigue and colic. Fatigue Jack always thought he could handle. He’d had weeks of messed sleep with horses, and he wasn’t stupid, he and Riley grabbed shuteye whenever they could. Add in the crying from the colic, this new utterly consuming worry about one of their babies, and Jack was destroyed.

Poor Lexie let out the most horrible crying for such a tiny baby and drew her legs up. Jack and Riley took it in turns to hold her and rub her tummy and back. Jack could even rationalize the crying as something that wasn’t life threatening, although he and Riley had looked for any other symptoms.

The pediatrician had only just left. Expensive and private assured them priority treatment, and they were told what was happening with Lexie was normal. Something about the baby’s body almost straightening itself out in a way. Apparently no one knew the actual cause of colic, but he reassured them most experts agreed it was something in the stomach. Jack wondered if the man was spinning them a line and treating them like imbeciles. What was happening to Lexie didn’t sound very normal from where Jack was looking. Maybe someone else could help them. They hadn’t asked for any assistance yet—they were managing fine, this little unit of five.

“Should we call Rebecca?” Riley asked uncertainly.

“We signed that we wouldn’t,” Jack said immediately. “And I don’t want her…” he paused.

“Involved?” Riley said. “I know. They’re ours, but we could ask someone else?”

“Beth,” Jack said quickly. Riley started to call Beth before Jack could get to his cell. “No, wait,” he said. He couldn’t remember Emily ever having colic, but then he recalled a time when Josh had opened the door to Jack when his kids were young looking absolutely exhausted and muttering something about colic. “Try Anna instead,” Jack said.

Jack rocked Lexie and they were treated to a few moments of silence. The cries came and went and neither Riley nor he could tell when the next crying would be. Riley scrolled to the number and connected before putting it on handsfree so Jack could hear the conversation.

“Jack?” Josh answered on the third ring.

“Hi, Josh, it’s Riley, is Anna there?”

“Hey, yeah, hang on…”

“Riley?” Anna answered immediately. “Is everything okay?”

“No,” Riley said quickly. “It’s not good. Lexie has colic.”

“Oh poor thing. I’ll be over in an hour. Bye.” She disconnected the call.

Riley stared down at the phone. “She’s…she said…hell, she’s coming over.”

“I heard,” Jack whispered. Even the faint noise had Lexie starting to cry. He rocked her and patted her back and sang a short lullaby his mom used to sing to them when they were tiny. Riley crossed to hug Jack carefully. I love you, he mouthed. I love you too, Jack mouthed back. Lexie wasn’t dying; they just needed Anna to see her.

Whirlwind-Anna arrived inside the hour with Josh and three kids in tow. In a few minutes she had Logan and Lea take Sarah off to find Hayley who was outside with Robbie and Eli. She got Josh to make coffee and eggs. Then she took Lexie from Jack.

“About time,” she said. “We were waiting for a call.”

Jack bristled. “Waiting for us to call, why?” he asked quickly. “We just wanted advice.”

“For you to ask for help, idiot.” She added the last with affection. “Eat your food,” she said firmly. Then she disappeared into their room. They could hear her cooing to the twins over the baby monitor. Jack didn’t realize how hungry he was until he’d cleared a plate of eggs bacon and biscuits. Riley did the same and when they exchanged wry looks, it appeared Riley had realized a similar thing.

Anna appeared back in the kitchen with Lexie wearing something new. “Connor’s still sleeping. When was his last feeding?”

Jack looked at the clock. He couldn’t get his head around the time. How long? “Two hours?” he suggested.

“Three?” Riley added. “Maybe?”

“We should know this,” Jack snapped. He wasn’t angry at Riley, or Anna for asking, he was cross with himself. “Sorry,” he apologized. “I’m…” He scrubbed a hand over his face.

“Exhausted? This is day ten, always the day you hit the wall, honey.” She leaned up on her toes and kissed Jack on the cheek. “You and Riley, get a shave, shower, sleep. It’s eleven now; I don’t want to see you up before dinner tonight.”

Riley looked just as bewildered as Jack felt.

She shooed them out of the kitchen. Jack almost fell in line until Lexie made a soft hiccupping sound. He stopped in his tracks and turned at exactly the same time as Riley.

“Is she…?”

“Go. Sleep. We’ll all be here.”

Jack checked what Josh was doing, and his brother simply shrugged. “Do what she says, Jack,” he said.

Somehow he managed to shave and shower without once looking at Riley and getting turned on at the sight of his husband naked in the shower. That was an absolute first.

Together they climbed, or more like fell, into bed. Jack didn’t remember falling asleep, although he did recall half waking and seeing Hayley and Anna carrying a softly snuffling Connor through their room. All he knew was that he was wrapped in Riley’s arms, and he was able to relax.

* * * * *

Riley woke first. Jack always was the lighter sleeper now the twins were here, but he was snoring softly and Riley couldn’t even see his face. Riley lay absolutely still for a moment and pulled his thoughts into some sort of order. It was dark and a quick check of the clock had him pegging total uninterrupted sleep at ten hours or more. Jack moved in his sleep and wriggled closer. Riley loved the way his husband snuggled into his hold. Gently he turned on his side and pulled Jack close.

They could probably sneak in another half an hour.

“Hi, Daddy,” Hayley said softly. “Are you feeling better? Aunty Anna said dinner is in the oven if you’re hungry, and that Connor and Lexie are pinin’.”

Riley huffed a laugh, and Jack woke to the noise. He stretched and nearly thumped Riley on the nose.

“Everything okay?” Jack asked immediately. Then he sat bolt upright. “The twins?”

“Lexie’s been crying,” Hayley stated. “Aunty Anna said it’s fine and showed me how to rub her tummy. Come on, it’s dinner.”

Riley pushed back the covers and realized he was sleeping in jersey shorts and nothing else. He pulled on jeans and a T-shirt, and when Jack had done the same, they went into the kitchen.

The kids were playing a card game, Anna looked serene sitting in a chair with Lexie sleeping on her, and Josh was waving a toy in front of a wide-awake Connor.

“Pot roast in the oven,” Anna said with a smile.

“Is everything okay?” Riley asked. He leaned down and placed his hand on Connor’s tummy. His son gurgled and batted at him softly as he touched Connor’s hand. Less than two weeks old and they were both so dear to him, as precious as Hayley.

“Everything’s fine,” Anna reassured. “You were tired.”

“Thank you,” Jack said softly. Riley looked at Jack, at his soft wavy hair and his crumpled T-shirt. He knew he looked the same. For a good reason.

“We all hit the wall, Jack, it’s inevitable,” Anna explained patiently. “Eat, then I’ll show you what worked for Lea’s colic so you can do the same for Lexie.”

Riley walked to the kitchen and noticed the icon on his cell for his messaging service. Halfway through the meal, when the keen edge of hunger had gone, he pressed play and listened to the three messages. Two were work—he’d deal with those tomorrow. The third one was his dad.

“Riley, it’s Dad, I’m so happy son, the final hurdle is cleared. The adoption will go through early next month. I have some papers for you to sign. I’m so happy for you and that I get to be another grandchild. Call me when you get this.” Riley placed the cell on the table.