Beyond Expectations (Mended Hearts Book 3) Read online

  Once everyone was inside, Alex moved over to her wife and she and Jon set down the carseats. Reaching down to lift the ebony haired baby that Jon had just put down, Alex held the smallest of the triplets high enough for everyone to see. “Walker family and friends, I would like you all to meet Kennedy Steven Walker.” The room cheered and Alex noticed the looks of pride on Kevin and Steve’s faces. The women had chosen the middle name to honor both men, as it happened to be Kevin’s middle name as well as Steve’s given name. “Karen, would you like to hold your grandson?” Karen’s eyes misted as she stepped forward to take the boy. “Thank you, Alex.” She whispered, gazing lovingly into the tiny face. Alex and Kelly had discussed it in the car, and decided that after each baby was introduced, Kelly’s parents would be the first to hold them.

  “Kevin, you’re next.” Alex said, lifting the red haired baby from his seat. “Everyone, Rookie number two, Anthony Ryder Walker.” Alex handed little Anthony to Kevin and walked over to hug Hank, who had begun to cry at the announcement. After finding out that the babies were all boys, Alex had asked Hank about his name. “You know, dad, I don’t think I know what your middle name is.” Alex had said one evening when the family was visiting. Everyone had been trying to get the women to reveal the names they had chosen, despite being told over and over that they would not reveal them until the birth. “Actually, Hank is my middle name. Anthony Hank Davis.” Alex had been surprised that after being her step-father for most of her adult life, she had had no idea that Hank was not his first name.

  “I take it from the tears that you are happy we named him after you?” Alex whispered into Hank’s ear. “You have no idea how much that means to me, Alex.” Hank replied softly. “You’ve been a wonderful father to me and the others, and I wanted you to know how much we love you.” She said, pulling back to retrieve her remaining son. “Granny Kendall?” Alex said teasingly as she removed the dark-brown haired baby from his seat. Before holding the baby up, Alex met Zane and Dej’s eyes, “This little man was the first to be born, and Kelly and I felt that his name should honor his brother and sister, who did more to help out during Kelly’s pregnancy than most other teens would have. I am proud to introduce Zachary Malachi Walker.” Alex handed Zachary to Kendall and motioned her two oldest children over. Embracing the teary eyed duo, Alex kissed them both on the cheek and thanked them.

  While the babies were passed around and shown to the smaller children, Alex sat on the arm of Kelly’s chair and sighed. “Well, mommy, how does it feel?” Kelly looked up questioningly at Alex’s words. “What do you mean?” Alex smiled and kissed her wife softly. “How does it feel, knowing that you managed to carry three babies, a wife, a mother, a doctor, and a horny wife?” Kelly snorted, remembering the conversation at Del’s so many months before. “You’re crazy, you know that?” she replied. Alex laughed and kissed her again. “Seriously, is being a new mother everything that you expected?” Kelly looked around the room at the loving looks on the faces of those closest to her. “This whole journey has gone far beyond my expectations, sweetheart. In fact, I think I might be ready to do it again.” Alex gave her wife a shocked look and wiggled her eyebrows. “Jon! Kelly’s ready to do this again. You up for another round?” she called to her brother, making the room erupt with laughter.

  Epilogue (6 years later)

  “Boys! Hurry up or we’ll be late!” Kelly waited patiently at the bottom of the stairs for the triplets to come down. “Those three sure know how to procrastinate.” Alex said, stepping out of the kitchen and putting her phone into her pocket. “Dej said she’s going to ride with Carrie, and Zane and Willow are going to meet us at the school.” Kelly turned and met her wife’s eyes. “I can’t believe our little girl is graduating high school!” she said wistfully. Alex sighed in agreement. “Mommy, I can’t get my tie straight.” The women looked up to the small voice and smiled. “I’ll help you, Zack.” Alex said, kneeling down to help her son adjust his little clip on tie. “You look awfully handsome, son.” She said, straightening and taking the boy’s hand. “I wanna look nice for Sissy’s grageration.” Zachary replied sheepishly. Alex beamed at her son, “Sissy will love that you wore your tie, bub.” Zachary blushed and looked down at his feet. He worshipped his older sister, and had been her little shadow since he started walking.

  “Mommy! Mama! Anfony hit me!” Kennedy came barreling down the stairs as fast as his legs would allow, and Kelly was ready for him when he tripped over his untied shoes and pitched forward. Catching the boy as he fell, Kelly set him down and rested her hands on her hips, a move that Alex had always found incredibly sexy. “What did you do to Anthony?” she asked, knowing that Anthony wouldn’t hit his brother unless Kennedy had picked a fight. Shrugging and looking into his mother’s eyes defiantly, Kennedy mimicked the woman’s stance. “I didn’t do nuffin. It was a accident.” Alex had to fight to keep a straight face as she watched her son stand his ground. “It was not! Kennedy gave me a wedgie!” Anthony stormed down the stairs, pushing his wild red curls out of his eyes. Anthony was the tallest and most articulate of the trio, and annoying his brother tended to be Kennedy’s favorite pastime. “Kennedy Steven Walker, you apologize to your brother. And a wedgie isn’t an accident.” Kelly admonished. With a huff, Kennedy turned to face Anthony and muttered a forced apology. Alex chuckled and guided the three boys toward the door. “Come on, Sissy and Bubba are waiting for us.” She said, receiving excited cheers from the boys at the mention of their big brother.

  *****

  “Thank you all for joining us on this beautiful and exciting day.” Principal Susan Klein stood at the podium and gazed out at the sea of proud parents and waiting graduates before her. “Twelve years ago, these wonderful young adults entered kindergarten, wanting nothing more than to make friends and have fun. Over the years, these students grew from fresh faced toddlers into the amazing young men and women they are today. Some of them excelled academically, some athletically, and all of them socially. I am proud to be able to say that I was their principal, and I am confident that each of them will go out into the world and make it a better place for the kids that will follow them in the years to come. Breaking with tradition, our Valedictorian has asked that she be allowed to give her speech before we begin the graduate walk.” Alex and Kelly joined the other parents in applause and whistles as Dej stepped up onto a small stool that Principal Klein set down. Even though she would be eighteen in just a few days, Dej only stood at five-feet tall.

  “Thank you, Principal Klein. Friends, families, and fellow graduates. We stand here today in celebration of the end of our childhood, with our futures shining brightly before us on the precipice of tomorrow. No one knows what the future will bring, and as we take that first step into the unknown, we will all essentially be kindergarteners again. Some of us will sail through adulthood easily, and some of us will struggle, but we will all achieve what God means for us to achieve. Looking back on our time together here at Willowbrook, I can only smile as I remember all of the good times I got to share with my classmates. Don’t get me wrong, we’ve all had our little run-ins with each other. Like the time Greg Bettis threw away my lunch because I wouldn’t let him have some.” Dej paused while the crowd laughed and Greg Bettis blushed. Over the past five years, Dej and Greg had become good friends, despite the predictions of everyone they knew. Pointing at the young man, Dej winked and continued. “There have also been close calls that ended with physical injury, like when Greg dared me to jump from the chin-up bar to the climbing rope and I split my head open trying to impress my girlfriend.” Dej paused again and blew a kiss to Carrie, who returned the sentiment with a smile.

  “No matter what we were faced with, we have always supported each other and encouraged each other to be the best. That is what you have sitting in front of you all today; the best. When our ten year class reunion comes along, I have no doubt that the room will be full of the best doctors, lawyers, dentists, and even grocery store owners that this school has e
ver had the honor of calling it’s students. Two years ago, my older brother, Zane, stood where I am standing now and said something that has stuck with me. He said that no matter what obstacles stand in your way, you heart will always guide you to what you are meant to have. I think that truer words have never been spoken. If you look back at all the great people in history, those who followed their hearts lived their lives with more joy, more reverence, than those who chose to ignore it. With that said, I would like to say thank you to my classmates for taking this journey with me, and I would like to offer a special thank you to my mothers.” Motioning to Alex and Kelly, Dej beamed. “These two women have faced a plethora of obstacles in their lives, my hard-headed self being one of them, and at the end of each day, neither of them had any regrets for the decisions they made. I hope that one day in the not-so-distant future, I will be able to say that I am just like them.” Dej waited another moment as the crowd clapped loudly. Before delivering the last of her address, Dej took a few moments to gather her courage.

  “Why does she seem so nervous all of the sudden?” Zane asked, looking curiously at his sister. Alex shrugged and looked at her wife, who held a sly grin. “Babe?” Alex asked, raising her eyebrow in question. Kelly looked innocently at her wife and shrugged, saying nothing. “Before we get down to business, I have one final pop quiz for one of my classmates. Carrie will you come up here please?” The crowd murmured with curiosity as Carrie made her way onto the stage. Standing in front of her girlfriend, the tall blonde young woman gave Dej a questioning look. “Question one; Carrie, do you remember what you said to me when we were in second grade and Greg Bettis asked you if you would hold hands?” Carrie looked down at Greg, who laughed with the rest of the audience. “What is this, pick on Greg day?” the boy asked loudly, earning a playful wink and nod from Dej. “Yes,” Carrie said with a grin, “I said that I would never hold hands with a yucky boy.” Dej nodded, tossing an amused grin to the laughing crowd. “Question two; do you remember the promise we made to our parents when we were thirteen?” Carrie blushed an intense shade of red and nodded. Looking out to the amused audience, Carrie answered. “We promised to stay virgins until we got married, or until we were thirty, whichever came first.” Roars of laughter were interspersed with disapproving gasps, but neither of the young women cared. Clearing her throat once more, Dej looked at Carrie with a serious expression.

  “Okay, last question. Close your eyes.” Carrie looked nervously at Dej, then at Judy and Lauren, who were seated to Alex’s right, before doing as requested. Placing her finger over her lips as she looked at the crowd, Dej reached inside her graduation robe. Pulling out a small box and dropping down to one knee, Dej spoke with an emotion filled voice. “Carrie Jo Parker, will you marry me?” Carrie’s eyes flew open and her jaw dropped. Looking from Dej to the sea of shocked faces in front of her, Carrie was speechless. “You knew about this? Babe, they’re only seventeen!” Alex asked Kelly incredulously. “She asked me for my grandmother’s ring.” Kelly said with a shrug, “I kind of figured it out on my own. Although I didn’t expect it to be at graduation, besides, they will both be eighteen this summer.” she added with a grin. Turning back to the stage, Alex waited with the other guests for Carrie’s answer. After what seemed like an eternity, the young woman nodded and answered firmly. “Only if you promise that I will never have to answer that question again, from anyone else. Yes, Marissa Dej Walker, I will marry you.” The crowd jumped to its feet and screamed in excitement as Dej stood and Carrie leaned down to seal the promise with a kiss.

  The End