She’s figuring it out. And that’s all you can ask for, really. Just an opportunity to figure it all out on your own terms, in your own way.
About an hour later a nurse walks up. “Aston family?” she asks, looking down at her clipboard.
“Yes!” we all say together.
“You can see the baby now.” The nurse beams a bright smile at us and then walks off.
But my stomach is doing a little flip inside. Like I’m nervous as all hell. I want to take a moment to figure out what it means, but I have no time. I wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans and grab Ronnie’s hand. She’s excited, as is Rook. But both Ronin and I are worried about Ford. That short walk down the hallway feels like miles, and when we finally turn the corner and enter the room, I realize I’ve been holding my breath.
The girls rush in first. They are chatting and squealing with Ashleigh, who is looking pretty tired, but she’s beaming a smile at us.
My eyes scan the room until I find Ford. Sitting in a chair next to the bed. Holding a little blue bundle with dark hair. A little blue bundle that is sleeping happily in his father’s arms.
“It’s a boy,” Ford says softly, like he’s trying not to wake him. He leans down to kiss the baby’s cheek. “And he’s perfect.”
I’m not sure, because Ford is holding the baby close to his face. But I think I see a tear.
I nod and shoot Ford with my finger. “Just like you, dude. He’s perfect just like you.”
“What’s his name?” Rook asks excitedly. Neither Ford nor Ashleigh ever disclosed the names they were throwing around.
“Rutherford Aston the Fifth, of course,” Ash says.
And then Ford looks up at me and Ronin and grins. “I shall call him… Number Five.”
We all laugh. Fucking Ford. My serious friend is a major goofball. I pull Ronnie into a hug and whisper in her ear. “Just picture it, Bomb. Kate and Number Five growing up with little Princess Shrike. They’ll be friends from birth.”
“They’ll be a team, won’t they?” she says, her beautiful face smiling up at me.
“They will, Bombshell. The old team might be gone, but a new one was just born.”
EPILOGUE—PART TWO
NUMBER FIVE
Six years later—first day of school—St. Joseph’s, Fort Collins.
I tap my finger on my tooth and Kate reaches out to slap it away. I frown up at her. She’s still taller than me even though we are in the same grade now. They made me skip first grade after my IQ test came back.
Can’t a man just enjoy himself? Relish in being six instead of being rushed into the realm of seven-hood?
I resume my tapping, but not on my tooth. Kate says that gives me away. Tells people I’m nervous. So she won’t let me do it anymore. So I tap my toe inside my shoe. No one can see my toe tapping, so it’s OK.
I glance over at my father as he talks to Sister Nemesis. I know I’m not supposed to hate people, but Sister Nemesis tries my last nerve. She has so many rules. And honestly, I’ve been reading since I was two. Why should I have to sit cross-legged on the carpet and listen to stories like kids who can’t?
They figure moving me up a grade will help that. But they’d have to move me into college to satisfy my academic pursuits here in this little school. That’s not gonna happen. I’m gonna make sure that never happens.
And as if on cue, I hear it.
The low rumble of Uncle Spencer’s nineteen sixty-nine Camaro. My heart thumps with excitement as he pulls up to the curb on the far end of the playground. “Be right back, Kate,” I call out as I rush towards the car.
Aunt Bombshell is gathering up the backpack from the backseat and then…
I see her.
Princess Shrike.
I waited all last year for her. And they think they can just shoot me up a few grades and keep her out of my reach?
Never!
I sigh as I take her in. She’s got on her little blue and green tartan skirt and her white shirt is pressed smooth. Her long blonde hair is up in two flowing pigtails. She looks over at me and waves and my heart flutters a little.
She’s mine now. Ha ha ha.
“Aunt Ronnie.” I beam up at the Bombshell after she kisses Princess Shrike with a sappy tear in her eye. “I’ll take it from here.” And then I grab her little pink hand and lead her down the sidewalk to the playground.
Her parents follow, but they make their way over to my mom and dad now, so I relax a little. I look down at my best friend. “Are you nervous, Princess?”
She stops walking and puts her hand on her hip. “You’re not allowed to call me that, Ford. My name is Rory. You have to call me Rory!”
I nod. “Sure thing, Princess. And it’s Number Five. Now, are you ready?”
“Yes,” she says with a smile. “I can write my name and I know my address.”
“Hmmm.” I’m not impressed. “In how many languages?” My toe begins to tap inside my shoe again. This might be more difficult than I thought.
“What?”
“Princess Rory, I can see my work is cut out. We will meet every day at lunch and you will learn French. That way you’ll know what the grownups are saying when they are talking about secret things.”
“Why do I need to know secret things?” she asks innocently.
The bell rings and kids begin gathering their things for class.
I lean in to her ear. “Because, Rory. You are on the team now. So we gotta stick together. It’s all for one and one for all. Now listen,” I say as I grab her hand again and begin walking her inside the building. “I’m a whole five months older, so I’m the boss of you, Princess. OK?”