White Chocolate Moments (41 page)

Arcineh was right. Just 15 minutes later, the doctor was there and he was coaching Arcineh through the birth. Violet stayed close by. Arcineh could not have said when Gage arrived, but he was suddenly there too.

"I'm sorry!' she cried when he kissed her.

"It's all right. I'm here now:'

"I'm sorry!' she gasped this time, and then desperately had to push. A little boy came into the world just 14 minutes later, and Arcineh had to laugh.

"We already have a name picked out!' she said. "I knew it would be a boy:'

Gage kissed her and laughed with her. They were looking at their new son, thrilled with his perfect little person, when Arcineh

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felt another contraction. The doctor was just on his way out when Arcineh gasped.

Ten minutes of mayhem passed before the doctor told his patient she was carrying another baby. Arcineh would have had many questions, but the pains were on her, and she was soon ready to push again.

Another 18 minutes passed this time, and when it was done, Gage openly cried as the nurse put a tiny baby on Arcineh's chest. It was a girl.

"How are you?" Arcineh asked of her sons when they came to visit her in the hospital room. Their answers varied, and Arcineh laughed a little. She finally focused on each one, taking time to hear every word.

"Did you see the babies?" she asked of Ethan first.

He smiled before saying, "They're so small'

"I think you said that about Derek too."

"Probably:" Ethan agreed, smiling again when his mother reached to touch his hair.

"How about you, Tanner?"

"Is there going to be a pink room?" he wanted to know.

"Not all pink:" Arcineh assured him, wanting to laugh at his doubtful expression. "I think you'll like having a sister:'

"I don't know:' he said, not afraid to be honest.

"You like me, and I'm a girl:'

"That's different," Tanner said before Arcineh turned to Derek. "What do you think of the babies, Derek?"

"How did the doctor not know?" the astute seven-year-old asked.

"Sometimes they can't tell when there are twins. He was as surprised as I was:'

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"Did it hurt?" he then asked, more interested in medical matters than any one of his siblings.

"Just a little bit more. Not too bad."

When Derek nodded, seeming satisfied, Arcineh turned to Kenny, who had been sitting quietly in his father's arms.

"Did you see our babies, Kenny?"

That little boy nodded and yawned at the same time.

"How did you like the bike ride?" Arcineh just remembered to ask.

"I wanted you," he said, his eyes getting a bit moist.

"I'll be home tomorrow:' she told him.

"With the babies?"

"Yes:' Arcineh was pleased to say, so thankful they were doing fine.

"Okay, boys:' Gage cut in, seeing that Arcineh was growing fatigued. "Say goodbye to Mom:'

The boys who couldn't reach climbed up to kiss her, and Gage handed off Kenny to Ethan before coming close.

"I'll get them home and then I'll be back."

"Okay:"

Gage looked into her eyes a moment. "You were amazing today."

"Thank you. I'm just glad you made it."

Gage had to laugh a little. "I won't be talked into going without you again:'

Arcineh had to laugh with him, not wanting him to leave for even an hour and thinking that he was right--she would never talk him into leaving without her again.

A week later Arcineh found Gage in the nursery. The boys were all asleep. She had already prayed over them, thinking that Gage

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had retired for the night. Planning to pray at the twins' cribside, she found Gage staring down into the crib they had fashioned to hold two babies, Keith Joseph and Jalaina Violet. Arcineh came up behind him, her arms going around his middle.

"I can't get over it," he said softly, staring down at the tiny forms God had given them.

"They're so little:" Arcineh laughed softly.

"And she was hiding," Gage said, his smile huge. "The girl my wife has waited for was hiding from us:'

Gage's arms went around Arcineh as she looked up into his face. "Thank you:' Gage said.

"For what?"

"For being you:' Gage kissed her brow. "For being the mother you are:' He kissed her cheek. "And for being my girl:'

Arcineh sighed when Gage finally found her mouth.

"I knew it would be fun being married to you:'

Gage's pleased laugh came softly to her ear just before he kissed her again.

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LORI WICK is a

multifaceted author of Christian fiction. As comfortable writing period stories as she is penning contemporary works, Lori's books (5 million in print) vary widely in location and time period. Lori's faithful fans consistently put her series and standalone works on the bestseller lists. Lori and her husband, Bob, live with their swiftly growing family in the Midwest.

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Books by Lori Wick

A Place Called Home Series
A Place Called Home A Song for Silas The Long Road Home A Gathering of Memories

The Californians
Whatever Tomorrow Brings As Time Goes By Sean Donovan Donovan's Daughter

Kensington Chronicles

The Hawk and the Jewel

Wings of the Morning
Who Brings Forth the Wind The Knight and the Dove

Rocky Mountain Memories
Where the Wild Rose Blooms Whispers of Moonlight To Know Her by Name Promise Me Tomorrow

The Yellow Rose Trilogy
Every Little Thing About You A Texas Sky City Girl

English Garden Series
The Proposal The Rescue The Visitor The Pursuit

The Tucker Mills Trilogy
Moonlight on the Millpond Just Above a Whisper Leave a Candle Burning

Contemporary Fiction
Sophie's Heart Pretense The Princess Bamboo & Lace Every Storm White Chocolate Moments

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To learn more about books by Lori Wick or to read sample chapters, log on to our website:

www.harvesthousepublishers.com

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS

EUGENE, OREGON

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She went to sleep in the backseat of the car, her parents in the front. She woke up in the hospital without them...

or Arcineh Bryant, living with her grandfather after

losing her parents is the best thing that could happen. But as the years pass, something comes between them--

something Arcineh can't control.

Feeling hurt and betrayed, Arcineh leaves as soon as she turns 18 to build a life for herself. Living with a girl -friend, she works hard and finds a sense of accomplishment in physical labor that she hadn't known as the granddaughter of a Chicago business tycoon. Yet she carries a hole in her heart so big that nothing can fill it. She can't see how her path will ever cross her grandfather's again. Or how a change in her grandfather's life will lead to a change in her own she never dreamed of--and to not one but two new loves.

A contemporary story of reconciliation, family, and true love