The Rain: The End, Marietta Standlee [year 7 reading list TXT] 📗

enough because of my depo shot. So, I got to spend close to six months in a freaking hospital bed. At least Martin managed to find me a normal bed, which he, Colin, and Blake brought into the room for me.

Lucky for me, they brought up a second bed four months later, because unfortunately, Maggie developed preeclampsia and had to go on bed rest too. I felt bad for my best friend; she was scared at first, but after a while, it was like a big, huge slumber party, and she started to get better, even her symptoms went down.

Our menfolk came home every evening, spent from missions or training, bringing us food, and would spend the night with us. No matter how uncomfortable it got in the small beds, our men never wavered. Towards the last month, they brought in recliners to sleep on for themselves. But they never left our sides.

Everything was even more complicated by the fact that Colin was officially still dead. He led missions, but with only a handful of soldiers who are in the know. Every time he came and went was a major ordeal of clandestine sneaking around. I suspect more soldiers than we think have an inkling of Colin being alive. But one thing is for sure, our soldiers are loyal to the core. None of them would ever breathe a word. Nevertheless, we had to be careful.

One month before Maggie delivered her precious little baby girl, which by the way she named Vivian, making me immensely proud, all four of us got hitched. It wasn't exactly the dream wedding Maggie, and I had envisioned as little girls, or even later as teenagers, but it was perfect. I don't think I would have wanted it any other way.

We had a double wedding; our guys wore uniforms, us girls wore our best pajamas, snug against our protruding bellies. Residing with a big smile was Colonel Pheng, the only military man who knows Colin is alive. A fact that put a damper on the guest list as well. Not that we had much room for a big party, but Alfredo sent a huge cake (how he found out and what he knows is still a mystery).

That Colin still wanted to marry me surprised me though, the entire pregnancy, I was torn between crying because I loved him so much and wanting to kill him because he got me pregnant. I felt bad for him; even Maggie gave me a talking to at one point. But my hormones were all over the board, and no matter how much self-control I tried to exude, it never worked.

Maggie's Vivian was born two months before my triplets came. Vivian is an extremely good baby, which is why Maggie and Blake stayed with us until my babies were born. I appreciated it; otherwise, I would have spent every day, more or less alone, for two months, and I really wasn't looking forward to that.

One night, without fanfare or warning, my water broke. Doctor Pheng was called, and I had an emergency C-section that brought my three boys one month too early into this world. We named them Blake, Evan (after my father), and Martin.

Once they were born, there was no doubt in my mind on how much I loved my little boys—every waking minute I spent by their small cribs. Doctor Pheng was surprised how well developed they were for being one month early and for being triplets and, on top of what she called, wimpy white boys. But my boys showed her and thrived.

Colin was so proud, he almost imploded. All that was missing was a comb and a tail because he strutted around like a rooster.

We were ready to finally leave for Secret Harbor. Fate had other plans, again, though. My C-section got infected a week after I gave birth. It was bad. I had downplayed the fever and discomfort so much that by the time they actually figured out what was wrong, it was almost too late.

As it was, I lost my ability to have other kids. Which, as cruel as it sounds, is actually alright with me. I'm not screaming hallelujah by any means, but it is something I can live with. I have three beautiful boys; what more can I possibly want?

The wound had to heal from the inside out, putting me back into the hospital for another three months. Colin went to Secret Harbor by himself but came home, any chance he got, to be with us. The three months were good for me, too; I got to bond with our sons because spending that much time with them again probably isn't going to happen again any time soon.

Our plan was that Maggie and Blake would take our sons in. A cave just isn't a place for newborns. As much as Colin and I love our sons, neither one of us was willing nor expendable enough to stay at Fort Lewis with them. Maggie is a born mother. She's blooming more and more with every day that passes. All she said was, "The more, the merrier."

As good a warrior as she was, and as fierce as she had become, motherhood is what she seems to have been born for. Thankfully Blake didn't mind either; four newborns are a heavy load to carry, but Martin chips in as much as he can, and there are other women in and around Fort Lewis that will help as well.

Many people will call me a bad mother and all kinds of nasty names, but I'm just not the type to keep the home fires burning while others go off to fight. I have no idea if I've always been that way and just didn't know it, or if this war brought it out in me. Either way, I'd go crazy if I had to stay at home with my babies, as mean as it sounds. Will I miss them? Yes! Will I take any chance to go see