Longing For The Beach Billionaire Daddy
Chapter 215

*Shelby*

*Three months later*

I sat in the rocking chair in the nursery and creaked back and forth as I watched my babies do tummy time on the floor. At almost five months old, they were still tiny for their age, even though they had doubled their birth weights.

Despite their small size, they were healthy and thriving. I smiled as they squirmed, cooed, and reached their soft little hands toward the colorful toys scattered around them.

Thomas began to cry because Amelia somehow managed to scratch his face, and I realized Michael and I were in for it as they grew up. I looked at their dark brown hair and bright ocean blue eyes, I replayed the conversation Michael and I had last night.

“I don’t think it matters, Michael. I really don’t. What do we gain by having the testing done?” I’d asked him.

He’d shaken his head and said, “We don’t gain anything at all. I mean, we both already know Thomas and Amelia are ours. They look so much alike, with my hair and your eyes.”

“They are so similar. They wouldn’t look so much alike if they had a different mother, right?” I’d asked him.

“You’re exactly right. There would be differences. Even so, you wouldn’t feel any differently about them if they weren’t biologically yours, and neither would I.” He’d lovingly stroked my cheek as he replied, and I’d nodded in agreement.

In the months since the twins had been born, we had discussed doing a DNA test for our children to have peace of mind, but in the end, we’d decided it wasn’t necessary. Today, I was even more sure that we were making the right decision. Thomas and Amelia were fraternal twins, but they could almost pass as identical. There was no way Katie’s DNA was involved in either of our babies and even if it was, I grew them. We were raising them. They were our babies.

My phone dinged with a text message letting me know my grandpa had made it back home. He had come to stay for a week to get to know the babies.

I was so happy the twins had gotten to meet their great-grandfather, and I know he was just as thrilled. He’d brought them gifts, sang to them, and told them stories. He also took us out for ice cream and took pictures to document everything we did. Everywhere we went, people stopped and commented on how cute Thomas and Amelia were, and seeing him proud of them made me tear up multiple times.

As I’d watched him say goodbye, his eyes had filled with tears. He’d hugged me tightly, whispering in my ear, “You are doing a beautiful job raising these two little loves.”

And then he’d kissed both babies on their foreheads and whispered secrets to both of them, and it had made me think about my childhood. Grandpa hated to travel, but he showed up for me, just like he always had.

“What are my favorite people up to?” Michael asked as he walked through the nursery room door.

“We’re sitting here playing and waiting on Miss Constance to get here.” I was excited for our new nanny to come back today. She had been with us for about a month, and having her help for a few hours each day allowed me to get a lot of work done.

Michael leaned over and picked Thomas up from the floor and planted k****s all over his head, then asked, “Are you planning on working in your office while she’s here?”

“Yes, I have to go over some of the impact statements from the people who have reported sickness since the chemical spill. Some of it is bad, Michael.”

He nodded, understanding how serious this was.

Henderson Chemical, the company responsible for the spill, had been ignoring safety procedures and protocols for years, and it had finally caught up with them. And now people were getting sick from the contaminated water, air, soil, and food in the surrounding areas. We were trying to get updates on what was happening, but no one was providing enough information on the situation.

Just then, the doorbell rang, signaling the arrival of Miss Constance. I handed Amelia to Michael and went to answer the door.

“Miss Constance, I’ve told you, you don’t have to ring the doorbell. Think of our home as your second home.” I led her into the nursery where Michael was holding both babies.

“You’re too kind, Shelby. Hello, sweet babies. Did you miss me?” she cooed as she scooped Amelia from Michael’s arms.

Miss Constance had been a godsend. She was always so cheerful and patient with the twins, and they adored her. Whenever she walked into the room, their eyes lit up with excitement and anticipation.

She was a lifetime nanny in her late forties with a very kind heart and a wealth of experience. She was always impeccably dressed and had a gentle, calming presence that the twins seemed to gravitate toward.

In addition to reading stories and singing songs, Miss Constance also incorporated nature walks into her time spent with the twins. She’d take them out to stroll around in the garden, and she narrated everything they saw, such as different plants, animals, and birds.

“Alright, get out of here and get some work done, you two. I need to cuddle these sweet babies.” Miss Constance shooed us both out of the nursery, and Michael walked with me to my office. I sat down at my desk, and Michael stood beside me while I organized the impact statements in the order they were filed.

“This is horrible, Michael. Listen to some of the things people are reporting,” I said then began reading some of the reports. “Nausea, vomiting, rashes, difficulty breathing, asthma. And that’s just the beginning. Who knows what kinds of long-term effects they could be looking at?”

“I agree, Shelby. It’s horrific. All for a multimillion-dollar company to save money. Cutting corners because of greed makes my damn b***d boil,” Michael replied, his voice dripping with contempt and anger.

“Here in about an hour, why don’t you and I run to get dinner while Miss Constance is here with the kids?” I suggested to Michael. We had been so busy, it’d be nice to get out and be alone for an hour or two.

Michael nodded and said, “That sounds good to me, but can we get Mexican food? I’m craving something spicy.”

“We can get whatever you want, my love,” I answered, turning my attention back to my work.

Michael picked my phone up from my desk and set an hour long timer, knowing that if he didn’t I would sit in here until it was time for Miss Constance to go home.

He kissed me and left to go join a Zoom meeting with Reggie. The hour passed quickly, and before I knew it, the timer was beeping rapidly.

I quickly snuck into the nursery just as Miss Constance was changing the twins’ diapers. They were laughing and kicking their legs in glee as she leaned over and sang to them. Today, she was wearing a long flowing green dress with a black cardigan over the top. She was a boho-chic woman, and her style was one of the first things I’d loved about her when we were interviewing for the nanny position.

“Miss Constance, Michael, and I are going to run and grab an early dinner while you’re here. We won’t be long, so please call us if you need anything,” I told her.

She chuckled and turned her green eyes full of wisdom to me. “Don’t you be stressing about me and these babies, okay? Go have quality time with your husband. Eat some tamales for me, okay?” As she finished, she turned her attention back to my babies, and I went to change my clothes.

Michael and I left and drove fifteen minutes to La Fiesta. The restaurant itself was an old adobe building with white-washed walls and bright red trim. The outdoor seating area was lush with colorful flowers spilling over hanging baskets.

Inside, the atmosphere was warm and inviting with traditional Mexican décor, painted clay pots, multi-colored hand-painted tiles lining the walls, and rustic wooden tables covered in woven serapes.

We chose a corner table near one of the windows so we could people-watch as we ate. After we ordered dinner, we sat and drank margaritas.

“How would you feel about packing up and taking a trip in the next couple of weeks?” Michael asked me between sips.

“A vacation? That sounds wonderful, but only if we bring Thomas and Amelia with us,” I answered, the thought of experiencing somewhere new and exciting with my husband and babies making me smile.

Michael nodded. “Of course, we’ll take the kids. Would you like to go somewhere warm or cold?”

“Warm, duh. Do you even know me?” I joked as I threw a chip and bounced it off his chest.

“I know you well enough to know that you would hate a cold vacation,” he laughed. “I was joking. Let’s be spontaneous. How about we leave in two days?”

I grinned. “Yes! I’m so excited!”

As we talked, the entrees came out, and they were phenomenal. The guacamole was filled with juicy tomatoes and lime zest, while the chips were light and fluffy with a perfect amount of salty crispiness. The shrimp enchiladas were creamy and inviting while the arroz con pollo dish was filled with savory flavors that melted in our mouths as we bit into them. We both agreed it was some of the best Mexican food either of us had ever tasted.

We finished our meal feeling content from good food and conversation and decided to call it a night early so we could get home and plan. On the car ride home, I began to make a list of everything we’d need to bring along, not just for us, but for the babies. We hadn’t traveled as a family of four yet.

“I think I’ll have to go out and shop tomorrow. There’s a lot of things we’ll need for the kids if we’re going on vacation,” I told Michael.

“Well, make sure you buy yourself a few things, too. You haven’t spoiled yourself in far too long,” Michael said, glancing over at me with a mischievous smile.

I playfully rolled my eyes. “I’m more excited about spoiling the babies, but I guess I could use a new swimsuit.”

“That’s the spirit. Go to a few boutiques, and see if you can find us all some matching outfits to wear. Maybe we can get some family pictures together while we’re gone?”

“That sounds like a great idea,” I said, grinning at the thought.

When we got home, the house was still and quiet. Miss Constance was sitting on the couch reading a book.

“Oh, you guys are back so early,” she said as we walked in.

“How on earth do you get them to sleep so easily?” Michael asked, eyes wide with surprise.

“I’ve been taking care of babies my whole life. I speak their language,” Miss Constance laughed with a wink, then said her goodbyes and headed home.

Michael and I walked into the nursery and took turns kissing the twins before we went to our bedroom. He double-checked that the monitors were turned up while I washed my face and brushed my teeth. We laid down and cuddled each other close and fell asleep dreaming about the next adventure that awaited us.