“Geeze Jake, butt head much.” Alison mumbled from the bed. We all watched as she gave us a half smile as she nuzzled Molly’s hair.

“Ali you’re awake?” Jason said as we crowded the bed. She carefully sat up.

“I’ve been awake since Jake argued with the nurse with three reasons to not move me.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” I asked perplexed. The whole argument could have been avoided. Alison just shrugged.

“Because I didn’t want to. I just wanted to hold Molly and I wanted to know if I was going to have to slap the nurse if she tried to remove me.”

“Stubborn is a streak in your family, isn’t it?” Marcus asked boldly. Alison just gave him a smile.

“Yep.” I watched as she turned her head to Lucas. “Hey Lucas?”

“Hmm?”

“Did she show you Zach?” who is Zach and who is ‘she’? my mind wondered as Lucas’ eyes widened a little.

“She told you?”

“It’s a reason why she drove us, but yes. You mad at her?” soo…. Lost right now. I groaned in my head.

“A little, but more curious than anything.” He shrugged it off.

“When you going to meet him?” I was watching Lucas and trying to figure out what the hell were these two talking about. It sounded important, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.

“She is bringing him here when she drops off Marcus’ car.” Lucas replied softly. I saw nervousness flash in his eyes and was more curious now than ever on what the hell they were talking about.

“Okay who are you talking about?” Jake sighed annoyed.

“You’ll see.” Alison said sweetly. “just wait.”

Alison started singing after Molly hummed a few bars of a song. We all relaxed as we listened to Alison sing. She had a sweet voice that we all knew put infants to sleep because of how soothing it was. On the last chorus, my brothers join and I did softly as I took a tenor harmony.

The applause from the nurses startled us and made me slightly embarrassed. Alison laughed and I glared at her, but relaxed when I saw kiss Molly’s hair. When evening started to arrive, I drove Marcus out to get dinner for Alison and the others. Marcus and I didn’t talk, but I was glad that he was eager to get back to Molly. Jason and Jake were with Mom while Lucas stayed with Molly.

When Marcus and I walked into the room, we found Alison laughing with a very blonde and beautiful woman that looked familiar.

“What’s so funny?” I said continuing further into the room. Marcus walked over to Alison gave her her food and I sat the other food on the chair beside the bed. I frozen when I met two pairs of light blue eyes on the bed, smiling.

“Luke, meet Zachary Lucas Willow.” Alison whispered to me. The little boy tilted his head at me making his blonde hair sway a little as he looked me up and down.

“who’s that?” Zach asked.

“That’s my Uncle Luke!” Molly said drawing my attention. I saw that her bruises were already starting to fade. “Do you know you look like Uncle Lucas?” she said to Zach.

“Yes, I’ve seen his picture before.” The little boy looked over to the woman I guessed as his mother. “You have a picture of him laying on the sand with you.” The woman’s jaw dropped.

“Well that is definitely from our side of the family.” I said relaxing and shaking my head out of shock. The woman gave me a confused look. I just shrugged at her. “Our mother got so many shocks from us because we were blunt as kids. And there wasn’t a filter most of the time.” I walked over and sat in a chair by the window and started eating. Alison joined me with a grin spread from ear to ear.

Alison left soon after she was finished. My butt started to vibrate soon after she left. I pulled my phone out and saw five texted messages, and a missed call. Shane. Cursing myself I flipped open my phone and read the messages.

The first message was a few minutes after the last one I sent.

What movie do you want to see Friday?

A half hour later. Luke?

Ten minutes later. Hey everything alright?

Five minutes later. Luke, I’m worried. I know I haven’t messed up yet.

Ten minutes later. What’s going on? Alison isn’t even answering her phone.

I then listened to the voicemail. “Luke? Hey, what’s going on? I’m worrying my ass off here. I can’t get off of work to storm you place or Ali’s. Why isn’t Alison picking up her phone? I even tried Marcus. Is Alison okay? Are you okay? Damn it!” The message ended with a click and I sighed. I didn’t even think of Shane. He is basically a brother to Alison. Quickly I sent a message since Molly asked for me to join a rummy game.

Doing fine. Sorry. Molly and mom in car accident. Too worried to notice phone. I’ll call when I get a chance. I’ll make it up to you. Both are fine. Call soon.

Not even thirty seconds later my phone beeped.

THANK GOD! Thought I was going to have to call police. Best wishes. Looking forward to repayment. Call when you get a chance.

I smiled at my phone before I slipped it away and joined the game of rummy. Soon I was in full frown mode. I had a crappy hand and the two twerps were cheating I swear!

Noise made me glance up to see Mom get wheeled in by Marcus. Jake and Jason followed behind Alison who was smiling like a schoolgirl.

“Hey molly, look who I brought to see you.” Alison said.

“Grandma!” Molly squealed. Mom leaned over and hugged molly

“I’m so sorry baby, I didn’t see him.” I looked at my brothers and already saw them staring at Zach and trying to figure out who he was.

“It’s not your fault” Alison said to mom.

My lips twitched when I saw Jake’s eyes go wide.

“No way!” Jake said to Lucas who just shrugged.

“Is it me or does that little boy look like Lucas but blonde?” Jason said still not getting it.

“I do.” Zach said bluntly. “He’s my dad.” Kid was smart. No one had told him that. He just put the pieces together correctly. Zach laid down his hand in sets and the discarded. I groaned as he giggled. “I’m out.” He said happily.

“And he cheats like Lucas.” I growled.

“I don’t cheat!” Lucas denied as he gathered the cards.

“Did you two just get beat by a seven year old and a five almost six year old?” Alison chuckled. Lucas and I glared at her and it just made her smile wider. Secretly I enjoyed her smiles.

“It’s sad when the kids are smarter than the adults.” Tony said before she kissed Zach. I had heard Lucas say her name one. I was a little amazed that Alison and Lucas both had kids with parents that had similar names. Antonia and Anthony, and their kids could be siblings…Karma.

“Jake, Jason let me introduce you to the newest member of the Willow Family. That is Antonia Baker and her son Zachary Lucas Willow.” Alison said as she slipped into bed with Molly.

“Well that’s a shock.” Jake said grabbing a chair.

“Well I don’t care, I have two grandkids to spoil now.” My mother stated proudly. I watched both kids light up at her words.

“Well we can’t deny him. Zach could be Molly’s sibling, not cousin.” Jason said settling in a different chair. Happy with the scene I snuck out of the room and went down the hallways to an open outdoor area. I sat at a table and called Shane.

“Hey” he said after the second ring. “How is everyone?”

“Hey, they are going good. Mom has some bruises and a small concussion. Molly had to have surgery for internal bleeding.”

“Alison must be breaking down.” He said softly.

“From what Marcus told me earlier, she did but once she saw Molly out of surgery she calmed down. Molly has a broken arm and fractured tibia. Not to mention her whole right side is bruised. The surgery was fine. She is up and having fun with her cousin Zach.”

“Zach?”

“Lucas has a seven year old son that no one knew about.”

“Wow.”

“Yea, you can say that again. There are weird things about it though.”

“Like what?”

“Zach and Molly look like siblings and Zach’s mom is Antonia….Anthony… Antonia…”

“Wow… creepy.”

“Yea.”

“How long you staying there?”

“Not too much longer. I haven’t felt comfortable in a hospital since dad died. Then the time I did in one didn’t help.”

Shane was silent for a moment but as I heard him release a breath he continued.

“You had me worried earlier. I thought you had gotten in an accident on that bike of yours.” He said scolding me. I smiled.

“I would never wreck that bike.”

“Doesn’t mean someone wouldn’t hit you by accident.” He said more serious.

“Okay. I’m sorry. Lucas just gave me a heart attack when I got that phone call from him. Apparently he drove up to the scene by accident and ended up riding in the ambulance with the girls. The sirens scared the shit out of me when I heard them before his voice.”

“I’m sorry you and your family had to go through that.” Shane said gently.

“It’s okay. I got to meet my nephew and hopefully sister-in-law if my suspicions are right.”

“Oh? What would those be?” Shane said playfully.

“Whenever Lucas wasn’t looking at Zach, his eyes were on Zach’s mom. One of his old girlfriends. The one he drove hundreds of miles to see graduate and spend the summer with.”

“So his ‘The One’ ” Shane said chuckling. My heart lifted to hear him laughing.

“Yep.”

“How did he tell her?”

“How about not getting mad that she had his son and didn’t tell him?”

“So he got his ‘One’ pregnant so he could keep her?” Shane laughed again.

“I’ll let you know, that wasn’t his intention. He went up there to propose to her but he came home early. Said they had a big fight over something stupid. But proposing was his thing.”

“Well. That’s new. He was so young then and about to go into the military.”

“My hunch is that was what it was about. She didn’t want to marry someone she would lose a few months down the line.”

“Glad she didn’t marry him then.”

“What?” I said surprised.

“He would have gotten distracted and done something stupid to get him and his team hurt. No offense, but it happens. Plus they both still came together again and have a son to raise.” I sighed in relief at Shane’s words.

“So two more to figure out what they do.” Shane mused over the phone.

“What?”

“You and Jake still haven’t shown your ‘the ones’ that they are the one and I’m curious to figure out how you two tell them.” I felt a rush of adrenaline from his words. He didn’t know yet, but I was already working something up.

“If my gut is right, then Jake met his One today. Feisty little nurse. I recognized her as one of the volleyball players from high school. Melissa S., dark long brown hair, brown eyes, five foot three maybe.”

“Ah yes, Melissa Shockley. I do remember talking her out of asking Jake out. He would have embarrassed her in high school because of his dick of a brain. She might have a shot now. I do remember her talking to me about how they were lab partners in chemistry once. She said he was actually nice, but did end up hurting her when he left the project to her for his current girlfriend. She ended up pouring sodium chloride on the cheerleader and Jake out of spite. That’s when he lost his temper with her. It was fun to watch them duke it out in class. She made him look like an idiot. Did she do it again?” Shane asked eagerly

Laughing at the story I shook my head. “Unfortunately no, but I will admit it was fun to watch a woman not swoon from his looks, or cower from his glare.”

“I wish her luck taming him.” Shane laughed. I close my eyes and smiled as I listened to him. The place I knew was once empty was now full of happiness that Shane brought to me.

“Friday.” I said stopping his laughter.

“We don’t have to, if you need to take care of your mom and Molly.”

“It’s okay. There are plenty of us to take turns. That’s probably what we will work on tomorrow. You pick the movie. No chick flicks, Alison made me watch too many as a kid. They still make me shudder.”

“Okay.” Shane chuckled. “Die Hard two?”

“Sounds great.”

“Alright, well I should let you get back to them. Give Alison and Molly my love.” My breath caught at him saying love, but I nodded before I remembered he was on the phone.

“Of course.”

“Drive safe and sleep well.” He said softly.

“Thank you. Bye.”

“Bye.”