Not Many Options

by Jillian West

Finnegan Sunderland is tall and slender. His reddish-blond hair is messy in a purposeful way. The top is longer with a host of thick curls. His face is covered in a few days' growth of stubble in the same color.

Give yourself a break once in a while. No one has their life together all the time. Anyone who tells you different is a damn liar."

Men are handy to lift shit and kill spiders, but they aren't necessary to be happy.

Sometimes, biology really sucks.

Biology doesn't necessarily make a family. Giving love, being there no matter what, putting up with those terrible teenage years despite the kid's shitty attitude… All those things are what defines a parent.

"You're a great mom. No matter who else they have in their lives they'll always love you in a completely different way than anyone else. You survived in triage mode for too long. Everything that had to be done, you did it. I get that it feels like you're dropping the ball." He rubs tender circles on my back. "That's not how it is. You gained a couple of teammates. We all get to carry the ball now. Do you understand?"

"Best plot twist, I never saw coming,"

Finnegan Sunderland might be right. This is absolutely my favorite winter of all the winters.

I didn't realize how much fun kids were until I started hanging out with Cove. Lily is cool too, but she still craps herself, so I think we'll bond more when she gets older. Though I do find it incredibly precious when she's so hungry she tries to eat your face off. The other morning I was nuzzling my cheek to hers and the little beast tried to feed from my cheek.

Sunde grins. "I'm to find you and send you in. The nest is lacking in your scent and our neurotic little omega needs your come to add to the smells."

My dads used to tell me and my brothers that you'll know you've found the one when their happiness becomes more important than your own.