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Knocking on the Door That Matters Most

작가: Nicolae Staten
last update 최신 업데이트: 2025-07-15 23:57:03

Chapter Sixty-One: Johnny – Knocking on the Door That Matters Most

Johnny’s POV

The Happy Meal was starting to sweat through the bag.

Which was funny, because so was he.

Johnny stood on Alli’s front porch like a teenager on prom night—except worse. Back then, he was cocky. Back then, he didn’t care about anyone enough to feel like this.

Now?

His stomach was in knots. Palms damp. Pulse in his neck, thudding too loud.

In one arm he balanced a plastic grocery sack with a monster truck poking out the top and a firefighter helmet that looked absolutely ridiculous—but something told him John would love it. The other hand clutched a paper sack of Chinese food with an offensive grease stain at the bottom, and sticking out from under his arm was a slightly wilted bouquet of pink roses and daisies that smelled like a gas station cooler.

He took a breath.

Then another.

He wiped his palms on his jeans—once, then again—and stared at the front door like it might bite him.

What the hell am I doing?

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  • After Hours   3 years later

    The morning light stretched lazily across the farmhouse kitchen, golden and warm as it spilled in through the windows. The smell of cinnamon rolls and fresh coffee floated through the air—evidence that Johnny had been up for hours. Again.Alli padded in barefoot, wearing one of Johnny’s old t-shirts and yoga pants, her hair twisted into a loose bun. She paused in the doorway, smiling softly as she took in the scene before her.Elena sat at the kitchen table, her soft blonde curls bouncing as she concentrated fiercely on her pink crayon. Elias, equally blonde and equally stubborn, was standing on his chair with a spoon in his hand, pretending his oatmeal was a monster that needed defeating. And John—now eight, long-limbed and all boy—was helping Johnny crack eggs at the stove like a seasoned sous chef.“Good morning, chaos crew,” Alli said with a tired laugh.“Mommy!” the twins shouted in unison.Elias tried to leap from the chair but got caught in the apron tied around his waist. John

  • After Hours   Were Complete

    The farmhouse was never quiet anymore.Crying. Feeding. Diaper changes. Repeat.And still—it had never felt more like home.Alli sat curled up on the big couch in the living room, one twin on each side, a double breastfeeding pillow wrapped around her like armor. Her eyes were heavy with exhaustion, but her heart? Her heart was full to the brim.Johnny shuffled in with a tray—water, snacks, her prenatal vitamins, and a fresh burp cloth tossed over his shoulder like a battle-worn soldier.“You are officially my hero,” Alli mumbled, shifting Elena to burp her.“I’d say the same about you,” Johnny said, sitting beside her, gently stroking Elias’s downy blonde hair. “But I think you’ve crossed into goddess territory.”She smiled, eyes glassy. “You’re just saying that because I haven’t brushed my hair in four days.”“No, I’m saying it because you’re keeping two humans alive with your body and still manage to look like the woman of my dreams.”She blinked at him. “Hormones, Johnny. You can’

  • After Hours   Finally

    The hospital was calm. Too calm.At least that’s how it felt to Johnny.Everything was white and quiet, with that faint antiseptic tang in the air that made his skin crawl. But beneath the stillness, his heart thundered like a war drum.Today was the day.He held Alli’s hand as the nurse wheeled her into pre-op. She was in a blue gown, her hair braided and tucked to one side, and she was trying—so damn hard—to be brave.“You okay?” he whispered, crouching beside her.She smiled weakly. “I think I left my bravery in the parking lot.”Johnny pressed his forehead to hers. “Good thing I brought enough for both of us.”The prep was a blur—IVs, monitors, a gentle-voiced anesthesiologist explaining what to expect. Alli lay on the operating table, her swollen belly exposed and draped, her hand trembling slightly in Johnny’s.He was in scrubs now, a cap on his curls, booties on his boots. But his eyes—those eyes—never left her.“I’m right here, baby,” he murmured, his thumb stroking over her k

  • After Hours   Almost Time

    The farmhouse had never looked so bright.Balloons in soft lavender and pale blue floated along the porch rails. A giant hand-painted sign read Welcome Baby Warren Twins! with two cartoon rattles dangling from the corners. Folding tables were covered in pastel linens, stacked with cupcakes, sweet tea, and finger foods only Southerners would dare serve with pride—deviled eggs, mini ham sliders, macaroni salad, and enough potato chips to feed a small army.It was one week until Alli’s scheduled C-section.And today was all about celebrating.She sat under the canopy of the old oak tree in the backyard, tucked into a pillowy armchair Marc insisted on hauling from her living room.“You’re not sitting in some flimsy plastic thing,” he’d said with a scowl. “You’re the damn guest of honor.”Alli was radiant—even swollen and sore and cradling her belly like it weighed the whole world. Her sundress was cream with little sunflowers, her reddish hair braided into a crown, and her feet propped on

  • After Hours   False Alarm

    The morning started like any other.John was chasing the dog through the kitchen, Alli was halfway through folding laundry with one foot propped up on a stool, and Johnny was outside rotating the tires on Marc’s old truck.The sun was warm. The breeze was sweet. Peace lingered like molasses in the air.And then everything changed.It began with a cramp.Just a small, sharp twinge in Alli’s side that made her pause, one hand dropping to her belly. The twins shifted, which wasn’t unusual. But then it came again—stronger. And again.Her breath caught.The basket of tiny onesies slipped from her lap as she reached for the kitchen counter.“John?” she called out, trying to keep her voice calm. “Go get Daddy, okay baby? Tell him Mommy needs him right now.”Her little boy didn’t even hesitate.He sprinted through the screen door yelling, “Daddy! Mommy needs you!”Johnny burst through the door like a man possessed.“Alli!”She was on the floor, propped against the cabinet, sweat beading on he

  • After Hours   Happily Ever After

    It started with a sigh.Not the kind of sigh that meant she was annoyed, or tired, or hungry—though all three were daily occurrences at six-and-a-half months pregnant.This sigh was different.It was a quiet one, as Alli stood in her office at The Hollow, staring at the week’s staffing schedule Marc had taped to the corkboard.He’d filled in every shift. Covered every delivery. Handled the liquor order. She hadn’t even asked.She placed a hand on her belly and whispered, “You see this? He doesn’t need me here every day.”The twins kicked like they agreed.That night, she brought it up over dinner.Johnny was sitting at the table, feeding John spoonfuls of mashed potatoes while telling some wild story about a broken-down truck and a raccoon in the engine.Alli waited until John ran off to the living room, covered in butter and giggles, before sliding her plate away.“I think I’m ready to step back from the bar. Full time.”Johnny looked up, not surprised. Not even a blink.“I think you

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