When Constellations Form (Light in the Dark 4)

She makes some high-pitched noise, mocking me. I end up laughing harder.

She starts the movie and I finish with the popcorn.

“You want any snacks?” I ask.

“Just some lemons,” she replies.

I shake my head. “Those can’t possibly be good for you.”

“I want a lemon.” She gives me a look that says if I don’t bring her a lemon she’s either going to cut my dick off, or my neck—depending on if she wants me to live or not.

“Okay, okay.” I raise my hands in surrender and slice her a lemon, placing the pieces in a bowl.

I’m learning quick that when your wife is pregnant, you’ll do just about anything to keep her sane. Thea’s crazy, on a good day—but pregnant, she’s certifiable.

If that means she wants lemons—she gets lemons.

Sometimes, it also means I have to drive thirty minutes to the 24-hour McDonald’s to get her a McFlurry. That’s only happened once so far, so I’m not going to complain.

But something tells me the further along she gets, the crazier and worse she’s going to get about things.

And I get it.

She has a baby inside her, and that baby is going to get big, and she’s going to be miserable.

She’s never going to want five kids.

Having a family wasn’t something I thought about or obsessed over. I’m a guy. I had school, football, and family. But I knew I wanted a big family one day. Once I married Thea, I just started thinking we’d have five kids. That’s probably something I should’ve thought to tell her, but it never came up—I knew she wanted a family some day, and I didn’t take it further than there.

I carry the popcorn bowl and lemons over to the family room and settle on the couch by Thea.

“I miss Prue,” she says. “She’d normally be cuddling with us.”

“I miss her too,” I agree.

She’s staying with my parents for the weekend, since I didn’t feel right asking Jace and Nova to watch her again.

“I guess, in a way, she’s like our first baby.” Thea wiggles around on the couch, trying to get comfortable.

I’m not sure she realizes she does it, but every time we watch TV or a movie, she spends a full minute wiggling her ass around until she makes a nest. Her nest usually involves me, a pillow, and a blanket.

Today is no different. She fixes a pillow behind her back and drapes the blanket over us before lying against my side.

The movie starts and she snags a handful of popcorn, smiling up at me.

If we would have actually managed to find the natural spring, that would’ve been nice. So would have the spa.

But this is my most favorite thing of all.

Just being with Thea.

“I want to buy this place,” I say suddenly, blurting the words out in a horrible case of word vomit.

“Huh?” Thea says, thinking she hasn’t heard me right.

“The cabin, this place is for sale. I want to buy it.”

She sits up, looking at me like I’m crazy. I probably am.