“There. Pick one.”
“Where were you the last two hours?” Paxton asked. Exhaustion had clearly overtaken her a long time ago.
“Two hours?” I asked, stunned.
“Let’s see. This green might be a bit too light. This one looks more like a sage. I’m kind of thinking I like this one. Yeah. This is the one.”
“Are you freaking kidding me right now, Waylynn?” Paxton said. “That is the very first color I picked out and said would be perfect!”
Waylynn looked at the paint sample and then Paxton. “It is? Are you sure?”
Letting out a frustrated growl, Paxton stood and headed to the sink. “You need help, Waylynn Parker!”
“Is that your color, Aunt Waylynn?” Chloe asked.
Waylynn was staring at it, and I knew if she contemplated too long she’d pick something else.
I grabbed it from her hand. “That’s the color. Bam. Decision made.”
Waylynn stared at the card in my hand and made a face. “I don’t know. Maybe I should look at blue.”
“No!” Paxton cried out. “Please. Don’t. Look. At. Blue. For the love of God, just go with that color…ohhh. Oh, wow.” Paxton bent over as best as a full-term pregnant woman could bend.
Waylynn held up her hands and stood. “Fine. Fine. If you like the color that much I’ll go with it.”
“Oh, dear God.”
Waylynn huffed. “Okay, Paxton, I think you’re overreacting. I get that was the first color you picked, but it’s a big decision.”
Paxton held onto her stomach and started taking deep breaths. I jumped up.
“Is this it? Is it time?” I screamed, and Waylynn spilled the coffee she was pouring.
My mother came running into the kitchen, nearly knocking Waylynn over. “It’s time?”
“Where in the heck did you come from?” Waylynn asked laughing. “You appeared out of thin air.”
“Dining room, dusting the china cabinet,” my mother said without looking at Waylynn. She rushed over to Paxton. “Honey, are you okay?”
Paxton looked at all of us, a tinge of fear in her eyes. “I had a contraction!”
We started jumping up and down. Chloe was cupping her hands on Paxton’s swollen belly and saying something to her baby brother.
“This is it! This is it! Steed!” I screamed. “Steed!”
I grabbed Chloe’s hand. “It’s baby time! Your baby brother is coming!” I shouted as we ran through the house. I pushed open Steed’s office door to find him and my father sitting at his desk.
“Steed!”
“Daddy!”
He jumped up. “Is it time?”
I jumped. Then Chloe jumped. “Yes! Yes! It’s time!” I cried out.
“I’m so happy! Hell! Shit! Fuck! My baby brother is coming!” Chloe cried out as she ran in circles around the desk.
Coming to a sudden stop, I covered my mouth with my hands. Chloe kept repeating over and over how happy she was and throwing those curses in at the end. Steed looked stunned as he watched his six-year-old daughter run around his office yelling obscenities.
My father walked over to me. “I’m going to guess this was your work, Amelia?”
Nodding, I replied, “Yes, sir.”
He rocked on his heels a few times and said, “Thought so.”
Trevor’s cell went off at the same time mine did.
We both read the text.
Steed: It’s time! We have a baby coming!
Looking at each other, we both said, “Holy shit!”
We took off running at the same time, and I cried out, “I’ll drive!”
We smacked into each other so hard, it knocked us on our asses.
“What in the fuck, Adams!” Trevor cried.
“You ran into me! The plan was for me to drive!”
“Oh, hell no. You are not driving my nephew.”
My jaw dropped to the ground. “Why not?”
“I’ll drive. That way there’s no chance my sister’s panties will be in the backseat.”
I followed Trevor out of the barn.
“That was months ago! Why can’t Cord let that drop?”
“I’m driving,” Trevor repeated.
I picked up my pace, jogging back to the house. “No, I’ve been assigned by your dad to drive.”
“My dad wasn’t thinking straight.”
Trevor and I ran to the house, pushing and shoving. I was able to trip him up, causing him to tumble to the ground. I glanced back and laughed, only to trip over something and hit the ground myself. It felt like I had cracked one of my healed ribs.
“Damn it!” I cried out. Trevor jumped over me as he ran by.
“What’s the matter? Hurt a rib?” He called out as he ran backwards laughing. I pointed to the gate that was coming up. The one that went around the entire pool.
The next thing I knew, Trevor flipped over the fence and landed on the other side, but not before he stumbled and barely caught himself before falling into the pool.
Once he got his balance he raised his hands in victory. Walking up to him, I gave him a small push. Into the pool he went. Standing over him, I said, “Bummer. Looks like I’m driving.”
“I’ll get you for this, Wade Adams! You asshole!”