I blink then ask, “Can I have this one first before we add anymore to the list?”
He smiles and replies a sarcastic, “I don’t know. I thought we could get two going at once. It’ll save time. ”
I chuckle and rub the back of his neck. I tease, “You’re going to be one of those annoying daddies, aren’t you? Like the ones who tell everyone how much better their kid is than everyone else’s. ”
Nik laughs and admits, “Yeah, I probably will be. ”
We chat about our new family til late into the night.
Nik is over the moon and so am I.
We’re having a baby.
***
Every Sunday since I came home from hospital Nik has put on dinner for our friends and family.
Dad left a few weeks after I woke but we talk almost every day. He likes Nik and is so grateful I’ve found someone to love. I told my dad I was pregnant and he actually cried, which meant I cried. It ended up we were both sobbing and couldn’t talk so we just hung up on each other and spoke later that day. My dad is excited about becoming a grandfather again. Being a carpenter he told me not to bother buying baby furniture apart from a crib because we’ll design some together and he’ll make it himself by hand.
That’s a great gift which will hopefully become a family heirloom.
So, it’s Sunday. Everyone is here for dinner and we’re all talking outside.
Ceecee is attached to my hip as always and I love it. I play with her hair, hug and kiss her. She’s going to have a little cousin running around soon enough and I know she’ll be a good role model.
Nik announces the food is ready and we all sit down at the new outside dining set I insisted we get.
Nik and I sit next to each other as always, it makes our food exchange easier.
Everyone is reaching over each other to get food. Nik packs my plates for me with three times as much food as I eat. He’s a little crazy protective over my pregnancy.
I start taking things off my plate and put them onto his. I remove the olives, feta cheese, and bacon out of my salad. He adds tomatoes to mine. I haven’t noticed Nat watching us. She narrows her eyes at me and offers me some wine which I kindly refuse.
Nat gasps and stands so fast her chair flies back. She smiles, points at me and crows, “You’re pregnant!”
Everyone stops eating at looks up at me with shocked and stunned faces.
My face flushes, my neck itches and I try to deny it with, “What? You’re crazy! You’re all crazy if you think I’m pregnant, right Nik?”
Nik nods and looks around the table. He puts on a serious face and states, “She’s pregnant. ”
The table erupts in cheers. They all get up and hug us. Nat laughs and cries at the same time, she asks, “Did you really think you could hide something like that from me?”
I say loudly so everyone can hear, “It’s so early, guys. I’m not in the second trimester yet. I wanted to wait til I was at least twelve weeks. But yes, we have a little bean growing in my belly. ”
Nik’s mom, Cecilia, smiles big but is crying. I go over and hug her.
She says, “You saved him. My Niki. You saved him from a lonely life. I was always worried he would never live and he didn’t until he met you. I’ll be forever in your debt. ”
Tears stream down my face and I tease, “You can pay me back by babysitting every now and again. ”
She laughs, “Of course, even if you didn’t need me to I would. ”
Nik’s sisters hug and kiss me, they’re all delighted.
That makes me happy.
Max, Ghost, and Trick all take turns hugging me. I ask each of them “So, you all ready to be Uncles again?”