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“We caught big fish and ate lots of s’mores,” they repeat in unison.
“And what do we not talk about because it never happened?” I continue.
“Poopy paint,” they all respond.
I whip back around in my seat and hit the button to open the doors. “Nice job, crew. Thank you for using Jen’s mobile service. You may now vacate the van, using the nearest exit.”
Fuck yeah, I have this mom shit in the bag.
Seven Months Later
Jen
I never got the chance to do the nesting thing the first time around, and this time, Casen has prepared enough for both of us. It’s 3 a.m., only a week from my due date, and of course I’m up for yet another bathroom break. Casen is asleep, enjoying a solid night’s rest. I don’t remember what eight hours of sleep is like, but I’m positive I was a much friendlier person then. Quietly tiptoeing down the hallway, I stop outside the nursery to peek in on all that Casen has done already for our little guy.
Pushing the door open, I pick up a stuffed animal from his crib and sit down in the rocking chair we found at an antique store. The nursery is primed in superhero décor, which Casen has assured me will yield us a miniature dark knight and not a Howard Walowitz. I caved and now there are giant Captain America and Batman canvases hanging above his bed instead of footballs or sailboats.
Ru
Now here I am, on the verge of having another child, a child I didn’t think I deserved to have. For the first time in a long time I’m excited for what the future holds, not just for me, but for the family I now have.
“Everything okay, sparky?” Casen whispers, leaning on the doorframe. He is absolutely scrumptious with his brown hair in disarray, and dark grey sweats hanging off his sculpted hips. It’s a shame I can’t even reach my own ass to wipe it, or I might act on the urge. I’m bendy, but maneuvering around this belly would require Cirque du Soleil training.
I smile at the thought of our sex life returning to active status…six weeks from now. “Yup, I’m good,” I murmur back as I continue rocking. “I can’t believe in less than a week, this room will have our baby in it and then Abby will be moving in.”
“It feels surreal, huh?”
“Are you sure you’re all right with everything?” I ask. I know I shouldn’t worry, but there are times I’m afraid Casen will feel overwhelmed and want to walk away. I know it’s my own insecurities, but every once in a while they creep into my mind.
Casen enters the nursery and kneels at my feet, grabbing my hands. “Jen, I love you more than I thought it could be possible to love someone. I love you, not only because of who you are, but because of what you have given me…a family. I could never be anything but grateful.”
It’s exactly what I needed to hear to calm my rising anxiety. He kisses my expanding belly and stands. “Come on, love, let’s go back to bed,” he says, offering me his hand like he has a million times over the last nine months. Just like I have a million times before, I slide my hand in his.
Casen
I feel a sharp nudge in the middle of my back, rousing me from a deep sleep. Looking to the clock on the nightstand the bright green numbers read 4 a.m. You have got to be fucking kidding me. We’ve only been back to bed for an hour and Jen decides to practice her nightly ninja skills, I think to myself as I attempt to fall back to sleep. Sharing a bed is not something she’s adapted well to, the concept of his and her sides of the bed is a lost concept in this house. She thrashes around in her sleep so much that snuggling or spooning is actually code for restraining her from karate chopping my nut sack in her sleep. It’s not even that she’s having nightmares; she’s just a wild sleeper.
Closing my eyes, I feel the deep calm of sleep begin to take hold once again when a solid push nails me. “Casen, wake up,” Jen says with another nudge. Only one eye pops open, I’ll reserve the second once I find out the reason for this early morning wake-up call.
“We are out of watermelon and ice-cream. I’ll get more tomorrow, just let the sun come up first,” I tell her, snuggling back into the blankets and closing my eyes.
“No, Casen, wake up. I think my water broke,” she says in a surprisingly calm, hushed tone.
Both eyes snap open and I rise up in bed as quickly as possible, getting tangled in the sheet and nearly falling out of bed. “What? Are you sure,” I ask, flipping on the lamp but remaining quiet as not to wake Hendrix.
“Well, I’m not positive, but I’m having a fluid situation and I’m pretty sure I know how not to piss myself,” she says sarcastically, her volume indicating her lack of concern for keeping Henry asleep.
I jump out of bed and run to my shirt and shoes. I grab all of the bags we’ve had packed for weeks and stand waiting for direction. “Are you having contractions? Are you in pain? Do we need to leave for the hospital? Why aren’t you getting dressed?” I fire off question after question in lightning speed, unable to contain my nerves and excitement.
“I’m not, that’s why I’m not sure if my water broke. I would think I would already be in pain if it had.”
“Well, what did the book say?” We bought every baby preparation book available on Amazon, surely something in one of them mentions this scenario.
“I didn’t read them. I got to week twenty-four and then started skimming and looking at pictures. I’ve given birth before; I figured I didn’t really need to read up on that part. How does one not know they are in labor?” I nearly drop the bags as a now wide-awake Henri barrels me over, wanting to go outside.
“Well, let’s go just to be safe. Worst case scenario, they send us home.” I leave the room with the bags to let the dog out and load the car. Hustling back into the bedroom after buckling in the infant seat, I find Jen doubled over breathing deeply.
“You okay, sparkplug?” I ask tentatively.
“What in the hell have you been doing? I’m definitely in labor, we need to get to the hospital,” she squeezes out each word through clenched teeth and my stomach begins to twist in knots at the sight of the woman I love in such pain. I know I need to snap into action, but panic mode has set in and I stand there frozen at the realization I’m about to be a father.
Her contraction subsides and she storms over to me, snatching the car keys from my hand. “I’m headed to the hospital; if you want a ride, I suggest you get your ass in gear.” That’s all I need to get me moving.
“I’m focused. Give me the keys, I’ll get you there,” I yell after her as she reaches for the driver’s door to our new SUV. Of course, Nelly is tucked safely in the garage, we sold off Jen’s car and bought this a month ago. I run around to the passenger side, lay a towel on the fresh leather, and ease her into the seat.
Throwing the car into drive, I race down the street of our suburb, away from our new home we bought after signing the record deal, and toward my new family. Jen’s eyes are closed, her brows scrunched, breathing deeply with each painful contraction. I notice my breathing matches hers, my brows scrunch together when hers do. I only wish I could also take some of her pain away.
“Sparky, you hanging in there?” I ask, bracing myself for a harsh, abrasive response.
“Mmm hmm,” she mumbles through a deep cleansing breath. She briefly opens her eyes to see we’re stopped at a red light. Unfortunately for me, we’re the only car in a two-mile radius. “You only have one job, Casen. Get me to the hospital,” she snaps. “Is it really imperative that we stop at this light at 4 a.m. when there are no other cars around? Treat it like a four-way stop, dammit,” she hollers as the pain of the next contraction takes hold.