“I get it,” Jane says with a sigh, plopping Charlie in Ava’s waiting arms. “Garrett and I were like that in reverse. He knew he was ready before I did. I didn’t think we’d get pregnant as fast as we did either. Once it happened though, I was excited. I mean, I definitely had freak out moments, but Gare really balanced me out.”
Ava nods while Brynleigh looks pensive.
“What are you thinking, Bryn. You look like you have an awful lot of things bouncing around up there,” I ask.
“At Christmas, you totally said you guys would think about it soon,” Jane interjects, and the rest of us gasp. This is news to us. Brynleigh flushes.
“Yeah, we’re definitely talking about it.” We all squeal at her admission. “I’m really nervous. I know there’s not really any way to get out of it, but what if it happens again? What if I can’t carry to term?”
The four of us look at Brynleigh with a mixture of emotions. Sydney rubs her belly, tears filling her eyes at the mere idea of something so precious being torn away from her. Jane nods in understanding, and Ava reaches out for her hand as I shake my head.
“No matter what happens, we’re all here. We’ll never let you go through anything alone again. And Trystan? That man would walk through fire in order to make you feel safe. He’d do anything to give you the life you want.”
“I know that–I mean, he’s proved that much already, but he can’t stop something bad from happening.”
“We won’t even speak it into existence, and if it comes down to it, I’ll carry for you, no questions asked.”
The other girls gasp.
“You’d do that for me?” Brynleigh asks, tears filling her eyes.
“I’d do that for you, Bryn. In a heartbeat. You’re going to get that family you want. One way or another.”
Tears fall down Brynleigh’s face, and I hear sniffles in the room.
“Damn it, Holly, you made the pregnant one cry,” Jane mutters.
“Sorry, not sorry. You all realize I’d do the same for each of you, right?”
They all nod, soft smiles pulling at their lips.
“Now, what’s going on with Jaxon?” Ava begs before blowing raspberries at Charlotte.
“I don’t want to jinx anything. I need to wrap my head around it before I talk much about it. Can you guys give me that? Maybe by Tuesday night I’ll have a better idea.”
They squeal with delight.
“You really, really like him!” Sydney exclaims.
“I only need one deet, so I know our matchmaking wasn’t in vain. Did something happen last night?”
I blush hard. When they all squeal again, Charlotte jumps with the spazzy arms only babies can do. We laugh heartily, cooing to soothe the little one so she will go down for her midmorning nap.
???
Jaxon
“Beer me!” Mark hollers over after tossing his line back out. I reach into the cooler, asking if any of the others need a new one. The sound of the top popping is relaxing in its own way. Sittingout here with these guys, it makes me feel like I truly have a place for the first time in a really long time.
“I needed this,” Colin mutters before sighing with a noticeable sense of relief.
“You’re going to do great, Colin,” Garrett adds.
“Thanks. I’m just–”
“Scared?” Garrett asks with a huff.
“Yeah…” Colin says quietly.
