Stretching,I pull Rebel in for a man hug. This past month during Phoebe’s travel assignment has been good, but I’m glad to be back home.
“We’ve got everything ready for the wedding,” he says. “Holly and Marnie are going to take Phoebe shopping tomorrow for a dress.”
“That’ll give me time to stop by the shop and the gym to check on things,” I reply.
“How’s she feeling?” he asks. Because of the old ladies, he’s well aware that Phoebe has been struggling with constant, persistent nausea. It’s one of the reasons we came home sooner than planned.
“Better now that Thelma figured out it was hyperemesis gravidum,” I say. “Unfortunately, it’s not actually conducive to trying to work. She kept getting dehydrated and after the third IV of fluids, Thelma put her foot down and sent us home. Isuspect it would’ve been sooner, but my woman is stubborn and she hid how she was feeling a lot of the time. The fact that she’d lost weight, something else she didn’t share, means it took a few weeks longer to figure it out.”
It wasn’t until Thelma bluntly told her that she was not only putting her life but that of our unborn child’s life at risk that she finally acquiesced about coming home. Even with our pending wedding, we’re adjusting some things to ensure that Phoebe will be okay. Hell, I’m back to taking things into my own hands so to speak and while I know my woman is upset about that fact, especially since her hormones are all over the place, I told her we were taking no chances.
He sighs while running a hand down his face. “Holly looked it up and that’s some scary shit, brother.”
“You’re telling me,” I reply. “What’s even more insane to me is despite the fact that she’slostweight, she looks like she swallowed a beach ball. Her face is gaunt, her wrist bones are showing, and I worry every time she takes a step without me there to help her, yet she’s all baby.”
“Come in and see what we’ve set up for this weekend,” he says.
Thank fuck I’ve got my brothers around to help keep me from spiraling too much. While I’m glad I’ve been able to be there every step of the way for this pregnancy, my fear for Phoebe has outweighed some of the excitement over the impending birth. If it wouldn’t break her heart, since she wants a house full of kids, I’d tell her this was it, we were only having one.
We head into the clubhouse, and I grin when I see Ella, who’s holding onto a sleeping Cami, going toe to toe with Data. Phoebe still doesn’t really know what happened, but from the intenselook I see on my brother’s face, whatever occurred marked him. I hope like hell they get it sorted out, though, because I know Ella’s going to be a part of Phoebe’s life, and I won’t let it become uncomfortable for her best friend to visit us.
“She’s going to love it,” Ella says as she reaches our side.
Because she’s not as steady as normal, my brothers built a heart-shaped loveseat so that we could sit during our actual vows. Is it conventional? Fuck no, but Phoebe wants to be married before the baby arrives and this is something I can give her, although the ring tattoo will have to wait until she’s had our child.
“You didn’t go shopping with the girls?” I ask, turning to look at her. I see her eyes look red and swollen and figure I need to have a talk with Data. Enough is enough as far as I’m concerned, and I can’t have him upsetting Ella so much that she’s crying over him.
“No, I’m on babysitting duty,” she replies. When I look around, she grins and says, “Right now, Esther is in the kitchen, and the kids are helping her make treats for the reception.”
“What kind of treats?” Rebel asks. At my look, he shrugs. “Holly’s been following some people on TikTok, so I’m wondering if that’s what they’re making.”
“Cake pops, chocolate covered strawberries, dipped pretzels,” Ella replies. “Oh, and Esther is making cheesecake shooters from scratch.”
Rebel pats his stomach then grins at me. “Swear to Christ, if I didn’t work out so much, I’d weigh fifty pounds more than Ialready do. Both Holly and her grandmother can cook, that’s for damn sure.”
“You probably wouldn’t, Rebel,” Ella says. “Because both of them mostly cook from scratch using fresh, natural ingredients. There’s not a lot of extra crap like there is in processed foods, that’s for sure.”
“No, I’m pretty sure I would, because one plate isn’t enough half the time,” Rebel asserts.
I look around again and say, “I think Phoebe’s going to like this.”
“I do as well,” Ella adds.
When I see my daughter, sitting in her highchair, completely demolishing the plate of cut up strawberries, I start laughing. She’s got smudges of the melted chocolate on her cheeks, her arms and even in her hair. “Looks like I need to give someone a bath,” I tease.
“Dada, Dada, Dada!” she screeches, hitting the top of her highchair and splattering stuff everywhere.
“You go ahead and get that done, Prophet,” Esther instructs. “I’ve got this taken care of.”
“I’ll help, Esther,” Ella says. “Come on, girls, let’s go wash up so we can help your granny get the kitchen cleaned.”
While we could’ve stayed at our house, I’m glad we’re at the clubhouse. I have extra hands ready and willing to help with the cat as well as Cami, while also making sure that Phoebe doesn’t do too much.
Ella leans in and whispers, “Don’t freak out, but Holly and Marnie are on their way back with Phoebe. She fainted while they were shopping, so they called me, I called Thelma, and she’s on her way with an IV.”
“She could’ve just worn something she already had,” I grumble, fear clutching at my heart. “New plan, can you take Cami? I need to be out front when they get here.”
“Go, we’ve got this,” she says.
