Page 59 of Derecho

“Perfect. I’ll head back there, then. Thanks for lunch, Lach. See you guys at family dinner!”

I’d lost sight of Lainey, so while there was still a decent roar of chatter in the living room, I pivoted, making my way into the kitchen. Lainey was at the sink, her hands bracing the counter. For a second, I thought she was looking out the window, but as I stepped closer, I realized her eyes were squeezed shut.

“Trouble? You okay?”

“Oh! God, you scared me.” She swatted the air in front of her face as she turned to me. “I’m fine. Just wanted to put something in the fridge.”

“Something?”

She crossed her arms. “I’ll tell you what it is after you tell me why you made sure I was out of the house until this afternoon.”

I felt my goddamn face heat. “I…uh, well I don’t think it’s something I can tell you. It’s kinda something you need to see. Follow me?”

“Hey! There they are! Did you tell her what we were up to?” Dad asked as we walked toward the stairs.

“He said I need to see it,” Lainey replied, her voice thick with skepticism.

“Alright, well, enjoy…Lach let me know if you need me to come down and help with anything else. I’m happy to. Otherwise, I’m gonna clear out. Parents, your sleeping children are now your responsibilities again.”

“Thanks, Danny.” Birdie laughed.

“Thanks, Dad,” I said at the same time. “I appreciate the help.”

“It was fun. Haven’t hung out with my boys like that in a long time. So, thank you for giving us a reason to, Lainey.”

“Apparently I’m chopped liver,” Hayes muttered.

“You were missed, but you had the most important job of all.” Dad slapped Hayes on the back.

“I have no idea what I did…but you’re welcome?” Lainey laughed, her hand nudging me up the stairs. “Let’s go. The anticipation is killing me.”

I shouldn’t be in front of her. What if she fell? The image of Lainey laying at the bottom of the steps flashed in my mind, and my stomach pitched. I should definitely be behind her so I can help if she slips.

“Go around me. Head down to your room.”

Her brows pulled together. “You’re not trying to look at my ass, are you?”

“No.” I chuckled, a little of the tightness in my shoulder leaving with each step we took. But it took more willpower than I would admit to keep my eyes trained on the stair treads in front of me.

“What…Where did all this come from?” Lainey’s eyes were wide as she stood outside her room.

“Go in,” I encouraged. “Look everything over. If there is something that you don’t like, we can figure out a fix.”

“Are you kidding me?! This bassinet is beautiful. Where did you…?”

“Colt and Violet are letting us borrow it. They used it for Connor when he was a newborn.”

“That’s so nice of them.” She moved to the far corner of the room where the glider I’d ordered was set up. I’d had it delivered to Hayes’s house a few days ago, when I first started coordinating this day. “This is beautiful, too. With the decals on the walls.”

I looked at the planets and stars we’d stuck all around that corner. Ma would have been better at knowing how to space them, but she’d insisted on going into town to feed the girls while they were out and about. Said she would stall them, too, if necessary. The whole Ford family had conspired to make this space baby ready, and I was so grateful for that.

Lainey sat in the glider, her hands running over her belly. “I really like the space theme.”

“It was on brand for the little space invader. Figured he’d feel comforted by a reminder of his cosmic origins when he finally becomes an Earthling.”

“It was so nice of your family to lend all this to me. I was worried about being ready, and it was just really overwhelming.”

“I know.”