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I look up at her. “What’s that?”
“None of us knows what we’re doing.”
I look back down at Everett. “I’m not sure whether that’s supposed to be comforting or not.”
She walks over and pats me on the back. “Comforting. You’re going to be a great dad.”
“Is it normal to be terrified?” I ask without pulling my eyes away from the baby.
James lets out a loud laugh. “God, yes.”
“Yeah. I’d be worried if you weren’t,” Elizabeth adds.
“I’m the leader of the free world, and this is more terrifying to me than my job.”
I chuckle. “Again, I’m not sure if that’s supposed to make me feel better or worse.”
James checks his watch. “Vivi, it’s that time?”
She groans but follows him, calling over her shoulder, “Night, Uncle Declan.”
“Night, Vivi.”
“What are we going to read tonight?” James says as they walk toward the hallway.
“Duck for President,”she says.
“Again?”
Elizabeth laughs. “God, she loves that book.”
Everett gives a tiny sigh in his sleep and then starts snoring softly.
“So how’s Maggie doing?” Elizabeth asks.
I turn toward her. “Okay, I think. She’s hanging in there.”
“I can’t imagine being on bedrest that long. I’m surprised she hasn’t lost her mind.”
“I’m trying to keep her distracted.”
I notice how tired she looks – no wonder with a newborn. She gives me the sort of smile where her eyes don’t match her mouth and then says, “Have you talked about what you’re going to do after the baby is born? Is she still angry?”
I stretch my neck out a little before answering. “She’s not as angry, but we haven’t talked about anything. I’m afraid to bring it up.”
“What do you want?” she asks.
I sigh. “What I’ve always wanted – just to be a team with her. Why do we need to get lawyers involved?”
Our eyes meet and then I say, “I know everyone thinks I’m naive.”
“Well, I’m hoping you can be a team too.” She pats my arm and gives me another sad smile.
“Thanks.”
When I return home, Celeste is waiting in the living room.
“She went to bed about thirty minutes ago. Nothing out of the ordinary,” she reports.
