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“I’m still recovering, Thea. You can’t stress me like that. It’s not good for my heart.”
“I don’t think that moose did anything to your heart.”
“I think the doctor said something about inflammation.”
A twinge of sadness passed over her face, and I regretted teasing her. Despite her outward toughness, the last few weeks had been rough. She’d cheerfully emerged from the bathroom every morning with a smile on her face and a seemingly endless supply of energy. For weeks, though, she’d slept fitfully, waking up with nightmares about her mom. And about me.
I wrapped my other arm around her, pulling her to face me. “You’re going to be a great mom. And I’m sure that guy had plenty of grandkids, so I bet he’ll make a second-time great dad.”
She smacked my shoulder. “Am I allowed to admit that I’m a little scared, Benny?”
“Absolutely.” I kissed her forehead, pulling her close.
“I’ve never sewn a maternity wardrobe before,” she sighed, voice faraway.
“You’ll figure it out. You’re an excellent seamstress.”
“I don’t like all my clothes being tight.” She pulled at her pink dress. The circle skirt obscured her rapidly growing stomach, but the seams below her bust strained.
“They’re just snug. Besides, you’re gorgeous. Absolutely glowing.”
“I’m bloated.”
“You’re having a baby. Our baby. And we get to see her today.”
She looked up, tears rimming her eyes. “Alright, let’s go see her.”
* * *
Pink and blue balloons bounced around the front door to my parent’s house. Cars filled the driveway and spilled out onto the street. Thea gripped the white envelope with our baby’s picture in her hand, the corner frayed and damp.
“Gender reveals are weird,” she groaned, scanning the street.
“Are you planning on telling my mom you’ve changed your mind about this party? Because I can’t do that to her.”
After watching an episode of some reality show about rich housewives, my mom had become fixated on the idea of having a gender reveal. She’d insisted on having a celebration after the twenty-week scan and, judging by the glut of cars, she’d also invited most of the notch to the festivities.
“Of course not. She’s bought enough furniture for a dozen nurseries. I don’t have a leg to stand on,” Thea laughed. “Besides, this will be our first real party as a couple. Maybe once everyone sees us together, I’ll stop feeling like such a sideshow around downtown.”
Between recuperating and catching up with work at the rescue, I had had little time to hang around downtown. Unlike Thea.
She had a new business, and rumors of our relationship and her growing belly had resulted in the same conversations every day: Yes, she’s pregnant. Yes, I’m the father. Yes, we’re together.
Gloria found out from Tammy at the coffee shop and nearly banned Thea from the diner. Thea circumvented a lifetime ban with a shirt that stressed her bump and a few tears. A party would cement the rumors into fact and give Thea a reprieve from the constant questions.
“You want to stop at your house first?” I asked, pulling into her driveway just across the street. “You can take a minute to catch your breath?”
She shook her head. “It’s not really my house anymore, is it?”
“Of course it’s yours. You’re paying the taxes, right? Because even if your grandma paid off the house, you still owe those every year,” I teased.
She shifted in her seat, struggling to turn to face me. “But we can’t live here. You and me.”
“My mom would be thrilled. Grandparents right next door? Some people would kill for that.” I shrugged.
“But you couldn’t live here. Not all the time, anyway.”
Moving into town would make my life harder.
