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We arrived at Walmart less than thirty minutes later—we lived out in the country in a small two-bedroom farmhouse that was so far away from fast food that I literally cursed our decision every single night.
But according to Banner, the stars at night out on that secluded little farm reminded him of home. So that’s where we stayed.
“What do you need?” I asked curiously.
She grinned and led me to the baby section. “I wanted to buy you some diapers…and see if they had any cute little outfits.”
I outright laughed at that. We had plenty of cute little outfits. So many, in fact, that it would be a wonder if my little bundle of joy even got to wear them all.
“I’m buying a few cute boy and girl things,” she told me. “That way, at least there’ll be a little pink in there for my princess.”
I rolled my eyes. My mom was a firm believe that I was having a girl.
My dad and Banner? Boy all the way.
Me? I didn’t have the slightest idea, so I stuck with neutral colors of green, white, and yellow.
“That’s not…”
“Marco!”
My head whipped around, and I stared toward where I’d thought I’d heard the sound coming from.
What I found, however, was an old man calling for his wife across the aisle. She found him with a middle finger stuck way up high in the air.
“That’s rude,” she said. “You shouldn’t yell in the store.”
Oh, what I wouldn’t give to hear a yell through the store.
“Baby, you ready?”
I looked over at my mom with a knot in my throat, and nodded since I couldn’t make my voice work.
“He’ll be home soon, sweetling,” she promised.
Maybe. Maybe not. I just hoped that I didn’t have this baby without him.
I had one more week until I was officially considered full-term. And that week was coming in hot.
• • •
I was well and truly depressed by the time I got home.
Every single thing I saw reminded me of Banner, to the point where I was nearly in tears when I arrived home to drop my mom off.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to go to the sonogram?” she asked.
That was one thing that I’d reserved for Banner, and Banner only.
All doctor appointments were attended by the two of us alone.
He’d been able to go to the first three before he’d had to leave.
Now, it was just me.
“I’m sure,” I promised. “I love you.”
My mom pressed her hand to my cheek, then kissed the tip of my nose as she tapped the door, causing her ring to click against the metal.
