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Ilooked out the window, tired from work and excited to get home. My driver weaved in and out of traffic, trying to get me home quickly. It was a beautiful day, the sun shining, the sky bright blue. The streets of Seattle were bustling and there was a nice breeze blowing in the open car windows from the bay. I couldn’t wait to see Colin—and Katie.
Katie had moved in the day after she left the hospital, or rather, Addie and I had moved her in. We didn’t let her lift a finger, and she didn’t like it that much but she got a little better about it once she was able to bark orders at us as we were putting her things in the living room and bedroom.
My bathroom had been completely taken over. Makeup, skincare, shampoo in my shower. It smelled like her in there—a mix of coconut and jasmine. I thought that it would make me panic to have her so entrenched in my life, but instead, it just made me miss her while I was away.
On the one side of our bedroom was her walk-in closet, more like a room than a closet. And Addie had laughed about how Katie’s clothes and shoes didn’t take up even half the space. “This is bigger than my whole apartment,” she said, calling out to Katie with a giggle.
Those first days were exciting, with the move, and having Katie with me 24/7. She never once complained that she had to stay on bedrest and I wondered how she was getting through it with a smile.
In the hospital, when she’d asked me if I loved her, I choked. I couldn’t answer. Everything I felt for her was new to me, and I didn’t know how to express it. All I could do was be there for her in her time of need and wait on her hand and foot while our girls grew inside of her.
She said she wasn’t used to being pampered, so I made sure to pamper her plenty. I ordered her maternity clothes from the best websites, even made her favorite juice by hand. I had done it one day while the chef was off, and Katie had loved it so much that I made it exclusively for her from that point on. I basically did whatever she wanted even though she sometimes pouted about it.
Katie did her part, too, though, from bed, helping me with Colin when I finally went back to the office, giving the chef recommendations to prepare my meals. She’d even been helping Colin with his reading, which was something he really needed to work on.
I arrived home one day, Katie in bed, as usual, Colin reading her a story. Her baby bump had grown way beyond just a bump and it stretched out the tank top and shorts that she was wearing. Her feet looked a little swollen, so I made a mental note to prepare a foot soak for her later and give her a massage.
Colin’s head was lying on Katie’s belly, as if he were reading to the twins, and my heart ached at the sight of them together. I felt so strongly for the both of them that it was almost overwhelming at times, but I pushed past it.
“And then the ant says STOP!” he yelled the last part and I winced but Katie just laughed.
“That’s perfect, Colin. That’s enough for today, okay?”
Colin lifted his head and pouted at her. “But I want to read more.”
“I’m feeling a little tired, honey,” Katie said, and Colin leaned against her belly, waiting for the twins to kick.
“Are my sisters being mean to you in there?” he asked, putting his hand on Katie’s belly, and when they kicked, he grinned. “They’re playing soccer, Katie!”
“You think so?” Katie laughed. “I don’t know if they’re playing soccer or kickball, but they’re doing it all over my ribs.”
“They’ll be better when they’re out,” Colin said, and then looked up at me with wide eyes. “Daddy, where do babies even come out?”
Katie’s eyes widened as she put her hand over her mouth, and I stammered.
“Uh... we’ll talk about that some other time.” I said, trying to change the subject. “How was your day today, guys?”
Katie opened her mouth to answer but Colin piped up, interrupting her. “It was great! We played trains, and we’ve been reading books.I’vebeen reading books, Dad,” Colin said proudly.
“I can see that,” I said, smiling down at him. Train tracks were littered all over the floor, books all over the bed. “What are you two reading now?”
Colin turned over the book in his hand, pointing at the words. “It’s called The Ant and the Lady... bug,” he said hesitantly, and I kissed the side of his face, happy that he’d read it so well.
“You’re doing such a great job, Colin,” I told him. Then I turned to Katie. “And how was your day, princess?”
I’d taken to calling her that as a joke since I basically had to do everything for her, and Katie wrinkled her nose at me.
She hated it, but it made her make that cute face, so I was going to keep doing it.
I sat down on the edge of the bed next to her, and Katie immediately started to take off my tie. She knew that I hated wearing them, even though it was necessary, and I smiled at her, liking the way her fingers felt against my throat.
“The physio guy came by today,” Katie said. She was doing physical therapy to keep her from getting bedsores or blood clots while she was on bed rest. “He’s kind of cute.”
“Don’t you start,” I muttered as she threw my tie onto a nearby chair.
“I’m doing it for you, Adam,” she teased. “I want to stay sexy for you even though I’m stuck in bed.”
“You’ll always be sexy to me,” I said honestly, looking down at her. Her belly was swollen enough that you could tell she was pregnant with twins a mile away, but I loved the way she looked. She was carrying my little girls in there, and I loved her body before she was pregnant, I loved it during, and I would love it after.
