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The apartment was goingto be too small for us all, I realized, as Xavier unlocked the door and swung it open. Even with four of us, it sometimes felt crowded, and with a baby? It was going to be far too cramped.
Xavier had been talking about all four of us pooling our resources and buying a big house outside the city, and I was completely on board. Especially since I’d been browsing real estate listings online and found a two-story cottage in a valley, with all the bedrooms we’d ever need.
But first… I had some good news to tell them.
I’d spent my lunch break decorating the apartment with tablewear that I’d bought especially for this purpose and kept hidden in the basement: a royal red runner on the table, candles in candlesticks, and fancy gold plates that I’d set up in my lunchbreak.
“What’s all this?” Adrian asked, looking around warily.
“Just something special because I love you,” I said, as I lit the candles. I pulled one of the chairs out and gestured for Xavier to sit in it. “Why don’t you all take a seat, and I’ll get the entrees ready.”
Jackson chuckled nervously.
“Why do I feel like we’re in trouble?”
“Who rewards trouble with a fancy dinner?” Xavier asked. “I reckon she’s about to tell us she’s pregnant.”
“How did you know?” I burst out, and Xavier’s jaw dropped.
“Shit, I was right? I’m so sorry!”
“You’re such a knob,” Jackson said, as he caught his breath from laughing. “Only you could ruin such a big moment like that.”
“You’re pregnant?” Adrian asked, and I nodded, too happy to care that my “entree” of three positive pregnancy tests was still hidden in the pot, waiting for my big reveal.
“This calls for champagne,” Jackson said, and then realized what he’d said and paused. “Oh shit, sorry, I forgot…”
“It’s okay,” I said. There was a bottle in the fridge and I pulled it out and opened it, savoring the “pop”. I poured three big glasses and passed them around, and then filled a fourth with sparkling water for me. We clinked the glasses together and took a long sip.
“Whose is it?” Xavier asked, but Jackson shoved him.
“Who cares? The only important thing is that it’sours. We’ll be a family.”
“My dad wasn’t around much growing up,” Adrian said. “And I reckon there’d be nothing better than our kid growing up withthreefathers who love him. Or her,” he added, after another short sip of wine.
“All that matters is that we love each other,” I said, and rubbed my belly, trying to imagine what it would feel like when the baby kicked. “And as long as we do, I think that everything’s going to be wonderful.”
