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“C’mere,” Max says, and making sure Zoe’s isn’t going anywhere, I nuzzle into him, breathing him in and resting my head against his arm.
My rock.
My man.
“When we do it…” he starts, “Do you think about making a baby every time?” he asks, making me snort when I laugh out loud.
“Max, I’m not five. No! I don’t think about making a baby every time… Jeez, where’d you get that from?”
“My point is,” he says matter of fact, “that just like Zoe, we’ll have our next when they’re ready to come into the world, and we don’t have to do anything different. We just have to wait for the rest of the family to arrive… Speaking of which…” he murmurs.
My cell phone is ringing and Max grabs it while I tend to Zoe, We’re both expecting dad to call anyway.
He keeps promising to come out and visit, but it’s nearly been two years since he went home and only video calls as any real quality time with his granddaughter.
But this month, he’s coming out. He really is and I can’t wait to see him and neither can Max.
Things were tense before they got easier, between Max and my dad. Dad was fine with things, right up until the wedding, which we had without any fuss and he complained he was missing out on his daughter’s big wedding day. But even dad agrees, that from what he’s seen for himself and heard from us over the phone, he knows Max is the best man for the job of looking after his daughter.
Max reminds his best friend of his solemn duty to visit us all before passing him over to me.
Listening to dad recount his plans for coming down in a few weeks, I glance over the calendar I’ve been marking off, timing my cycle.
Not because I think there’s anything wrong, but just because I need to make sure nothing is wrong.
My heart flutters, then skips a beat as I realize I’m late. Like over a month late.
Has it been that long? I check back over the previous month, “Yes, dad I am listening, I can do more than one thing at a time y’know.”
I do some math in my head, counting off the squares and bite my lip, the flutter in my heart starts to pound and I feel a flush of excitement ripple through my whole body, my hand absently cradling my belly.
Making sure Max is busy with something else, I duck into the bathroom real quick to check my supplies.
Still got plenty left.
“Nothing dad… uh huh… yes, I am listening… No, Max is down on the other end of the house, we don’t do that when you’re on the phone dad… gross…”
I’m not sure if dad sounds more trying today than any other, or if it’s just because I really have something to do right now, but I wind our conversation down and have him promise me again that he really is coming and I believe him when he tells me he is.
“Three weeks, honey. I can’t wait. I’ll catch Max later if he’s busy right now, you just take care of yourselves down there and I’ll see you real soon… Love you honey.”
It’s great talking with dad, and I almost feel guilty for cutting it short, but I suddenly have to use the bathroom.
“Max? Honey? Can you watch Zoe for a minute…?”
Max frowns, feigning insult that I’d even have to ask him. He scoops up Zoe into his arms and starts to blow raspberries onto her neck and chest until she’s squealing with laughter.
I almost squeal out loud myself, excited at the prospect of another test, another chance.
It doesn’t feel like so long ago since the last one, but it has been.
My hands are shaking, then I can’t go. It’s like I’ve gone pee shy for the first time over the test.
C’mon… C’mon…
Finally.
I can hear my heartbeat in my ears, suddenly anxious like never before, I feel like everything is riding on this one test for some reason, like something magical could happen, like it did with Zoe.
The wind chime outside bothers me, making me realize how long a few minutes is when you’re waiting for something like this.
The breeze through the window is dry. But as it hits my cheek, it feels damp.
Like a little wet kiss.
At that same moment, I watch the pregnancy test strip turn blue.
My scream sees Max lifting the bathroom door from its hinges, hanging in one hand as he holds Zoe safely in his other arm, his worried face melting with relief once he sees me holding up what I know he’s been wishing for as much as I have.
“See?” he tells me, setting the door down and taking me under his big strong arm, cradling me and Zoe and baby makes three with his whole body.
