Topsy Turvy Kinda Love
him into it later. He does owe me after springing this little shindig after all.Macy stands up. “Okay, everyone—gifts or games?”
“Gifts!” everyone shouts back. I’m thankful. I’d heard of the games played at these events and am horrified at the idea of them. Like melting candy pieces and putting them in diapers for people to identify… who does that?
Macy pulls two chairs in front of the bar helps me as I sit down even though I protest. I understand the reason. I’m the size of a barn, and I’m front heavy. Brooks helps her move the gifts to the floor beside me so I can easily reach them. He stands beside me as I open the first couple of gifts. It’s annoying me, and I need him to be on my level.
“Brooks, want to sit down?”
“Nah, I think I’m good here.”
“Brooks, I think you should sit down.”
“Seriously, I don’t mind standing.”
“If you do not sit down, I will go pregnancy crazy on your ass… do you really want to see that?”
I watch as he slowly walks over to the chair and sits down, arms out in defense as if I’m a wild animal ready and poised to take him out.
“Okay, I’m sitting. Happy?”
“Tickled pink.”
By the end of all the presents and then games. Yeah, so much for thinking I was getting out of that situation. I’m ready to pass the crap out. I’ve never been so tired as I am being pregnant. Then again, carrying extra weight around on the front for eight months and constantly feeling like you’re going to tip forward and sink like the titanic doesn’t help much either.
Most of the guests help clean up all the wrapping paper, and Eddie sticks around to help load the gifts into the back of his truck and bring them to the apartment. They won’t fit in my Miata without multiple trips. It’s nice seeing everyone, and I appreciate all the love they showed for Wesley and Piper. They’re going to be two spoiled little kiddos for sure. We say our goodbyes, thanking them for the gifts.
Macy drops down in the chair next to me and huffs. “I didn’t realize how much work went into coordinating one of these things…”
I reach over and give her a hug. “Thank you for doing this.”
A tear sneaks its way down my cheek, and she smiles. “There’s the girl with feelings. I like her. You should bring her out more.”
“If you tell anyone, I will cut you.”
“And there’s the Mia I know and love.” I stick my tongue out at her, but I’m so thankful for her. After college, I’d stuck around for Macy. She needed me after her mom died, and then again when her dad died. We’re best friends, and that’s something you just can’t replace.
I rub my hand over my belly, feeling Wesley and Piper moving around again. “So when are you and Trevor planning on having a horde?”
“Well, first off, we are not aliens, so no horde.”
“You sure about that? Trevor is so strait-laced that I sometimes wonder if he’s even breathing. Like I want to legit poke him just to make sure he flinches.”
“Mean…”
“Truth.”
“He’s not that bad. He just… doesn’t understand the concept of fun at times. He grew up with Lucille and Maxwell…”
“That explains a lot. She smiled at me earlier, and I couldn’t tell if it was a legit smile. She’d had too much Botox, she was constipated, or just had really bad gas…”
Macy bends over laughing and I can’t help but join her.
“I have that same problem sometimes… figuring out if she’s smiling, that is. Not the whole gas part.”
“I can imagine. But seriously, though, I thought you wanted kids right away after you got married?” I lean over and bump her with my shoulder.
She shrugs. “I did… but I’m still in school and helping with the shelter part-time. Trevor’s running the shelter. We don’t really have time right now to settle and do the whole baby thing. But I do kinda have baby fever… like I can’t wait for Wesley and Piper to get here so I can love all over their cute little squishy faces.” She moves her fingers up like she’s squishing something.
“Did you just talk about my children like a dog’s floppy cheeks? You have serious issues.”
“Hey, they may be chunky, you don’t know…”
“Compared my sweet bundles of joy to a dog and then called them fat. Winning friends right now, Macy. Winning friends…”
“Hey! That is for whacking me along the backside of my head and calling me dumb when I didn’t realize how bad Trevor had it for me!”
“Fine, I’ll let it slide.”
She nods. “Thank you. I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready for kids. It seems like just yesterday we were in college and now you’re having not one, but two babies. I mean, it’s insane.”
I rub my belly. “Yeah, I didn’t think I was ready either. Most days, I’m still scared shitless. But you see that man over there?” I point to Brooks, and he waves at us. “He’s the reason I can do this, and I can’t imagine having it any other way. Doing it with anyone but him.”
“Did he ask you to marry him again yet?”
“Nope, I think he’s scared now.”
“Well, you did kind of freak out on him and run…”
“I know, but I’ve been giving him hints, Macy. Leaving things up on the computer that say bride or obviously watching movies with brides in them, and he’s still not getting it.”
“Honey, boys are dumb. Sometimes you need to go Bam Bam Flintstone on their butts until they get it.”
She looks at my hair and then smiles. “Have I told you how good motherhood looks on you? I love that you let your hair go back to its normal color. I always thought you looked pretty as a strawberry blonde.”
“Don’t get used to it. Dr. Morgan had strict orders that I couldn’t dye it until after my first trimester, and then I just kind of forgot