I have an awkward conversation with Jane about why I’m wearing the same clothes two days in a row, but she’s happy, maybe even overly happy, about the turn of events. The moment I’m able to leave the bakery, I do. I go by my house, shower, dress, and get ready for the evening. While I’m home, I throw in a load of clothes to wash and take out the trash. Around five, I find myself unable to wait any longer, and I get in the car to make the drive over.
“Violet! Violet!” Margo says the moment I walk in the door. She comes running at me and throws her arms around my neck the moment I drop down to one knee to catch her. “I’m soooo glad you came back.”
“I told you I would,” I coo in her ear.
“Daddy is making spaghetti for dinner. I love sketti!”
I laugh. “Well, let’s go see if he needs a hand, huh?”
She releases me and takes my hand, pulling me into the kitchen. “Look who’s here!” she announces.
Carson turns around with a laugh. “How was your day?” he asks, leaning in for a kiss.
“Slow,” I confess.
“I’m making spaghetti, but feel free to put your magic touch on the sauce.” He gives me a blinding smile.
The three of us get busy with making dinner and then we all sit around the table, eating our spaghetti, salad, and garlic bread. Margo tells us about her day at daycare, and Carson and I talk about our days. I tell him about the bakery having a sudden rush on blueberry muffins that left me making more in the middle of the day, and he tells me about where he’s at on the boat process. I don’t understand much of it or the terms he uses, but I smile and nod along like I understand it all. He’s already planning on taking it out on the water soon to try it out, and Margo and I both volunteer to come along.
After dinner, Margo rushes upstairs to get her bath, and I help him clean up the kitchen. Then we crash on the couch to relax while Margo plays in front of us.
“Have you been to the doctor yet?”
I nod. “I’m due in April.”
He nods in acknowledgement. “And what are your plans?”
“What do you mean?” I ask, tilting my head.
“I mean, when you get to leave the hospital, will you be coming here or going home?”
“Oh, I guess I haven’t thought of that yet. It just feels too soon.”
“So, we fall into bed, create a baby, and now we’re taking it slow?” he asks around a smirk.
“You made a baby?” Margo yells, eyes wide with excitement.
Now she chooses to listen?
Violet and I look at one another, then back to Margo.
“Well, I guess the cat is out of the bag now,” I say.
Her eyes get bigger if possible. “And a cat?”
We all laugh. “No, honey, there is no cat, but you are going to be a big sister. What do you think of that?”
“Yay!” she yells around her giggles as she jumps and up down, unable to contain her excitement. She quickly runs around the coffee table to hug us both. “Does that mean that you’re getting married?” She smiles wide.
I laugh, but Carson picks her up, holding her up in the air. “One thing at a time, monster,” he tells her, lowering her to the floor to tickle her until she falls onto my lap.
After play time, Margo goes off to bed, leaving me and Carson alone for the first time today. I’m lying back on the couch, ready to fall asleep when he comes and sits down.
“You know, if you want to stay the night, I won’t argue.”
I smile. “Well, that’s good because I’m so tired I don’t know if I’d make it home.”
“Come on. Let’s go up to bed.” He stands and helps me to my feet. Quickly, he sweeps me up in his arms and carries me up the stairs.
“I’m telling ya, this baby growing process wears you out.”
He chuckles. “I’ll just have to take your word for it.” He leans in and kisses my lips, then sets me softly in bed.
He helps to remove my shoes, and he pulls the blankets back enough that I can slide beneath them. When I’m lying down, he pulls them back up around me, tucking me in. He rips off his shirt and jeans and comes to lie at my side. He pushes his chest against my back, and his heat sinks into me, relaxing me. I drift into a deep sleep.
Time passes in funny ways sometimes. Sometimes, it’s slow and lagging, and seconds fel like minutes. Other times, it passes so quickly that if you aren’t careful, you won’t even notice the changing of the days. Before I know it, my belly is big and round, and the three of us have settled into a nice routine. While Carson and I have agreed to take things slow, I find myself staying at his place more than mine. Slowly but surely, more and more of my things get brought over, and we even start decorating a nursery for the baby. We paint the walls a light blue and decorate it with a nautical theme. There are fish painted on the walls along with big boat anchors. The carpet is a dark blue, and all the trim is a crisp white. The closet gets filled with clothing, and the diaper changing station gets stocked to the brim. Everything is falling together nicely, and I know there’s no point in pushing for anything because, with us, everything just falls into place. I don’t know when I’ll officially move in, or if/when Carson and I will ever tie the knot, but those aren’t the things that need worrying about. With us, it’s better just to buckle up and enjoy the ride because fate is going to take us wherever we’re supposed to be anyway.
Epilogue
Carson-Five Months Later…
“He’s beautiful,” Violet says as she looks down at the tiny little boy in her arms.
“He’s perfect,” I agree, unable to tear my eyes off of him myself. He has a head full of dark curls, dark blue eyes, and the softest, pinkest skin.
“Can you believe this? Our drunken stupidness created this,” she gushes with a wide grin.
I laugh. “He is pretty amazing. What are we going to name this little guy? We never settled on anything.”
“I’m thinking, if it’s okay with you, we could name him William Michael Evans. William after my father and Michael after you.”
I smile wide. “I love it. He looks like a Will.”
She smirks at him. “What do you think? Is your name William?”
The baby makes a cooing sound, and it’s decided.
Jane walks in a little while later with Margo. “Let me see him! Let me see!” Margo demands.
I pick her up in my arms so she can look down at him. “He’s cute, but what can he do?”
We all laugh. “He’s a baby, honey. He won’t do much of anything but eat, sleep, cry, and poop for a long time,” I tell her
She frowns. “So he can’t play ball with me?”
“Not yet.”
“What about color?”
“Nope.”
“Can he at least eat Goldfish?”
“Nope. He’ll have to grow into all those things.”
“Well, that’s boring,” she finally says, wiggling until I put her down. She runs over to the chair in the corner and sits down, taking Jane’s phone away from her to play games.
Jane leans over and looks down at William. “He’s gorgeous, guys! How did you two make something so perfect?” She reaches out, and he wraps his fist around her finger.