“You’ll understand the longer you hang around her,” Cleo tells Nikita.
Nikita nods. “Sure.”
Miya jerks again and makes a noise.
“Okay, what in the hell is going on with you?” Cleo demands.
Miya blushes. “Just Kenji being Kenji.”
We fall silent as we try to read between the lines.
Cleo gasps, her hand on her chest. “Did you have a sex toy in you at my dinner table, Miya?”
Miya scoffs. “No, never.”
“I don’t believe you.” Cleo turns toward Nikita. “Do you believe her?”
Nikita raises her hands. “Please leave me out of this.”
Emily fusses in her chair, wanting out and Miya and her sex toy are forgotten.
“Let’s get you out of there.” I stand and unbuckle her.
“Let me have her,” Cleo demands, making grabby hands.
Very carefully, I hand Emily across the table and watch as she curls into her aunt's chest.
“I probably should have cleaned her off more. You’re going to get that top dirty.”
Cleo rolls her eyes. “Like I care.”
“She had a growth spurt recently, right? I feel like she’s grown a lot since the last time I saw her,” Miya says.
I settle back into my chair. “She has. I swear it was overnight too.”
“Not such a baby anymore, huh?” Cleo coos.
“Are you going to have any more?” Nikita asks as she stares at Emily.
She clearly wants to hold Emily to have something to do. Almost like she wants to use her as a shield from the rest of us.
“Actually…we are trying.”
Cleo whips her head toward me. “Wait, really? You never mentioned it the other day!”
I can feel myself blush. “We just decided.”
In your bathroom. I think to myself.
“You look happy,” Nikita says.
“I am.”
“Did you enjoy being pregnant? I’ve heard it’s miserable,” Miya asks.
“They say each pregnancy is different. My pregnancy with Emily was pretty easy, though. I loved feeling her move inside of me.” I shake my head. “I don’t even know how to describe the feeling. It’s like anything I’ve ever felt. It’s crazy growing a human inside of you and being overwhelmed with love for someone that you’ve never met.”
“I can’t imagine.” Miya shakes her head.
