“You know, we should start planning the baby shower,” Mom added.
The buzz and excitement filling the room was making me a bit dizzy.
Mom returned to her seat next to Dad.
“Your mom and I are so proud of you, Kade,” Dad said. “We’re proud of all of you.” Dad regarded my brothers. “You’ve grown into responsible young men who know what family means.”
Tears threatened as I took in a deep breath. “You’ve raised us right.”
Kelton, Kross, and Kody chimed in with the same, nodding their heads.
Jessie, Kody’s girl, finally spoke up. “So, triplets! I’m so happy for you two.” She set her loving expression on Kody.
“One day, baby doll,” Kody said to Jessie as though he knew what her expression meant.
Kody hadn’t proposed to her yet. For that matter, Kelton hadn’t proposed to Lizzie yet either. Both had their reasons.
“Lacey,” Lizzie said, tucking strands of her black hair behind her ear. “Are you ready to carry three babies?”
Ruby joined the conversation as she filled Reaghan and Raven’s plates with food. “Carrying one is enough.”
Lacey and I took our seats. She was at one end of the table, and I was at the other.
Kody handed Lacey a bowl of potato salad. “Honestly, I’m a little scared.”
Mom reached over and patted Lacey’s hand. “I’ll be here for you. It’s not as daunting as it sounds. The body is amazing.”
Jessie buttered a roll. “She’s right. You might have to be on bed rest or at least off your feet toward the end, but as long as you stay in shape, triplets will be a breeze for you,” the nurse in her said.
I exchanged a thankful look with my dad, blinking and nodding at him as I swallowed down a ton of emotions waiting to burst free, from love to trepidation and everything in between. But I was more than ready to start down this road. I was more than ready to tend to screaming babies at three in the morning. I was more than ready to expand my family. And I was definitely more than ready to do all of that with the woman who’d stolen my heart seven years ago in the high school parking lot.
Chapter 16
Lacey
My eyes flew open as a gripping pain had me trying to catch my breath. I sat up and checked the time. The clock on the nightstand was flashing four a.m. I swung my gaze over to Kade, who was fast asleep, which was unlike him. He’d been tossing and turning just about every night for the last two months of my pregnancy.
I’d gotten so big that I couldn’t do much. I couldn’t even see my ankles when I stood. I was so ready to have these babies. The kicking and heartburn and peeing and pain in my lower back were getting to be too much.
I climbed out of bed, or more like waddled out, pushing off the mattress to stand upright, my belly protruding out over my feet.
Argh!I was so ready to see my ankles. I was so ready to get back to my normal body. I often wondered how I would’ve even pitched if I’d been playing. Standing on the mound with my belly growing, trying to cock my leg and release the ball would’ve not only been impossible but comical. My belly had started to poke out at four months. Then at five, with three babies inside me, I blew up like a darn balloon.
The minute I was standing, a gush of water slid down my thighs followed by a sharp pain in my belly. I bit down on my tongue and counted to three, blowing in and out as I’d done many times during birthing classes when being taught how to handle contractions.
This is it. Time to bring our babies into this world.
Holy crap on a cracker! I held my stomach as pain so sharp kept me from moving.
Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.
I inhaled then exhaled, once, twice, three times.
When the contraction finally subsided, I let out the air in my lungs. I wasn’t sure if I was ready for more pain to come.
Nevertheless, I went over to Kade’s side of the bed. He looked peaceful, and I hated to wake him. The man had bags under his eyes and needed more rest than me, with as much running around and doting on me as he’d done.
I dragged a nail down his arm lightly. “Kade, honey.”
