Page 31 of Dex

“WHAT THE FUCK? Did I miss something?” Jay bellows from the doorway. Both our heads snap in his direction. Everyone comes barreling through the door after him. I pull Ads to me, her back to my chest. Everyone is staring at us like we have grown extra heads or something. Jay, Liam, Penny and the kids. Adrian, Claire and the kids are here too. Rachel stopped by but left when her phone rang, much to my brother’s annoyance. Things need to change between them, they have played that back and forth malarkey for months now, well, she has. Jay wants all in.

“You didn’t miss anything little brother. Just trying on the name for when I ask Addy to marry me,” I state, loving the sound of her having my name.

“Fuck, you scared me, fella. But I have to say, it does have a nice ring to it.” He winks at Addy. She chuckles in front of me and I tighten my arms around her. I love the feel of her against me. She fits just right. I kiss the side of her head and she leans into me more. I hold my girl and watch our friends talk in the kitchen. Connie and Knox come into the kitchen, pushing their way through the group of adults. Connie opens the fridge and digs around for her favourite drink. Knox stands there looking between Addy’s swollen belly and Penny’s. I can only imagine the thoughts running through his head.

“So, how does this work?” he asks the room.

“How does what work?” Penny asks back. Oh fuck. I know the next question coming out of the boy’s mouth. He is a curious little shit; always asking questions about everything and anything. He has a mind like his dad. Always has to know things.

“Those things.” He points between the two pregnant chicks. “How did the babies get in there? Because come on, Mum, the babies are getting pretty big.” Penny’s face goes beet red and she looks towards Liam with a ‘help the fuck out’ look on her face. He just laughs at her and steps up to her side.

“Dude, you are a tad young to know these things. Give it a few more years and I will tell you everything,” Liam explains.

“I know,” Connie pipes in. Everyone snaps their heads in her direction. “When I went to a sleepover, I overheard Lydia’s sister saying that her friend got pregnant, even though she only had sex one time.” She shrugs her shoulders like she is talking about an everyday topic. Not about the fact that she knows that you have to have sex to get pregnant.

“You-you know about sex?” Penny asks, whispering the word ‘sex’ like it is a taboo word. Connie shrugs again and takes a drink of her Fanta before she answers, leaving the question hanging in the air.

“Weeeeelllll, not all of it. I am only ten you know. Come on, Knox, let’s go out back.” She walks off with Knox and the other kids in tow. Kids these days.

“Well fuck me running. What the hell just happened?” Liam whines, leaning back against the kitchen units. Everyone chuckles at him. Addy steps away from me and walks over to him. She pats his chest and says.

“Dude, it is only going to get worse the older she gets. And just you wait until girl number two arrives, you will have to do it aallllll over again,” she sings in a sweet voice.

“Fuck no! My girls are gonna stay sweet and innocent. Besides, you two are having a girl, you are gonna be in the same boat as us,” Liam answers back. Thinking he had one up on my girl. But there is one thing I love about Addy, and that is that she can stand up for herself.

“Ha, that is fine, Li. Because our girl is gonna be bad arse. She is going to be kicking boys’ arses all over town when she is older. She will have a mouth like me and her dad’s attitude, so there.” She pokes her tongue out at him before walking back into my arms. I wrap them around her, holding her tight to me.

I drop my hands as Addy turns to face our friends. My hands drop to her swollen belly, and I feel my daughter kick against my hands, like she knows it is me. My baby will be a bad arse just like her mum, and I wouldn’t want her any other way.

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