Page 89 of Never Really Mine
Those aren’t the photos displayed though. There’s one where I’m getting my corsage placed on my wrist, and Beau’s looking at me like I’m the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen.
Senior prom, high school graduation, tattoo shop selfies, college graduation. You name it, and it’s up there. Our entirefriendship scattered over the walls of our room, to show me how much we’ve been through.
The picture I spot last is one I’ve never seen. It’s a photo of us at Josie and Andrew’s wedding. The night our lives changed. We’re dancing, my head is resting on his chest, his cheek on top of my head. Both of our eyes are closed, and it’s like you can see us trying to live in the moment, both unwilling to leave yet scared to stay.
We’ve come full circle.
“Thank you,” I tell him. I’ve said those two words so often in the last fifteen minutes, but it will never be enough. I have a lifetime to show him how thankful I am for him saving me, and for giving me this life with him, but it will never be enough.
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MARLEY
“You’re almost there,” Dr. Ness says, patting at my knee as she finishes my vaginal exam. “Things seem to be right on track. Both babies and you are healthy. You’re about two centimeters dilated, so things are starting to move along.”
“Does that mean we can try to induce labor?” I ask eagerly.
She chuckles. “Yes, you can. Nothing too crazy, though. I wouldn’t recommend doing curb steps, with the way you’re carrying, but everything else is fair game. Spicy food, nipple stimulation, sex, all the things.”
Beau’s brows raise in surprise. I watch him swallow thickly. It’s kind of a crazy realization that we can start doing things to get them out.
With my luck, they will probably make us wait another two weeks, but I hope not. I don’t think I can make it that long.
Dr. Ness helps me sit up on the exam table, which is no longer an easy feat like it once was. After asking us a few more questions, she finishes up and leaves me to get dressed. Beau is still standing beside me, seemingly running on autopilot. “You good?” I ask with a laugh.
He laughs in return. “Yeah, just all kind of hitting me. They could be here soon. Like, really soon.”
His realization is adorable. “Yeah, they could,” I say.
We stoppedat a bar and grill on the way home, and got a to-go box of spicy buffalo chicken wings. I’m not a huge fan of spicy things, but I’ll do anything at this point. I’m desperate.
As if to drive home my point even further, Baby Boy kicks at his cramped living space, hitting my lungs. I gasp, then poke at him. “Knock it off,” I say.
“Little man giving his sister trouble?” Beau asks. He has an amused smirk on his face, one hand on the wheel, the other resting on my thigh.
“More like giving his mom trouble,” I say. “Kicked me in the lungs.”
“Stinker.” Beau turns us down our driveway, parking in the garage. “Have you thought any more about names? We are kind of running out of time.”
I shake my head. “Not really. All the names I have on the list don’t feel right. Do you have any?”
Beau shakes his head too. “Nope. But I don’t know them as well as you do, at least not yet.”
“I still like the idea of having their first initial be the same.”
“Me too,” Beau agrees. “I think that’s a good idea.” He helps me out, taking the bag of to-go boxes from me.
Once we are inside, I settle in at the kitchen table with my napkins and glass of milk. I’m not messing around. I’m going to eat the spicy stuff, but I will do whatever I can to not be miserable the entire time.
Beau sets the box in front of me, taking his own box and sitting down next to me. Beau isn’t huge on spicy stuff either, but I’m making him eat a few out of solidarity. Teamwork, and all.
“Here we go,” I say. I open the box and take a chicken wing out, my fingers already getting covered in the neon orange buffalo sauce. “Cheers.” I hold out the wing to Beau, who taps his wing against mine.
My mouth is still burning,and there are no signs that I’m any closer to going into labor. My stomach hurts, and I’ve got a killer case of heartburn, but that’s more than likely from the wings and extra hot sauce I slathered all over them.
I took an antacid, but it hasn’t quite kicked in. Beau is pumping up my exercise ball, and I’m ready to start bouncing. He comes in from the garage, ball in tow, and sets it down in front of me.
After he helps me stand, I lower myself on the ball. The pressure decreases slightly on my hips and back, helping ease the ever present ache.
