Page 64 of Own the Eights Maybe Baby
She pressed her hand to her abdomen. She wanted that, too.
Jordan and his father had butted heads after his mom passed, and she’d loathed her mother for parading her around at pageant after pageant for a good chunk of her youth. Sure, they were in a better place with their parents now. Jordan and his dad were doing great, while she and her mom were getting there.
Well,getting theremight be pushing it. She was, of course, still trying to decide how and when she wanted to spill the beans to her mother about the little bean growing in her belly.
But that unease churning inside wasn’t her craving a little pineapple salsa, and it wasn’t even her uncertainty on when to share the baby news with her mom. No, what had her chest tightening and her mouth growing dry was that she didn’t want their alien blueberry peanut to view them as heavy-handed or insensitive.
There had to be a book or a course or some parent voodoo out there that could teach them how to keep their child alive and make sure they didn’t become mega-asshat parents.
The answer had to be there. Except, there was a decent chance it was buried in the internet soup of over sixty gazillion child-rearing results.
Lenny’s features softened. “There is a lot of information out there. That’s why we’ll implement an FBI. Stu and I will curate a hands-on learning opportunity that will ease you into parenting and also have you interacting with real babies. We’ll also put together a list of narrowed down parenting resources so you can educate yourselves on the nuts and bolts of caring for an infant.”
“And we can center the FBI activity around your places of business. A gym and a bookshop are great venues for young children—if structured safely,” Stu finished.
She nodded. Okay, this is what they needed. Some direction. Some guidance.
Lenny opened a folder and slid out a sheet of paper. “Take this. It’s a go-bag checklist. We know that you’re only at the end of your first trimester, but it’s never too soon to have your hospital bag packed and ready.”
“Have you chosen where you’re going to deliver?” Stu asked.
If she weren’t pregnant, she’d do a cartwheel because she knew the answer to this question!
“Ding, ding, ding! Good job, good job! I did a good job! I know the hospital!” she sang out.
Lenny and Stu cocked their heads to the side while Jordan gave herwhat-are-you-doing-superfreakeyes.
Another note to self: under pressure, only Stu is allowed to break out into song.
In the blink of an eye, she channeled a composed Jane Eyre. “We’ll be having our baby at Rose Medical Center,” she answered, doing her best not to look insane and really glad she’d read the pamphlet Joyless Joyce had given her with the hospital info.
“Rose is also Georgie’s favorite color,” Jordan added with the hint of a smirk.
“Pink is your favorite color?” Lenny asked.
Oh no! He did not just equate the color rose to pink.
“Rose isn’t pink. It’s rose. The color between red and magenta,” she answered, biting back a smirk of her own.
The color rose had quite an impact on their wedding, and it appeared to be playing a part in this phase of their lives as well.
“You picked a hospital because it was your favorite color?” Lenny asked, and boom, they were back to looking like inept expectant parents.
“No, no, not at all. Rose Medical Center is where my obstetrician has hospital privileges,” she finished, crossing her ankles in a demur little move to appear—again—not insane.
“We’ll make sure to add an FBI activity that incorporates Rose Medical Center,” Lenny said, taking out a notepad from his pocket and jotting down the information.
Jordan leaned forward. “Can’t you guys tell us exactly what we need to know—what we need to do? We’re up for the challenge. Our whole relationship is basically built on challenges.”
The parenting experts watched them closely.
“And love,” she blurted, not wanting Lenny and Stu think they were a pair of lunatics who only wanted a baby as a challenge.
“Yes, absolutely! Tons of love, but also a decent amount of challenges,” Jordan said, amending his statement but still managing to step in it.
Lenny chuckled. “You two will be great parents. But every parent is different, and every child is different. You’ll have to figure out what works for your family.”
Family.
