like yawning.
“Are you happy?” she asks, clearing my tears with the back of her hand.
“I’m getting used to the idea. It hasn’t sunk in yet,” I explain instead of saying I feel like a bad mother for not having any emotion whatsoever about the baby.
She smiles and says, “It won't be until you have everything in place. You lead with logic. What about the father?”
I brief her about Edward.
“What can I do for you?” Mom asks.
“Your love, that’s all I need, Mom.”
She hugs me, “Everything will be fine. I’m here for you and the room is ready for whenever you want to move in with us, and you can stay for as long as you need.”
“I’m going to be a grandfather,” Dad says, taking me into his arms. “Finally, one of my children is willing to give me a grandchild. But I don’t see anyone congratulating me.”
“Congrats, Grandpa,” I say, hugging him back.
“I feel sorry for the others to come, because the first one is always the favorite,” he whispers, but it’s obvious that Mom can hear him because she protests, “We don’t play favorites, Octavio.”
Nate looks at me and smiles but stays quiet, just observing the scene developing in front of him. I’m just hoping that this is as far as they get, but I’m wrong because Mom starts, well, being Mom.
“We have to schedule a doctor’s appointment as soon as possible. On second thought, you should move in with us today. We’ll have to push the project for our book for next year,” she doesn’t even stop to take a breath. “Get the list of names, Octavio. We have so much to do. I think this one could be Hera.”
They start throwing names, possible middle names, and even the idea of Dad building the baby’s crib. I search for Nate’s gaze but he’s staring at my parents either highly entertained or terrified. When he finally looks at me, I try to desperately say, take me away from these people.
“It’s time for us to leave, Nyx,” Nate finally speaks with a firm voice that freezes my parents.
“You’re not staying for lunch?” Mom asks.
“The plane is waiting for us, and we still have to go to her house to pick up Brock,” he lies. He had someone come to my place to pick him up before we drove to my parents, and they’ll be meeting him at the airport. “She’s had a hard week, and I thought it’d be good for her to take a break before she embarks on motherhood.”
“When will you be back?” Mom asks but doesn’t give me time to answer. “We’ll see you on Sunday. Won’t we?”
“I’ll call you,” I answer.
“Do you need us to pack your things?” Dad asks.
“I have people in charge of the task, Mr. Brassard,” Nate explains.
“Call me Octavio,” he corrects Nate. “I appreciate your help, but I’d rather take care of my kid.”
“Which is respectable, but Demetri has been working on the details all morning. I’ll give him your number in case he needs help.”
Dad glares at him and then says, “Your seltzer won’t be ready until tomorrow.”
“If you don’t mind, I’ll have Demetri stop by to pick it up,” Nate offers.
“Be careful with what you’re doing,” Dad warns him.
“Of course, sir.” He turns to look at me. “Ready to go?”
“Yes,” I say, hugging my parents.
“When will you be back?” Mom questions.
“Soon. It’s just a couple of days,” I answer, but maybe I should stay with Nate until the baby is born, and then they can focus just on that poor little creature.
I look again at my parents, and I can’t understand why they are so excited and full of love for this baby. While I’m still trying to warm up to the idea that I’m going to become a mom.
Twenty
Nate
It’s safe to say that I have no fucking idea what I’m doing. None whatsoever.
“You do realize that now I have to go with you,” Nyx says as I’m driving toward the airport. “Or find alternative accommodations for the time being. If Persy was here…”
Didn’t we agree she’d be coming with me? I had my people drop by her house earlier to pick up Brock and her belongings so they can set them up on the plane.
“We had agreed that you’d be coming with me,” I remind her.
“No, I said I would think about it,” she enunciates her words. “There was no yes implied. I’m not going with you.”
“If not my house, then where will you stay?” I ask, more like