the last thirty years. Let the poor man do his job. Help me get Vince back to the house. You can stay there with me tonight and let Addison get some rest.”
“Thank God,” I whispered against Nick’s neck.
“Fifty bucks says they’ll strangle each other before morning,” Nick said.
“That’s a sucker’s bet,” I said, smiling into his shirt.
“You ready to go home?” he asked. “Wherever that may be?”
“I don’t care where we go as long as I can shower and brush my teeth,” I said. “I’m stick-a-fork-in-me done for the rest of the weekend.”
“I can make that happen,” he said. “You know I love you, right?”
“Right,” I said, staring deep into his eyes and think how lucky I was to call this man all mine.
“Then do you mind riding in the back of a squad car on the way to town?” he asked. “You smell really bad and I really like my truck.”
My romantic bubble popped in an instant and I said, “You put your pregnant wife in the back of a squad car, I’ll make sure to unknot your penis around the time this kid graduates so you can use it again.”
He sighed. “Yeah, that’s what I figured.”
Epilogue
Saturday
Two weeks later…
There was nothing quite like waking up in a strange bed and wondering where you were.
I’d been waking up with just that feeling every morning for the past two weeks—ever since we moved back into the tiny house on Sycamore Street.
Rosemarie and Suzanne had patched things up. I wish I could’ve said the same for our house. There was a lot of patching left to do, though they assured us they were right on schedule and we’d be back in the house in another month. I had my doubts, but Nick didn’t seem to mind simple living. He also didn’t seem to mind the neighbors, and had gotten a nice kick out of the weekly NAD Squad meetings.
It was like an alien had taken over my husband. Or maybe he was just trying to be the calm one. Every relationship needed a calming influence, and I’d found talks of renovations and neighborhood watch meetings made my blood pressure go up.
“You better get up,” Nick said, sticking his head in the bedroom door. “It’s our turn to host, and everyone will be here soon.”
“Did you make cranberry muffins for Mrs. Rodriguez?” I asked, sneaking a peek from under the pillow.
“Yes,” Nick said. “And I made extra for you so you don’t eat them all before she gets here like last week.”
The morning sickness had finally passed, and it was nice being able to wake up and not feel like I was living in someone else’s body. I tossed back the covers and followed my nose to the kitchen.
“You’re spoiling me,” I said, taking the cup of tea Nick handed me. “I could get used to this.”
“I’m hoping you’ll remember all this good stuff when you’re wishing I’m dead come delivery room time.”
I grinned and grabbed a muffin hot from the tray and went to stand at the window. I was wearing flannel shorts and a soft black T-shirt that cleverly said Namastay in my Bed. I’d remembered to always stay fully covered from my previous time living in the house. I looked out the window and saw my next-door neighbor, Leonard Winkle—also known as Spock—staring back at me through a pair of binoculars. He waved, and I waved back, as was our custom.
I took a bite of muffin and chewed slowly as I moved to stare out the front window. Eating didn’t stop the tears from coming to my eyes. The moving van blocked Savage’s driveway. We’d all said our goodbyes, but I’d been dreading this moment. It’s why I’d stayed in bed so long.
I pushed the screen door open and went to stand on the front porch, and I noticed several of the other neighbors had done the same, most standing in their bathrobes or with a coffee cup in hand.
I felt Nick step up behind me and put his hand on my shoulder as the truck driver slid the back door closed and got in behind the wheel. It didn’t take long for the truck to drive away, leaving the sight of Savage’s empty house in its wake.
And in the driveway, standing next to his truck, was Savage. It was hard to decipher the look on his face, but I knew as exciting of an opportunity this was for him, the change would be hard.