what?”
He gives me a funny look. “For telling people about the twins, of course. How can you be so casual about this?”
I shrug. “What differences does it make? I’m still pregnant. It’s not like it’s going to be that big a shock to everybody.”
He hisses as he shakes his head. “I think you underestimate your co-workers.”
I try to ignore the twinge in my chest. I don’t even know what the emotion is that I’m experiencing. Am I worried? Scared? It’s not like me to be timid about anything. “I don’t have a plan. If you want to tell everybody you can.”
He smiles. “Okay, I will.”
His enthusiasm worries me. “When are you going to do it?”
He pulls into the warehouse and puts the car in park. “I don’t know. I’m going to let inspiration strike, I think.”
He shuts the engine off and we get out of the car. Dev and Ozzie are standing at the edge of the workout area watching their girlfriends do some sort of push-up competition on the floor in front of them. Thibault is standing at the bottom of the stairs clapping slowly, encouraging their progress. I get out of the car and walk around to the front of it, joining the crowd. Lucky comes over and drapes his arm over my shoulders. Then he clears his throat loudly.
“Everyone . . . can I have your attention, please?”
I look up at him, stunned at his volume and confused for a moment as to what he’s doing.
“I just want you all to know that my girl Toni is pregnant with twins!” A huge, beaming smile breaks out across his face.
My jaw drops for the second time today. I’m staring up at him, speechless. He called me his girl in front of the team, and he told our big secret like he’s proud of it. Is he insane? Did he mean it?
May screams first and then Jenny joins in. They act like they just saw the Beatles walk through the door. The two of them have fallen into a tumble on top of each other and they’re scrambling to get up.
“Did he say twins?” This is from Jenny. She’s on her feet and jogging over toward me.
May comes speeding up from behind her, shoving her out of the way. “Me first.” She runs toward me like she’s going to tackle me.
I hold my hands up to fend her off, but it doesn’t stop her. She grabs me in a hug and lifts me off my feet. She’s covered in sweat and stinks like iron.
“Congratulations! That is so cool!” she squeals.
Jenny joins us, pulling us both into a hug of her own, while May continues to yell in my ear. “Twins! I can’t believe it! Lucky’s luck is rubbing off on you!”
Jenny pulls away and looks me in the eye, our noses almost touching. “You are totally not getting any sleep for the next two years.”
Now May is looking at me, grinning with a sparkle in her eye. “Jenny and I can each have a baby to play with. This is so cool.”
I wrinkle my nose, feeling queasy all of a sudden. “You guys stink. Get off me.”
The two sisters high-five each other and let me go. Then May grabs me again, squealing nonsense into my hair. I can’t understand a single word coming out of her mouth. I really want to shove her away from me, but that would be mean, and I don’t want to burst her bubble. Apparently, my twin pregnancy is the best thing since sliced bread.
Jenny’s looking down to my waist. “I think you’re already showing. It makes sense that you have twins in there. That’s how you found out so soon.”
May lets me go and stares at my belly. “Oh, my god. Adorable baby bump. Hollywood-worthy. I can’t even believe it.” She looks at me. “I’ll bet that’s why you’ve been so sick. You’ve got twice the hormones coursing through your veins.”
I feel myself blanch a little at that. I don’t like the idea of twice the hormones anywhere, let alone in my veins.
Lucky comes up and puts his arm around me, pulling me a little away from them. “Let’s give her some space, girls. We don’t want her barfing on anybody.”
I jab him in the ribs with my elbow, but he ignores me, pulling me closer to kiss me on the side of my head. Then he lets me go and walks over to accept congratulations from the guys. I stand alone, stunned