Our Favorite Days (My Favorite Mistake #3) (29 page)

Summer’s friend, Kate, had shown us her ideas for the mural in the new nursery and I was totally in love. It was all images from books along with quotes Hunter and I had picked out.

Before we knew it, it was time for my baby shower.

Since we weren’t traditional, Hunter and all the guys came to Hope’s house, along with my girls, Meg and Jake, Tawny and Mom. I’d thought about inviting some people from classes or the clinic, but I wanted it to be smaller. I’d never been big on those huge celebrations and I didn’t have any intention of starting.

The big present came from my mom and Hope in the form of a top-of-the-line double stroller.

“This is nicer than my car,” Mase said, wheeling the thing back and forth.

There were also onesies and diapers and two bath sets and books and toys. There was so much stuff that we’d had to Hunter’s new Ford Escape which had been dubbed the “Spawnmobile” to haul it back to the house.

“Thank you everyone for showing us and the babies so much love. We don’t know what we’d do without all of you, so thank you,” I said, toasting everyone with my sparkling grape juice as Hunter stood at my side.

I consumed twice as many cupcakes as I promised myself I was going to. Seriously, you’d think I wouldn’t have room with two little humans in there.

“You’re eating for three,” Hunter said in my ear as I stared at yet another one sitting just a few feet away.

“Good point. I knew I loved you.” I grabbed the thing and shoved it in my face. I barely remembered to take the paper off. Spawns were big fans of sugar. Hunter had found me this chocolate that had chili peppers in it and I had been eating it by the block.

My entire body had started to swell, even my face, but I told myself it was temporary and it was all for Spawns and I could embarrass them in the grocery store for years to come to make up for it.

“You almost ready for graduation, Mr. Zaccadelli?” I asked Hunter as we drove home. He would be walking in his cap and gown in about a month and a half. All we had to do was get through finals. I was pretty sure it was going to kill me.

“That I am, Miss Caldwell. Are you happy about being done with junior year?” I nodded, but I was also a little sad. With the arrival of Spawns, I was saying goodbye to the traditional college experience. No frat parties and staying out all night and waking up on the lawn in my underwear.

Not that I’d ever done any of that, but now that I couldn’t, I wondered if I had missed out anything. But then Spawns would move or Hunter would smile at me and I would realize that what I had was so much better.

M
y girl was growing. It defied the laws of gravity. I honestly wondered how she didn’t tip right over. But she didn’t complain. Much. Even when she needed help tying her shoes and picking things up. I was more than happy to help with all of it.

“I feel like a little kid again. Everyone has to take care of me,” she said, pouting as I helped her get undressed for bed. She’d been sleeping naked because of hot flashes during the night. I wasn’t complaining, even though she’d abandoned me for a huge body pillow.

Even the two house cats had become obsessed with Taylor. More often than not, I would have to get up in the middle of the night and let them in so they could lay on, or near, her. It was so cute that I couldn’t even be mad.

The changes in her body were sometimes subtle, but all put together she didn’t look the same as she had before Spawns. It only made my love for her deepen. Now I loved her not only for being my girl, but for being the mother of my children.

“So, I was thinking,” I told her one night. She cracked her eyes open and gave me a look that said “this had better be good.”

“I was thinking that I don’t feel the huge pressure to get married that I did a few months ago.” She froze and narrowed her eyes.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean…” I rolled on my back and looked at the ceiling. “I mean that if you never want to get married, that would be okay with me. That I don’t feel like it’s something I desperately need anymore. I think I was just so worried that if I didn’t have that, that somehow you would leave me.” I turned back over to find her shaking her head at me and rubbing her fingers between her eyes.

“I don’t even know what’s happening right now,” she said.

“What do you mean?” I was so confused.

She took a breath and then gave me a smile.

“Nothing, nothing. That’s fine, Hunter. That’s good to know.” She almost sounded mad and I wasn’t really sure why.

“It’s not that I don’t
want
to, you know that, right? If you told me tomorrow that you wanted to try Vegas again, I’d book the tickets in a second.” She smirked and then rolled onto her back.

“Ouch.” She rolled back over. There were only a few positions she could lie in comfortably now.

“Great. That’s great, Hunter.” She almost sounded like she was laughing at me. No idea what that was about.

T
he first person I saw after I walked across the University of Maine stage and got my (fake) diploma was my very pregnant Taylor.

She had a gorgeous black dress on and she was rushing down the stairs as fast as she could.

“Congratulations, baby,” she said, moving her belly to the side so she could hug me. We’d had to modify a lot of things lately to accommodate for Spawns. The upside to all of it was that she was completely insatiable, so the sex was almost constant. I was not complaining. At all.

“Thank you,” I said, kissing the top of her head. Hope and John were next, followed by Harper. The rest of the Yellowfield House crew was here too, since the other seniors’ graduation was the following weekend.

“Your mom would be so proud of you,” Hope said, kissing my cheek.

“I know,” I said. There were times when I felt like I was going to turn around and see my mother’s beaming face right behind me, and this was one of those times. As if she was just a few steps away.

T
he graduation party was back at Yellowfield house, with Mase manning our new grill and everyone eating and talking about how warm the spring was. Taylor was on a chair, a plate resting on her belly like a shelf.

“I think I’m going to miss this part,” she said, pointing to the plate.

“The built-in plate holder?” I said, pulling a chair next to her.

“Yeah. It’s going to be strange when I go back to not having my body like this. I won’t even know what to do.” Then she sighed. “No sexy bikini this summer for this girl,” she said.

“Hey, you can still wear one while you’re pregnant. You have a bikini body.” She gave me a look as if I had lost my mind.

“You have a body. Put a bikini on it.” She smacked my arm.

“Don’t get sassy with me. I’m just so glad that school is over.” She looked up at the sun peeking out from behind the clouds.

“No papers and exams and projects for a while. But I know I’m going to miss it when I have two babies screaming at me in the middle of the night. I’ll probably beg to go back.”

Harper rolled by, Mase pretending to chase her and growl, his fingers like claws.

“The grass is always greener,” I said.

She looked back down at me.

“I think the grass is pretty green right here, right now.” I kissed her and she rubbed her hand across the tattoo on my arm, inked with her writing.

“It was smart to get my tattoo where I did, wasn’t it?” she said. “I wasn’t even planning that, but it would make me so sad if it had gotten all stretched out.” I kissed her hand and she closed her eyes, setting her plate down and then leaning her head on my shoulder.

“I’m so proud of you,” she said and I knew she really meant it. “I’m so proud that I’m with you. That we’re with you.” I felt myself getting a little choked up and had to put down my beer so I could wipe my eyes.

“I’m proud of you, too, Missy. So proud.” She sighed and then fell asleep against me.

N
ow that school was over for a while, it was full steam ahead on the nursery. The flooring finally got put in after a few nasty phone calls, so it was time to paint and decorate and get it all set up.

Everyone chipped in and we knocked out the painting in two days. We left the wall for the mural plain white, and then the rest were a very soft dove gray. The cribs sat along one side with changing tables, rocking chairs and a massive bookcase along the other. Huge windows let in a ton of light.

“Happy?” I asked Taylor when we finished moving in the majority of the furniture and other items. She looked exhausted, but serene.

“I am. I really am.” I slid to the floor and held out my hands so she could join me on the big plush rug in the center of the room.

“Can you believe this? In a few months we’re going to have babies in here,” I said. She shook her head.

“Sometimes it still doesn’t seem real. But then one of them will move and I’m reminded. It’s so crazy. But I’m happy. I’m so happy, Hunter.” I pulled her toward me.

“I didn’t know I could be this happy. I don’t think anyone’s been this happy, ever.” I would put money on it.

A
few days later, Taylor woke me up in the middle of the night.

“Hunter!” I snapped upright, nearly smashing my head on the bed.

“What is it?” She had her hands on her belly and was grimacing. Shit. Oh, shit.

“I think it’s those fake contractions, but I’m not sure.”

“Braxton Hicks?” She nodded. And then shook her head.

“I don’t know. I can’t really tell. Other than that it hurts and pain is usually bad.” I got out of bed and threw some clothes on, then helped her get dressed. We had a number to call, but I wasn’t taking any fucking chances. We were going to the emergency room.

The house was quiet as we left and I didn’t want to freak anyone out if we were just going to be heading home in a little while.

Taylor clamped onto my hand and tried to breathe as I speeded the short distance to Eastern Maine Medical Center.