Graham
Nine months later…
There arenights where I have marveled at how beautiful my wife is, but tonight at the annual community center auction, on this snowy Christmas Eve, she simply takes my breath away.
“Merry Christmas.” Tanner pops up and slaps me over the shoulder.
“Merry Christmas,” I parrot right back as Missy makes her way over in a stunning red dress. Her hands cradle her beautiful belly, and I love her that much more knowing she’s cradling our child safely in her arms. She’s due any minute now. I offered to sit this one out with her, but Missy wouldn’t hear of it. She’s never missed a Christmas benefit yet, and she wasn’t about to start now.
“Here they come.” Tanner welcomes Sabrina Jarrett with open arms. This will mark one year that the two of them have been seeing one another. To be honest, I gave it a week, but Sabrina seems genuinely interested in Tanner, and I couldn’t be happier for the two of them.
Missy joins our small circle and wraps her arms around my waist. “So, how’s everything at Holiday Pies?” She looks to Tanner. “This one won’t take me out to Cater to check on the factory. He’s too afraid to be five minutes away from the hospital.”
Sabrina grimaces at my beautiful wife. “Can’t blame him. Face it, you look ready to pop!”
Missy glances up at her with that impatient look in her eye. “I am ready to pop. I can’t believe I was hardly able to help at the bakery for the last six weeks.”
“Doctor’s orders.” I lift my hands as if surrendering. “I had nothing to do with it.”
Tanner leans in. “Plus, you’re still settling in from the move. That nursery you set up with a view of the lake? Sign me up to babysit. I can get used to looking out that window all day long.”
The four of us share a laugh. Mom and Dad come over, along with Joy and Jack. I feel as if the Winters are every bit family, and oddly I’ve always regarded them that way.
Joy gives a playful snarl over at her daughter. “When are you going to have that sweet angel so I can kiss and squeeze those baby cheeks?”
Mom offers an aggressive nod. “And I’m dying to know if it’s a girl or a boy. I just can’t stand not knowing.”
Dad tucks his elbow to her arm. “She’s tired of knitting everything yellow.”
“I like yellow,” Missy offers. She’s been more than kind enough to go along with all of my mother’s schemes and baby dreams. Mom and Joy threw us a baby shower at the house, and the entire theme was gray elephants. Missy didn’t say an unkind word, but once we were alone, she wondered if her size had inadvertently inspired it. I assured her that it had nothing to do with it. Missy looks perfect to me in any size.
Holly and Tom come up, along with Savanah. And Holly wrinkles her nose at her sister. “Are you still holding in that baby? How about giving us all a nice little gift and pushing that puppy out for all to see?”
Savanah’s little face lights up. “I knew you were having a puppy!” She takes off screaming, “She’s having a puppy! She’s having a puppy!” And the entire lot of us breaks out into laughter.
Nick comes over and slaps me over the shoulder. “We did it. Another year at the tree lot under our belt.”
“That’s right, man” I pull him in and land an arm over his shoulder. “And I’m helping you out next year, too.” I pull Missy in with my other arm. “And we should have one more helper to add to the staff.”
“Ow!” Missy shouts, and I lift my arm off her shoulder.
“Sorry about that.”
“You didn’t do it.” Her forehead wrinkles with worry as she winces hard. “It’s the baby. I’ve been feeling contractions all day, and they’ve just been getting worse and worse.”
“What?” Holly jumps forward and lands her hands gently over Missy’s burgeoning belly. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t want to ruin anyone’s Christmas. It’s probably nothing.” Missy tips her head back and lets out a harrowing cry, altering us to the fact it’s definitely something.
And just like that, sheer chaos ensues. Our parents mobilize in every direction at once. Tanner and Sabrina appear and do their best to run me out the door. Our entire motley crew ambles out to the parking lot, and an entire fleet of cars attempts to speed out of the lot at once. I jump into the truck and do my best to speed around them.
“Hang on, Missy.” I glance her way and note the seat is empty. “Missy!” I hit the brakes and spot her standing alone at the entry and throw the truck in reverse. “I’m so sorry!” I rush out and help her into the passenger’s seat, carefully buckling her in, and wave as if I were seeing her off.
“What are you doing?” she howls into the night.
“I don’t know!” I shout as I hop back into the truck and speed us all the way to the hospital. Missy and I are about to take that next step—have a baby, become parents.
Life is about to change in a spectacular way.
