“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” Sloane nods. “He’s so happy that our baby and Terence and Kobie’s baby are going to grow up together.”
“Well, that’s valid, Sloane. I mean, how much better can that be?”
Sloane shrugs. “I suppose.”
“Still freaked out, huh.” I surmise.
“Yeah. But it helps that Jacob isn’t. Hell, he was almost giddy.”
“Better than the opposite, Sloane. I’ve heard of that one too many times.”
“You’re right. I’m just so not sure about all this. I wish Jacob could have stuck around longer, instead of getting called out to work. That’s why I came over here. I don’t want to be alone. All I keep thinking about is that the baby can hear me.”
“Well, it probably can, but it won’t make a lick of difference since he or she won’t be able to understand what you’re saying.” I pause. “Remember that babies don’t even learn to talk until they’re like two or three years old. Hell, they shit their pants for longer.” I joke.
I watch her place a hand on her belly, and it reminds me of where I was just a short time ago, doing the very same thing that she’s doing. It still stings that Maverick and I lost our baby, and I begin to understand how foreign pregnancy feels at first. “You need anything?” I say after a beat. “Does Jacob know you’re here?”
“No, I’m fine. And, yeah, I told him that I was coming here. I just didn’t tell him why.”
“The sooner you start being honest with him the better, Sloane. Believe me when I tell you that adding stress isn’t the answer. And if Jacob is good with having a baby, then ride that pony for as long as you can, girl. He finds out that you’re freaked out and not telling him about it, it does stuff to men, you know.”
“I know it. It’s just that if I talk about it, it makes it real, and I’m not ready for it to be real.”
“Well, give it time.” I lift a finger in warning. “But not too much. Don’t wait until they say ‘here comes the head’.” I chuckle.
“Funny.” She’s facetious.
“I’m sorry.” I change the subject. “So, when are you telling mom and dad.”
“When the head comes out.”
***
Maverick
No, I didn’t have to leave, but I figure just like me and my brothers sometimes need a moment alone together, Ellie and Sloane are no different. All the horses are out, so I know that Gunner’s the only one left in the house, and I figure he’s probably stir crazy by now, so I head up to his room and knock on the door.
“Yeah.” He calls out.
“Everyone abandon you, man?”
“Na, I told them all to take a flight.” He jokes.
He’s got his laptop up, typing with his good arm. “Whatcha doin’ there?”
Gunner draws in a deep breath, speaking on exhale. “I got into Dallas.”
“Good job, buddy.” I tousle his hair. “You going there, or are you undecided?”
“I’m not sure yet.”
“What’s the trouble?” I ask, planting my butt on his bed.
“If I tell you, you’re going to laugh at me.”
I tip my chin up at him. “Try me.”
