A gleam appears to glaze his eyes. “I’m happy that you have everyone in there.”
“I’m lucky. And it is great. It’s just that it’s… not biological, ya know?”
His head tips low. “I get it.”
“Yeah… you do.” An unsaid realization floats between us, an understanding. “Now come on, get ready to be sucked into an atmosphere of sickly-sweet goodness.”
“Ready as ever.”
Vaughn follows me, and I don’t even realize until I feel a sizzle run along my spine that it causes me to glance down to see our hands holding. I’m not sure who initiated it or if it’s just a natural magnetic need between us.
I like our hands interlaced, it’s the type of support that needs no words. A signal that you’ve got one another’s back. But it’s also an act that only normally happens between someone holding a child’s hand or between two people who are in a relationship or on their road to that.
I don’t let the thought overtake me, and I can’t even if I tried, because soon we are ushered by someone into the room which must feel like a pit of doom for Vaughn, but his smile seems the opposite. He must be acting polite.
The appearance of Connor and Declan in the back holding up a beer in support is also a solid vote of confidence for team Vaughn.
We sit down next to one another back in the circle and someone hands over a big box. Vaughn instantly holds it since my belly is in the way.
“Wow, this seems bigger than my body,” I note as I begin to rip the paper.
A box with what seems like a highchair is soon revealed.
Violet pipes up. “It is Scandinavian design, has a few inserts so even the newborn can be table height when you’re eating dinner, plus it grows with the child to the point that you can even use it as an adult as a normal stool.” She claps her hands together. “We all got it for you.”
I scan the circle, feeling emotions swell in me and a pool of water forming at the bottom of my eyes. Vaughn seems to notice, and his arm snakes around me to pull me into a side hug, and he speaks up. “It’s just what we need, thank you. Right, Isla?” Thank goodness he can read me like a book.
“Yeah, it’s… perfect. Wouldn’t have thought of it,” I add.
The next few gifts are far too generous. A bouncy chair, a travel cot, a few cute little onesies.
“Okay, open this one. It’s the last one.” Hadley hands me a bag with tissue paper, and my eyes go round with curiosity at Vaughn, who just returns the gesture.
“Hmm, I wonder what this could be.” I begin to pull out the paper. When my hand dips in, I feel only softness, yarn maybe. The moment that I pull out the blanket, I’m done. Tears fall from happiness. “Oh my.”
“The moms and I attempted to knit a baby blanket together. It’s the most colorful, mismatched, badly knitted blanket in the history of baby blankets. We even tried to have Piper, who owns the boutique, fix it, and she said it was a lost cause. But it’s still a blanket, and it’s warm.” She's proud with a goofy grin.
I laugh. “I-it’s the best blanket,” I stammer out. “So incredibly sweet. The baby will love it.”
“Really?” Her face goes lopsided. “It’s a weird purple mixed with a mustard yellow then gray and pink. Not even sure what the other color is.” She points to a square.
“Totally sure,” I swear.
“We can stich on her name once you know. Do you have any ideas?”
Vaughn and I look at one another. “Not yet,” he mentions. We can add names to the list of things that we really need to discuss, but now we are showered in complete kindness.
“Good plan, see the baby first,” one of my colleagues says.
“I’m sure she’ll have your eyes,” Vaughn nearly whispers so only I can hear.
God, why am I melting around him today. Hell, it’s not even just today. It was the moment he walked back into my life.
I’m saved by Brielle, Connor’s mom, announcing that we have one more surprise, and she points to the kitchen where I think Connor and Declan got roped into helping.
We all migrate over to the kitchen island, with Vaughn being instructed to cover my eyes with his hands. This isn’t helping my current predicament. He covered my eyes once, with a blindfold, somewhere between taking me doggy style and missionary during a storm.
Alas, I’m unable to relive my memory because he laughs right before his hands fall away from my eyes, and instantly a wide grin hits me.
