Fernando tried to look over his belly. “You guys don’t have to do all this. Walker will be here for good tomorrow. I can handle myself for one day.”
Walker would be leaving the base for the last time tomorrow morning. They had already given up their apartment lease and moved everything up to Hobson Hills. It had been hard going back and forth the past six months, but soon, that wouldn’t be a problem anymore.
“Too late,” Valentina said. “We’ve already committed.”
Beans lay beside her and began to pre-clean one of Fernando’s feet.
“Beans, you are disgusting.” Fernando sighed.
The front door opened, and Gabriela stepped in carrying three grocery bags. “I bring offerings,” she announced.
“Wahasht?” Fernando asked as he took a large bite of cake.
Mateo peeked inside one bag. “Ice cream?”
“Three kinds,” Gabriela said proudly. “Chocolate, strawberry, and that weird pickle one you said pregnant people like.”
Fernando stared at her. “That was a joke, Gabs.”
She paused. “So nobody wants pickle ice cream?”
Valentina burst out laughing. “Seriously? They make that?”
Mateo clapped her on the shoulder. “Hermanita, you got played.”
Fernando leaned back into the pillows, smiling at the chaos around him.
Valentina gently lifted his foot and began painting his toenails with exaggerated care. “You know,” she said, “once the baby gets here, we expect visitation rights.”
“Visitation rights?” Fernando said.
“Absolutely,” Gabriela said, digging spoons out of a drawer. “We’re the cool aunts.”
Mateo pointed at himself. “What about me? I’m a cool uncle.”
Gabriela sniffed. “Sure, you are.”
“I’m teaching the kid how to ride a bike.”
“Before they can walk?” Gabriela asked.
“Early training,” Mateo said.
Fernando shook his head, laughing softly. For a moment, he rested his hands on his belly.
The baby kicked.
“Oh!” he said.
All three siblings froze.
“What?” Valentina said immediately.
“Did it move?” Gabriela asked, already kneeling beside the couch.
Fernando nodded, smiling wider now. “Yeah. Right here.”
Mateo crouched and placed a careful hand on his stomach.
