“I can’teither.”
“Still think it’s a boy?” Iask.
“One hundred percent. Do you still think that it’s agirl?”
“I do.” Although the thought of having a daughter scares the shit out of me. I’m terrified I won’t be able to protect her from fuckers likeme.
“Only one of us can beright.”
“And we both know that it’s going to beme.”
“No, we don’t both know that. But it sure would be entertaining to watch you be daddy to a little girl who has you wrapped around her littlefinger.”
“I don’t know how in the hell I’ll deal with guys like me wanting to date her one day.” I shake my head as I think about it. “I may be like Conrad and pull a gun on some littlefuckers.”
“Agun?”
“Your dad. He pulled a gun on me the night that he came to take you home. Threatened to killme.”
She twists and looks at me over her shoulder. “I didn’t knowthat.”
“He sure as helldid.”
“Well, I’m glad he didn’t killyou.”
“Metoo.”
Emma Lia sucks air through her teeth and holds the bottom of her abdomen. “Mmm…”
“What is it,baby?”
“Contraction. I’ve been having them on and off allday.”
“Did you tellCat?”
“Yes. She told me to call her when they were five minutesapart.”
“How far apart arethey?”
“I have one every eight to twelve minutes or so. Still irregular. But they’ve been bearable. This one hurts more than theothers.”
“We should shower and be ready to go to the hospital just incase.”
“I wouldn’t mind a warm bath. I think it would ease mybackache.”
“Isn’t back pain a sign oflabor?”
“It can be, but it can also just be a backache from beingpregnant.”
“You’ve been energetic today. That’s another sign of preparation forlabor.”
“How do youknow?”
“I’ve been reading up on it. And I’d bet money that you’re going to go into labortonight.”
“I hope so. I’m ready to meet ourson.”
“You mean ourdaughter.”
