We walk over to where Levi’s on the ground with the piglet.
“I want to name him Macaroni,” Levi announces. “And he can come home with us. I promise I’ll take good care of him.”
“Piglets need their mommies,” EJ says. “But maybe we can go out to the Whites’ farm and visit him again sometimes.”
“He really really’s gonna miss me,” Levi says.
“I can see that,” EJ says. Then he looks over toward Jack and calls his name. “Jack! Come over here for a minute.”
“Okay!” Jack says, abandoning the baby goat chase to come near.
Jack plops down in the hay next to us.
EJ says, “Your mom has something important to tell you boys. It’s really exciting news.”
“What?” they say at the same time.
“Well,” I say. “You know how much you love baby pigs and baby goats?”
“And baby cows!” Jack says, enthusiastically.
“Yes. And baby cows.” I smile at both my sons. “Well, Mommy is having a baby.”
“A baby goat?” Jack asks, his face scrunched so hard I almost laugh.
“No, a baby. Like you boys were babies.”
“Like a brother?” Levi asks.
“Like a brother or a sister,” I say. “We don’t know yet.”
“Well then I want the sister,” Jack says.
“Me too,” Levi says.
“We don’t get to put in an order,” I explain. “We get to find out in a while.”
“Is it your baby?” Jack asks EJ.
EJ looks at me, and I try to come up with an answer, but then EJ says, “It’sourbaby.” He points around at the whole family. “All of ours. Another person in our family.”
“So we can love them?” Jack asks.
“Yes,” EJ says, looking over at me. “So we can love them.”
EJ reaches over to me, grasping my hand and giving it a squeeze. I settle into his gaze, just like I’ve settled into everything else about him over the past year. He won my heart through his patience and gentle persistence. And he hasn’t stopped showing up for me ever since.
Jack jumps up and says, “I’m going to catch a goat for my new baby brother.”
“I’ll help you!” Levi exclaims, chasing after him.
“We’re about to be outnumbered,” EJ says, scooting closer to me in the hay and giving the baby piglet a scratch behind the ears.
“Welcome to my world,” I tell him.
“Our world,” EJ says softly, and he places a hand on my belly when he leans in to kiss me.
Our boys yell after the goat. Animals bleat. The muffled noises of the festival surround us.
