I hadn’t worked out how I would tell him, but maybe this isn’t a bad time to tell him after all. He’s been worried that I’m sick and he’ll lose me. This way, I can reassure him that this is a good kind of sickness, one that comes with a new friend for him to play with.
“It’s okay, Win. Really, it’s fine,” I reassure him when he doesn’t seem to believe me. “Why don’t you go to work? I don't know how long this conversation will take, but please don’t feel bad. Ben’s like me.” I hug Ben and kiss the top of his head. “Big ears and way too curious.”
Win nods, though he still looks guilty. “If you need anything…”
“We know where to find you, and I have your number.” I smile. “Thanks again for the breakfast. It felt amazing to be spoiled like that.”
He leaves with a nod for me and a smile for Ben.
I look at Ben and try to decide how to tell him about the baby in a way he will understand. He likes being around people and can never have enough friends, so I don’t anticipate him hating the idea of being a big brother.
“Mommy has a little brother or sister growing in my tummy,” I say.
He looks so disbelievingly at my flat stomach that I laugh.
“You won’t see them growing yet, Ben.” He has a basic idea of where babies come from. He’s always been a curious child, so Simon and I told him in vague terms that he came from inside me. “But Mommy’s tummywillget bigger. It’ll be a boy or a girl.”
He squints at me. “I want a brother more. Can I choose?”
I grin. “It doesn’t work like that, baby. When he or she comes along, I might need your help to show them how to play with their toys and put them away neatly.”
Maybe we’ll have figured out how to put away the toys neatly by then. One can hope.
“So you don’t step on Lego again?” he asks.
I nod at a surprisingly painful experience I’ve endured more than I’d like. “Yes, so Mommy doesn’t step on Lego.”
“I guess I could do that.” He looks at my stomach again.
“You won’t see anything yet, but there’s a teeny-tiny baby growing inside me. Maybe it’s the size of a peanut or even smaller. Just like you were once.”
He wrinkles his nose. “Even smaller than a peanut?”
“Yes, a peanut.” I hug him. “But everyone grows. You remember those light-up sneakers you loved so much you’d cry if you couldn’t wear them every day?”
“Yeah.”
“And what happened to them?”
“They shrunk.”
I tickle his side until he laughs and twists away. “They did not shrink, Ben Hayes, and you know that for a fact. You got bigger, and you’ll keep on getting bigger. Just like your little brother or sister will.”
He looks at me, then my belly again, and this time it’s not so disbelieving. “Are you sure I can’t choose? A boy would be more fun than a girl.”
“Positive. And girls can be very fun. How about we head downtown and look around?”
He perks up. “The firehouse?”
“Not today, but I promise that day is coming soon.” I’ve been hoping my morning sickness won’t be so bad that I can stick around for however long the visit lasts. I don’t want to end it early or worry Ben by rushing off to throw up. “I noticed an icecream parlor yesterday. We can go for a walk in town and get an ice cream cone. Maybe we can see where Murph works.” The ice cream parlor hadn’t been too far away from Lucky’s Toy Shop, and a sign in the window showed it only opens in spring and summer, probably because it’s so small with not even space to sit inside. Hopefully Murph’s bosses won’t mind us stopping by.
Ben jumps up and down. “Can we get him an ice cream cone?”
I kiss his hair. “You are a very sweet boy, and yes, maybe we could.”
Chapter 12
Murph
