I looked around the table at my colleagues, my best friends, and felt something loosen in my chest. “I’m going to need a lot of help,” I admitted.
“We know,” Winnie said gently.
“Like... a significant amount of help.”
“We’re aware.”
“I might have a breakdown.”
“You’re already having a breakdown,” Hayden pointed out. “We’re just here to manage it.”
“I’m not having a breakdown.”
“Your left eye is twitching.”
“That’s unrelated.”
“It’s absolutely related,” Fitz said. “But we’re still going to help you.”
“Why?” I asked.
“Because you’re our friend,” Nathan said simply. “And because this is going to be entertaining as hell.”
“And because we have a new betting pool,” Hayden added.
“Of course you do,” I muttered.
“Current odds are on you creating a spreadsheet within the next two hours,” Quinton said.
“I’ve already started one,” I admitted.
“CALLED IT!” Hayden shouted, fist-pumping the air.
“Pay up,” Fitz said to Nathan.
“You bet against me?” I asked Nathan.
“I bet you’d wait until tomorrow,” Nathan said. “I had faith in your self-control.”
“Misplaced faith,” Gabriel observed.
“Clearly.”
I pulled out my laptop and opened the spreadsheet I’d started in the parking lot.
“Okay,” I said. “Let’s do this.”
“Do what?” Winnie asked.
“Plan for three babies.”
“You can’t plan for three babies,” Hayden said. “That’s like trying to plan for a natural disaster.”
“I can and I will.”
“Julien—”
“The universe wants chaos? Fine. I’ll give it order. The universe wants to test me? Fine. I’ll pass. The universe thinks it can break me with three babies?” I looked around the table and smiled devilishly. “It’s wrong.”
