Page 14 of Summer With You

5

A Pregnant Woman’s Confessions

Celine

“How’s the baby?” Amber whispered, inclining her head toward mine.

“We’re okay.” She relaxed a little. “You were right about the Braxton Hicks. I can’t believe I didn’t think about that. I honestly feel so stupid for causing such a fuss.” Amber hugged me again, her big belly rubbing against mine.

“I’m just glad you’re okay. You had me shitting myself the whole way here. That’s three hours, Celine! But this was the perfect excuse to get Ryan to come. You know how much he cares about his baby sister.” She laughed, green eyes lighting up in amusement as she glanced at Ryan, who was scratching the back of his neck.

“I didn’t want you to be alone if something did happen,” he mumbled sheepishly coming over, and throwing his big burly arms around me, squeezing me to his chest just like he used to when we were kids.

“Well, I’m thrilled you came up for the trip. We all need a break from life. Are your kids hungry?” The kids in question were busy sneaking up the stairs with Summer and Charlie, all of them rushing off to have fun with each other.

“Ready for bed actually. We stopped at a fast-food place on the way here. I was starving!” We all laughed at Amber. As of late, she was dying for food every hour. Her twins were giving her a hard time. “Honestly, I must be having boys with the constant hunger!”

“Oh, me, too! I am starting to get hungry all the time,” I complained.

“I’m regretting the whole idea of waiting to find out the gender. Seriously, how did I let you talk me into this?” I laughed, remembering when we decided to wait one day. It had sounded like a fun idea at the time, but now, I just wanted to know so desperately.

“Maybe we should just find out. What difference does it make?”

“Don’t you dare,” Ryan reprimanded. “You two are just going to have to wait a little longer.” Ryan stood behind his wife and wrapped her in his arms, kissing her head adoringly.

“We’ll get the kids into bed, and you two can unpack everything.” Amber turned her head to kiss Ryan’s cheek before walking out of his embrace to follow the kids up the stairs. With one hand on her back and the other gripping the railing, she ascended slowly. I followed behind, watching her struggle.

“When’s the due date again, Ames?” I asked as she reached the top of the stairs, taking a deep breath to calm her heaving chest from the slight exertion.

“November fifteenth. I’m hoping they come early like Nicky did. I hate being pregnant, especially with twins. Everything is worse—the bump is bigger, the hunger is more intense, my back is constantly in spasms, and my bladder doesn’t exist anymore. Oh, girl, I could go on and on.” She turns to look at me with a small, tired smile, one hand on her big belly. “I mean, hell, girl, I’m one month ahead of you and I’m double your size!”

“I know they were a surprise, but would you do it again willingly?” She pauses, considering the question before nodding.

“I love my kids, you know that. Being able to have them is a miracle after what Ryan and I went through the first time. I’ll never forget the pain I felt that year.” She swallowed thickly, pain flashing in her eyes. “She would have been the same age as Summer, you know.” Amber looked at me through her teary eyes.

I knew she still carried around the pain of losing her firstborn, and Summer was a walking reminder of what she was going to have but lost. I often wondered how Amber was strong enough to hold Summer that first time and how she still found space in her heart to love her. It just reminded me so much of her strength.

“I know. I’m so sorry. I wish my child wasn’t a constant reminder of your loss, Ames.” I wrapped my arms around her, holding her tightly in my embrace.

“Please don’t think that. I love her like she’s my own, Cece, and I would never see her in a negative light.”

“Don’t ever worry about that. Now, let’s go put those monsters to bed so we can have a nice, relaxing evening with our men.” I pulled back from her some so that I wouldn’t bust her eardrum. “Bedtime!” I hollered to get all of the kids’ attention. Their giggles instantly quietened as they came out of their respective, shared bedrooms.

“Really, Mom. It’s so early, and they just got here!” Summer whined, stomping her foot with a yawn.

“Yes. We have a fun day planned for tomorrow, but it only happens if you all go to bed now.”

“Fine! Charlie, come on!” she called for her brother, who was busy tackling his cousin, Mason, down the hall.

Getting the kids into bed was no easy feat. Mom and Dad had brilliantly made two rooms designed for all the little ones to share with a twin bed for each child with Disney-themed bedding. Once the babies were born, we would have to put bunk beds in the rooms, otherwise, there wouldn’t be enough beds.

The house originally was a one-story, three-bedroom house built in the early nineties, but when Mom and Dad bought it almost ten years ago, they knocked the whole thing down and built it up again, making it a three-story, lake house manor. My parents had a master bedroom on the second floor with the kids that looked out onto the lake.

They added two masters downstairs, one for Ace and me, and then one for Ryan and Amber. We each had our own king beds along with en-suite bathrooms and closets. The kids weren’t lucky enough and had to share one bathroom among the five of them, and soon, it would be eight.

The third floor was actually below the first where there was an additional kitchen and giant game room with a pool table and a movie theater for calm rainy days, and a cabana bathroom that led out to the infinity pool which looked out onto the lake.

Tucking Charlie into the bed a few minutes later, I kissed his forehead just as Ace walked in. “Goodnight, my angel,” I whispered before going and sitting on Summer’s bed while she finishes brushing her hair before climbing under the blankets.

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