Page 137 of Bae

Ivy looked cute pregnant. Me? I looked like a beached whale.

Not that I was complaining. I wasn’t. All I cared about was this baby was healthy and had everything he or she needed.

I had to admit, though, I was at times uncomfortable (at times = all the time), hormonal, and cried over silly things. Like when we ran out of pickles.

That only happened once.

Ever since then, Romeo and all four of my brothers brought home jars and giant individually wrapped pickles whenever they came home.

Literally.

Our fridge looked like a pickle market.

Naturally, it was a dream come true.

This time it was really happening. Sometimes I still struggled to believe it. At thirty-seven weeks, it was almost impossible not to believe someday soon I would be holding a baby in my arms.

And frankly, if you saw my gigantic stomach, you’d probably think it was impossible I was still pregnant and able to walk.

I was far enough along now that everything I put off (for fear of jinxing anything) was beginning to happen. Like a baby shower.Mybaby shower.

It was beyond over the top, but I figured Valerie earned the right for several reasons:

1.) I put it off for so long. After all, she had almost the full nine months to plan, which she took full advantage of.

2.) This was her first grandchild, something she thought she’d never have.

and

3.) We deserved this.

So here I was. Standing in the backyard of our compound, which had been completely transformed into some kind of opulent baby event.

Honestly? I thought this might put our wedding to shame. I took this as a total indication this baby was going to be spoiled beyond control by his or her grandma.

Yep, she was even going with the title grandma. She didn’t want a fancy title or something that made her sound “less old.”

Valerie didn’t care. She just wanted a grandchild to love.

Despite the rocky way our relationship began, that was all in the past now. She’d been incredibly supportive of me during this pregnancy (almost to the point of hovering), and I knew without a doubt this baby would be loved.

I wished my own mother could be here. There was so much I wanted to share with her. I took daily comfort in the fact that she was with Evie, and it seemed oddly right that both my children have a grandmother where they were, since they both couldn’t be with me.

I was standing in the shade, looking out over the massive event from underneath a giant white umbrella jeweled with what I sincerely hoped were not real crystals. I was afraid to ask Valerie. There were a ton of them; somehow Valerie had them suspended from all the trees and from some kind of frame she’d erected.

It gave the appearance they were floating in the sunshine, and the crystals sparkled brilliantly. With the umbrellas were also long strands of giant, clear glass beads, which hung at varying heights. Tables were scattered about, all round, all draped in white, with natural-colored wicker chairs around them.

Giant vases of white flowers were everywhere, along with an actual fountain for people to throw in pennies and make a wish for the baby.

The catering was so pretty it was almost inedible. White cupcakes were everywhere, and yellow-iced sugar cookies in traditional baby shower shapes made it into every guest’s mouth.

Romeo and Braeden were standing with the Knights (the entire team was here with their significant others), and Ivy was chasing after Nova, who was chasing after a rogue clear balloon filled with sparkling glitter.

The second she learned to walk, she started to run, and her parents had been chasing after her ever since. Her laughter floated around as she scampered, dark curls bouncing around her head, and I knew her deep-blue eyes were sparkling with mischief.

Someone stepped up beside me, and my lips pulled into a wide smile when I saw who it was.

“Brought you a pickle.” Trent extended the giant dill pickle Valerie had somehow managed to have specially wrapped.

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