Page 35 of While We Waited

When Hudson and I finished our little talk Saturday at Chloe’s party, I snuck out and drove home. By the miracles of mermaids, my girlfriends let me be yesterday. I expected them to storm into my house and demand answers.

Me: Later.

Paisley: I have some ideas to help with your nausea.

I love my nerdy friend. She won’t push me.

Me: Thanks. I’m going to take a nap. I’ll come into work later.

Maya: No rush.

I throw my phone onto my nightstand and nestle into the covers. Hopefully I’ll feel better after a few extra hours of sleep. I’m afraid I can never get enough sleep, though. Growing a baby is exhausting.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

I startle awake at the sound of banging on my front door. I glance at the clock. It’s nearly noon. I guess my friends decided they were done waiting for answers to their questions.

I haul myself out of bed and stumble down the hallway to open the door.

“Why are you banging on the door? You have a key.”

“I don’t have a key but a key is a good idea,” Hudson says, and I jump.

“I thought you were Maya.”

He smirks. “I’ve never been confused with a girl before.”

I scowl. “Maya is a woman. Not a girl.”

He clears his throat. “Of course. My apologies. Can I come in?”

He doesn’t wait for my response before barreling his way past me into my house. He sets a bag down on the kitchen counter and begins unpacking it. “I brought you some essentials. Pre-natal vitamins, ginger ale, crackers, and all the ingredients for chicken noodle soup. Mom said you might be feeling nauseous and—"

“Mom? You told your mom already?”

I wasn’t ready to tell him about baby Sprog, let alone his parents. They’re going to hate me for ruining Hudson’s life.

He grins. “She had already heard through the smuggler’s grapevine. She’s excited to be a grandma. She’s also surprised I’m the son who’s giving her, her first grandchild. She was convinced my younger brother, Brooks, would be the first to knock up a girlfriend.”

“Knock up a girlfriend?”

“Brooks is a bit of a player. I had to give him the condom talk when he was thirteen.”

“The condom talk? Thirteen?”

“If Sprog is a boy, I’m prepared to do the talk. But if she’s a girl?” He grimaces. “You’ll be up to bat for the talk then.”

My knees nearly give out. He’s going to be around to give my child the sex talk? I haven’t thought through Hudson’s involvement in the baby’s life. I was too afraid the man who hates me would abandon his child.

“Where do you want these?” He waves a box of crackers at me. “In the pantry or left out in case of emergency?”

“What is happening?” Am I having a super realistic dream? Am I still in bed sleeping?

Hudson’s brow wrinkles. “What do you mean? I’m helping you.”

“Helping me?”

He motions to my stomach. “With the baby.”

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