Page 123 of Space Balls: Houston, We Have Liftoff
He doesn’t know yet, but I’m totally saving those no matter which house we choose.
Hashtag adorable.
“Aunt Rose, you’re not paying attention!” Jacob shouts to hear himself over his new headphones. The ones I got him. He’s stabbing at the buttons on his controller in a panic.
“Dang, sorry, kid.” But I’m not fast enough, and both our characters die.
“Aw, man.” Jacob’s pout face is cute.
“My turn!” Jase slides down off the recliner and snatches his brother’s controller.
Jacob opens his mouth, probably to argue, but I rush in with the save. “Here, have mine.” I hold my controller to him. “I’m taking a break.”
Jase’s shoulder’s slump. “Crap. Now we’re really going to lose.”
I ruffle his hair. “Gotta learn sometime, kid.”
I’m suddenly grabbed from behind and lifted into the air by my armpits. “Wh—!”
“There.” Vance settles me on his lap.
Brit crinkles her nose. “Ew, gross. Get a room.” Her whine is ruined when she breaks into a large smile.
“We’re trying to get a house,” Vance reminds her, tapping the page on her lap. “So help me figure out which one is more Pinterest worthy.” He gives me side-eye. “It’s an important factor in the decision process.”
I try, and fail, to hold back my smirk.
Vance settles me against him, resting his chin on my shoulder and wrapping his right arm around me. His hand curves around his new favorite place to touch—my stomach.
I shimmy into him, sighing happily. And I’m not just happy with my newfound love of PDA. I’m just really fucking happy.
And have been every day since our doctor appointment.
Vance and I are together. Like, legit together.
After the doctor appointment, we hung the sonogram pictures on my fridge. Then went grocery shopping. And that evening, and every evening since, we’ve eaten dinner together at my kitchen table.
At bedtime, we stand next to each other in front of the bathroom vanity and brush our teeth.
And every morning he kisses me good-bye before leaving for work.
I’m living the dream.
“Shouldn’t you be planning a wedding first?” Brit nods to Vance’s hand on my abdomen while turning her new diamond studs Matt got her. “I thought that would be a priority.”
“We’ll get there.” I shrug, unconcerned. And, surprisingly, I’m not.
Vance wasn’t joking when he told me he was going all in with me. He’s already moved into my penthouse even though it’s a much longer commute for him. When he wasn’t helping me decorate the new twelve-foot, multi-colored Christmas tree he bought for us as a cohabitation present, he’s been helping sort through the massive amounts of baby stuff still piled everywhere.
Some purchases we’re keeping, others we’re donating. Because, according to Vance, the whole point of a pack ‘n play is that you can pack it and take it with you wherever you go. So not every person I know needs to have one stocked in their closet for when the baby and I visit.
Which is fine. Because it means the women’s shelter I usually donate to gets even more goodies this yearandall this sorting enables Vance to “shop” for baby stuff with me by picking out his favorites from what’s already there.
Hashtag win win.
On top of that, he’s seen the therapist at NASA twice this week. And even though he says it was the talk with his mom and sister that really helped him see straight, he decided to keep going just to make sure he’s the best he can be for both me and the baby.
I may have blamed hormones on the tears I cried after he told me that. And Vance may have pretended he believed me.
