Page 141 of Through You
“It was Ares’s idea.”
I bend and get closer to the screen to say something to him.
“Idiot.”
Ares smiles at me. “You love me and you know it.” He winks.
I give him an eye roll and straighten up.
My mom gives me a hug, and Mr. Juan comes up. “You’re making Hidalgo family history,” he comments. “She’ll be the first girl in our family branch. My brothers and I have only had boys.”
“My first granddaughter,” Grandpa interrupts him. “Have you started getting her room ready?”
“Are you using one of the rooms upstairs?” Mr. Hidalgo asks.
“Ah, but the stairs might be a problem. What are you planning?”
“Uh . . . we haven’t . . .” Artemis and I glance at each other.
“You’ll live here, right?” Grandpa asks, worry clearly etched on his face. “This house is enormous. I also think that the grandparents”—he points to my mom and Mr. Juan—“would love to have their granddaughter close to them.”
“We haven’t discussed that, Grandfather,” Artemis replies, and I shift my weight from foot to foot, feeling a tad uncomfortable. How have we not thought about this already?
We talk with everyone a little longer before heading upstairs to Artemis’s bedroom. I yawn and stretch my arms in the air before I sit down on the bed. Lately, I feel very tired even when I hardly do anything. I completed the internship and the new girl who looks after the housework is doing a thorough job. I no longer complain about Artemis being overbearing. I can’t imagine what it would be like if I was still in charge of running the household.
Artemis unbuttons his shirt and takes it off while I gawk. My hormones have made me insatiable lately. He leans over and gives me a soft peck while gently caressing my face. I grab him by the neck and pull him forward until we land on the bed with him on top.
“Again?” he whispers against my lips.
“Are you complaining?”
“Absolutely not.”
When I reach the ninth month, it’s hard to walk very far without having my ankles swell up, and I become short of breath doing the simplest of tasks, never mind the stress on my back or trying to find a comfortable sleeping position. Artemis and I have decided to spend the first year of our daughter’s life in this house.
We would love for Grandpa, my mom, and Mr. Juan to enjoy her company for as long as they can. We’ll decide later whether we’ll live somewhere else long term.
We haven’t heard from Mrs. Hidalgo, which doesn’t surprise me. She probably doesn’t want anything to do with me and my baby. And I’m perfectly fine with that. I’d rather not have someone with such terrible energy anywhere near my daughter.
Artemis is way more relaxed now that he’s no longer working for Hidalgo Enterprises and has only his own business ventures to oversee from time to time. He’s truly having a great time getting back to drawing since he began his illustration course months ago. Although it hasn’t been long since he started, his artistic sensibility and aesthetic have improved a great deal. I guess time is inconsequential when you have innate talent.
We’re almost finished setting up our daughter’s room and have paid attention to every detail with tender loving care. It’s Valentine’s Day weekend, which means everyone is home since we decided to have a party together. Gin and Alex have dropped by to help with the final touches. Apolo and Ares are in the living room assembling a piece of furniture that came with complicated instructions. I can hear them arguing over it from here. Alex is helping Gin put up a sign with my daughter’s name on it up on the wall next to her crib.
“More to the right! It’s crooked!” Alex complains.
“That’s just what you said to me last night,” Gin replies.
“Gin!” I shoot a reproachful look in her direction.
“I’m joking. Anyway, Alex is no saint,” she proclaims in her defense.
Alex and Gin love bantering with each other. Thanks to Artemis and me they’ve become close friends. I suppose they’re our best friends, so they have no other choice.
“Alex,” I call to him. “What happened with Chimmy?”
“Chimmy?” Gin asks. “Oh yeah, the secretary. Right?”
“Nothing. Why? Is there something that should happen?”
