Page 80 of Forever Flames: Padraig & Stevie
When Coop and I found out I was surprisingly pregnant again earlier this year, we decided to move to Seattle to be closer to family. He applied for and received a promotion to CFO for all of the hotel chain’s West Coast operations. Three weeks later, we virtually toured and closed on this house close enough to my parents’ house, but in an adjacent neighborhood. This way, we can lean on them when needed but are far enough away so Mom doesn’t show up unannounced with casseroles.
Madison Valley is quiet and leafy, lined with beautifully crafted homes on large plots of land. There’s a ton of space for the girls to run and play in our fenced backyard. The house itself is huge with a master and six bedrooms, enough for each of my children to have their own space.
I’m most excited about the detached guest house where I’ll set up a home office to start my event planning business when the kids are older.
It’s expensive, but exactly what we worked so hard for in New York.
As I plop onto the edge of the couch, I can’t help an invasive thought from creeping in. If I’d stayed with Padraig, I’d probablybe somewhere in Europe living adjacent to his rock star life instead of here with my babies.
Thank God I made the right choice. Nothing compares to listening to Isla and Lila tear through the house, feeling my unborn son roll inside me, and having the stability of Cooper, who is a steady and calming presence in all our lives.
“Need a hand?” My sister Joni’s voice pulls me from my thoughts.
Dressed casually in a t-shirt and leggings with her brown hair pulled into a messy bun, she pushes through the front door with a bag of Dick’s burgers in one hand and a six-pack of Gatorade in the other..
“Only if you plan to doeverything.” I wipe the sweat from my eyebrow.
“Absolutely not.” She grins, dropping onto the couch beside me. “I’m here for moral support and lunch.”
“You’re the worst.”
“I know.” She pops open the top on the Gatorade and offers it to me. “Thirsty?”
“Parched.” I take a long sip. The hydrating sweetness hits my tongue like heaven. Jude shifts inside me again, reminding me he’s taking up every square inch of available space in my body.
“I take it Isla and Lila are upstairs?” Joni glances up the staircase at the sound of tiny elephant feet pounding the floor.
“Yeah. Running in circles.” I shake my head. “I think I heard them say they’re making a fort out of the empty boxes.”
She laughs, then studies me for a beat. “It’s weird seeing you pregnant in person. You’re simultaneously glowing and menacing. You also look like you might murder someone if they look at you sideways.”
“Accurate.” I offer a weak smile. “Pregnancy is…a lot. My feet are the size of loaves of bread. Jude seems to think my bladder is his personal bouncy castle.”
Joni smirks. “My glamorous big-city sister.”
“One more month.” I exhale and rub the top of my belly. “Then we’re done. We’ll have three under seven and I may insist Cooper gets snipped. The man has super sperm. I got pregnant with Isla the first time we had sex. The other two seemed to break through the birth control barrier as well.”
“Now you have your family to help.” She side hugs me. “I’m so happy you’re home. I’ve missed you so much.”
I don’t answer right away. Because I’ve missed her too. I haven’t returned to Washington since the night Padraig and I imploded. Even though I’ve moved on completely, he was such a huge part of my life here. It was too painful to revisit, especially with my husband and growing family.
It feels like the right time, though. Despite my earlier reminiscence, I barely think about Padraig at all anymore… Well, at least not until I moved back to Seattle.
Before I call the girls down for lunch, Joni and I wolf down our burger and fries. We chat about how, in a month, our lives will tilt again with a newborn.
Joni leans forward and nudges my knee. “You’re thinking about him, aren’t you?”
“No,” I lie.
Her brow arches. “Stevie.”
I sigh and lean back. “I’mnot. Well, I am, but not the way you think. It’s been years since I’ve been in Seattle, so naturally I have thoughts about how different my life would have been if we’d worked through everything…”
She reaches for my hand, squeezing gently. “We all love Padraig and the entire McGloughlin clan. For you, though, Cooper is incredible. You’ve built a beautiful life and you’re able to have everything you’ve ever wanted.”
“We have,” I admit.
Joni studies me for a beat. “Are you happy then?”
