What We Deserve

Part 78: It's Time

****** 21 Weeks Later*******

Life had been fairly normal after Max came back.

Though we have been arguing a tad more, it has been increasingly more noticeable that our marriage has felt healthier.

We no longer tiptoe around issues.

We duke it out and get on with our day.

My mum had come back about four weeks after the news broke about Joel. She was disturbed to hear what had 'occurred' and was glad to come back home to help support us. Her home sold quicker than expected and with that news, she took us up on moving into the basement- at least until she and Albert are ready to take the next step in their fast moving relationship.

Max had diligently been working on transforming the study into Joel's room, while we prepared Zep to move into Luna's to provide a new nursery space for the Beans.

And let me tell you!

I have never been so large and impossible to move.

And it's not for a lack of trying.

My stomach sticks so far out from me that I quite literally cannot move on my own. I feel both amazing due to carrying my healthy growing beans around, but also immensely disgusting due to the distention of my stomach due to the need to grow four humans all at once.

Crying has become my new best friend, which has driven everyone mad.

And the constant need to pee has made it quite impossible to wear anything but adult diapers. Which is utterly embarrassing and disgusting as well.

We opted out of finding out the genders of the Pod due to our reasoning of insanity.

And despite my hope that Joel would have forgotten about the book bet way back when we made it- he did indeed finish the book in a week and explaining to Max that now Joel has the power to give all four new babes their middle names- was not necessarily a humbling task.

Yet because our son is so bloody intelligent and read the entire book on reproduction and delivery- now feels it necessary to track everything having to do with my pregnancy.

Right up to asking me about my mucus plug and if it still feels intact or if I think I have lost it yet.

So now, at 35 weeks pregnant- I have been literally moved into a private room on the maternity ward to be constantly monitored. My husband has been shifting a lot of his duties onto Lauren, who happily agreed to be Junior Deputy medical director while we both are predisposed.

"How ya feeling girlfriend?!" She happily skips-literally skips- into my room this morning as I'm rubbing lotion on my overly stretched stretch marks.

"Like a whale. How about you?" I snap uncomfortably.

"Well, I have news and I wanted you to hear it first."

"You're pregnant!" I tease whole heartedly.

"Yes."

"Fuck...I was kidding." I say shocked and she looks at me seriously for a few moments and I honestly think she may cry.

"I'm kidding!" She finally breaks the silence and I sigh- having actually been prepared to be extremely excited for her. She and Casey have finally- and I mean finally- become intimate and have been making strides in their relationship.

"Bitch."

"Oh settle my little watermelon." She teases and I tear up. "No...no, Babe I was..."

"Kidding!" Laughing at her pallor face, I put my lotion away and pull my gown closed after readjusting my maternity bra. "So what's the news?"