A Different Time, A Different Place

A New Life

„I did, sweetie! You were amazing!"

„Millie", her father said, „Remember what we talked about... careful with Lana's tummy, okay? You don't want to knock out your baby brother with your knee."

„Sorry, daddy!", she replied, rueful, then she looked up at Lana with her big blue eyes, „Is my baby brother hurt?"

She smiled, shaking her head. „No, sweetie, all good! Don't worry about it, he's fine, Daddy is just very protective, mhm? Now, come on, you want to keep your skates on for a bit or shall we take them off? Your guests should be here soon."

The little girl thought about it, then decided to end her skating session for now.

When Lana was about to get up to help her take off her skates, Colin shook his head. „I'll do it! You sit, get some rest until the guests are here, alright?"

He carefully placed his hand on the little curve under her t-shirt and bowed down to give her a kiss before tending to his daughter.

Indeed, it wasn't long until the first guests came. A few parents dropped off their children, friends of Millie's. And then, a familiar laugh came booming across the park to the corner they had reserved for the birthday party, and Lola and Levi went running to greet Sean, Bex and their families.

Lana got up to give them a hug, but the closer they came, the slower their friends' steps got, until Bex could just cover her mouth with her hands and shake her head, her eyes glued to her TV sister's unusually round midsection.

„You must be f-ing shitting me... This is for real?"

Lana just smiled, let her hands run over her little bump and nodded.

„It's for real?! OH MY GOD!"

Now, Bex started running to cover the last few yards and wrapped her arms around her friend to pull her close, not fully able to hold back her tears.

„This is just... incredible!"

„It really is", Lana hugged her tight and stroked her back, „That's a very fitting description indeed."

„I mean, you're... you're..."

„I'm pregnant, yes", she completed her sentence, beaming with pride and joy.

Of course, she had prepared them beforehand on the phone, not wanting to risk anyone suffering a heart attack on this beautiful and sunny day, but they had only half believed her.

A little further, Sean could not stop smiling, hugging his best friend and patting his back. „Congratulations! Good job, mate!"

Colin was somewhat shy about it, blushing, but of course couldn't help and smile along with everybody else. In the end, he was no less proud than his girlfriend about the little miracle they had somehow managed to create together.

As they were greeting Marc and Tanya and their two little girls who seemed about twice the size by now than when they had seen them last, the boys already ran off to join Evan who was finally coming to life, now that there weren't only little girls around to play with.

„Come on, sit!", Lana said after they had congratulated Millie and handed over her birthday presents, pointing to the adult table, „You can grab some snacks or salad, the meat is already on the grill, it'll be like five more minutes. What would you like to drink?"

„Anything! I really don't care about all that", said Bex with glowing eyes, „What I'd like to know is everything else!"

„What do you mean?", asked Lana, sitting down, refilling her glass of lemonade, the most exciting drinks she'd have in a while.