Complicated | Calum Hood (Sequel to Unexpected)

34.

13 Weeks

Jes

I woke and breathed an immense sigh of relief. Today, for the first time in months I was able to fully relax. Today, I hit thirteen weeks in my pregnancy and was officially past the part of this where I was most prone to miscarriage. The weight of the anxiety I had been carrying around was replaced with a new feeling—one of excitement.

We had hinted to our friends all week that we wanted to host some kind of dinner tonight, in the hopes that they would keep their schedules open. It seemed our plan had worked and when Calum sent the invite, everyone agreed to meet at our home around five. His parents and Mali had been planning to come by anyways and my dad and Chrissy were going to make a weekend out of it; since we hadn't seen them since Paisely's birthday nearly a month ago.

We had an entire plan and the nice weather provided the perfect ruse to get our friends over inconspicuously.

"Have you got all the food sorted?" I ask, glancing from my place at our kitchen island to where he stands looking in the refrigerator. The piles of misplaced groceries filling the shelves answer my question before he is able to.

"Yeah, I got enough to feed a small army."

"Please tell me you got shrimp for the barbie" I say in the worst Australian accent I can manage.

He peers around the refrigerator door and just glares at me shaking his head. "First of all, they're called prawns." He smirks. "Second of all, I hate you." He says moving towards me, his hands sliding up my sides until they cup my face. His lips meet mine and I smile into the kiss.

"This is a funny way to show someone you hate them." I grin.

He pulls away rolling his eyes and returns to his preparations for tonight. I'm surprised that amidst my feelings of excitement I also discover feelings of nervousness. It's not like I really have anything to be nervous about; the other boys wives are pregnant so they can't really be upset that we are too and I know our families will be ecstatic about us having a second baby, they know how devastated we were after the miscarriage so I know they want this for us. Despite my rationalizing I still can't help the feelings of unease. Maybe the past few months have just got me convinced that if something can go wrong, it will.

The day seems to drag by as we wait for everyone to start arriving. I busy myself straightening up and preparing the other dishes.

I find myself constantly staring out the window and imagining how this afternoon will go. I am tired of waiting, tired of keeping this secret.

Paisley grows agitated with being told to wait for swimming and I finally acquiescence, following her up the stairs to get her changed into her swimsuit. By the time she is dressed and her floaties are on, it's time for the guests to begin arriving.

Paisley dashes down the stairs and jumps straight into the shallow end of the pool, fearless and brave, followed closely behind by Duke, her unafraid partner in crime. She giggles and splashes in the water, lost in all her child-like innocence and I find myself longing for these moments when her sibling is here and our family is more complete.

Maybe two kids will be it for us, but I have a feeling Calum and I both share a desire for a large family, he had mentioned it once and it had stuck with me. I think growing up an only child had only served to magnify my desire for a large family. I had often longed for a constant friend and shoulder to lean on. Especially in times like after my mother's death. I think if I would have had a sibling I'd have felt less alone in the darkest days of my life.

I turn towards the fence when I hear the latch open to be greeted by Cal's parents and Sister.

"Mali! Mali!" Pais cries climbing out the water as fast as she can and racing towards her aunt.