A Dance of Life

43

"So... I didn't throw up."

Nathan laughs under his breath and takes my hand as we walk the short distance to his car. "No, you didn't. Good job. How do you feel?"

"Numb," I reply as he opens the car door for me. I lean back and sigh as he goes around to his side. "My head hurts and I just really really need a break. It can't be healthy for me to be under this much stress," I tell him once he's seated.

"That's why we're swimming, yeah? Just... float away from everything," he says as he starts the car.

"Yeah," I croak out. "I need a different type of out-of-body experience."

I pull out my phone, a thought entering my mind. Do pregnant women float more easily?

"Oh my gosh!" I sit up straighter, my mouth widening in a smile. "I just found the best way for me to exercise; swimming! Oh, my dad is so going to kick me out of that Airbnb," I laugh. "Better yet, I'll just stay with them, so I can swim in the morning and in the night."

"You're allowed to swim?"

"I never asked, to be honest," I confess with a shrug. "But! It's the best pregnancy workout, I need to exercise. All the extra weight from the babies and from eating all the time... my joints and muscles are crying." I rub my swollen belly and smile, receiving a couple of flutters in response. "Oh, too late now. The babies have spoken and they want to swim."

He lets out a hearty laugh, throwing his head back slightly, "I see a lot up ganging up in our future."

"Somehow, I doubt it," I chuckle, understanding what he means.

We fall into the calm silence that normally accompanies us, and I start to imagine what the future would be like with him as we drive to my dad's place. I picture the sleepless nights of changing diapers and comforting babies and I smile secretly; I don't think anyone can really be prepared for a baby until it comes.

"Your dad has an amazing taste in house, by the way," Nathan says, cutting my daydreaming short. "I was wowed when I dropped them off the other night."

"It comes with the job, Nathan," I tell him with a giggle. "He owns a real estate business? He has to have an eye for things like that."

"Ahh, I forgot about that," he admits, scratching his five o'clock shadow. "I have so many things I would like to learn from him. I don't think we've had a conversation where I wasn't awed by his wisdom."

I shake my head at his fangirling. "That's adorable, Nathan."

Speaking of houses, should I tell him now that I'm going back with my dad next month? Maybe I should wait until all this trail stuff is over and the kids are official 'Allards'. Or -

"Annelise?"

"I'm sorry," I sigh, rolling my eyes at my spacing out. "Did you say something?"

"Just wondering what your housing plans are," he informs me, stopping at a red light.

"Um, I haven't really thought about it," I say, clearing my throat as the light turns green.

Why exactly are you lying?

"Oh. Well, you probably want to go back with your dad, right?"

I blink in shock. "Are you a mind reader...?"

"Nah, but I have an Annelise meter, remember?" He responds seriously.

"You fixed it," I smile, playing along. "Great."

"Tuned; it was never broken," he corrects.

I bite my lip and lean my head on the window. One of the babies start to move, encouraging the other one to join in the party, and I sniff, my nose suddenly stuffy. "Yeah, I'm planning on going back with him," I admit.