Nina’s five, and while she still likes for me to toss her around, she doesn’t tolerate it from her smaller-in-stature mother as much. I’m not crazy about it either considering Bristol’s six months into her pregnancy.
“It’s deeper than you think, Neen,” Bristol says. “Be careful.”
My baby girl is a tadpole, though, and sure enough, in seconds she’s zooming past me, her skinny arms and legs slicing through the waves, her hair stretched out behind her in a wake of copper-laced curls.
“Baby, that’s far enough,” I call out. The ocean isn’t turbulent today, but I grew up on the Pacific and have a healthy respect for how capricious it can be. Placid one minute and treacherous the next.
Nina turns, doggy paddling to stay afloat, her face wet and frowning. “But, Daddy—”
“Do I repeat myself, Nina?”
Her frown clears, the gray eyes so like Bristol’s widening. She shakes her head. “No, sir.”
“Then that’s far enough.” I gentle the words with a smile, take the few steps separating us and tap her head with Martin’s foot. She giggles and swims a circle around me, disappearing for a second underwater and then popping back up, hair plastered to her small head.
“I need to learn that trick,” Bristol says wryly. “I tried last week, asked her if I repeat myself and she just looked at me blankly and said, ‘What’d you say, Mommy?’”
I can’t help it, I laugh, and Bristol gives me a mock-withering glare.
“You know she loves pressing your buttons, right? Every time she finds a new one, she just has to push.”
“So much to look forward to in the terrible teens. I just hope she’s not as bad as I was.”
I pull her close, anchoring Martin by one leg and looping an arm around her, cupping her stomach. “She’s gonna be magnificent like her mama.”
Bristol leans her head on my shoulder, covering my hand with hers on her stomach. There’s a subtle movement beneath my fingers, as gentle as the water undulating around our bodies.
“Bris,” I breathe, swallowing my own awe. “Did you feel that? They’re moving.”
Of course, she felt it. It’s her body, but she just laughs. It’s not the first time the twins have moved, but I always seem to just miss it, so it’s the first time I’ve felt the life growing inside Bristol for myself.
“One of them is moving.” She guides my hand to the other side of her belly. “This girl has been quiet all day.”
“Girl?” I raise one querying brow. “I thought we agreed we wouldn’t find out. You go behind my back or something?”
She shrugs, lowering her eyes to the water and brushing her fingers through the waves. “I just have a feeling they’re both girls.”
“God save me. Martin and I would be outnumbered.” I pull my son down from his perch on my shoulders and hold him under his armpits, dangling him in the water. “You hear that, lil’ man? Your mom says we’re getting two girls. What do you think?”
“Brother!” His eyes, dark like mine, stretch with excitement. Our kids can’t wait for the new arrivals, and not knowing the sex of the babies makes it that much more fun for them. Every day, each of us changes our minds about what Bristol’s having.
“You heard the man,” I tell Bristol. “There’s at least one boy in there.”
“I honestly don’t care.” She grimaces and rubs the small of her back. “I’m so big this time, I just want them out. I’ve already gained as much weight as I had by the end with Martin. I’m huge.”
I lean over to whisper in her ear. “You’re sexy as hell, Bris. Always.”
She turns her head so our faces are mere inches apart, our lips separated by a single breath. “You think so, huh?”
“I’ll show you tonight,” I whisper over her mouth. “Massage?”
“Oh.” She tips her head back and releases a sultry laugh. “I’ve had your ‘massages’ before.”
“You love them.”
“I do.” She narrows her eyes and bites down on her bottom lip. “After dinner?”
“Why wait? We can pack the little monsters up and go to the house right now.”