“When is he gonna get here?” Derek asked. “What’s his name?”
“Six months,” Cleo said. “And we haven’t picked out a name.”
“Name him something cool,” Derek said. “Like Tarantula. I wish my name was Tarantula.”
I couldn’t suppress the laugh that came from my throat. “We’ll think about it…”
“Yeah,” Cleo said with a chuckle. “We have some time to decide.”
We had dinner at my mom’s favorite restaurant. Tucker brought Pria, and the three of us sat on the opposite side of the table. Mom talked about her new yoga class and the friends she’d made. They shopped all day, hitting all the designer stores.
Derek played with his food, clearly bored with the conversation. He tried to make the crusts of his pizza into a log cabin, probably trying to copy the cabin we had in Connecticut.
I didn’t know when I was going to tell my mom about the baby. She wasn’t usually this talkative, but since she was in a good mood, I let her blabber on.
When Derek’s cabin fell apart onto the table, he sighed in disappointment. Then he looked at my mother and cut right through her conversation. “Grandma, did you know I’m getting a brother?”
My mother clutched her chest and turned silent.
I’d never actually told Derek not to say anything, but I didn’t think he’d blurt it out like that. “Derek, don’t interrupt anyone—”
“Oh my god. Oh my god.” She clutched her skull with both hands. “Then, it’s true? Tell me it’s true.” She grabbed Cleo’s hand and gripped it. “You’re giving me another grandson?” She lost her marbles right away, raising her voice so everyone in the restaurant watched us.
Maybe we should have had this dinner in private.
Cleo was clearly touched by my mother’s excitement, as if she’d feared my mother wouldn’t be thrilled about us having a child when we hadn’t been together long and we were unmarried…and Cleo wasn’t rich like I was. “It’s true.”
“Aww.” She clutched her chest again. “I’m having another grandson. This is so wonderful.” She leaned into Cleo and hugged her. “You’ve made me so happy, dear. He’s gonna be so beautiful and so smart.”
I watched them together, knowing Cleo had become part of the family a long time ago. Then I looked at Derek. “Thanks for blurting that out.”
He held up both his hands. “Why were we listening to her talk about her yoga class when we could be talking about my brother?”
I grinned and placed my hand on his shoulder. “True. But you still shouldn’t interrupt people.”
“Well, it was boring.”
Tucker and Pria got up and moved to Cleo’s side of the table, giving her hugs. “Congrats.” Tucker patted her back. “I’m gonna be an uncle again.”
“You’re still an uncle right now,” I corrected.
My mother came around the table to hug me next, indescribable joy in her eyes. “Honey, I’m so happy for you.” She hugged me tightly, squeezing me so hard I was surprised she was capable of it. “When I pray every night, I thank God for sending you Cleo. She’s the perfect woman for you, Deacon.”
I nodded. “You’re right. She is perfect.”
“I’m so happy you’re getting everything you deserve. Another son…what a blessing.”
“I’m really excited about it.”
She cupped my face and kissed my cheek. “Your father would be so proud, Deacon. I wish he could get to know both his grandsons.”
I still got emotional when I thought of my father, my best friend before Derek. “Yeah…I know he would.”
Cleo was caught up in a conversation with Tucker and Pria with Derek next to them, sharing excitement and congratulations. So, my mother lowered her voice and gave me a serious look. “You do right by her, Deacon.”
I knew she was telling me to marry her. “I did right by Valerie, and I was miserable, Mom.”
“Yes, but Cleo has always done right by you—since the moment you met her. Valerie never did. Now, you make that woman my daughter. Because she’s already a part of this family, whether you marry her or not.”
Valentine’s Day was in the middle of the week, so I didn’t plan anything special. It was an odd holiday anyway, and I didn’t really understand it. But I asked my mom to watch Derek for a few hours since she didn’t have plans.
When Cleo came home, she set her bag by the door and immediately took off her heels, like they were getting too much for her as she put on more weight with every week. “Hey, babe.”
I stepped out of the kitchen and met her in the entryway. “How are you guys?”
“Good. Just tired.”
I kissed her as my hand went to her stomach, already developing a relationship with my son when he wasn’t fully formed. But I could feel his soul every time I touched her stomach. “Maybe you should wear flats from now on.”
“I think I will. Can’t rock those pumps anymore.”