December
“Can you believe he’s six months old?”
Jeff let out a laugh as he crawled after Luke on the floor.
“Nope. The little monster is fast as shit. ”
I tried to keep up with them as I videotaped Jeff and Luke.
“So, should we go shopping for more toys for Santa to bring?”
Jeff looked up at me with the biggest smile on his face. I swore I’d never seen a man who loved to go shopping for toys like Jeff did. I think he liked the stuff more than Luke.
“Do you even need to ask that, Ari? Hells yeah, my little buddy needs more stuff. Don’t forget. I want to find something really cool for Matt. ”
“As long as it doesn’t make too much noise. The drum set you got him drove my mother and father insane. ”
I saw the smile spread across Jeff’s face, and I knew he bought that thing just to piss off my father.
Just then, there was a knock on the door, and Jeff jumped up to get it.
“Heather! What brings you here?”
“Hey! Just wanted to come for a visit. ”
Heather walked into the living room and immediately went down to the floor as Luke crawled up to her and got in her lap.
“Oh my gosh, you’re getting so big, my little man!” She looked up at me and smiled.
I knew something was wrong. Her beautiful blue eyes were…dead. I hadn’t seen her sad in months. Josh had left Lynda at the end of August after he’d had enough of her crazy bullshit. Heather got a job teaching first grade at the elementary school in Fredericksburg while Josh’s furniture business was growing in Austin. I knew they tried to see each other as much as possible and Josh was ready to move the business to Fredericksburg just to be with Heather.
“Is everything okay?”
Just then, the phone rang.
Jeff ran into the kitchen and picked it up.
“What? Right now? You have to take her to Fredericksburg, Gunner! No, not Austin…don’t drive…meet me at the main house. Dude, calm down. We’ll be right there. ”
He hung up the phone, looked at me, and then to Heather on the floor.
“Ellie’s water just broke. ”
Heather and I both let out a scream, and then Luke screamed and clapped his hands. I reached down and grabbed Luke. It’s about time! Ellie was overdue and ready to pop any day.
“Let me change his diaper really quick,” I said.
I grabbed a few things for Luke while Jeff and Heather were getting baby food ready in the kitchen. We had a plan. When Ellie went into labor, Jenny and Aaron were going to watch Luke for us. I grabbed my cell and did a fist pump when I saw I had a signal. I called Jen, told her about Ellie, and said we would drop off Luke in a few minutes.
By the time we got to Emma and Garrett’s place, Emma was sitting on the porch with Ellie.
Heather and I ran up, and I fell to my knees next to my very best friend, who had a huge pregnant belly. I could look at Ellie from behind and never known that she was pregnant, but when she turned around, she was all baby in the front.
“Hey, baby, how are you feeling?” I asked.
“Fine, Emma here is distracting me with a story, so I’m okay. ”
Emma who rolled her eyes, and I let out a giggle.