Chapter 2
Sage
“Why do you have so much coffee creamer?”
“Mama says they all taste funny.”
Molly looked down at Sam and smiled. “Really? All six of these flavors taste funny? I think that has something to do more with your mama and not the creamer.”
I rubbed my belly and stretched out my legs. “I think it has more to do with the fact the coffee is decaf. It tastes like s-h-i-t.”
Sam looked up at Molly. “I’m gonna learn to spell one day, and I’m going to figure out what s-h-i-t is,” he sang out.
Molly smothered her laugh with the back of her hand. Thankfully, Sam bounded off down the hallway to his room, and Molly didn’t have the chance to spill the beans of what I was spelling.
“How old is he?”
I sighed. “Pretty sure four going on twenty. I swear, every day that kid surprises me with the things that come out of his mouth. Last week, Barbara told me he asked when it was going to snow because he was ready to get his boots in the powder and head down the slopes.”
“The slopes?” Molly giggled. “I didn’t know you had taken up skiing.”
I shook my head and grabbed my mug from the table. “I haven’t skied a day in my life, and neither has Sam. I don’t know where he gets this stuff from.”
“Well, maybe you’ll have to take the time to get down the slopes with him this winter.”
I looked down at my stomach. I wasn’t showing yet, but it felt like I was as big as a house. How the hell that happens, I had no idea. The only way to see the small bump I had was for me to lift my shirt up and push out my gut. But then it was debatable if that was the baby or the four donuts I had mowed down before Sam had woken up.
Molly shut the fridge and moved to the coffee pot. “Is this really decaf?” she asked with a curl of her lip.
A laugh bubbled from my lips. “Yes, unfortunately, it is.”
She lifted up the pot and sniffed it. “I really think this might be a deal-breaker for me.”
“You don’t have to drink it. I do have regular up in the cabinet.”
She shook her head and set the pot down. “No, no. I mean having to drink decaf might be a deal-breaker for Kellan and me to have a kid. I mean, what’s the point of coffee when it’s decaf? Like, sure, I like the flavor, but you can’t deny the caffeine is fan-freakin-tastic.”
“Well, I guess it’s a good thing I’m the pregnant one.”
Molly tsked and grabbed a coffee cup from the cabinet. “Pregnant with Roman Yeck to boot.” She filled her cup and grabbed the sugar container. “I think if I put enough sugar in it, I’ll get my caffeine buzz.” She dumped two heaping spoonful’s into the cup and gave it a stir.
“Jesus, Kellan is going to wonder what the hell you did over here when you crash from your sugar high two hours from now.”
She set her cup on the table and pulled out the chair next to me. “I like to keep him on his toes.”
I sighed and wrapped my hands around my cup. “And you do a damn good job of that.”
“So, you ready to get down to the serious talk, or are we going to continue to act like there isn’t a little bad ass ninja growing in your stomach?”
I shook my head. “I’m in my bubble right now. Call back later,” I sang.
“So, like nine months from now, we can have the talk of how the hell you got pregnant?”
“Well, when a boy and girl like each other—”
Molly held up her hand. “See, right there is where I get confused. When did you and Roman start liking each other enough to the point where you two were humping like bunnies.”
“It was hardly like bunnies. One time. That was it.”
Molly whistled and shook her head. “One time is all it takes, sister.”
“Pretty sure you don’t need to tell me twice. I’m a walking poster board for it only takes one time.”
She sat back in her chair and kicked out her feet. “So, what are you going to do now?”
“Drink my coffee and see if I can convince Sam to take a nap with me.”
Her eyes darted to the clock hanging above my head. “It’s nine-thirty.”
“I’m not sure what point you are trying to make.”
Her eyes rolled, and she shook her head. “I suppose cooking a human entitles you to naps.”
“Damn straight, it does.” One of the perks of being pregnant. That and eating whatever I wanted. Although, lately, that whatever had been ham and spicy pickle sandwiches with a bag of lettuce. I think I was the first pregnant woman to crave lettuce.
A smile spread across Molly’s lips. “You really think you are going to be able to get that shrieking banshee to sleep?”
Sam’s shouting and hollering drifted down the hallway, and I hung my head. “Lord have mercy. I wish that child had an off switch.” I loved Sam, don’t get me wrong, but I was damn tired, and all I wanted to do was sleep. For days.
Molly chuckled. “Just think, you’re going to have a little Roman Yeck running around too.”
“Whose side are you on? You’re supposed to be here making me feel better, not contemplating sleeping for the next nineteen years.”
“So you would have Roman raise Sam and the baby. Lord have mercy, I don’t think that man would make it a week.”
I shook my head. “I honestly don’t know what that man is capable of handling.”
“Well, he manages to teach a room of kids, but for only half an hour at a time, and maybe three times a week,” she giggled.
I covered my eyes with my hand. “I’m running away to some nun island to raise my kids off the land.”
“Uh, say what?”
I dropped my hand and laid my forehead on the table.
“Let’s rewind. Nun island? Live off the land? Sage, you can barely go a day without coffee and watching reruns of Golden Girls. How do you expect to live off the land eating twigs and berries? With a newborn and a four-year-old? Did you bump your head before I got here?”
I groaned and rolled my head side to side. “No, I just got pregnant with a guy I don’t know and have absolutely no clue what I’m going to do. Also, there was no mention of eating twigs and berries. I’ve watched those crazy Alaskan people on TV. I can totally do that.” I sat up and slammed my hand down on the table. “That’s it! I’m moving to Brown Town. I’m sure they’ll accept me as their own.” Bloody brilliant. And one of those brothers wasn’t too bad to look at either. All muscles, and well, crazy. But I could totally work with it. When he would go crazy, I would just send him out into the woods, and I wouldn’t have to worry about him.
A huge smile spread across my face. “Problem solved,” I sang out.
Molly pressed her hand against my forehead. “You’re not running a fever, so I have no idea what is causing this irrational daydreaming with you.” She waved her hand in my face. “Do you hear the words coming out of your mouth?”
I grabbed her hand and lowered it to the table. “I think it’s a damn good idea. Sam loves to be outside.”
“That’s it,” she mumbled. “I’m calling Kellan. Something has snapped in that brain of yours, and I may be taller than you, but you’re scrappy. There is no way I am going to be able to strap you into a straightjacket.” She pulled her phone out and swiped left.
“Wait, what?” I snapped out of my daydream of running away to the bush and grabbed the phone out of her hand. “You’re not calling Kellan.”
She held up her pinkie. “Pinkie swear you’re not running away to nun island to live off the land and marry some bushy guy.”
I hooked my pinkie around hers. “It’s THE bush, and yes, I promise. I’m just a bit overwhelmed at the moment. Now everyone knows about the baby, all I want to do is hide. Forever.”
“Everyone knows? Even Mary and Dale?”
I sat back in my chair and sighed. “That would be a big, fat negative. I don’t even want to start worrying about what they are going to say about me being pregnant again.”
“Well, they were super excited when you and Jack got pregnant.”
“That would be because Jack was their son.”
“They have to understand you have to move on. I mean, I know you loved Jack, but unfortunately, life goes on.”
“Preaching to the choir, Molly.” I was over Jack as much as one could be. Losing Jack had been one of the hardest things I had ever gone through, but I was thankful I had Mary and Dale. I was thankful for them every day. Hell, if I didn’t have them, I wouldn’t be able to work and have some semblance of a social life.
“Maybe wait. Tell them when you tell Sam.”
I rolled the idea around in my head. “I guess that could work. Sam could be my shield in case they go crazy.”
“That’s one problem figured out. What’s the next one?” she asked eagerly. “I’m not leaving until you don’t feel like you’re freaking out.”
A laugh bubbled from my lips. “I’m pretty sure that feeling isn’t going to leave me anytime soon.”
“Well, how about I take Sam for the day, and you can chill, nap, or whatever?”
“Now I have to ask you if you’re feeling okay.” Molly barely ever offered to watch Sam. Mostly because she was always working at the café.
She waved her hand at me. “Oh please, it’s Sunday. I don’t need to go to the café because I got everything ready yesterday in preparation for the fact I was going to be nursing a hangover today, so I’m free. So is Kellan. He had training this morning, but he should be home by now. It’ll be fun for me, and you can just relax for the day.”
I wearily looked down the hallway, listening to Sam yelling for SpongeBob to get off the boat. “You know what? I’m totally going to take you up on that even though I know you are going to regret it by the time you drop him off later.”
She scoffed and shook her head. “You have no faith in me. I mean, how hard can it be to watch a four-year-old?” Her face fell. “He is potty trained, right?”
“I’ll never tell. You’re going to have to figure out that one on your own.”
Her jaw dropped, and I yelled for Sam.
“Yes, Momma?” he hollered back.
“Put on your pants and find your socks. You’re going to spend the day with Molly and Kellan.”
“Yes!” he yelled. Sam loved Molly, and from the two times he had met Kellan, I knew he was eager to spend time with them. “I’m bringing my hula hoop, ‘k?”
“Hula hoop?” Molly whispered. “You heard my story of trying to do karate, right? I can tell you right now, these hips are not made for hula hooping.”
“No going back now, Molly. Sam is getting ready, and I have to admit, I am truly looking forward to a nap where I don’t have Sam’s foot in my ribs and his hand in my face.”
She lifted her hand and foot. “I don’t even know how that would be possible. Does the kid sleep like a pretzel?”
I grabbed my cup, stood up, and dumped the contents in the sink. I was never going to get used to drinking decaf. “Yup, that is totally what he does. Before you leave the hospital, they teach you how to fold them just right.”
She lifted her middle finger. “You can sit and spin, you know, right?”
“Such language,” I laughed. “I hope you don’t plan on talking like that in front of Sam.”
“Nope. I know how to spell all of my cuss words. I’m good to go.”
A crash sounded from the hallway, and I knew Sam was trying to hula hoop to the kitchen. “Well, it’s a good thing you brushed up on your spelling because after one day with Sam, you are going to need it.”
“Momma, I’m stuck again.”
“Stuck?” Molly hollered, jumping up. “Don’t worry, Sammy. Auntie Molly is coming for you.”
Oh Jesus. This was going to be interesting.
I gave her two hours before she would be calling me, wondering when she could drop him off.
Amateur.
*