THREE

Meghan thought she loved being pregnant but after seeing Maya and Miranda prance around with their baby bellies and all that freaking energy, Meghan wasn’t sure that was the case anymore.

She put her hands over her stomach, the feel of each kick and elbow jab from their little soccer player reminding her that while she might not enjoy this stage of physical pregnancy, she was going to have another baby soon. Another gorgeous infant to cuddle and feed and change and have around to keep her up at night. She couldn’t wait.

She’d loved being pregnant with Sasha and Cliff, and if she were honest with herself, she had sort of pushed away the bad days from her memory. No, they hadn’t been as stressful as the current ones, but this was a different pregnancy, and she was quite a deal older than she had been with the other two.

So she’d take the swollen ankles, the sleepless nights, the heartburn, the acne, the fact that she was already missing important times in her children’s lives. She’d take it all and learn to like it, because soon, Sasha and Cliff would have another sibling, and she would be able to see the look in Luc’s eyes when he held his child for the first time.

Her husband had never once held back with his love for Cliff and Sasha. He’d considered them his from the moment they were engaged. And she was pretty sure it had been even before that. He loved them more than her ex ever had, and while that killed her inside that the man who had fathered her first two children hadn’t been a father at all, Luc had more than made up for that.

Cliff and Sasha would never doubt they were loved. Never doubt someone would be there for them. And this baby would be born into a family that truly cared for one another, even if they were a little tired.

She honestly couldn’t wait to have this little one.

And she couldn’t wait to not be pregnant anymore.

She missed being the Meghan who could stay awake throughout the day and not resemble a duck.

And this was probably why she resented her two younger sisters as much as she did at the moment.

“Do you need more water?” Sierra asked.

Meghan shook her head, holding up the bottle she carried around everywhere these days. No wonder she always had to pee. “I’m fine for now. Thank you. And you should sit down and enjoy the afternoon. You have to be exhausted.”

Sierra gave her a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes and sank onto the couch beside Autumn. “Leif had a little cold but is fine now.”

“You know that’s not what I’m talking about.”

Sierra pressed her lips together and shrugged. “Adoption takes time.”

And from her sister-in-law’s tone, that was all she was going to say about that. Having Colin had almost killed her, and though Sierra and Austin wanted more children, the adoption process wasn’t the easiest.

Meghan could only imagine what it must feel like to watch her three sisters-in-law pregnant at the same time, but Sierra was stronger than any of them put together.

Instead of dwelling on it, though, Meghan changed the subject to Sierra’s shop and tried to ignore the fact that the baby was currently dancing along her bladder.

 She loved the women in her family, she really did, but her body was ready for a nap, and her baby ready to do more summersaults. Sierra had turned to her phone to catch a Pokémon thanks to Leif’s love of the game she had become addicted to. In turn, Miranda, Maya, Holly, and Tabby each took out their phones to catch the high-level rare thing that had apparently shown up in Maya’s living room.

Autumn met Meghan’s eyes and laughed. The other woman was dating and living with Meghan’s brother, Griffin. Meghan had a feeling Griffin was going to pop the question any day now, though he was sure taking his time. She had a feeling Autumn didn’t mind, though.

“You don’t play?” Meghan asked.

Autumn shook her head. “Between working for Griffin and the shop, I don’t have time. I mean, I think I’d end up spending the whole time trying to hatch the eggs and not work. I get a little distracted.”

“Everyone at the shop is playing except Autumn,” Maya said as she danced around, belly and all. “It’s okay, though, since one of us has to be an adult.”

Meghan snorted. “Even Austin?”

Sierra scowled. “He’s beating me right now at it. Jerk.”

Meghan threw her head back and laughed, ignoring her bladder for just a little bit longer. “Now I’m sad I haven’t played yet.”

“You still can,” Miranda said as tried to flick a ball at a little fake Pokémon. “Just download the app.”

The baby took that moment to kick her rib, and Meghan gasped. “No time.” She sighed. “And now I need to pee.” Her eyes filled, and she blinked away the tears. It wasn’t fair that Miranda and Maya were doing so much better than she was, but she wouldn’t wish her symptoms on anyone. “I need to head back home. I promised Sasha I’d be there to watch her practice.” Since she’d missed the recital, she refused to miss anything else.

“Do you want me to drive you?” Sierra asked, sliding her phone away.

Meghan shook her head and hurled herself out of the chair. “Luc will pick me up since he’s really close. He doesn’t like to be too far away these days. I’ll just text him.”

She quickly relieved her bladder after she’d texted Luc to pick her up, then came back to hug her girls before going outside to wait for her husband. She hadn’t been lying about him being close; he’d only taken five minutes to make it to the house.

Luc waved at the others before pulling her into his arms. As soon as she felt the heat of him, she burst into tears.

He wrapped himself around her and kissed the top of her head. “What is it? Are you okay? Do you need to go to the hospital?”

She sniffed and shook her head. “No. I just love you.”

Luc pulled away so he could look at her, confusion clear on his face. “I love you, too, babe. But what’s with the tears?”

She pointed down at her belly. “Pregnant. Hormones. Crying comes with breathing.”

Luc nodded, his eyes a bit wide. “You’d think I’d be used to that by now.” He kissed her softly, and she started crying again.

Seriously, this was getting annoying. “Take me home?”

“Anything you want.”

He led her to the car, and she leaned into him, needing his warmth. “How about we stop for frozen yogurt on the way? Your parents have the kids since they want to spoil them a bit. That means we’ll be all alone.”

He wiggled his eyebrows at her as she levered herself into her seat. “You know, if I wasn’t so pregnant, I’d take that as sexy times, but right now, that just means I get to have more toppings on my yogurt.”

Luc laughed, shaking his head. “Sounds like a plan. But I do miss the sex.”

The baby rolled, practically taking a lung along the way. “I would say I do, too, but…”

Luc kissed her softly. “No problem, babe. I’ll miss it enough for the both of us.”

He closed the door on her laughter, and she figured they’d be okay. Only a month to go, and they’d have a new life in their hands.

And maybe a few weeks after that, she’d be able to remember sex.

Hopefully.