“Damn it, Gracie. We are not playing again,” Reed said as he jumped over her.

I smiled and watched them walk into the kitchen. “What’s it going to be like when we have two babies in the house?” I called out.

Reed let out a moan. “Oh, I totally forgot. My mom told me to tell you that she has that baby blanket she ordered you.”

I would have jumped up and screamed if I wasn’t so pregnant. I hugged myself and let out an inner scream.

“Why did you have her order it?”

Oh shit. Shit, shit, shit! “Um…I don’t remember why I had her order it. I think I had left my purse in the car or something, and she just took care of it. I already paid her back for it though.”

I attempted to get up off the sofa, so I could grab my cell phone. “Reed? Will you cut me up an apple, please?”

I heard a loud crash, and Reed yelled out Gracie’s name.

“Sure, babe!”

I waddled my way over to my cell phone and quickly sent Reed’s mom, Melanie, a text message.

Courtney: Melanie, OMG! Did you get it?

I wasn’t surprised when she texted me back almost immediately.

Melanie: Yes. What does OMG mean? Anyway, I have it, and it looks amazing. The colors are beautiful, Courtney. Reed is going to love it. Should I have Paul bring it over?

Courtney: Yes! If he doesn’t mind. I’d love to hang it in the baby’s room and see how long it takes Reed to notice it. Oh…OMG means, oh my God or oh my gosh…however you want to say it.

Melanie: Why not just say, oh my God?

Courtney: OMG is faster!

Melanie: Dear Lord.

I laughed and put my cell phone down. I turned around to see one very excited puppy looking up at me. “Gracie! Do you want to play, baby girl? Will Daddy not play with you?” I said as I raised my voice higher than normal.

She began barking, and I started laughing when she ran to the front door.

“I’m telling you, this dog is brilliant. She learns so fast. I think we picked the best one from the litter,” I said. I made my way to the front door, opened it, and watched Gracie take off running.

Reed walked up and handed me a glass of sweet tea. I practically downed the whole glass as Reed watched me and smiled.

I pulled the glass away, took a breath, and said, “What?”

He chuckled and shook his head as he handed me my apple. “Nothing. I just love you more than life itself, that’s all.”

As he stepped off the porch, I tilted my head and smiled. The butterflies that went off in my stomach still amazed me. I was just about to tell him to make love to me when I felt a sharp pain in my stomach again. I placed my hand on my stomach, and it was rock hard the whole time the pain lasted. Once it let up, I let out a breath. This had been going on almost all morning.

Motherfucker. That was not comfortable.

I sat down on the rocking chair and watched Reed wear out poor little Gracie. She was so tired that she ended up just flopping down on the ground. Reed walked up to her and picked her up. He flipped her over and held her like a baby.

“What are you going to be, baby? A boy or a girl?” I whispered as the cool April breeze relaxed every inch of my body while I rubbed my hand on my stomach.

When another contraction hit, I grabbed the sides of the rocking chair and tried to breathe it out. Reed was now running around with Gracie, who had quickly gotten her second wind. I heard a car driving down the driveway and looked up. I didn’t think it could be Paul already. When I saw Layton’s truck, I tried to smile.

Reed grabbed Gracie and waved as he walked back over toward the porch. Layton parked and jumped out of the truck. Reed set Gracie down and walked over.

He shook Layton’s hand and slapped him on the back. “Where is my goddaughter?”

Layton let out a laugh. “Home. Napping with her mama. Whit asked me to bring some lasagna over to y’all.” When Layton turned and looked at me, he tilted his head a bit and gave me a funny look. “You okay, Court?”

I smiled and stood up. “Yep! Just tired. Haven’t been sleeping much. Want some tea?”

Layton nodded and said, “Yes, ma’am, that would be awesome.”

I turned and made my way into the house and to the kitchen. I grabbed the home phone and quickly dialed Melanie’s number.

“Hello, darling,” Melanie said.

“Melanie, it’s me, Courtney.”

She must have heard it in my voice because she instantly knew without me even telling her. “Okay, sweetheart. Have you told Reed you’ve started having contractions?”

I felt the tears building in my eyes. “No,” I whispered.

I wanted my mother here. She was supposed to fly down two days ago, but she had gotten held up with some stupid benefit dinner for Daddy’s office.

“Melanie, I’m so scared,” I barely said.

I wasn’t sure what in the hell was wrong with me, but for the last two weeks, I’d been scared to death about giving birth to the baby. I had talked to both my mother and Melanie about it. I needed to stay strong for Reed, but I couldn’t when I was so terrified.

“How far apart are they?”

“Um…maybe twenty minutes or so…give or take. I’ve been having small contractions all day, but I thought they were just the Braxton Hicks ones. They’re getting stronger and coming quicker.”

I heard her cover the phone and yell something to someone. “Court? Baby girl, I want you to hang up the phone and call your doctor. Then, you need to let Reed know, okay?”

I nodded my head even though she couldn’t see me.

“Then, I want you to have Reed call me when y’all are leaving for the hospital. Courtney?”

I sucked in a breath of air as I attempted not to get upset. “Yeah?”

“You are one of the bravest women I know. You’ve got this, okay? I promise you.”

“What if I do something wrong?” I said as I wiped a tear away.

“Oh, baby girl, you won’t. God knew what he was doing, and just like that, you will automatically know how to take care of that baby. You will know what to do to bring her into this world.”

I smiled. “Or him,” I whispered, thinking of Reed.

Melanie let out a laugh. “Yes, or him. Hang up and call the doctor, sweetheart.”

“Okay. But you’ll be at the hospital, right?”

“Yes, I’m going to leave now. Paul already left, so I will text him and tell him to hang up the frame in the baby’s room and then meet us there.”