The Promise of Forever

Chapter Eight

A week later I found myself meeting Ivy, Valerie and Hope for brunch at the Four Seasons. We always try to get together for a girls brunch at least once a month. 

"I feel like we haven't seen each other in ages," Hope complained as we were seated in the hotel's garden at one of their best tables that Valerie always reserved for us if we brunched here.

"Tell me about it," I pouted and then turned to Ivy who was looking noticeably pregnant even though she was only fifteen weeks along. With Chesa and Franki she barely showed until she was six or seven months pregnant. "How are you feeling?"

"So fucking bloated," She sighed with an eye roll. "I don't know why I thought carrying two babies would be as easy as it is with just one."

Valerie laughed. "I don't envy you, my friend. I made Hayden swear on his life to never get me pregnant again when I was having the twins. Women don't get enough credit for carrying whole humans inside of them for nine months, let alone two of them!"

"You guys make it look so easy though," I laughed. "Remember when Hope was pregnant with Tori and then with Zara? You breezed through both pregnancies and were back on your feet not even two weeks later!"

"The girls were so easy," Hope giggled. "These ones are already knocking the wind out of me and it's still ear -"

Ivy, Valerie and I stared at Hope.

"Hope..." Valerie looked at our friend whose cheeks were suddenly bright red.

"Oh my God, Hope!" Ivy gasped. "Are you pregnant?"

Hope grinned shyly. "Yes. Scott and I found out last week. I wanted to wait a little while before saying anything to anyone."

"Oh my God, Hope!" I beamed, feeling tears sting in my eyes. "That's amazing! Congratulations!"

"Wow, I can't believe it," Valerie said as she wiped away her tears. "That's so wonderful, Hope."

After Ivy had offered her congratulations, Hope told us that she and Scott were expecting twins in mid-November. They weren't going to say anything to anyone except their close friends and family until Hope starts showing. 

"Tori's thrilled that she's going to be a big sister again. Zara's not too happy though," She told us with a laugh. "She likes being daddy's little girl and isn't too keen on having competition unless both babies are boys."

"She sounds like she's been talking to Chesa," Ivy laughed. "She's refusing to believe that she might have a sister or two. She likes being the only little girl in the house and the apple of Ben's eye. She's threatening to run away to Connecticut to my parents if one of the babies is a girl. She says she'll run off to Italy to live with Ben's parents if both are girls."

"Your husbands have spoiled your baby girls," Valerie teased Ivy and Hope. 

"Oh, like Hayden hasn't doted on Artemis from the moment she was born," Ivy shot back with a grin.

"What can we say, the men in our lives were just made to spoil our daughters," Hope said and then turned to me. "And you, Bree? Any other babies on the horizon for you?"

"Oh God no," I laughed. "Not yet. I'm still getting the hang of this being a mom thing. I'm not ready for any more babies yet."

"Well you and Oli seem to be doing pretty well at it," Valerie said with a smile. "And speaking of Oli..."

I felt myself instantly blush. "What about it?"

"What's going on with you two?" She asked. "I've been seeing the stories about your assumed secret relationship and his presumed adoption of Dan. You two haven't squashed either rumour like you normally would when they come up."