[[OLD]] A Handful of Daffodils (Forgotten Series, #7)

Chapter Seventy-Nine

Two weeks later

I rubbed at my belly with a small frown as I moved around the kitchen. I was getting random aching pressure at times. It wrapped around my belly and squeezed for a few seconds. I had been watching them intently but they were very sporadic, only lasting a few seconds, ten at most, and had been on and off since early in the morning, sometimes stopping for two or three hours.

Amber had explained Braxton Hicks contractions to me a few weeks ago and they matched all the hallmarks of those contractions. They weren't really painful, just uncomfortable for a few moments and moving around or changing position alleviated most the pressure. I wasn't entirely too worried about them and I didn't want to bother anyone. My anxiety was bad enough just knowing I needed to go to the main house for my appointment. I wasn't sure if the anxiety was getting worse or better or just staying constant but it made leaving the house hard for me.

I hated thinking about it but I had a feeling Brochan showing up had caused a good portion of it. Trying to live within the rules of what I had always been taught while living outside of those rules caused some...overlap. I doubted the anxiety was entirely his fault. My brain just... it was a bit difficult at times. I swallowed hard and glanced over at the glass on the counter, a small smile crossing my face as I looked at the bouquet of delphiniums that Brochan had brought me earlier in the week. Ever since he had brought me the Sternbergia daffodils, he had been bringing me flowers.

This week's were delphiniums, which he said the florist told him meant happiness and joy as well as were a symbol to ward off negative energy and evil spirits. That had made me smile slightly as I had taken the blue flowers from him. One could never do to much to ward off the badness in the world. The week prior had been chrysanthemums, white ones, he told me the florist told him they meant longevity, loyalty, and honesty. The week before had been two sticks of yellow forsythia flowers. He told me they meant anticipation and a new start.

I appreciated each one, regardless of what it meant. It felt like he put thought into each bundle of flowers he got me when he told me about them though. That and I had noticed his cheeks would pinken when he would hand them over to me. I greatly appreciated that, it made my heart turn over in my chest. Brochan, who I still had much anxiety over everything, was a good male. He was a very good male. He had just... he had lost his way and I knew I had some blame to carry for that.

The tugging in my chest told me to shut up and that I carried absolutely no blame for what thick headed males did. I wrinkled my nose and wondered if that little voice was Duffy. It certainly snapped at me like she did. I rubbed at my chest before I moved over to toy box and heaved out a heavy sigh. I knew the toys needed to be picked up but the thought of getting all the way down there and getting back up was daunting.

Duffy had taken Maeve to visit with with other kids so I could have my time free for my appointment but I really didn't like the toys on the floor. With another sigh I walked over to one of the dining chairs and pulled it over to the toy box before carefully using it to lower myself down to the floor. I groaned once I was sitting down and rubbed at my back as that squeezing pressure came back. I rocked from side to side, closing my eyes until it slowly faded and
then disappeared.

I rubbed at my belly with affection, feeling a lazy kick in return. My little female was seeming to get on a schedule, which was sleeping through the day and then playing soccer with my kidneys during the night. I didn't appreciate that but I couldn't help but love her, no matter how bruised my internal organs felt at the end of the day. With a slight smile to my big belly I started picking up the toys and putting them back in the toy box. I knew Maeve was just going to come right back over and empty it out again but it made me feel better to pick them up.