My Buddy Archie [3]

69..

We barely spoke to each other during dinner. I didn't really have much else to say to her anyway, and I don't think she planned on apologizing. We stayed away from each other for most of the night. I needed my space right now, because whether she knew or cared or not, this was still a big change that was about to happen in my life too.

Twins....we're having twins—in less than seven months. I couldn't wrap my head around it. Connie and I are actually going to have children together, biologically related to the both of us. Archie is going to have his own little siblings that he'll get to know from the beginning. We're going to be a family of five. In less than seven short months, I'll be a married father of three kids. I just couldn't believe it.

I rubbed my hands over my face, just thinking of all the adjusting we'd have to do, how things will change. Archie was not a good sleeper was a baby, I can only imagine how he was as a newborn. How are we going to handle two of them? Two screaming babies at three in the morning, two smelly diapers, two people that will need attention when there's a possibility that only one of us will be there. How are we going to do this?

And what if I really do lose my job?

I heard soft footsteps walking down the basement stairs, and I looked up expecting to see Archie, but it was Connie's tear stained face looking back at me. She came and stood in front of me, and I let out a sigh as I scooted forward and rested my hands on her hips. Another tear slipped down her cheek.

"Why are you crying, angel?" I said softly, reaching up to brush her tear away.

"I'm sorry," her voice shook as she hung her head. "I didn't mean...I didn't at all mean what I said. I could never just...I'm so sorry Niall. I've been terrible to you and...I—I'm sorry. Please don't be mad at me."

I looked up at her, my heart tightening as I watched more tears slip down her face. She was trying her best to keep her face from contorting and showing all the raw emotion that bled through in her eyes and voice. I grabbed her hands, and coaxed her into my lap, holding her head in the crook of my neck.

"I'm not mad." I whispered, rocking her a little. "Well...I kind of am, but I get that you're stressed and full of weird emotions. I just...I'm worried. I want everything to work out and right now, I feel like it'll be a process to get there instead of it being immediate like I'd like. Am I making sense?"

She sniffed and nodded.

"Other than that, Connie. I know you're going to be a great mum. You're going to worry about them like you worry about Archie, and you're going to do fun little projects with them. You'll make them love school. All while you still make time for work and friends and me...you won't be superwoman but you'll be fucking amazing. I know it."

"You're going to be a good dad. You already are," she blubbered.

"Stop crying." I chuckled. "Be happy we're having babies. We wanted this." I pulled back to look at her, "Now smile for me." The meek, pathetic smile she gave me had me straining to hold back a laugh. "You can do better than that."

"I'm hormonal, Niall, damn it."

I finally let out a laugh. "Your mood swings are funny." She held back a smile and buried her face in my neck again. "Guess what?"

"You love me?

"I fuckin' love you. Get the phrasing right, Constance."

——

——

This morning was a bad morning. I could already tell and it was only three. My foot tapped anxiously against the kitchen floor as I waited for the tea pot to whistle. Ginger tea is the only thing that could subdue Connie's morning sickness, and waiting for the water to boil was the only thing keeping me awake right now. I shouldn't be complaining though. I'm not the one throwing up at the ass crack of dawn.