S:
"Tell us everything, baby." I smile softly, curled up on the couch with a cup of coffee as the morning sun shines through the lace curtains in my living room.
Bridget lets out a sweet laugh as she falls back into the recliner a little further. "I don't know where to start..." She lingers, eyes plastered to the ceiling.
"Maybe when you got pregnant...?" Betsy came early this morning so we could spend time together before I have to get the twins from school.
It's nice to have my two older girls home, where I always think they belong. They're still polar opposites, completely, but them together still seems so right to me. It still feels like I have them just at arms length away, but one's been stationed in Afghanistan and one's far too concerned about trying to get a teaching position at one of the elementary schools right in Los Angles. They're both so determined, which obviously makes me incredibly proud.
"Well, he's a sergeant in a unit close to mine and we just kind of hit it off." She shrugs, almost like this is normal... I don't think I've ever heard of someone getting pregnant on duty overseas. It's almost scary.
"That's so exciting," Betsy smiles wide, taking another sip of her coffee as she sinks further into the sofa next to me.
"So this means that you're home for awhile, yes?" I don't want her to leave again...
It might sound a little selfish of me, but I've missed her. I've missed my little girl more than anything, so letting her go again probably won't be easy.
"Not exactly," She shakes her head gently, another small laugh escaping her. "I'm actually going to work at headquarters until the baby comes and then I'll figure out what's next for me." She sounds so wise- so mature. It's like a completely different girl.
Suddenly she's not my little girl... Instead, she's a woman, sitting in the chair, wearing a pair of fuzzy pajama pants, a hoodie and Cookie Monster slippers.
"You are so strong, B." Her sister assures, as I try to do the same.
It's harder for me, I know it is. This is my daughter we're talking about- the girl that promised me that she'd never grow up, she'd never move away and she'd always be my best friend. And though we've argued, cussed at one another and she even threw a shoe at me when she was sixteen- she is still one of my closest friends.
"What about you? How are you and Adam?" Bridget turns her attention towards her sister, probably because he knows how upset I get when we discuss her choice of employment.
We spend the next couple of hours hanging out, watching movies, making cookies, and chatting about everything under the sun. The girls talk all about their love lives, asking about all the juicy details of mine as well. And I actually open up, telling them all about how content I am in my own skin and in my relationship with Lindsey. The only thing I don't willingly talk about is the incident from yesterday... the Tammy thing.
Last night, after Lindsey and the kids had all fallen into a deep slumber in my bed, I tossed and turned for hours. I kept thinking about her showing up, trying to take my children and it freaked me out. The only reason anyone would do something so messed up would be as a threat.
I think Tammy is just trying to scare me into breaking up with Lindsey... that's the only logical explanation.
~~~
