The Seven Pieces of a Feuilleton

Chapter 35

She stared from one side of the street to the other, attempting to figure out how she would cross.

"You can do this, Bren," Dylan coaxed.

"No I can't," she said.

"Your cute butt waddled just fine through Borders yesterday."

"But that was yesterday," Brenda said. "Your kids weren't wreaking havoc with my pelvic floor yesterday."

"My kids?" asked Dylan with a chuckle. "I remember you being more than willing to participate in the making of them."

"I didn't know carrying them would be more painful than carrying their sister."

"Here, try this." He lifted the bottom of her belly, using his other hand to support her back. "Does that help any?"

"Yes." She smiled, feeling some of the weight akin to multiple jackfruits subside in her pelvis. "Thank you."

"I could've gotten you out of this, Bren."

"No," she said. "I have to be here."

"Then you could've at least let me drop you off closer to the door."

"I wanted to walk. And you heard my OB; I do need to walk. I just didn't start feeling the pain until we'd already left the parking garage."

"You shouldn't have to do this when you're this far along," said Dylan. "Having to go through it in the second trimester was bad enough."

"The sooner we get it over with, the sooner we can forget him."

"Even still, I'll sue all their asses if either of our kids ends up in the NICU."

"You did want Finn to get it moved up," Brenda pointed out, widening her gait to lessen the pain even more.

She had tried to fight it: that infamous waddle of expectant mothers everywhere. She had tried to keep her legs together when walking, as she had been advised.

With Aurora, she hadn't reached the waddling stage.

With the twins, she had begun to waddle sooner than she'd anticipated.

She waddled on set. She waddled at Dylan's work. She waddled when they strolled through their neighborhood. She had waddled through security.

It was their last transatlantic trip before the birth of their twins, Dylan said, for he was becoming increasingly worried of Brenda's ability to fly.

But it was a necessary trip, and crossing the street to the white building that stretched imposingly to the sky was necessary, as well.

"I'd hoped he'd get it moved up from that eight-month wait," said Dylan, "not while we're still pregnant."

"Then be more specific next time."

"There won't be a next time."

"Oh, you know what I mean."

"McKays! Over here!"

Brenda spotted a flash of red behind a waving hand.

"Bren, you look fantastic!" said Erica as she embraced her sister-in-law.

"I look like a hot air balloon," said Brenda. "But you look cute."

Erica had her curly hair twisted into a side braid, showing off the vintage dress she had indubitably found whilst shopping with Iris.

"You do not look like a hot air balloon," said three people at once, as if they had held a rehearsal prior to speaking.

"Thanks for giving my sister a ride, Finn," said Dylan, clapping Finn's back.