My Buddy Archie [3]

71..

In April, there was more rain than sun, one funeral, and newly identified boy and girl fetuses. Archie was a fountain of endless questions about his soon-to-be siblings. He was most excited for his little brother. He couldn't wait to run around with him, and teach him how to make the best peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and how make scary movies seem less scary—though he was still perfecting that himself. Niall tried to tell him he won't be able to do that for another couple years, but Archie was having none of that.

Niall and Connie's first anniversary was nothing special. With Archie conveniently at Maria's for that weekend, they had a nice homemade dinner they prepared together. They tried pregnant sex, and like Niall thought, it didn't work out, so their night was spent watching whatever Connie suggested.

Flowers bloomed in May and Archie's football team had their first win. Anything other than that was a blur. Niall worked late two nights a week. Connie was busy with work herself, on top of helping Jonas with his college decisions, since his own mother was no help. By June he was dedicated to City U, though his mother wasn't happy with his choice.

On Connie's birthday, though she was considerable bigger, she and Niall tried pregnant sex again. And succeed. They celebrated by drinking Archie's favorite Lemonade, even though he often told them not to. The next Monday Archie got his first A on a spelling quiz that was still hanging proudly from the fridge under a four leaf clover magnet. Two weeks later, Niall, Connie and Archie sat in the front row of Jonas' graduation—only a few seats away from his mother and stepdad.

July 11th they took their third annual trip to Ireland—even though Niall was against it when Connie was so pregnant. They visit estranged family, Niall's dad, and the millions of cousins that Connie assumed he had scattered all over the world, rather than just Ireland. By the time they got home, ten days later, their list of potential baby names was longer, and Archie was convinced he ate enough for the next year.

The small family was in harmony. Niall felt he was finally getting comfortable with the changes at work. His boss was still an asshole. He still didn't like that he couldn't up and leave if Connie was having a sick day. He still didn't like that he wouldn't be able to stay home with her when her maternity leave started. But he was handling it. He couldn't wait. He wanted them here now.

Today is August 1st, and Connie is thirty-two weeks pregnant. And despite their relative harmony, the woman was driving Niall fucking insane.

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I woke up to the smell of breakfast being made downstairs. It smelled like bacon. Maybe waffles too. Any other time, I would've loved to wake up to that smell. But it's four in the morning, on a Tuesday. Today was my first rewarded day off, and that breakfast smell is ruining my plans of sleeping in.

Annoyed, I ripped the covers off and shuffled downstairs to the kitchen. The floor was cold against my feet, but I ignored it as I padded across the white tiles. The kitchen was covered new baby bottles and a plethora or baby things, thanks to the baby shower over the weekend. Two bouncers were by the window. Two car seats were resting in the window, one with Pickles sleeping inside. Two cribs that I still had to take upstairs to the nursery and put together. Two piles of baby clothes. Two sets of hats and booties that Connie's half-sister Leena knitted. Did I mention millions of bottles? And diapers? Millions.

Connie was standing by the stove, still dressed in her tiny running shorts and tank top. She was always hot. One of her hands was resting on her hip as she flipped over a few piece of bacon; her hair was up in a messy bun that had clumps of hair escaping the hair tie. I trailed my eyes down to her stomach, protruding like a beach ball under her top, looking like it was ready to pop open.