Tangled Hearts.

~Chapter 49~

~Raelyn~

~May 16th~

"Oh, sweet Jesus," I muttered, my jaw dropping as I surveyed the monstrosity that was now blocking my front porch. Four towering boxes, each one easily the height of Isa and Tara stacked on top of each other, loomed over me like prehistoric monoliths. I chuckled nervously, knowing full well that there was no way in hell I could budge these things on my own.

"Guys!" I yelled, my voice echoing through the house. "My pregnant ass needs help getting these boxes off the front porch!"

Colby and Corey were the first to materialize, their eyes wide with disbelief. "Is that...all of it?" Corey managed to squeak out.

I grinned at Colby. "Just the beginning, baby. Just the beginning."

"You're kidding, right?" Colby stammered, rubbing his temples. "That's like, a whole furniture store worth of stuff."

"A nursery is a serious business, people," I replied dramatically. "Now, let's get these behemoths inside before the neighbors call animal control."

As we wrestled the first box onto the porch, Isa burst out of the living room, her mouth agape. "What in the world is that?" she demanded.

"Our future," I replied solemnly. "Or, at least, a really expensive crib."

"A crib that big?" Tara chimed in, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Can I sleep in it?"

"After the baby, maybe," I teased.

"Dibs on the rocking chair!" Isa declared.

"Over my dead body," Katrina countered.

The ensuing argument about furniture ownership was quickly drowned out by the arrival of Sam and Jake. "So, uh, is this normal?" Sam asked, eyeing the boxes with a mix of awe and terror.

"Apparently," I replied, wiping a bead of sweat from my brow. "We're basically building a miniature kingdom in here."

"A kingdom for a tiny dictator," Jake added with a chuckle.

We finally managed to maneuver all the boxes into the living room, creating a makeshift obstacle course. "Okay, let's assess the damage," I said, taking a deep breath. "Where do we put this baby empire?"

"The guest room?" Sam suggested.

"Perfect," I agreed. "It's big, bright, and hopefully far enough away from the rest of the house."

As we carried the boxes into the designated nursery, Blake wandered in, his big blues eyes filled with curiosity.

"What's in there, Mama?" he asked, tugging on my shirt.

"It's a room for your baby sister, sweetie," I explained, kneeling down to his level. "A place where she can sleep and play and grow."

Blake's face scrunched up in confusion. "But I want to sleep and play and grow in there too!"

I laughed. "You can visit her anytime you want, and you can help me take care of her. But for now, you're my big boy."

Blake's lower lip quivered. "Will you still love me when she's here?"

My heart melted. "Of course, silly. You'll always be my first baby. This is just a new adventure for our family."

He nodded slowly, but his eyes remained filled with doubt. I scooped him up into my arms and held him tight.

"Awe, why are you crying baby? It's ok." I sat down on the ground and brought him into my lap as he started crying into my shoulder.

"Shh, it's ok." I rubbed his back and rocked him back and forth.

Colby came over and looked at me concerned. "What's wrong? Is he ok?"

I nodded as I patted Blake's back, "I think he's just having a day," I said with a pouty face.

"Awe, I'm sorry is there anything that I can do?" I shook my head as I continued to rock him back and forth.

"Ok, let me know if there's anything I can do." He said as he walked into the baby's room.

"Are you sad because I haven't spent as much time with you?" I said to Blake.

He nodded as he cried a little bit harder. "Shh, it's ok, I'm sorry baby." I rubbed his back as I stood up and went to my bedroom and laid with him in my arms.

"No matter what baby, you will always be my first, ok?" he looked up at me and nodded.

"Yeah?" he nodded as he nuzzled my chest. "Remember the day I found you?" he nodded.

"You have brought me and all of our family so much joy, I will always love you just as much as I always have," I hugged him tighter, "What if bean doesn't like me?" I smiled as I kissed his head.

"She will love you, you'll be such a big help, helping me bathe and get her dressed, she will love you just as much as I do," he sniffled and nodded.

"Ok, I love you mom." I held back tears as I replied, "I love you too," I rubbed his back as he slowly fell asleep. I kissed his head as I slowly got out of bed.

As I slowly shut the door, I took a deep breath to keep myself from crying. I felt terrible that I couldn't spend so much time with Blake as I used to. The hush of the afternoon was broken by the soft sound of my sobs as I stood by the nursery door.

Colby came over and noticed my tear-streaked face and felt a tug at his heartstrings.

"Raelyn? Baby? What's wrong?" Colby asked, his voice laced with concern as he approached me. I tried to compose myself, but the words spilled out between sobs.

"I just... I don't know if I'm doing enough for Blake. I feel like I'm betraying him." Colby wrapped his arms around me, a silent pillar of support.

"You're doing everything you can, Rae. Blake is so lucky to have you. You're an incredible mom, he loves you, loves all of us." he whispered, his own voice thick with emotion. I leaned into him, allowing myself a moment of vulnerability.

"But what if it's not enough?" I murmured into his chest. "It is enough. You are enough," Colby reassured me firmly.

"And remember, you've got something amazing coming up. we're going to find out if you're having a boy or girl soon, right?" A flicker of joy sparked in my eyes.

"Yes, and I'm sure it's a girl," I said, a hopeful smile beginning to form.

Colby grinned down at me. "Well, I'm betting on a boy. But either way, that's something to look forward to, isn't it?" In the comfort of Colby's embrace and the thought of the new life we were bringing into the world, I found a reason to smile through my tears

~

As I wiped away the last of my tears, the nursery door creaked open, and our friends spilled out into the hallway. Katrina, Devyn, Tara, Sam, Corey, and Jake all wore smiles, their hands still speckled with paint from decorating the nursery.

"Hey Raelyn, are you okay?" Tara asked gently, her eyes full of concern. I managed a small nod, bolstered by Colby's comforting presence. "Yeah, I'm good now. Thanks."

Sam, ever the enthusiast, clapped his hands together. "Hey, why don't we throw you a gender reveal party? It'll be a blast! We can have Blake help too."

We murmured in agreement, our faces lighting up with excitement. My heart lifted at the suggestion, and I looked to Colby, seeking his thoughts. Colby smiled warmly, his eyes meeting mine.

"I think that's an awesome idea. What do you say, Rae?" my spirits buoyed by the love and support of my friends, my face broke into a radiant smile.

"I love it. Let's do it!" The room buzzed with energy as ideas began to flow.

"We can have pink and blue everything!" Devyn exclaimed.

"And some games! Like guessing the baby's weight and date of birth!" added Corey.

Jake chuckled. "I'm going to start practicing my surprised face for when we find out."

The laughter and banter filled the hallway, a stark contrast to the silence that had preceded it. In that moment, surrounded by my friends, I felt a profound sense of gratitude. They were more than friends; they were family.