First Crush, My Forever

Chapter 124

  With Dani nearly thirty weeks, the house feels different.

  It's Friday and school is out today. There is no rush humming under the day, no alarms or schedules pushing us forward. Dani moves through the kitchen slower now, deliberate, one hand on the counter, the other resting on her belly like it belongs there. Because it does.

  I watch her for a second longer than necessary and then the thought hits me so clearly it makes me straighten.

  "We still haven't talked about the nursery."

  She looks up from the mail like I just interrupted her in the middle of a sentence she did not know she was speaking. Her brows pull together.

  "The nursery," she repeats.

  I wait. Her eyes flick toward the stairs, then around the living room. Her mouth opens, then closes.

  "Oh," she says and I smile. "Oh crap," she adds, laughing under her breath. "I have not thought about that at all." It is not panic. Just realization. Pregnancy brain landing hard.

  "That is okay," I say immediately. "We are not behind. I just realized we have not made a single decision."

  She sets the mail down and exhales, rubbing her belly like she is grounding herself. "I literally forgot we need an entire room."

  "You are growing a human," I say. "I think that earns you a pass."

  Dani thinks for a moment, really thinks, and I can see the moment it clicks.

  "The home office," she says. "We move it downstairs. In place of the guest bedroom. The playroom could have a daybed or futon put in it for guest until we convert if fully to the guest room. Then the nursery can be upstairs with us."

  Something in my chest loosens. "That makes so much sense."

  "I want him close," she says quietly. "I don't want to be running up and down the stairs half asleep and I want all of us sleeping upstairs."

  "That room is perfect." I say.

  We sit down together and pull the laptop between us while KK is in her playroom playing. Paint colors first. Calm ones. Nothing loud. Something that feels like breathing out. We land on warm gray walls with dusty blue accents without even hesitating.

  "That feels like him," Dani says and I completely agree. The colors are perfect.

  Furniture comes next. A crib that can convert later. A dresser that does not scream baby. A chair that looks like I could actually fall asleep in and it wouldn't break my spine. Dani pauses when the baby moves and presses her palm to her belly. "He's awake," she says softly.

  "Good," I say with a laugh. "He wants to help decide."

  The longer we sit there, the more restless I get. Not anxious. Just energized. Like there is work to do and I want to start. "I'm going next door," I say, already standing. "I want to talk to my mom about helping move the office."

  Dani laughs. "You're not even waiting."

  "Nope," I say. "If I don't start now, I'll pace all day. I'm excited for this."

  She smiles at me, then stands up and reaches for her purse. "I have a couple errands I need to run anyway."

  "Want me to come with you?"

  She shakes her head. "No. It's boring."

  I nod. "Okay. I can keep KK with me. Give you a break."

  The relief on her face is immediate and unguarded. "That would be amazing."

  "Go," I tell her. "Take your time, I love you."