What's a Girl to Do? (Season 2)

Chapter Eight: Countless Hours

There was a quite lull within the household after Christmas had ended, and everyone was looking forward to the new year and making resolutions for themselves. Ian knew my resolution without even asking, just as I knew his, and we would take the opportunity to smirk at one another as the quiet days went by. Three days after Christmas was the marking point of when my pregnancy-safe antidepressants were supposedly going to begin to work, and I felt a lightness to my step that I hadn't felt in months when I came downstairs that morning.

"Hey," Ian said, wandering around the kitchen, a mug of coffee in his hand. "Craving anything this morning for breakfast?"

I hummed a little at that as I mulled it over, sitting at the table in the kitchen beside Liam, leaning over and kissing his forehead. "Maybe some eggs," I replied. "But I can make them, Ian—you don't have to worry about it, because you've got work in an hour..."

"It's all good—I'll make them," he said, flashing me a smile and taking out the frying pan. "Do you want them scrambled with cheddar?"

I flashed Ian a grin. "Yes," I replied, turning to Liam. "I have a fun-filled day planned for the two of us, little man."

Liam looked up from his latest book, Treasure Island, and looked at me, his dark eyes wide. "Do you?" he asked.

"Absolutely," I said. "You and I are going to get dressed up all warm, and we're taking your new sled to the park to go down that big hill. Won't that be fun?"

"Yeah!" Liam cried, clapping his hands.

"We're running low on some things," Ian said quietly as he walked back to the frying pan, the carton of eggs in his hands. "Maybe you could do some shopping later?"

I laughed aloud then, pulling up my memo app on my phone, where I'd written a shopping list the night before. "Way ahead of you," I replied.

Ian stared at me for a moment, cracking a few eggs in a bowl—enough for the three of us. "Are you in my head, Murphy?"

I gave him an expression I personally would describe as triumphant. "That depends. Are you in my head, Ian?" I asked.

Ian laughed. "Probably."

I nodded. "Same goes for me, then."

Liam and I watched as Ian made eggs for us, and, quite soon, Liam took it upon himself to climb into my lap, settling in quickly.

"Hello, little man," I said, lifting him slightly to adjust him accordingly. "Looks like you found a good spot. Enjoying ourselves, are we?"

Liam grinned up at me, laying down his head on my shoulder. "When is the baby coming, Murphy? Is it soon?" he asked quietly.

I looked up at Ian, who immediately looked over his shoulder and grinned at our brothers' inquisitive behavior. "Not soon enough," I replied. "She'll be here about a month before your summer vacation starts."

"Are you excited?" he asked.

I leaned down and kissed his forehead. "Of course I am. Another Gallagher for the family? I mean, what could be better?"

Liam looked up at me then for a moment, before his eyes drifted down to my stomach. "Can I help with the baby, Murphy?"

I smiled down at him. "Of course you can, Liam. You'll be the baby's uncle, and we'll need you on hand, won't we Ian?"

"Absolutely," Ian replied, flipping the eggs around the pan, the heavenly aroma of eggs and cheese filling the kitchen. "Murphy's bosses have generously given her the entire summer for maternity leave, but I'll still have to work. Fiona's going to come by and help as much as she can, but there will be some days where you have to be a man and step up to help, Liam. It won't be so bad," Ian said, catching a glimpse of Liam's expression. "And it'll be helpful in the long-run, when you have kids someday."