It's You: Book Two

Chapter Twenty

"How is this fair?" I ask Emily and Ali, pointing to the price of the diapers. "I mean, why don't they break into my account and rob me instead? It'll feel the same."

Irritated, I toss a box of diapers in the cart, followed by a box of pull-ups, glancing down at my list.

"I'm not getting fireworks here." Ali says. "Let's go to one of those big stands in the parking lot. I bet they have good fireworks."

"They're expensive." I tell her.

"Fireworks are expensive either way." Emily says.

"That's true," I nod my head. The only thing left on my lit are the fireworks, so I push the cart towards the cash register. "I hate spending money."

"So do I." Emily says. "It's weird not working, you know? But Anthony keeps telling me I don't have to, so I just stay home with Lily."

"Right? I don't have to work with Aiden now, so I stay home with Declan and Anna. It's still a lot of working taking care of a two month old and an almost-three-year-old."

"Oh yeah, kids are a lot to deal with." Ali agrees. "Do you guys ever get nervous leaving the baby with the guys? I just feel like men are stupid and they like to throw them up in the air and catch them like a fricken football."

"Wait, Mike throws Gabby already?" I ask Ali.

"Not yet, but he's always tossing Declan around like a toy."

"I know. Aiden does too. It scares the shit out of me. Aiden's strong though. I know he wouldn't drop him. He hasn't thrown Annalise yet, but she's only two months old. He's not an idiot."

"Well whatever. Do you guys get nervous?" Ali asks.

I frown.

"I do sometimes," Emily says. "But Anthony is really good with Lily, so not too much. What about you?" she looks at me.

I frown and shake my head.

"Not really," I say, loading my things on the cashier belt. "I mean, I did when Anna was a newborn, but now that she's two months, I don't really freak out anymore. Aiden is really good with the kids."

"I get nervous with Mike." Ali says. "But I get nervous with myself too. The only babies either one of us have really been around was Declan, and neither one of us saw him as a newborn."

"Oh, the first kid is the hardest." I say as I stick my debit card in the machine. "I was so scared with Declan. I had no idea what I was doing."

"Motherhood is literally winging it until you figure it out." Emily laughs.

"Right?" I shake my head as I punch in my pin. "It's terrifying but I love it."

"Me too." Ali agrees.

We fall into a comfortable silence as they load up their things and I put mine in the cart.

We head out of the store and get into my car, making small talk as we load up the car.

I drive to the other side of the parking lot and we get some fireworks, and then we start heading home.

At a stoplight, my phone chimes.

I glance down at it.

Aiden: not to be annoying but you got the beer right

Me: yes

Aiden: okay. When are you coming home

Me: I'm on my way

Aiden: are you driving?