In Case You Didn't Know

Chapter 1

July, 2021

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"Do we have to do this now?"

"You promised." Andrew looks at me over his shoulder as we step inside the departmental store, beaming at all the diverse articles that his eyes catch sight of. I look down at my feet, my black espadrilles feeling a little too tight and although there isn't anything that I want more than to go back home and lie down, his enthusiasm is contagious, so I follow him without further protest.

"My feet hurt and my left ankle is swollen." I mumble as I catch up with him, using his arm for support as I twist my ankle, trying my best to not grimace at the almost imperceptible but still there pain.

"Have you been putting it up as the doctor recommended?"

"Kind of. Maybe." I avoid eye contact as I know exactly what the expression on his face is going to look like. Sometimes I truly hate how obsessive and overprotective he is, but then I remember that it is because he truly cares, and the thought of baby Mia having someone like him as her dad completely warms and melts my heart.

"Alexia..."

"Hello, looking for something in particular?" The shopping assistant, appearing in an almost ghostly manner next to us, interrupts the beginning of what was going to be a lecture about my stubbornness, and, what is that term that he uses... oh yes, self-preservation.

"A crib."

"Do you know the gender yet?"

"It's a girl."

"Excellent, follow me, please."

"Andy," I loop my arm around his, saying in an almost furtive voice, "we're at Pottery fucking Barns buying a crib."

"What? No way! We're like eight." I chuckle at his mirth just as we reach the baby furniture section of the store, my stomach sinking to my feet as soon as I see all the options available.

"For a girl I'd recommend something white, light brown even. Or if you want to go with pink, we also have some options."

"Well, the nursery is yellow, so..." Andrew chimes in, looking down at me as he scratches the back of his head.

"I like white."

"This is our Sloan Acrylic Convertible, which is one of our top-selling cribs." The shop assistant takes a few steps, standing next to a white, sturdy, modern crib.

"Is it safe?"

"The mattress platform is crafted of metal and has two height options that will be helpful as the baby grows. All wood is kiln-dried, the finish is applied in child-safe, water-based paint, and it has a Greenguard certificate. As I said, it's one of our top-selling cribs."

"I'm taking the toddler bed kit is sold separately?"

"Yes, ma'am." I almost choke on my spit at the word ma'am, Andrew immediately bumping my hip with his in a mocking way. I am only twenty-five, for heaven's sake.

"And this one here," she gestures to her right, "is the Blythe 3 in 1 convertible, this is beige but we also have it in white and pale pink."

"Oh God, I love this one."

"The fluted posts and lathe-turned legs give it a designer detail that is hard to miss." The woman that previously made me feel as if I had grandchildren already cheerfully comments, surely smelling a safe sell.