Chapter 48 Nora
NORA
Irake my fingers through Nate’s chest hair and nuzzle against him in our bed.
Evan’s hand rests on my belly under my pyjama top, his thumb stroking the underside of my boob. “Morning, doodles.” He kisses my neck, and I lean into him. “You want me to make you a tea?”
“Stay in bed a little longer. It’s Sunday.” I reach my arm back and tug his boxers, pulling his body closer to mine until my back is flush with his front.
Nate stirs and groans as he stretches awake. “What time is it?”
“I don’t know, but it’s Sunday and I plan on doing nothing all day.” At two months pregnant, I’m so tired all the time.
“You want me to make breakfast?” Nate says, his large hand caressing my cheek.
“I can do breakfast. Just give me ten more minutes.”
Evan huffs behind me. “Last time you made breakfast, you threw up in the kitchen sink.”
“Blame our little Pip in here.” I smooth my hand over my belly, still the same fleshy rolls as always, only now I’m a little bloated, but probably because I’m always starving lately.
Evan huffs out a laugh and squeezes my fleshy stomach. “Our little Pip has a lot to answer for.”
Nate’s shuffling down the bed, lifting my pyjama top to kiss my belly. “You hear that, Pip? It’s a good thing we love you already because dealing with your mama’s mood swings isn’t much fun.”
“Especially when she’s hangry,” Ev says.
My stomach grumbles, and it’s as if the baby’s agreeing with them.
We all laugh, my belly shaking beneath their hands.
My stomach grumbles again, loud enough that Nate lifts his head and laughs against my skin. “Right, that settles it. Our little Pip’s demanding food.”
“The baby takes after Nate,” Evan mutters behind me. “Constantly hungry.”
“I am not constantly hungry,” Nate argues, already sliding out of bed. The mattress rises as his weight disappears, and cold air rushes into the space he leaves behind.
“You can’t leave. You said ten more minutes.”
He leans down and kisses my lips. “You said ten more minutes, but your stomach said feed me now.” He grins down at me, completely unapologetic. “You’re growing a baby. You get breakfast in bed.”
Evan tightens his arm around my middle, trapping me against him as Nate pulls on his boxers. “Do I get breakfast in bed too?”
“Are you pregnant?” Nate strides around to Ev’s side of the bed. “Get up and help me. Lazy Sunday includes feeding the pregnant woman before she eats us alive.” Nate chuckles as he disappears downstairs.
I hold Ev tighter. “Stay. The pregnant woman needs you to keep her warm.”
The sound of cupboard doors opening follows a second later. I smile into the pillow.
Evan’s fingers trace slow circles over my stomach, absentmindedly. A few months ago, he used to hesitate before touching me, always checking with Nate first, always unsure where he fit. Now his hand rests there naturally and protectively, like it belongs. With me and us.
“I’m so happy, Ev.”
He kisses my neck. “Me too.”
I shuffle around in bed to face him and sweep his black hair from his eyes. He always looks different like this, without his glasses. “I didn’t think life could ever be this good.”
He swallows, eyes dropping to my lips. “I know what you mean.” His breath wavers. “I keep waiting to wake up, like this is just temporary, like a dream.”
“This isn’t a dream.” My heart stutters and I pinch his chest. “See. This is real, Ev.”
He smiles at me as if he still isn’t fully convinced and leans forward, pressing a kiss to my forehead.
From the kitchen, Nate shouts, “Are pancakes acceptable, or do you want bacon and eggs today?”
I gag. A hint of coffee aroma floats up the stairs. “No bacon.” I shuffle out of bed, covering my mouth, and dash into the en suite before I throw up on the bedroom carpet. I run the tap and take a sip from the cold water, settling my stomach.
“We need some ginger biscuits up here, pronto,” Ev calls as he follows me into the bathroom, sliding on his glasses with a sleepy smile. “So, pancakes it is. This baby is definitely mine. It has excellent taste.” He pulls my hair back while I hover over the sink, gagging as I clean my teeth.
I never in a million years imagined my life like this.
Ev rubbing my back, Nate in the kitchen, pans clattering.
I get what Ev means. It is surreal, like we’re in our own little bubble.
We haven’t told anyone about us yet, and we haven’t told anyone about the baby.
Not until I have my scan next month. Maybe that’s why it still feels unreal.
“Are you still going to see your mum today?”
Ev rubs my back again. “Yeah. We’re going out for lunch.”
“You want me to come with you?” I lock eyes with Ev in the bathroom mirror.
He shakes his head, then dips his face, kissing my neck. “I just need to let her see me alive. She’s been calling and texting me and dropping round to the house and, of course, I haven’t been there cos I’ve been here and…” He laughs. “You know what she’s like.”
I thread my fingers through Evan’s, splayed across my stomach with a smile, knowing full well I’ll be one of those neurotic parents.
“I think it’s valid. Mums are allowed to be overprotective.
” If only I knew what that was like. My mother took off when I was a baby and my dad wasn’t fit to take care of himself, let alone me, so social services got involved when I was about five.
I can barely remember my life before that, but my life in foster care wasn’t that great either.
I couldn’t wait to go to uni. Finally, I could go somewhere where nobody knew me, and be whoever I wanted to be.
It was a clean slate without the stigma of being the person nobody wanted.
So, when Nate showed interest in me, I latched on to that.
I finally felt wanted and found somewhere I belonged. And now I have Evan, too.
I lean back against Evan’s shoulder and study our reflection. “I wonder what our baby will look like.”
His breath warms my neck. “You, with any luck.”
I turn in his arms and push his glasses up his nose with my index finger. “You have beautiful blue eyes, Ev. They sparkle behind your glasses when you smile.”
“And you have a beautiful mouth, doodles.” He presses his lips to mine, the nausea retreating like a tide pulling back from shore as he calms and comforts me all at once.
“Did someone order ginger biscuits?” Nate says from the bathroom door.
“Gimme.” I might not be nauseous anymore, but I never pass up biscuits.
“Pancakes are ready.” He points his thumb over his shoulder. “On the bed for you and Pip.”
I snatch the biscuit from Nate’s hand and take a bite before he can even step fully into the bathroom. The sweet aroma of pancakes follows Nate and I squeeze past him to find the tray of food on the bed. Warmth blooms in my chest, spreading outward, almost too big to contain.
I climb back into bed and balance the tray on my thighs, and tuck into the pancakes drenched in butter and sugar.
“You don’t feel sick now, then?” Nate says as he watches me eat.
Ev drapes an arm around Nate’s shoulders. “With the way she’s hacking at that pancake, I’d say not.”
I mumble with a mouthful of food. “Leave me alone, I’m pregnant.”
“You threw up brushing your teeth yesterday.” Ev chuckles. “You literally gagged at your own toothbrush like two minutes ago, and now you’re eating like a woman possessed. Make it make sense.”
I cover my mouth as I say, “Eating for two.” Then hack off more pancake, dipping it in the melted butter.
Ev huffs. “Pip’s already demanding double portions.”
“Right, and we’re only two months in.”
Two months. I chew the pancake down. Pip isn’t an apple pip anymore, but at two months it’s still tiny. Still secret. Still ours. I know we can’t stay in this bubble for long, and sooner or later we need to pop it and face everyone.
“I poured a drink for you downstairs, Ev.” Nate opens his wardrobe and grabs a pair of joggers. “Didn’t want to bring it up in case…” He nods towards me. “You know.”
Ev nods, knowing how lately the smell of coffee makes my stomach turn, along with my toothbrush now, apparently. “I’ll be down in five. Just gonna jump in the shower.”
“You still going to your mum’s today?” Nate says as he opens a drawer and grabs a clean t-shirt.
“Yeah, I’m meeting her for lunch.”
“Want me to come?”
“Mate, it’s fine. I don’t plan on getting into anything today. I thought we’d tell her after the three-month scan.”
I drink my milk and wipe my mouth with the back of my hand.
“Do you think you ought to prepare her? Maybe say you’re gonna be a donor at least so it’s not a complete shock next month?
” I place my milk back on the bedside table.
“Like, at least Nate’s parents know we’ve been trying.
So it won’t be as much of a shock for them when we tell them. ”
He nods. “Yeah, I’ll tell her something. You’re right.”
Nate curls his fingers around Ev’s neck like he always does. “She’ll be fine with it, I’m sure. Your mum’s fairly open-minded.”
“I hope so.” Ev walks out of the room, his spine straight and almost robotic, as if he’s just going through the motions to get it over with.
He’s anxious. I would be too. I haven’t met his mum often, but the times I have, she was lovely and I can’t wait to welcome her into our home. Big family dinners with both their parents, our little one running wild. Being surrounded by people who care about us. It’s all I’ve ever wanted.