27. #schnappsanddiamonds
TWENTY-SEVEN
#SCHNAPPSANDDIAMONDS
Rose
“It’s between the house in Trish and Ian’s neighborhood and the one in Taylor Lake Village.”
Vance shuffles the printouts of all the realtor listings he’s compiled over the past five days to show his sister while I continue to kick butt in Fortnite.
“This is the one in Trish’s neighborhood. It’s a large two-story in an established neighborhood. It’s priced to sell. They could be trying to drum up multiple offers, though.”
Brit squints at the picture. “What’s that?”
Vance turns the page to face him. “That’s the house from an aerial view.”
“I get it’s a bird’s eye view, but what is that in the picture?” She taps the page.
“The neighbor’s fountain.” He sighs. “For some reason, the house two doors down put in this ugly, ornate Italian fountain in front of their red brick colonial house.” He shakes his head, already sounding like a disgruntled suburbanite concerned with degrading house prices.
Brit’s eyes look a little heavy from her spiked hot chocolate. “Yeah, I don’t even think Pinterest has anything that could make that look less ugly.”
Vance snorts and flips the page. “And this is the one in Taylor Lakes.”
I listen to Vance talk location and price while sitting on the floor between his legs as he sits behind me on the couch.
Brittany’s house in nearby League City is wonderful. In the living room, the more family oriented of her six trees is full of hand-made ornaments the kids made over the years. Lots of googly eyes, pipe cleaners, and popsicle sticks.
I’d look for a house nearby, but League City is on the other side of Clear Lake, a tad farther than I’d like to be from the ranch, NASA, and my friends.
We’ve been here since noon, after Vance and I had our own Christmas morning together. The first of many.
Elvis Presley’s Christmas album is playing in the background, reminding me of the horde of impersonators from Whiskey River that I never found out more about. I really should ask Mike about it and his new client. See if there’s a connection.
“You know Mom’s vote will be Taylor Lake Village.” Brit takes a sip of her drink, smacking her lips. “It’s only two minutes away from her.”
“Yeah, but she’s already talking about selling this place and downsizing, so I’m not sure that matters.
” He doesn’t sound the least bit sad about Helen wanting to sell their old family home.
I thought maybe he’d be sad about it, but he seems more upset about Helen’s upcoming date with John. “But it is close to Flynn and Jackie.”
I love how he wouldn’t mind living close to my Neanderthal brother.
Tilting my head back, I read all the notes Vance made on each listing. And all the lists of possible baby names doodled in the margins.
He doesn’t know yet, but I’m totally saving those no matter which house we choose.
Hashtag adorable.
“Aunt Rose, you’re not paying attention!” Jacob shouts to hear himself over his new headphones. The ones I got him. He’s stabbing at the buttons on his controller in a panic.
“Dang, sorry, kid.” But I’m not fast enough, and both our characters die.
“Aw, man.” Jacob’s pout face is cute.
“My turn!” Jase slides down off the recliner and snatches his brother’s controller.
Jacob opens his mouth, probably to argue, but I rush in with the save. “Here, have mine.” I hold my controller to him. “I’m taking a break.”
Jase’s shoulder’s slump. “Crap. Now we’re really going to lose.”
I ruffle his hair. “Gotta learn sometime, kid.”
I’m suddenly grabbed from behind and lifted into the air by my armpits. “Wh?—!”
“There.” Vance settles me on his lap.
Brit crinkles her nose. “Ew, gross. Get a room.” Her whine is ruined when she breaks into a large smile.
“We’re trying to get a house,” Vance reminds her, tapping the page on her lap. “So help me figure out which one is more Pinterest worthy.” He gives me side-eye. “It’s an important factor in the decision process.”
I try, and fail, to hold back my smirk.
Vance settles me against him, resting his chin on my shoulder and wrapping his right arm around me. His hand curves around his new favorite place to touch—my stomach.
I shimmy into him, sighing happily. And I’m not just happy with my newfound love of PDA. I’m just really fucking happy.
And have been every day since our doctor appointment.
Vance and I are together. Like, legit together.
After the doctor appointment, we hung the sonogram pictures on my fridge. Then went grocery shopping. And that evening, and every evening since, we’ve eaten dinner together at my kitchen table.
At bedtime, we stand next to each other in front of the bathroom vanity and brush our teeth.
And every morning he kisses me good-bye before leaving for work.
I’m living the dream.
“Shouldn’t you be planning a wedding first?” Brit nods to Vance’s hand on my abdomen while turning her new diamond studs Matt got her. “I thought that would be a priority.”
“We’ll get there.” I shrug, unconcerned. And, surprisingly, I’m not.
Vance wasn’t joking when he told me he was going all in with me.
He’s already moved into my penthouse even though it’s a much longer commute for him.
When he wasn’t helping me decorate the new twelve-foot, multi-colored Christmas tree he bought for us as a cohabitation present, he’s been helping sort through the massive amounts of baby stuff still piled everywhere.
Some purchases we’re keeping, others we’re donating. Because, according to Vance, the whole point of a pack ‘n play is that you can pack it and take it with you wherever you go. So not every person I know needs to have one stocked in their closet for when the baby and I visit.
Which is fine. Because it means the women’s shelter I usually donate to gets even more goodies this year and all this sorting enables Vance to “shop” for baby stuff with me by picking out his favorites from what’s already there.
Hashtag win win.
On top of that, he’s seen the therapist at NASA twice this week. And even though he says it was the talk with his mom and sister that really helped him see straight, he decided to keep going just to make sure he’s the best he can be for both me and the baby.
I may have blamed hormones on the tears I cried after he told me that. And Vance may have pretended he believed me.
I wiggle my fingers, enjoying how the Christmas lights from the tree by the TV play off the cushion cut diamond and all its surrounding pink pave ones. It’s classic, with a twist.
Hashtag just like me.
Brit grabs my hand and smiles over my ring with me. “Just as long as you get hitched before my niece is born.”
Vance rubs my stomach. “We won’t know if it’s a boy or a girl for a few more weeks.”
“No, it’s definitely a girl.” Brit takes another big sip of her drink, and I wonder just how much peppermint schnapps she poured in to be this tipsy after one mug. “If God gave me boys, it’s only fair you get girls.”
I smile when Brit hiccups. “Not exactly sure that’s how it works.”
“Boy or girl, doesn’t matter to me.” Vance kisses my neck, causing more goosebumps to pop. “As long as the baby is healthy, then everything is good.”
Raising my arm, I wrap it around his neck in a hug.
Yes, everything is good. Vance has given or has plans to give me everything I told him I wanted.
“I can’t believe you’re going to be in space though.” Brit downs the rest of her drink, a chocolate mustache on her lip. “Can I call dibs on being in the delivery room?”
Well, almost everything I wanted.
I catch myself frowning and shake it off with a large smile. “You’ll have to put your name in the hat with everyone else.”
Helen walks in from the kitchen, having spent most of the afternoon oooh-ing and aah-ing over the mixer I glitter-bombed for Brittany. Looks like I have another DIY project in the future. “I can’t believe you’re actually having a lottery drawing to see who’s going to help you deliver my grandbaby.”
I shrug, not knowing what else to say.
When I pulled up my panties in the doctor’s office after finding out the due date coincided with Vance’s flight, I made myself pull up my metaphoric big girl panties too.
So what if the father of my baby won’t even be on Earth during delivery?
So what if, as a first time mom, I’ll have to figure out breastfeeding, sleep training and deal with newborn vaccinations all on my own?
I’m Rose West. I got this.
“I like this one.” Brit’s speech slurs. “Very Pinterest worthy.” She hands me the house in Trish’s neighborhood. The one with the fountain neighbor.
It’s larger than I originally wanted. But Vance convinced me that if I wanted more than two kids and a glitter room, we should probably increase our square footage. It’s situated on the north side of NASA, almost in the middle of Flynn and Holt.
Plus, it’s right across the road from Trish. And out of all the girls, I’m pretty sure she’s going to be the first to get knocked up. Our kids could grow up together. Ride the bus together.
I study the white brick house, imagining all the personal touches I could make to this house to make it a home. Our home.
In just a few short days, I’ve gone from sleeping alone in my childhood bedroom to being in a committed relationship with a man who loves me and whom I love.
A man who, now that he’s put a ring on it, will be my dinner companion for life.
Plus, I’m about to purchase a place where we will raise our baby— together .
A place where we will all feel loved and wanted.
A place I can make special with help from Pinterest.
It might not be everything, but it’s enough.
I drop my ring hand over Vance’s, thinking about how love changes things. Because now, confident in Vance’s love, of our commitment, the importance of getting everything I want quickly turned into wanting to get everything he wants too.
This upcoming mission means a lot to Vance. His whole career has been focused on getting to this moment. It’s what he’s always wanted.