10. Aiden
Aiden
“UNO!” Maggy guards the last card in her hand like her life depends on it, and it kind of does. We have been playing this game of Uno for the last hour and people have gotten close, but no one has actually won. This could actually be the last round.
After we finished getting the apartments set up a few hours ago, Pop ordered a bunch of pizzas and we all sat around and ate what felt like the most rewarding meal I’ve had in a long time.
I might work out five days a week, but there is something different about lifting heavy furniture for hours on end.
Momma and Pop headed to the twins apartment a few hours ago to get some sleep, but the rest of us have been having an impromptu game night ever since, getting a glimpse at what it will be like next year when Charly joins us.
“Fucking finally,” Maddox groans, “This game has gone on for-fucking-ever.”
“I swear to god, Dallas, if you have make her draw cards, you won’t like the consequences,” Chloe says. We are all ready for this game to be over apparently. I love a good game of Uno as much as the next guy, but spending over an hour on one game is a bit excessive.
“I would never make Magnolia draw cards,” Dallas winks at Maggy.
“Why do you insist on calling me by my full name?” Maggy asks him, watching the discard pile in the center of the table intently.
“It’s a pretty name?” Dallas shrugs, “Why not?”
“No one else calls her Magnolia, it’s just you.” Maddox states.
“Maybe I want to be special,” He says sarcastically, but if the blush on his cheeks is any indication, there is more to it than that. I just don’t have the energy to look too deep into that right now.
“Leave him alone guys,” Bailey says, trying to take the attention off our friend. “Hey Charly, if I send you the gender results when we get them in a couple weeks, will you make reveal cake for us?”
“Oh my god, yes!” The smile that overtakes my sister’s face is blinding, “What did you want to do for the theme of the party?”
“I was thinking Winnie the Pooh,” Blue smiles.
“Oh my god, so cute. I’ll create the best stuff. I’m going to create a Pinterest board and share it with you.” Charly pulls out her phone and starts scrolling, “Momma and I will make it perfect.”
“It’s going to be super small, so don’t go crazy. It’s literally the people in this room, Momma and Pop and the Mr. and Mrs. Miller,” Bailey says.
“You know my mom would kill you if she heard you calling her, ‘Mrs. Miller,’” Chloe says.
Bailey rolls just her eyes.
“Do you even know me, Bee? Going overboard is what I was born to do. I love a good party. It’s a reason to bake and make things pretty,” Charly looks genuinely offended.
“You’re trouble,” Sebastian points a finger at Charly.
“Of course I am, Grumpy. Trouble is literally my middle name.” Charly gives him the most innocent smile she can manage.
“Are you sure Alpine is going to be able to handle her when she comes next year?” Maddox whisper yells at me.
“I’m not sure there is a single person on earth that can handle Charly, and we wouldn’t have it any other way,” Bailey says.
“I win!” Maggy throws her last card down on the pile, and a collective sigh of relief flows around the table.
Sebastian pulls his phone out of his pocket and mutters a curse, “I’ve got to run. Luca is throwing up, and my dad doesn’t do puke well.”
“We should head out too,” Dallas says about him and Chloe. They both currently live in the dorms but are planning on trying to get an apartment in this building next year.
“Tell my little buddy, Bee Bee hope he feels better,” Bailey says before hugging Sebastian, followed by the Millers and walking them all out.
We turn on a movie and all sit around the living room.
Maggy is sitting on one end of the section with Maddox’s head in her lap where she runs her fingers through his hair, Charly is curled up with a blanket on the other end of the sectional.
I’m sitting in the large recliner with Bailey, her legs over my lap, one of my arms resting on her lap, the other around her shoulder.
Bailey falls asleep on my shoulder thirty minutes into the movie, and by an hour in my arm is asleep, but there is no amount of money offered that would get me to move. There is never a time I am more comfortable, more content than when I have Bailey in my arms.
I wake with a start at what sounds like a dish breaking. I bolt out of bed, grabbing a football trophy on my way out of my room.
I run into the kitchen, ready to attack the intruder, only to find Blue standing frozen in the middle of the kitchen surrounded by glass. I lower my makeshift weapon, and let out a small chuckle. “Don’t move,” I command before heading to the front door for my shoes.
I slip them on, return to the kitchen, scoop Bailey into my arms and place her on the counter. I flip the light on in the kitchen so I can get a better look at her legs and feet. When I’m satisfied that she didn’t cut herself, I get to cleaning up the glass.
“What happened, Blue?” I ask as I grab the broom from the pantry.
“I was just getting some water when the glass slipped out of my hand,” She says, folding her hands around her chest, and for the first time I notice that she’s only wearing a sports bra and a pair of shorts that are barely there.
The amount of creamy skin that is currently on display shouldn’t be legal.
Bailey has had ‘morning sickness,’ all day, every day for the last couple of months.
This pregnancy has not been easy on her body, and there have been times I’m concerned I will have to take her to the hospital because she’s not keeping anything down.
Even her doctor is starting to get concerned.
I hate how miserable she has been, and I wish I could just take this on my shoulders instead of her having to carry it alone.
I hate how helpless I feel when I sit there holding her hair back.
It’s the only thing I can do, that and make sure there are always blue popsicles in the freezer for her.
It’s just about the only thing the baby seems to like.
“What had you awake?” I ask throwing the last of the glass into the trash can and grabbing the mop and filling the sink with water.
I’m just going to do a quick once over to make sure there aren’t any little pieces that can cut our feet.
Bailey hates socks, so she’s always barefoot walking around the apartment.
“I really wanted something salty, so I grabbed the pretzel rods and ranch, but then I was thirsty, that’s when you woke up.” She says.
“I mean, at least you ate something,” I tease.
“Please don’t jinx it, Bear,” She groans. “This is the first time I’ve truly wanted to eat in like four days. If I throw it up because you spoke too soon, I will murder you.”
“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” I wring out the mop in the sink. I leave the mop head in the sink, making a mental note to put it in the washer tomorrow with a load of towels.
“It’s okay, I’ll forgive you this time, but don’t let it happen again,” She scrunches her eyebrows together and purses her lips, trying to look intimidating, but really she just looks adorable.
I grab two glasses from the cabinet and fill them with water, and hand one to her.
I lean against the island directly across from her, on leg crossed over the other.
I grip on the counter behind me with one hand, and take a long pull of my water with the other.
When I set the water behind me, I finally look at Bailey, and what I find has me convinced I’m dreaming.
Bailey is looking directly at my bare chest, pupils dilated, licking her lips. I clear my throat and Bailey’s eyes snap to mind, a pretty blush forming on her cheeks.
“We should go to bed,” She says, her voice breathy and her chest rising and falling at a faster than normal pace.
“It is late,” I say, taking another sip of my water, flexing the muscles in my arms more than strictly necessary, “We both have to be up early tomorrow.”
I place my glass in the sink, and then move to help her off the counter.
When my palms meet the smooth skin of her waist, I know I’ve made a mistake.
My cock immediately responds to the feel of her skin against mine, and when she pushes off the counter, she glides down my front, she lets out a soft gasp when she realizes the effect she’s having on me.
Her once blush pink cheeks, are now bright red, the color creeping down her neck and into her chest. The rapid rise and fall of her chest make it almost impossible to look anywhere else.
When I finally look at Bailey’s face, she is staring at my lips. Her eyes meet mine, then flick down to my lips again. The only thought in my head is whether this is my moment. Do I kiss my best friend and risk our friendship? She’s throwing signals like she wants me to, but what if I’m wrong.
Just as I’m about to say, “fuck it,” and lean in, she pushes me away and bolts down the hall. Calling a quick, “Goodnight,” before I hear her door close. And I’m left standing there confused.
What the fuck just happened? I really thought that was our moment. Maybe I read the entire situation wrong. Maybe she didn’t, doesn’t, want the same things I do. Fuck.