Jay's Loelife Ch. 25

Matt: Remind her we don't care if she has caffeine

Matt: See how she's feeling now that we're getting close? Is she stressed?

99: Touch her belly for me

MB enters the cafe. It's true what they say about pregnant women. Even puffy and swollen, I think MB is stunning. She says her hair will fall out after delivery. Until then, she's rocking the thick dark locks.

I pull the chair out for her and wait for her to sit down. "It's half caf," I tell her as I push the drink towards her. "And a raspberry and cream turnover."

MB savors the first drink like it's the most precious thing that's touched her lips in twelve months. She opens the napkin and spreads it over her thirty-eight week bump, quickly devouring the pastry none too eloquently. "I've been craving sugar so bad lately. The same thing happened in the days leading up to the birth of my two."

I sit up. "You think he's coming soon?"

She nods her head and smiles. "Yeah."

"Do Matt and Seamus know?"

"I FaceTime'd with them this morning and told them they should be ready."

"They've been ready."

"I know. But I told them they should be making their way here. I'm not known for long labors."

I lift my drink. "Cheers to that." I mean, quick labor is a good thing. Even I know that.

99: Matt and Seamus are flying in tomorrow. Looks like Tater Tot could show up any day!

99: Did you touch Tater Tot's bump for me?

I smile. You'd think Jay was having a baby with how invested he's been. I don't know who spoils MB more: Matt and Seamus or Jay. I don't think MB realizes how lucky she was that her pregnancy is during football season. He might've scared her away otherwise. Timing was perfect. He's retired now. Finally free. I don't know if Jay was emotionally checked out, but the final season was...weird. He played well, he was as invested as ever, but his foot was out the door. There's been so much happening personally that being dedicated to the team was hard. Part of me regrets pushing for the extension, except I know he's glad to have gone out on a high note.

"How are you feeling?" I ask. You know, gotta talk about the feelings and stuff.

She grins. "I'm so excited. I can't wait to see Matt and Seamus when they hold him for the first time. It will make all of this worth it."

"Aren't you nervous about handing him over?"

"I'm not handing him over. I'm handing him back. He was never mine to give up. When I first started this journey, I was worried about forming an emotional attachment, but there is none. I'm sure I will love him, but no differently than how I love my friends' kids. More than anything, I feel privileged that I get to bring a family together."

She's been amazing since day one. I have mad respect for her and all the women that do this. "They really scored when they found you."

MB smiles sweetly. "I'm the one who scored. Not only do I have two amazing intended dads, but they're good friends with Jay Petermeyer and Loe Patrick. I got kick ass seats to some sick games and my husband got to meet players. Are you kidding? This has been the best journey ever!"

We chat until people begin taking our pictures. The attention has never bothered MB. She's leaned into it, let me share progress, and pretty much exploit her. But physically, she's very uncomfortable. I take her arm and lead her outside. It's a nice day for a walk. Surprisingly nice for the middle of the winter.

Arm and arm, walk around the block. Half way back to the cafe, she grimaces. I freeze. I've never been one-hundred percent comfortable with this stuff. I had to give her injections a few times before the transfer and it wasn't easy. Now that she's close to actually having the kid, I'm on high alert.

MB smiles at me. "It's just a cramp."

I let out the breath I was holding. "Well, let's get back to the car anyway," I say. The last thing I want is to be stranded with a baby on the way.

"Afraid you'll have to deliver him?"

"Not funny."

MB's laugh is cut short. Her hand flies out and grabs my arms for support as she hunches over, groaning.

I look around. There's no one. Not one house. Not one car. I drop to my knees and push her hair back so I can see her face. "Oh fuck! Are you in labor?"

She groans again. Panic fills my limbs like concrete. "I told you it wasn't funny. I can't deliver him!"

MB lifts her head and winks.

I stand and glare at her. "You're a bitch."

"I'm sorry," she says between fits of laughter. "You're so easy."

"Haven't you heard the story of the boy who cried wolf?"

MB smiles her beautiful, swollen-faced smile and links her arm in mine. She sighs. "I'm tired."

I get her back to her car and follow her out of the parking lot, making sure she's safe. I follow her all the way to I-5, when she turns to go north, I go south, to Jay's.

****

Jay rushes around the house like an OCD mom before a big holiday. Seamus, Matt, and Aidan are on their way, arriving in an hour or less. They'll be staying with us until baby Carson is born and cleared to fly home. Depending on when MB goes into labor, they could be here for several weeks to a month.

"I'm nesting," Jay says with a stupid grin.

"You're not nesting." The last thing I need is for Jay to feel encouraged. He already bought a legitimate crib. Justifying the purchase because Carson will need somewhere to sleep when they visit. We both know one of those foldaway, packaway, stowaway cribs would suffice.

"Kind of." He grabs new sheets from the closet and heads to the guest suite. I follow and help him make the bed. Jay keeps glancing my way as we layer the bed. After stuffing the pillows into clean linens, Jay tosses one at me. I toss it back.

He smiles softly. "You can stop freaking out."

I finish the bed off by unceremoniously tossing the pillows towards the head of the bed. "What am I freaking out about?"

"That I'm going to ask you for a baby."

"Fuck," I laugh. "I should hope not."

He sighs. "With all this baby stuff, I'm making sure you know that I know where you stand."

Truth be told, I always stress on this. I know where Jay stands and he knows where I stand and we do not stand in solidarity. It's not something I'm willing to back down on. Jay seems okay with that, but for how long? Forever, I hope. I think...if Jay came to me one day and told me it's either a kid or bust, I'd probably have a kid, even knowing it would put a wedge between us that we likely wouldn't survive. Then again, not having a kid could yield the same results.

****

With Aidan asleep in his bed and Matt and Seamus waiting for MB to call, I put on clean underwear and sit on the edge of the bed next to Jay.

He scoots over so I have a little more room. "What's up?"

I lean over him, my hand pressing into the mattress on the other side of his body. "I love you."

Jay smiles, almost laughing at my suspect behavior. "I love you, too."

I really don't know how to say what I want to say. I rub my face, frustrated that I can't just say it like he can. I just want to make sure he knows I appreciate his flexibility on the matter of kids. I hope I can be flexible on something else. A yin and yang thing. Maybe we can get a plant together. Something we can't kill, like a cactus. I'd suggest an animal, but that seems too risky.

The door opens. Seamus pops his head in. He's grinning from ear to ear. "MB just called." He doesn't give us a chance to respond or congratulate him. He slips out, leaving me and a very, very excited Jay. Jay looks at me with wide, excited eyes.

"It's baby time!"

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