“Hey.”
I lift my eyes to Apollo as he walks into the kitchen.
“Doing okay?” I ask even though it’s clear that he’s no perkier than I am.
He gives me a weak smile as he walks toward the half-empty coffee pot. I’ve been going at this a while already.
“And April?”
“She’s resting.”
It’s been less than four hours since we came home from the hospital from the third false labor event, but just like the two before it, Cerberus activated and followed just like the very first time, the excitement to meet their new son palpable in the waiting room.
“That’s good,” I tell him.
“She feels guilty for the false alarms. I’ve told her not to worry, but I don’t think it helps.”
“All the other women have explained that this happens.”
He shakes his head. “Still doesn’t help. She feels like a burden. I know that’s nothing new for her with how we started out, but I don’t know what to do to make her understand that it’s not a big deal.”
“It’ll all be forgotten when your son gets here,” I remind him.
His grin is wide at the mention of his child. Biologically, April’s baby isn’t his, but I know that my best friend will love that kid more than he’s ever loved anyone, and that’s saying a lot because the man is positively obsessed with his wife.
“I can’t wait, man, but April is pretty agitated with me as well. She didn’t want to go to the hospital this last time.” He frowns as he pours a cup of coffee, and I wait for him to continue as he crosses the room and takes a seat across from me at the table. “But I just can’t take a chance with them. The doctor just laughed when I asked if I could pay extra for them to admit her.”
“Admit her? Are there complications?”
He shakes his head. “No, on the monitors the baby is doing fine, and April is healthy, but just for peace of mind, you know? I’m terrified something is going to go wrong. It’s been perfect with her, other than the custody shit going on. It’s like something has to go wrong. Nothing is ever this perfect.”
“Nothing is going to go wrong. They’re healthy and when the time is right, she’s going to give birth to a perfect child, and the three of you will start your lives as a family.”
He nods, but the worried look still clouding his eyes tells me he doesn’t fully believe it, and I know he won’t until he’s home with the both of them.
We sit in silence for a while, and I know he’s running scenarios through his head. I hate seeing him like this. Worry has the power to drive you crazy. I know because I’m living my own version of it in regard to Faith.
“How is the house coming along?”
“Decently. Our move-in date is January fourth, barring any complications.”
“That’s awesome,” I tell him, but he looks up at me and I can see he doesn’t think it’s awesome. “What?”
“Does it make me a pussy that I’m kind of scared to be alone?”
“You’re not alone. You’ll have April.”
“But I mean there are so many helpful people here. What if we need help?”
“Then you ask for it. You’re only going to be a couple hundred yards from the clubhouse, and I’m fairly certain that if you wanted to stick around here until you got a routine going, Kincaid isn’t going to argue about that. All the new guys and Slick have their own rooms. I haven’t heard news that we’re expanding the team any further than what we have recently. No one is going to force you guys out of the clubhouse.”
He nods in understanding, some of the weight holding his shoulders down lifting.
“Meeting of the minds?” Grinch asks as he walks into the kitchen, drying his hands on a blue shop towel.
“Afternoon coffee,” I say and hold up my nearly empty cup.
“Afternoon coffee is for old men. A beer is what you both need,” Grinch argues as he walks to the fridge and pulls out a bottle of beer.
A second later, Aro, Boomer, and Spade walk in and grab a beer as well before sitting down around Apollo and me at the table.
“Anyone need a beer?” Ugly asks a minute later when he comes into the kitchen.
Everyone declines as he pops the top off of his before settling down at the end of the group.
“These losers aren’t drinking,” Grinch says with a humorous chuckle.
“We have to be ready for April if she needs to go back to the hospital,” I remind the group.
They nod in understanding.
“Are you going to join us tonight or flake again?” Grinch nudges my shoulder to make sure I know he’s speaking to me.
I give him a look that helps him understand my answer without speaking.