“I’m holding onto it as long as possible. Promise. No more snapping for me,” She says.
Roman gives me a face that says, ‘that’s a lie’, but they head down anyway. I throw myself into work, losing track of time and everything else until I hear voices. I take off my headphones, reintroduce myself to Tristan and smile at Valerie.
“How is married life?” Tristan asks.
“Good. Game night is one of my favorite nights.” I give Sophie a look and she blushes beat red. “Especially when we are playing Dead of Winter.”
Roman chuckles and Valerie shakes her head. “Come on, I’m starving. Please tell me you have something we can make.” Valerie says.
She raids the fridge with Sophie and Tristan rolls his eyes. “I swear, they’re always hungry. That hasn’t changed throughout the years.”
But as soon as they start cooking, Sophie takes two giant steps back from the kitchen. Tristan has already made his home on the couch, looking at our video game options and Roman is taking care of some work remotely.
“Sophie?” Valerie asks.
“I can’t eat that.” She says sadly. “I’m sorry. I just don’t want to feel gross.”
“Gross? What are you talking about? What’s wrong?” Valerie’s eyes go right to me. “Are you guys giving her some kind of lusty pill to keep her hot and horny?”
“No,” I say, confused. “She’s been sick.”
“It’s like …” She glances at me, then whispers in Valerie’s ear.
“How long?”
“Um … a week?”
“You’ve been food sensitive, tired, crampy, and bloated for a week and no one in this house has asked a very important question?” Valerie shakes her head. “We have to go get something.”
“I can take you,” I offer.
“Girl thing.” Valerie dismisses before stealing Sophie away. I hear her mutter how stupid men are, but then they’re gone.
Tristan looks at me. “Is it her time of the month or something?”
“No, I think we went through that recently.”
Tristan thinks about it for a moment. I put my focus on Sophie. She’s been uncomfortable and moody and I figured that was from us being back, but we’ve been here for almost a month. The issues with food only started last week and mostly, she’s just not hungry or she doesn’t like the smell of something. She only threw up once.
But being sick, having cramps, the mood swings. Oh, we’resofucking stupid. I put it together and kick myself for not thinking about it earlier. “Fuck. Roman!”
Roman pops around, obviously worried, then notices Sophie’s gone. “Where is Sophia?”
“Getting a pregnancy test,” I say.
It checks every fucking box. No wonder Valerie called us stupid. Roman blinks a few times, confused. “But … she’s on the pill.”
“Ninety-nine percent effective,” Tristan quotes. “Four dudes and only one her? I’d say those odds change a bit.”
“Fuck.” I breathe.
Roman rubs his jaw. “No matter how it comes out, we’re going to be supportive as hell.”
“Obviously.”
But that’s easier said than done for me. I was okay never picturing having kids. Kids have never really liked me. I’m not all about infants either. They cry and shit and repeat day after day, right? Just because it’s potentially my baby doesn’t change what a baby is. Tiny little shitters and pissers that don’t clean up after themselves. I chuckle to myself. Sounds like a Pomeranian.
I’m more comfortable being the fun uncle. Like Gunner, we’ll stay on the side and let Sophie and Roman, and Nick take care of the baby until it’s fun. But I’ll have to hold it right? It would be wrong if I didn’t hold it.