“It’s been three days.” I shake my head at him.
“Too damn long, Kens.” With his hand on the small of my back, he leads me to the living room, where Blakely and Brooks are coloring.
I spend the next twenty minutes talking to them before I have to go. After a spectacular hug from Blakely, Declan walks me to my car and kisses me goodbye, telling me to let him know that I made it safely and sends me on my way.
“What’s in the bag, Pipe?” Palmer asks her sister.
“I was waiting until everyone was here.” She nods to me and Alyssa, who were the last to arrive.
The last time we got together, everyone made a big deal about Alyssa being there and apologized for not including her before then. She smiled and shrugged like it was no big deal, but we could all tell that she was happy to be included.
“The bag?” Ramsey prompts Piper.
Piper takes a deep breath and grabs the reusable grocery bag that sits next to her, and stands. She turns it upside down on the coffee table, and six boxes fall out.
“Are those pregnancy tests?” Palmer asks, lifting one to inspect it, and sure enough, it’s a pregnancy test.
“Piper!” Palmer screeches. “Are you pregnant?”
“I don’t know.” She smiles. “I’m late, but I’ve been too nervous to take a test. That’s why I called a girls’ night. I want you all to take one with me.”
“Um, Pipe’s, I’m already positive.” Palmer laughs, placing her hands on her small baby bump.
Piper smiles. “I know, but I need you all to do this with me. Please?”
“Why?” Ramsey asks her. “We’ll be here with you. Why waste these tests?”
“I just… I just need you all to do it with me. We know Palmer’s will be positive, and it might be the only one.”
“What kind of result are we hoping for?” Jade asks.
“I don’t know.”
“Yes, you do.” Palmer stares at her sister.
“Fine. Yes, I do. I want it to be positive. I know that we’re not married, hell, we’re not even engaged, but I love him, and we’ve talked about it. Sure, this is sooner than what we talked about, but I know Heath will be happy.”
“Why not take the test with him?” Alyssa asks.
“I don’t want him to be disappointed.”
“He loves you,” Jade tells her. “He would want to be there for you.”
“I know he loves me. Maybe I should do this with him, but you all are who I need right now. My sister.” She smiles at Palmer. “My sisters,” she amends, letting her eyes fall on each of us.
I feel a lump form in my throat. This group of incredible ladies have accepted me into their lives as one of them.
“I’ll do it,” Palmer agrees. “I mean, I never got to do the whole pee on a stick thing. Everyone should experience it, right?”
“I’m in,” Ramsey says, holding out her hand. “However, not a word about this to Deacon. He’s ready to have babies, and even though we’re trying, I don’t want him to be disappointed.”
“Hit me.” Jade holds her hand up for a box.
Alyssa glances over at me, and I shrug. “Us too,” I tell them. Piper smiles and tosses us both a box.
“So how are we doing this?” Palmer asks. “We are not all peeing on a stick at the same time.”
“No. Well, maybe. We have four bathrooms, and there are six of us. So Palmer, you can go last since we know your result.” Palmer beams at her sister, once again rubbing her baby belly. In fact, I don’t care what order we go in, but I’m going last.
“I’ll go.” Alyssa stands. “Lead the way, our fearless leader.”
Palmer and Piper jump off the couch and move down the hall with us following along behind them armed with our pregnancy tests.
“Just place it upside down on the counter when you’re done,” Palmer tells her, shutting Alyssa into her master bathroom.
“Why upside down?” Piper asks her.
“Because we’re doing this together, and you wanted to find out with us. Sometimes these things are positive, like right away. No spilling your surprise.”
“You think I’m pregnant?” Piper asks with tears in her eyes.
Palmer shrugs. “I’m not sure, but I know it would be cool as hell if our babies grew up together.” Palmer points at Ramsey. “Then all we have to do is help Deacon talk to this one and there’ll be three new babies in the family to grow up together.”
“Let us get through the wedding, and then I’m all in,” Ramsey tells them.
Palmer grins. “Does Deacon know that?”
“We’ve discussed it, but nothing concrete,” Ramsey tells her.
“Next,” Alyssa says a few minutes later. Jade jumps to her feet and takes her turn.
“I actually have to pee, so I’ll go next,” I tell them, making them laugh. When Jade exits, I enter and do my thing, leaving the test on the counter with the others.