“No. Just stop!” Phillip says, waking me up.
I wonder who he’s talking to but quickly realize he’s dreaming. I push on his shoulder. “What are you dreaming about?”
“We got stuck in a snowstorm, and I had to deliver the baby myself, which, impressively, I did.”
“Well, that’s good, except you were yelling to stop.”
“Yeah, that’s because, once I delivered the first baby, they just kept coming.”
“Kept coming?”
“Yeah, one baby after another. Like when you’re in a batting cage and the machine keeps pitching. The babies kept coming and coming.”
“You’ve seen the ultrasounds, Phillip. There’s only one baby,” I tease.
“I know. It was crazy. Have you packed a bag for the hospital yet?”
“Not yet, but I’m pretty sure we won’t have a snowstorm on the first of October.”
“Still, I just would feel better if we were prepared. We finished our birthing class a couple of weeks ago, and we don’t have that done or a birthing plan.”
“My birthing plan is simple. Just six words long. I’ll have the epidural now, please. Do you need me to write that down, so you’ll remember it?”
“Probably not.” He laughs. “I’m supposed to go lift with Danny this morning. He’s back home from training camp for a couple of days since the second preseason game is tomorrow night. I decided I’m taking the gnome with me.”
“Where are you going to hide it this time?”
“I’m not sure, but I’ll think of something.”
When he gets back from working out, he’s talking to me from the bathroom while he’s shaving. “So, Danny wants us to come over for dinner tonight. He said he’s grilling steaks.”
“That sounds good. Does Lori know he invited us?”
“I didn’t ask.”
“Probably for the best. Where did you put the gnome?”
“In his beer fridge on the deck. If we’re lucky, we’ll get to see him find it.”
The dog days of summer are officially here. Even Angel doesn’t want to be outside for very long.
I’ve been feeling pretty good, but lately, the heat has been getting to me more than it used to.
Thankfully, as we trod up the stairs to Lori and Danny’s deck, the breeze has picked up, giving us a reprieve.
“Hey,” Lori says to us.
“I brought some brownies,” I tell her, setting them on the patio table, hoping that will ease the tension.
We haven’t really talked since the formula incident. And, if it wasn’t for the fact that we’ve only seen Danny once since training camp started a couple of weeks ago, I wouldn’t be here.
“I can’t eat those,” she immediately says. “I’m on a very strict diet.”
“How come?”
“So, I can get back to my pre-baby weight,” she says, like I’m an idiot.
“I figured. I just read that, when you nurse, you aren’t supposed to diet.”
“I’m still consuming plenty of food; it’s just the right kind of food. Lots of fruits and vegetables. Lots of water. Danny got me a personal trainer and nutritionist.”
“That was nice of him,” Phillip says, squeezing my hand.
I know what the squeeze means.
More brownies for us.
Lori smiles. It’s pretty much the first smile she’s thrown my way since … I can’t even remember.
“He comes highly recommended by our team trainer, so hopefully, it’s not a waste of money,” Danny interjects, joining us on the deck with Devaney in his arms. “Lori, would you mind grabbing me and Phillip a beer?”
Phillip and I look at each other in a panic, suddenly remembering the gnome. We both go, “Wai—”
“Ahhh!” Lori screams. She grabs the gnome and throws it at Phillip. Thankfully, he’s quick-handed and catches it. “Why am I the only adult here?”
Danny and I bust out laughing.
“Stop laughing! I’m serious! It’s a stupid, ugly gnome that you keep hiding to try to scare each other. It’s childish. Are you ever going to grow up?”
Danny can’t stop laughing. “Lori, you should’ve seen the look on your face. Priceless.”
“It’s not funny!” she yells.
Devaney smiles at Danny and then laughs.
“Ohmigosh! Did you see that? Devaney is laughing, too!” I burst out.
“Even you think the gnome is funny, don’t you, little monkey?” Danny says, tickling her chin.
“We’re not hiding the gnome, Lori. It’s been moving of its own accord,” Phillip manages to say with a straight face.
“You’re all nuts,” she says, stomping into the house.
“That didn’t go over so well,” Phillip says to Danny.
“Mommy needs to learn to take a joke, doesn’t she?” Devaney moves her hands around, touching Danny’s face. He grabs her finger in his mouth and shakes it, causing her to squeal with delight. “She loves it when I do that. You think your daddy is hilarious, don’t you?” he says, never taking his eyes off his baby girl.
We watch him play with her for a few minutes.
I can’t wait until Phillip makes our baby laugh like that.
Chelsea sent me a link to a social media account the other day along with a text that said her ovaries just exploded. The account contains pictures of hot guys holding babies. I’ll admit, there is something pretty sexy about seeing a man holding a baby. I can only imagine how sexy it will be when he’s holding our baby.
Apparently, Lori wasn’t too traumatized by the gnome because she brings steaks and corn on the cob out on a platter. Danny hands Devaney to her and puts them on the grill.
“Are you excited for your second preseason game?” I ask him.
“It’s good to be playing again, but, like last week, I’ll only be in for a little while. My backup needs experience, and they don’t want me to get hurt. I saw workers at your house. What are you doing over there?”
“I’m building JJ an office slash playroom,” Phillip says proudly.
I love that he’s gotten so excited about it. He even helped me pick out cabinets.
“We thought it would be easier for me to work from home once we have kids. Did I tell you I’m working on another building? This is a smaller project, and I’m only doing the interior space planning, but it will be fun.”
“You didn’t tell us,” Danny says, flipping the steaks.
“Phillip’s company is expanding again, so they are adding an office in Dallas. I also have another job, working with our contractor. He has a client who is consolidating with a new campus here. It will be a huge project.”
“That’s awesome,” Danny says. “You go, girl.”
I smile. “Thanks.”
“How in the world are you going to work with kids running around?” Lori snarls.
“Because she’s brilliant.” Phillip grins. “We split up the big room in the basement that I was going to use as a home theater. The part that’s her office has a set of French doors leading into the playroom, and instead of walls, there are half-walls with windows that slide open.”
“It makes my office look like a sunroom. There’s lots of light, and we had it painted this gorgeous shade of pale pink. The construction is done. Now, they are just installing the cabinets. I did a long run across one wall. It will be cool because, when we want to have parties in the backyard, it can double as a buffet. And my drafting table is like a Murphy bed. I can fold it inside a cabinet when it’s not in use. Since it has its own entrance, I’ll even be able to have clients over, if need be.”
Lori laughs. “That’ll look professional. Toys scattered all over.”
“The French doors and windows that face the playroom have curtains, so I can hide the clutter. Anything is possible with a little creativity.” I give her a tight-lipped smile.
“On that note,” Danny says, “time to eat.”
