Page 120

She sighs into the pillow. “How much trouble do you think I’m in?”
“A lot probably. My advice? Take it like a grown up. You’re old enough to understand what you did was wrong. You’re mature enough to understand why we were scared ourselves.”
“You? Why wereyouscared?”
“Have you not been listening? If anything had happened to you, I would have been devastated. The thought of you being hurt or in trouble guts me to the core. Darla, I was scared because I love you.”
Tears well in her eyes. “You barely know me.”
“I still love you. And guess what?” I rub my hands across my belly. “They’re going to love you too. They’re going to love you so much. Because you’re their big sister and nothing will ever change that. The three of you will be tied together for life. They’re going to look to you for guidance. And one day, theymight even find themselves callingyouin the middle of the night because of a bad decisiontheymake.”
She stares at my stomach. “You think so?”
I laugh when I get jabbed by an elbow or foot in the ribs. I touch the spot. “This little guy just confirmed it.”
“Is he kicking?”
I nod. “Want to feel?”
She contemplates it for a second, and suddenly I’m sure that whatever she does next may impact our entire future. She holds up a hand. “Can I?”
I scoot closer and show her where to put her hand. “Here.”
Slowly and carefully, like she’s not sure she wants to, she puts her hand lightly on the spot. I smile when he kicks.
Bug looks up, open-mouthed and awestruck. “Oh my god, do they do that a lot?”
I chuckle. “All the time. It’s becoming harder for me to sleep with all the somersaults they do in there.”
“Is she moving too?”
I take her hand and move it to the girl baby. “Give her a little poke and she might.”
She gently taps.
“Really poke her. Like this.” I depress the skin over my lower belly a few times.
Darla follows suit then freezes. “I can actuallyseeher moving under your clothes.”
“Oh, that’s nothing.” I lift my shirt and push down my waistband.
She stares at my stomach, both twins fully awake now and kicking in different directions. Her eyes are wide as she watches the show, then she puts her hands back on my stomach. “Do you ever feel like you’re in that movie,Alien, and something is going to pop out of your stomach and eat you?”
I smile at the absurdity. I smile because it’s the funniest thing she’s ever said to me. I smile because it’s the very first time she’s spoken more than a few words to me without animosity, hostility, or disrespect. But mostly, I smile because we’re sitting here sharing a moment I hope will be as memorable for her as I know it will be for me.
She looks up. “You’re naming him after your son, not your dad, aren’t you?”
“Christopher was named after my dad. But, yes, this little guy’s name will be after his.”
“What do you think about Christina?”
“Who’s Christina?”
“I mean for a name. Christina is kind of like Christopher.”
My heart leaps. I hold back tears so as not to seem like an over-emotional hormonal pregnant lady. “I think Christina is a beautiful name. And I know Christopher would approve.”
Her hands are no longer on my belly, but she lowers her head. “Hey, Christina.” She narrows her eyes at me. “What’shisname going to be?”