Page 132 of Babies for the Christmas Grump

Marjorie laughs, walking over to me with a bottle of water in hand. “Here. Take a drink and breathe. Hydrate. You can do this.”

I gratefully take the water, the coolness instantly soothing my parched throat. “Thanks. I swear, I think I’m having more cravings right now than I did when I first found out.”

Claire raises an eyebrow. “Cravings? What kind of cravings?”

“Pickles,” I say flatly. “And chocolate. And don’t ask me how they’re going to come together in a reasonable way, but I need both.”

She and Marjorie exchange a look that’s equal parts horror and fascination. “Pickles and chocolate? That’s a bold combo.”

I laugh, my shoulders relaxing just a little. “I swear, I’m going to be the weirdest mom ever.”

“Hey, you know what? You’re going to be the coolest mom,” Claire says firmly, sitting on the edge of the bed. “And if anyone tries to judge you, I’ll fight them for you.”

“Promise?” I ask, looking at her with a grateful smile.

“I’m serious. I’m ready to throw down for my favorite pregnant lady,” she says with mock seriousness, her hand on her chest.

“Well, I do have some news that will make you feel better,” Marjorie declares, flashing her phone in my direction. “You’ll never guess what just happened!”

“What now?”

“Vincent,” she starts, her eyes wide with glee. “He’s pled guilty. To everything. Fraud, embezzlement, all of it. They’re setting the date for sentencing soon.”

My heart skips a beat as she shows me her screen, and I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face. All this time, I’ve been waiting for justice to come, and now it’s finally here.

“Marjorie! That’s… wow.” I laugh in disbelief. “I honestly didn’t think this would ever happen. It’s felt like it’s been going on for ages.”

“Well, it’s happening.” She grins. “He’s going down, and we don’t have to worry about him anymore.”

A sense of closure settles over me. All the stress, all the months of uncertainty… it’s finally over.

Vincent is being held accountable for everything he tried to do to us, to the hotel, to Evie’s legacy. To everyone else, he’s hurt over the years.

“That’s a huge relief,” I murmur, leaning back in the chair again, letting the moment sink in. “I can finally breathe a little easier.”

Claire pats my hand. “Exactly. And now, you can focus on the important stuff. Like keeping those two little troublemakers inside you from turning into acrobats before their debut.”

Marjorie rolls her eyes but can’t hide the affection in her smile. “You guys are ridiculous. But you know what, I think we can make you feel less… suffocated.”

Claire jumps up and starts rummaging through the bags of beauty products I brought with me. “I’ve got an idea.”

“Are you going to try to make me look like a glam goddess while I’m over here about to burst out of this dress?” I ask, half-joking.

“Well, that’s the plan,” Marjorie says, eyes gleaming. “You’re going to look amazing. You deserve to feel beautiful today.”

I start to argue, but the tired, frustrated, slightly suffocated version of me is already fading as they work. I’m still hot, sure, but their presence is a cool balm to my nerves.

Claire pulls out a few makeup items —mostly tinted moisturizers, a little highlighter, and mascara —and gets to work.

And somehow, amidst the laughter, the teasing, and the conversation about how much Marjorie hates the word “moisturizer,” I find myself smiling.

It’s not just the makeup, though it definitely helps. It’s that I’m surrounded by the people who love me, people who get it.

People who get me.

And even though the dress is still a bit tight, and even though the twins are still kicking, auditioning for a boxing match, I suddenly feel like maybe I’ve got this.

“Okay,” Claire says, stepping back with a pleased look on her face. “Done. You look stunning, Sunny. Like, movie-star stunning.”