Delicate

Chapter 99

HAVEN STYLES
December 2023

Three Months Ago

"I don't wanna do this, Hay," Harry mumbled with a disappointed head shake as if we were plotting to murder our children.

"Harry," I huffed. "My stomach is only getting bigger and I can't keep wearing giant t-shirts to try and hide it. Besides, I don't know why, but I hate the idea that they probably just think I'm getting fat just because."

His expression immediately relaxed as he laughed at me. "Why are you worried about that?"

"I don't know, I just am," I touched my bump protectively. "Now can we just tell them, please? This is why we bought all that new ice cream at the store–to cushion the blow.

"We bought all that ice cream at the store because you couldn't decide which one you wanted," he corrected me.

My mouth opened in shocked offense. "And to help keep them happy."

"Right, okay," he sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Let's just do it, then."

With his blessing, I called out for Jack and Lily and they came running in from where they were playing outside. It was October in London, so their cheeks were flushed from the chilly weather, but they were still only wearing light layers.

"Yes, Mummy?" Lily sweetly asked. That probably meant she was doing something she shouldn't have been.

"C'mere," I patted the couch. "You too, Jack. Daddy and I want to talk to you guys about something."

Obediently, they both galloped over and sat down between us on the couch cushions. Lily placed herself in Harry's lap but remained facing me while Jack straddled my lap and touched my face. I felt guilty already.

"So...do you guys remember when Daddy and I showed you these pictures?" I picked up a framed ultrasound photo of them from one of our later sessions when they were so distinguishable on the machine. "And we told you about how you were in my tummy?"

They nodded and I looked at Harry for help. All he did was nod as well, silently telling me to go on. He wanted me to be the bad guy here.

"Well...I have another baby in my tummy," I showed them an unframed ultrasound photo of a much smaller, singular fetus. "This is going to be your new brother or sister."

Their faces were impossible to read as they just blinked at the picture I was showing them. If anything, they almost appeared to be unimpressed. I wasn't sure whether or not they understood what I was trying to say.

"Mummy has a baby in her tummy," Harry echoed, to which Lily looked at him with the same exact intimidating concentrated stare she inherited from him. "So...not too long from now...there will be another baby here."

"Whose baby?" Jack frowned in confusion with a head tilt.

"Our baby," I answered. "My and Daddy's baby."

They still looked unsure until Jack started lifting my shirt to see my round belly. Even then, his frown deepened as he continued to blink at it.

"Are you being silly, Mummy?" Lily smiled. She thought I was joking.

"No, baby," I laughed at her skeptical smirk. "Daddy and I are having another baby in April. I'm going to go to the hospital and give birth just like I did when the two of you were born. And that baby will be your brother or sister, just like the two of you are brother and sister. We don't know if it's a boy or a girl yet, but this is them."