A Series Of Letters {Adopted by Palaye Royale}

Chapter Thirty-Nine

"Eli, stop." I whine, as if he can comprehend anything I'm saying. I'm in my own bed for the first time this whole pregnancy, getting the shit kicked out of my stomach and ribs by my baby. It's five in the fucking morning. And now he wants canned peaches. "I don't have time for this," I reach for my phone on the bedside table and shoot a text to Sebastian, knowing the ding will actually wake him and he'll be willing to get it. 

Me: Can you pretty please make a store run for me?

There's a pause and then a reply. I smile. 

Seb: Now?

Me: Yes. Now. It's urgent.

Another pause. Eli kicks hard. I see my stomach move with the force. 

Seb: Yeah...what do you need?

Me: Canned Peaches in Syrup pleaseeee. Thanks I love you.

I sit up against the pillows. In three days I'll be in my third trimester and Caden and Jeremy will fly in, doing a trimesters worth of work from this house. I need them here in case I go into early labor. Plus, we need all the hands we can get. Between the nursery, my needs, cooking, shopping, and all my appointments and meds...things are hectic.

Plus I miss Caden and Jeremy. They're my only friends. The only people I know my age, as well. And they're adorable and I thrive on being around them. They're needed here as well. Sebastian's been doing a load of everything with no help, so it'll be nice to get some of the weight on his shoulders lifted. I feel like he's taking a lot of the responsibilities up because he feels he has to. Because of what my adoption paperwork reads. 

I find my mind drifting to Mom as the moonlight lights my room. What's she doing? Who's she hurting? Maybe she's seen Caden and Jeremy and is plotting to hurt the poor seventeen year old. I hope not. Jeremy doesn't deserve that.

Maybe she's locked up...in prison for abuse. Caden hasn't seen her in months, so it's possible. Maybe she moved; to another state, another country. Maybe she's happy now that she's rid of me. Her burden is gone and knocked up. 

I shake my  head and slide the lock on my phone open. 5:23 A.M. February 5. It's after eight in New York, and based on that I text Caden.

Me: I'm bored. What's up?

I scroll through countless and semi-meaningless apps on my phone before he responds. I shift my hips to get more comfortable.

Caden: It's February. Five feet of snow just went down on the ground and it's in the negatives. I'm fucking cold and stuck at Jeremy's house.

I debate whether or not I want to make such a crude remark, but send it anyways.

Me: I mean....hey....at least you can fuck

I giggle under my breath as my fingers hit The Bump app. 

27 weeks. Baby Eli is the size of a head of lettuce.

I smile, scrolling through and reading all about this week. He's practicing breathing now for the real world. Part of me doesn't want him to come. Part of me wants to be able to shelter him and keep him safe forever. Here in this world, so much could hurt him. At least in my tummy, he's perfectly safe. I take a deep breath, continuing to flip through meaningless alerts in my phone. Me and Sebastian have a childbirth class and a tour of the hospital tomorrow afternoon. I'll have classes every other week until Eli makes his debut. If I'm being honest, I'm scared to give birth. But...it'll be worth it.

Eli is the most important thing in my life at this point.

!!!!!!!!

A ding is the first thing my brain registers. I have a text from Jeremy saying they've landed and are on the way to the house...and one from The Bump.

Welcome to the Third Trimester!!! Happy 28 weeks!

I click. My hand lands on my belly out of instinct. Eli kicks against it. He's the size of an eggplant today, and the thought makes tears well up in my eyes. He's getting so big. He'll be here before I know it. The nursery is nearly done, all we need is the rocking chair to get in. The boys and Steph haven't let me in in two weeks. They say it's a surprise. I'll see around the time Eli arrives. 

Yesterday I had my twenty-eight week appointment. I did a glucose test. I wanted to chase the solution down so bad, but unfortunately I couldn't. Luckily, my body is doing it's job and filtering out the sugars like it should. Dr. Kimberly took some measurements of my belly, and everything is all on track. I'm seeing her twice a month now. Everything is going perfectly, and Elijah is totally healthy. I'm so glad. I want him to be okay. 

One thing I've noticed is that my newfound protrusion of a stomach brings a lot of attention. Eyes go to that before my face. It's as if I'm just walking with a flashing sign above my head that screams PREGNANT. I can feel people just staring directly at it, and when I'm out in public I know people all around me are staring.

I was told yesterday that if my little peanut decided to make his debut right now, he would have a 90% survival rate. I was also told to pack my hospital bag now. So when Caden and Jeremy get here that's what we're gonna do...and buy anything we don't have. It'll remain in the van, along with everybody else's. The boy's, Steph's, and Shy's will be smaller...just clothes, tolietries, and essentials. Only two people will be allowed in the room at a time, and only two at night; but I know the other's won't be far. Remington even told me he'll camp out in the parking lot. 

He enters the room just that minute, leaning in my doorway. I take some careful sips of the water at my bedside table. I have to before I get up. My belly is so big it's throwing off my balance. Also Baby Kropp finds it very comfortable right up against my lungs, so I'm having difficulty breathing. He takes my hand when he sees me struggling to get out of bed and helps me up.

It takes me a while to get down into the kitchen, but when I do Jeremy's in my arms. I hug him tight and he rests his head on my shoulder. "I missed you," I hum in his ear. 

"I missed you, too, Lottie. We both did. I had the irrational fear you were gonna go way early and Caden and I would miss the birth." I shake my head.

"Dr. Kimberly predicts Elijah will be here somewhere around thirty-eight weeks and I'm twenty-eight now. It's....closer than you think and that's scary."

"I'm here," Jeremy whispers soothingly, rubbing my back. "It's okay. These next weeks are gonna go so fast. And when the day does come, it'll be so worth it." His hand hovers over my stomach, only landing on my bump when I show no signs of stopping him. "When you meet your little man...it'll be so worth it." I take a deep breath.

"I want you to be there when he comes."

"I'll be there if it kills me."

***A/N: Surprise next chapter***