My LOVE is Forever (Book 4-1st Alternate Ending)

Part 46

November 21, Angel and I have just returned to my house after my doctor's appointment. With less than a month left before my due date, Angel continues to try to sway me to stay at their house after the baby's born. Matter of fact, that's the reason why she's followed me from the car to my back porch.

When I flop into the chair and struggle to get my feet up onto the table, Angel laughs at me.

"I'm so done being pregnant," I growl as I slump in the chair. "You go ahead and laugh at me now, Angel. Just you wait until May."

"It's really not that bad," she teases.

"You were, what? Twenty-two when you had Derik? So, you'll be...twenty-ninish when you deliver this one? I'm forty-five, Angel," I shake my head at the realization of that fact. "Word of advice, Kid, don't wait if you're going to have another."

"So it is that bad?"

"It's no circus," I mumble.

"But see, you don't look your age, or act your age," she pauses when I shoot her a look. "You know what I mean." Anyway, Prince would have been fifty-eight, he wasn't worried about starting a family late."

"He didn't have to worry about carrying around a bowling ball for a belly, or squeezing said bowling ball out of his hoo-ha!"

"He had a hoo-ha?" Angel taunts me.

I glare at her, "Don't push me, I'm hormonal," I tease.

"So am I," She sticks her tongue out.

"Point taken," I huff. It feels good to be able to complain about my discomfort sometimes, and I'm glad Angel allows me to on occasion. We fall quiet as we enjoy the fresh air on this unseasonably warm day.

That's another great thing about Tennessee, sometimes winter strolls in fashionable late around the end of December or the beginning of January. I'm hoping that the weather this year continues to hold out until after the baby is born. I shiver when I think back about the Minnesota winters.

Angel sees my shiver, "Are you cold?"

"No, I was just thinking about how cold it is in Minnesota right now," I say sadly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring Prince up in the conversation," Angel looks apologetically at me.

I shake my head as I twist my wedding rings on my finger, "It's okay, Angel. Not a day goes by that I don't think about him," I pat my belly, "and not for the obvious reasons." I sigh, "I hear his voice inside my head, I see his face in flashes in my mind." Tears well in my eyes, when I look at her and share something I hadn't shared with her before, "Sometimes, when I wake, I can almost feel him pressed against me in bed."

For sure I think Angel is going to react strangely, or even call me crazy, but instead her eyes fill with tears. Angel nods and takes a deep breath, "He'd be so proud of you. I'm proud of you. I mean, I've been through this before, being alone and pregnant. It was by choice, the guy..." she stops and rolls her eyes. "But you had no choice."

"Destiny and love doesn't always go hand in hand," I softly repeat the words I had just 'heard' in my head.

"That sounds like Prince," Angel laughs.

"It is," I sigh. "Okay, we need to stop this," I say matter of factually. I swing my legs off the table, "You need to go pick up Derik soon, and I need to touch base with Tyka."

"She still talking about coming down?" Angel asks.

"Yeah, she is," I smile. "I really would like for her to be here when her niece is born."

"That would be nice. Alright, I better go," Angel stands. "Dana, just think about staying with us after the baby, please," she puts her hands together as if she's praying.

I know the only way I'm going get her to let this go today, "I promise I'll think about it."

"Thank you," she grins and waves, "I'll see you Thursday. Don't forget that cheesecake," she yells before hopping into the car.

Once Angel's gone, I go in the house to call Tyka. I keep her informed of my appointment dates, so she's usually anxiously awaiting my call.

"There you are!" Tyka answers.

"Hey, how's it going?"

"Good. Cold, but good," Tyka laughs that signature laugh. "How was the appointment?"

I knew it wouldn't take long before she cut to the chase, "Redundant, but I guess that's good."

"It is," I can tell she's smiling. "So, three more weeks, right?"

"That's the plan, but it depends on this little girl. If she's anything like Prince or me, she's not going to wait that long," I laugh.

"Oh, jeez, you're right," Tyka says, followed by a moments silence. "I better make plans to come down soon. When is good for you?"

"Anytime, you just let me know. My next appointment is December 5, though."

I listen to her as she thinks out loud, I assume she's looking at a calendar, "Thanksgiving is Thursday, you said the fifth for your next appointment?"

"Yes," I confirm.

"And your due date is the nineteenth....so, I'll get some things squared away, I think it's safe to say I can be down by the tenth."

"Sounds great!" I say, but when Tyka asks for nearby hotels, I ask, "If it's just you, you can stay here, I have one of those raised air beds I can set up in the nursery."

"I might just take you up on that, I hate hotels," she laughs.

When I hang up with Tyka, I feel a sense of calm, like things are all coming together smoothly.

Since I'm already dressed, I decide to go purchase what I need to make the required Thanksgiving cheesecake. I grab my keys and head to the grocery store.