The Baby Pact

Chapter Fourteen

13 Weeks, January 2nd

In just three days I'll be fourteen weeks, but more importantly, I am officially seventeen. One year away from being eighteen, legal, and an adult.

Last week we had gone to Sophie from the support groups baby shower, us bringing her many gifts for her new baby boy she'll be having just in a couple of weeks. It was a blast and we ended up staying pretty late.

And yesterday was another day at the support group, everyone celebrating the new year together.

Yesterday and the day before were New Years, another party being thrown and all of the kids friends coming over once again. Except Rose didn't invite Lauryl, and Jessica had only showed up for about an hour before taking the hint she wasn't welcome here.

John had been deployed once again, and had left just a few days after Christmas. I felt sad at the thought that he wasn't around, but everyone else seemed used to it as things were easily normal after he left.

We played with sparklers and watched fireworks and watched the countdown on the television before screaming "happy new year" and popping every little thing we had.

We had shared many hugs and laughed while Rose and I watched all the intoxicated adults around us.

Lauri and the twins even took to setting up the wooden dance floor they had bought for Christmas in the loft.

I ignore the fact that I tried to throw a turn and failed miserably.

We went to the backyard to watch a set of fireworks blasting off from somewhere, the air buzzing with excitement.

And later that night, Landon had stolen me away from everyone to get his midnight kiss. My belly had bumped into him, making our kisses a little bit more difficult than expected.

The night had been amazing.

So now I wake up, the sun shining a little bit through the clouds and into the room. I look out the window after getting out of bed, seeing the ground still heavily filled with snow.

I glance back towards the bed and scrunch my eyebrows when I see Rose is gone, wondering why I hadn't realized that sooner.

I knock on the bathroom door, but when I hear no response I open it to find no one there.

Where did she go?

I open the door to the hallway and peer down it both ways. Maybe everyone else is still asleep?

I walk over to Landon's bedroom and knock, opening the door to see him gone.

Where the frick frack...?

Then I hear a sound that sounds like pots hitting a counter top or something, so I begin to make my way downstairs. They've already started breakfast without me...

I finally make it down the stairs and into the living room, but before I even make it to the archway of the kitchen a loud pop goes off and soon I'm covered in confetti.

"Surprise!" I hear a chorus of yells and open my eyes to see Landon, Rose, Rowan and Liam standing there with wide eyes and now empty small cannons of confetti.

They all wrap me in a hug and wish me a happy birthday, shoving me towards the kitchen where I see Lauri placing a big plate of pancakes in front of me.

"Happy birthday sweetheart," she says and kisses my forehead lightly.

I smile and thank them all, before pouring a shit ton of syrup all over my pancakes and digging in, everyone else sitting around the table with me, now eating pancakes as well.