problem child

Chapter 42

***
37 weeks. September 17th. Three weeks until I became a Mother. Actually, I guess I became a mother the day my kids were conceived, but it wouldn't feel real until I held them in my arms. Another thing that wasn't feeling real to me was the fact that we were in Indiana to visit my Daddy, and it felt so good! It was only Morgan and I, but still. Also, Morgan was the only one with me because he had a show in New York at Radio City and asked if he could meet me here before heading back to Nashville. The Tour was on a week break for an award show at the end of the week, which I was going to join them for on Friday. It was Wednesday.

"I'm making your favorite dinner tonight. Spaghetti and Meatballs" He says. I smiled. I was sitting at the bar, and he was at the stove. Just like we always did.

"That sounds great. The babies are hungry" I joke. He laughed.

"Thought of names?" He asks I shake my head.

"I'm not picking them. Elijah, Daisy, and Penelopi are. Devin promises Elijah, Ns I promised the girls" I say. He smiled at me, then his smiled faded.

"He's been gone six months now. Are you okay?" He asks. I sigh.

"I-I think about him every single day, but sometimes it hurts too much to know that he isn't here" I say. He gave me a sympathetic look.

"After your mom died, it was so hard to live life normally. I didn't even know what normal was anymore, but eventually I found a new normal" He says.

"My new normal seems to be touring" I say.

"Yes, but what's going to happen when you're not touring and when you're not with everyone all the time. When Morgan isn't there to make you laugh?" I smiled at the last comment, because Morgan was the one who made me laugh the most.

"I guess I haven't thought about that. I don't want to" I say. He nods.

"Think about it. Because, it's happening sooner rather than later" He says. I nod. "Speaking of Morgan, where is he?".

"He's still at his hotel" I say. He shakes his head.

"I still don't even know why he's staying there when he can stay here" He says.

"Because I don't want people to start saying stuff if someone happens to see him here" I say. He rolls his eyes.

"Who on earth is going to find you here?" He asks.

"You'd be surprised" I say. He just shook his head.

"Lainey, do you like the guy? Why are you so worried about people seeing you with him?" He asks.

"I-I don't like him, and I'm worried about people seeing us because the press like to spread stuff. I don't want that" I say.

"Yeah, right" He says..

"What?".

"Lainey, if it doesn't mean anything, you wouldn't care who sees" He says. I tried to defend myself, but he spoke up again. "Call him up for dinner". I sigh and do as he says while walking back upstairs to my room.

Morgan: what's up?

Lainey: tell me you like spaghetti.

Morgan: as long as you ain't making it.

Lainey: oh, shut up and come on over for dinner.

Morgan: be there in ten.

I hung up the phone and went back downstairs to help daddy cook. Have I mentioned that it was so good to be back home again?

Morgan arrived exactly 10 minutes later, and let himself in.

"Howdy, yall" He says.

"Any chance you can form meatballs better than my daughter?" Dad asks. I roll my eyes and Morgan laughs.

"Yes, sir" He says and begins to form a few in his hands.

"I hate you both" I say. "A lot".

"Oh, hush" Morgan says. I gave him an evil eye and continued to form my meatballs. He just laughed at me and went on doing what he was doing.

***
After dinner, I decided to go on a walk around my neighborhood. My doctor back jom recommended exercise for me being so close to my due date. Morgan came with me.

"This place is beautiful. Indy is great" He says.

"Yeah. I loved growing up here" I say. Our neighborhood sat up on a hill and when you walked the streets, you could see downtown.

"I'm glad I came here to visit" He says. I smiled at him and stopped to smile the sun setting in the distance.

"Like you said, stunning" I repeat quietly looking over at him. He stared at me with his soft blue eyes. I looked back to the view. Seconds later, I felt something gently brush my hands. I realized Morgan had grabbed my pinkie with his. I looked down at our hands and up to him.

"Stunning" He says softly one more time. I smiled back at him. In the moment, I never wanted this to end.

QOTC:what do you think about the hand holding? what is he doing? comment below! love yall!