Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 90290 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90290 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
“What are you doing here?”
“Noah called,” she tells me. “Mom’s parking the car.”
“I have to go in alone.”
Elle holds my hand. “I know, but we’ll be here, waiting.”
“Okay.” A tear forms in the corner of my eye. I dab at it and then sniff. “What if I fail?”
My sister squeezes my hand. “We’re Powells,” she says. “We don’t fail. Sometimes there are obstacles in our way, but we figure out how to move them out of our way so we can forge on.”
The door opens again and my mom walks in. I go to her, and we hug. The week she gave me my shots was hard for her and me.
“I’m sorry for being a brat these past couple of weeks.”
“I didn’t even notice,” she says as she rubs her hand down my arm. Mom looks around the room and then at me. “Where’s Noah?”
“Jacking off,” Elle blurts out as she’s flipping through a magazine.
“I swear you are not my child,” our mom mutters.
I’m used to her outbursts. I think she does it for shock factor. Our mom on the other hand—I think she wants to smack her youngest daughter upside her head and I’m not sure I’d step in the way. Besides, Elle’s tougher than me. I’d never say something like that in a public place.
Sometimes I wonder if my sister pushed me out first so she could be the baby and the protector at the same time. I should be the one protecting her, but it’s never been that way. Our roles reversed when our father died. We definitely had our favorites with mine being Mason and Elle’s being Katelyn’s. Then everything changed and I leaned on Liam and mostly Noah. I became his shadow, and he let me, never pushing me away.
We sit down, with me in the middle. Mom keeps a hold of my hand. It’s comforting knowing she’s here. I do wish Noah, her, or my sister could come into the appointment room with me, but they won’t allow that. I wonder if I tell them I’m afraid of needles and have anxiety, they’ll make an exception. Or drop my dad’s name. Every now and again I want to say, “Don’t you know who I am?” Just to see their reaction. Elle’s done it and people cave to her.
I should try it.
When Noah comes out of his room looking pleased with himself—I really want to strangle him right now—he kisses my mom on her cheek and kicks Elle’s foot as he passes by her.
“Jerk,” she says to him.
Noah sits on my sister and then reaches for my hand. The sly grin on his face makes me laugh. Elle squirms under him. She pinches his sides and tries to push him off her. But Noah’s muscular. He’s used to being tackled, although far too much this past season for my liking. However, defense isn’t my responsibility and it’s not like I can show some two hundred pound plus line man how to block.
“Noah.” I say his name in that mom tone our mothers have used so many times throughout our lives. I suppose this is good practice for when our little one comes. Or if we have a second. One would think by now, between Noah and Elle’s antics, I have the “mom” voice down pat.
“What?” He puts his hands up.
“You’re hurting her.”
He sighs and turns to look at her. “Am I hurting you?”
“Yes, now get off me you big lug.” Elle gives him one good push that I know wouldn’t do anything if Noah didn’t help her. He stands and faces her.
“Can you move one seat down?” he points in the direction he wants her to move. “I’d like to sit next to my wife and be with her before she goes in for the procedure.”
Elle, being Elle, sticks her tongue out at my husband, but does move. Noah sits and wraps his arm around my shoulder, kissing the top of my head. “My guys are ready,” he tells me. “They’ve been waiting for this moment for a loooong time. This is their time to shine. They won’t let you down.”
“I know they won’t.”
It’s not his sperm I worry about.
Dakota, the nurse we met before, comes out and all of us women hold our breath, waiting to hear if it’s our turn. The only ones here this early are either having eggs retrieved or they’re getting their embryos. I hope and pray I’m back here in five days.
“Peyton,” she says my name. We all stand as if we are all Peyton. At least I know they’re Team Baby Westbury.
Noah walks me. “Is there any chance I can go back with her? She’s deathly afraid of needles and I don’t want her under more pressure than she’s already under.”
“Yes, but you can’t stay during the procedure.”
“That’s fine.”