A Girl Expecting (A Girl Gone Crazy Series Book 8), page 1
A Girl Expecting
Becca Baldwin
Copyright © 2023 by W. Nelson
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permission requests, contact [include publisher/author contact info].
The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.
ASIN: B0C6FWHJBP
ISBN: 9798397814720 (Paperback)
Book Cover by GetCovers
Editing Services by W. Nelson Literary Services
Formatted with Atticus
Author's Note
Some places in this story have been created, omitted, or changed for storytelling purposes.
This book contains trigger warnings that may be upsetting to some. If this applies to you, please read with caution if you choose to do so.
Contents
1. Haley
2. Haley Two Weeks Later . . .
3. Joel
4. Haley
5. Haley
6. Haley
7. Ginny
8. Joel
9. Haley
10. Haley
11. Joel
12. Haley
13. Joel
14. Haley
15. Haley
16. Haley
17. Haley
18. Joel
19. Haley
20. Haley
21. Joel
22. Haley
23. Haley
24. Haley
25. Haley The Following Weekend
26. Haley Ethan's Wedding
27. Haley
28. Haley
29. Haley
30. Haley The Moment We've Been Waiting For . . .
31. Joel
32. Haley
33. Haley
34. Haley
35. Epilogue The Shower
Before You Go . . .
Also By
Acknowledgments
Contacts
About the Author
one
Haley
“Why are we at my mother’s?” I asked my husband as we pulled up alongside the curb where Mom and Merv lived. Dozens of familiar cars were parked around us and even though I was still inside our car, I could hear the uproar of laughter coming from those packed like sardines inside.
“Your mother invited us to dinner, Haley,” Joel said as he took hold of my hand and gave it a squeeze. “It’s Sunday night. Family dinner night. We do this every week, remember?”
“Oh yeah. I guess I forgot.”
We ate at my parents' house once a week. Somehow, in the rush of excitement from learning I was pregnant, I’d forgotten. Did pregnancy brain happen this early? I gave it a long hard thought before something else demanded my attention.
“You didn’t tell her our news, did you? I mean, she’s suspected it and I swore Ginny to silence by threatening her with you never making those goat cheese and fig jam crostinis again. This isn’t about our wonderful news, is it? Because I don’t know if I’m ready for my family to know. I’m not ready for all that attention.”
My hand went to my stomach where the life we created was currently baking. I soothed my hand over the growing curve. Joel’s hand came to cover mine. His fingers threaded together as he tenderly grasped and lifted my chin so my eyes met his soft, warm amber ones.
“We don’t have to tell anyone,” he reassured me before brushing his lips across mine. “And you don’t have to worry. I didn’t tell your mother. I haven’t even told Pop or any of my sisters. I wouldn’t do that without talking to you first. I think this is just Ada wanting everyone together like she always does.”
“Joel, that is Pop’s van and that’s Kelly’s car. Why would they be here if there wasn’t going to be some sort of announcement?” I pointed out the familiar vehicles his stepfather and his sister drove.
“When I spoke to her on Friday, she said something about wanting to share some news concerning Dennis and Jo.” Our hands remained clasped over my growing stomach as he spoke. “I suspect she might be pregnant again because she’s been so moody lately. Just like she was when she was expecting the twins. Maybe that’s what this is all about?”
We all remembered Jo’s turbulent mood swings when she was pregnant. Mercurial doesn’t even begin to describe how she was. It was so bad that the only one who could stand to be around her was her husband. God, I hoped I wasn’t like that. The thought of being alone during my pregnancy sent an icy trail creeping down my back.
“Maybe so,” I frowned. “I just feel like it’s something more. Mom’s sneaky like that. She’s always got something up her sleeve.”
“Well, we won’t know until we go inside, will we?” Raising our clasped hands to his mouth, Joel kissed the back of mine before getting out and coming around to open the door for me. With Joel carrying his signature tiramisu in his hands, we made our way to the front door. With each step, I hoped that tonight was just about the celebration of family and not the announcement of something I wasn’t ready to share. If I knew now what I’d soon know in the future, I would have stayed home.
Dinner itself went by without a hitch. Due to the increasing lack of space at the table, Mom and Merv had recently begun a home expansion. They were increasing the size of the dining room to accommodate the entire O’Brien and Alexander clans, and were adding a man cave for Merv. With the dining room off limits and its furniture in storage, several folding tables and numerous chairs were set up across the living room. Joel and I struck out by being seated with my parents and little Jonathan who refused to eat unless he was seated next to his Gumpa Merb.
Mom had gone all out tonight and cooked a recipe straight from her mother’s kitchen. The pork roast she’d made had been seasoned with a mixture of parsley, allspice, black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, and coriander and slow-cooked in a red wine-puréed prune reduction along with sliced shallots. The balance between sweet and savory and spice left me salivating with each bite. It had been ages since she’d made this, primarily because the man who raised me, Frank, hated prunes. Merv, however, loved them.
“Darling,” he said to my mother with a dreamy, satisfied look on his face. “I think this is my most favorite thing you’ve ever made.” Mom blushed and thanked him while he gave her a brief, yet scorching kiss that made me want to revisit my dinner. Somehow, I managed to keep it down.
Conversation between the tables remained pleasant. A lot of jokes were tossed out in between bites. Family stories were shared. Nothing was said that would indicate that tonight was going to end in disaster. I grew so complacent that by the time arrived to serve Joel’s tiramisu and sip on Uncle Antonio’s favored Barolo, I did not see what was coming.
“Everyone,” Mom called out as she clinked her wine glass and got to her feet. “I’m sure you all know how special Sunday dinners are, but I am not sure if you all know that this Sunday dinner is far more so than all the others.”
Oh no. My brain immediately repeated the words over and over as I listened to the verbal stream that flowed from out of my mother’s mouth. This woman better not be doing what I think she’s doing. As if sensing my thoughts, Joel grasped my hand and threaded his fingers through mine before giving it a gentle squeeze.
“It’s okay, Haley. I heard her talking with Ginny and Jo earlier. The news tonight has nothing to do with us.” He brought my hand up to my lips for the umpteenth time with the hope that it would set me at ease. It did. Partially.
“Ada, what is this news?” Pop spoke up from where he sat with Jo, Dennis, and Kelly.
“Jo and Dennis have given me permission to announce that they’re expecting again!” Mom all but screamed. “And Robbie and Shelly are expecting again, as are Ginny and Matthew. And all of them are due in about five months or so!” Her emerald eyes were practically glowing. I glanced over to see my sister gaze at her husband with a look of pure love on her face. I didn’t have time to enjoy the warm, fuzzy feeling it created though because unfortunately, my mother was not done.
“And I have long suspected that our Haley is expecting too!” Mom clapped and nearly went off into a delighted tizzy. “Oh, my! I’m so happy! This is one of the greatest nights of my life!” My mother clapped, tears streaming down her face. “I don’t get just one or two or three new grandbabies, I get four! Maybe even five if Dennis and Jo have twins again.”
I happened to look over at Dennis who turned ashen white. I suppressed a giggle as I imagined him and Jo going through everything twins one more time. It had been a battle of survival. One he and Jo were barely winning. Seeing him blanch gave me a much needed momentary distraction from being called out.
“Ada, please don’t curse them like that,” Merv said sweetly as he slid his arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. “You know what a handful those twins are.”
“Don’t you want them to be happy?” Mom asked, her face tight with an emotion I couldn’t quite read. Merv squeezed her again and dropped a kiss upon her temple.
“Of course, I want them to be happy. But I also don’t want to wish them more than they can ha
Mom internalized what he said before giving us a single nod. “That I do, Mervin, and trust me, it wasn’t easy. Especially when these two started walking and grabbing everything, I thought I was headed straight for the asylum.” My parents shared a laugh, but I didn’t miss the bittersweet undertone laced through it.
For a second, I saw pain flash in my mother’s eyes. Pain from that while she was married to the man I’d always believed to be my father, she basically raised us by herself. Frank O’Brien had been a selfish man most of the time. He’d constantly made foolish decisions, resulting in Merv having to step in and clean up his messes. That included Merv helping Mom with us, even though at the time we all believed that they couldn’t stand one another. To know that he always had her back, supporting her, taking care of all of us, even when none of us could reason why, filled me with gratitude that I had him in my life. After all, Merv was the kind of man who’d raised his best friend’s children as his own, despite being stuck in a loveless marriage to a hateful, murderous shrew.
“Merv, I think we’re going to go,” Joel announced suddenly as his arm slipped about my waist. My intuitive husband had sensed that I was quickly growing tired and that even though I was having a good time, I wanted to lay down and lose myself in the comfort of our bed and his arms.
“Not before you tell us whether or not you have some news?” My mom demanded. I looked at Joel. I saw in his eyes that this was my call. If I wanted to announce it, it was up to me and he’d support whatever I decided. I was not ready to share the news of my pregnancy with the world. I’d wanted to hold on to it and nurture it with Joel for a few more weeks before telling everyone.
“Haley, sweetheart,” Mom said as she practically hopped back and forth between feet. Her excitement had her at near-stroke level. I knew if I left without saying something, even though I really didn’t want to, she just might have that stroke.
“Joel and I do have some news, but we’re not ready to discuss that with anyone yet,” I replied, much to my mother’s disappointment. Seeing the gleam of her eye grow dull, I said, “But when we are ready, you’ll be the first to know.” Minutes later, we’d said our goodbyes and Joel and I were headed home.
“You look tired, sweetness,” Joel observed. He’d been holding my hand and brought it to his lips before dropping a kiss upon its back.
“I am.” I blew out a raspberry that showed just how tired I was. Pregnancy sucked in the way that you had absolutely no energy to start with. Combine that with the fact that my family could be, well, exhausting, I was running on a completely empty tank.
“Building a kid is hard,” I tried to joke. It got me another kiss and my hand resting comfortably upon Joel’s thigh, close to his cock. “I’m just barely in the second trimester and still have one to go!” I cried suddenly as the thought of the coming weeks and months loomed like a storm cloud overhead.
To his credit, Joel said nothing. No words of reassurance or promises that it was going to be okay because he knew that wasn’t what I needed right now. I just needed him to listen. To hold my hand. To assure me that we were in this together.
“I know I’m supposed to be brimming with joy, and I am. It’s just, it’s so daunting, Joel.”
“You don’t have to face it alone, sweetness.” Joel kissed my hand again. “You and I and this baby are a team. We’re all in this together, no matter what.”
Could I love this man more than I did? I didn’t think it was possible a second ago, but boy was I wrong. I loved this man more and more with each passing minute, especially when he said sweet things like that.
“I know I should tell them,” I finally said after a brief lull in our conversation. “I… I just don’t want the big fuss. I don’t think I can handle the attention right now.”
“Then why don’t we throw the party?” My adorable husband offered as he blessed me with another kiss to the back of my hand. “If we throw the party, we control the narrative and how the announcement is made.”
“I just know that Mom is going to make a big deal about it,” I said. If I was honest, it felt like I wasn’t allowed to get excited. To get caught up in the excitement and the joy that comes with the announcement of a new baby.
“I can hear you thinking over there.” Joel squeezed my fingers. “Believing you don’t deserve to be happy or to be the center of attention is something you left in the past. You’re allowed to be happy, my darling. You’re allowed to feel and experience joy. And most of all, you’re allowed to let your family make a big fuss over you. You deserve all the happiness in the world and our baby deserves to be celebrated.”
“Would you mind helping me plan it?” I asked. I wasn’t that great at throwing parties or putting on get-togethers. I usually left that up to my superhero assistant Bridget or the man sitting next to me.
“Of course, I will.” Joel brought my hand up to his lips for the umpteenth time. “I’ll help make sure it stays as low-key as you want and that no one spins out of control.”
I believed Joel with every fiber of my being. However, despite that trust and belief, I knew my family all too well. The likelihood of me being eclipsed during my own pregnancy announcement was high. I just hoped that for once, things went my way and that Joel, me, and our little ones wouldn’t end up as an afterthought. Fortunately, I had no reason to worry.
two
Haley
Two Weeks Later . . .
Our home was festive. Warm, cozy light filtered throughout the living room and kitchen. Flameless candles flickered across the mantles, shelves, and most non-essential flat surfaces while the heavenly scent of caramelized onion and toasted bread seasoned the air.
Everyone was here and so far, seemed to be having a good time. Laughter and conversations surrounded us. The children, for once, weren’t creating some type of havoc. Case in point: my nephew Jonathan. Mr. Mini Hell-on-Wheels had fallen asleep on the ride over and was currently passed out on our bed. His little sister, Rosie, cooed and gurgled as she was handed back and forth between all our female family members and friends. The rest, well, they were all in our newly built guest room watching the latest movie put out by the Mouse. Things were good. It scared me to think how good. Because that always made me feel like something was about to go very, very wrong.
“You really out did yourself,” Ginny gushed as she shoved another of her beloved fig crostinis in her mouth. It was her eighth of the night and definitely not her last. “Did you ever tell me why you were throwing this party?” She grinned at my husband and me like the cat who got the cream.
“Shh!” I hissed at her. “We haven’t made the announcement yet and I don’t want you giving it away before we do.”
My sister simply smiled as if she were the most innocent person upon this planet. “Then I guess one of you needs to ply me with more food. If I’m too busy chewing, I’m too busy to talk.”
With that, Joel let go of my waist and grabbed my sister by the shoulders. He gently guided Ginny’s ever-growing, pregnant self back over to the buffet he’d set up on our dining table. Overjoyed by the bounty before her, Ginny got to work stuffing whatever she could into her piehole.
“I swear, I’ve never seen someone eat like that before,” our brother Elliot said as he laid his arm over my shoulders and drew me in close.
“It’s disgusting,” our eldest brother Robbie joined in. “She’s like a human vacuum.” The three of us continued to watch Ginny inhale everything within close proximity. “Shell’s like that too,” Robbie offered again a minute later. “She wasn’t like that with Evangeline. She had a few cravings, but she wasn’t ravenous like Ginny is.”
“Maybe she’s carrying a boy?” I offered and saw the gleam of hope glow in Robbie’s eyes. If my brother was one thing, he was a great daddy to his little girl. He worshiped the ground that little angel walked on, gave her whatever she wanted, but somehow had managed to not raise a spoiled, bratty monster. Evangeline was a sweet little girl, except for when you pissed her off. The sweet-faced cherub had her father’s quick-to-flare temper.
