I stopped myself from finding something to pick up and throw at him.
Hap dropped his head and looked at his feet.
“Fuck,” Sam repeated, still whispering.
“Go after her,” I whispered to a Hap who couldn’t hear me but I didn’t care. “Go, go, go, go, go after her,” I kept whispering, ending by doing it fiercely.
Hap didn’t move.
Not for awhile.
Then he lifted his head and stared at where Luci last was seen.
That was when my breath started coming fast.
Then he started walking that way.
I pressed my lips together and locked my body to stop myself from jumping up and down and shouting with glee.
“Fuck,” Sam whispered again.
Hap disappeared around the house.
I turned to my husband and lifted my finger to his face.
“Whatever comes of this, you’ll accept it,” I ordered.
His hand shot up, his fingers wrapping around my entire hand including the finger I was wagging in his face and he pulled it down and pressed it to his chest.
He studied me. I glared at him.
Then his lips twitched and he muttered, “Bossy.”
There it was. He was giving in. For me and for his friends.
Thank you, God.
I grinned and leaned into him.
Then I made a decision so I leaned further into him and wrapped my arm around his waist. He let my hand go so he could wrap both his arms around me. My freed hand went up to curl around his neck.
Then I said, “Right, so, drama which could mean good or bad things to the Cooper Household. We won’t know until that plays out.” I jerked my head back to indicate the walkway. “So, now, you want something that could only mean good things to the Cooper Household?”
Sam’s brows drew together.
“Baby, seriously? You’re askin’ that shit?”
I grinned and decided, “I’ll take that as a yes.”
“After bad drama, good drama or uncertain drama, I’m all for learnin’ anything that means good things for the Cooper Household,” he pointed out the obvious making it clear he was irritated yet amused he was pointing out the obvious.
“Right then, I’m pregnant.”
Yes, that’s what I said and that’s how I said it. I just blurted it out.
Sam’s body froze solid and he simply stared at me.
I kept blurting.
“I know we haven’t been trying long,” and this was true, we’d been trying for six weeks but “trying” in Sam World meant he expended a lot of effort, not that I was complaining, “but either you have strong swimmers or my womb is exceptionally welcoming or both because the deed is done. I took three pregnancy tests then the doctor confirmed it. And, I will tell you now, if it’s not a boy, I’m gonna be pissed. I’m sure I’ll be happy with a girl if that’s what she is when she gets here. But right now, I want a boy you can teach how to play football and Memphis and I can sit on the deck and watch you two toss the ball around on the beach.”
Sam remained unmoving and staring at me.
I kept babbling.
“The one after this can be a girl,” I allowed.
Sam continued to stand there, immobile and staring at me.
“Hello, Sampson Cooper?” I called. “Your wife, Kia Cooper is talking to you.”
Sam moved then. He let me go, grabbed my hand and dragged me to the deck.
Then Sam stopped us both and shouted, “Yo! Attention!” Everyone, family, coaches, Skip and the boys who were not on the beach looked at Sam. And Sam, just like Sam, didn’t hesitate to share private news very publicly and he did this by announcing, “Kia’s havin’ my baby.”
“Ohmigod!” I heard Maris screech.
She could say that again.
Jeez, my husband.
“Oh, my sweet baby!” I heard Mom screech.
“Well, all right!” I heard Skip shout.
Dad just stared at me, head tipped to the side, mouth smiling, eyes dancing. Happy.
The boys and coaches hooted and clapped.
Sam let my hand go, curled an arm around my shoulders then he curled me into him and his other arm locked around me. I tipped my head back, smiling at him but when I saw his face, my smile died.
My husband was beautiful. My husband was gentle, protective and loving. My husband was funny but he thought I was funnier. My husband gave me everything.
And I returned the gesture.
But until that moment I didn’t realize I had more to give.
Nor did I know when I gave it, how he would feel.
But I knew looking in his eyes.
I knew it because I felt it in me.
We thought we already had heaven.
We didn’t.
Now we did.
Then he bent his head and kissed me, hard, wet, deep, thorough and long. He did it through more cheering, more hoots, some of his boys shouting lurid encouragement and a loud, ongoing ovation.
I didn’t really hear it.
Neither did he.
Yes, it was that good of a kiss.
Then again, with Sam, it always was.
No matter how many he gave me.
And I knew they always would be.
*