Me? I have a beer in my hand just listening to the therapeutic sounds of my wife and babies mooching about our home. This is heaven. This is Ava’s cloud nine. This is where I am supposed to be, and once again, the Fates have brought me here. I want to argue with them this time, though. Ask them why I can’t have John here, too. But that would be wasted breath. And John would say something along the lines of ‘Get a fucking grip, you stupid motherfucker.’
I smile, breathing back my unrelenting sadness. Sadness I know he’d be furious at me for spending too much time on. John can go fuck himself. I actually laugh out loud at my bravery for even thinking it. I would never have said that to him if he were standing here before me. Yet I wish I could. I wish I could curse his arse off to his face, and I would welcome the thump to my jaw from his big hard fist.
‘What’s so funny?’ Ava swishes the spray from the hose over the flower beds, eyeing me with a curious smile.
‘Just thinking.’ I push myself to my feet and wander across the lawn to her, my gaze taking constant up-and-down trips over her beautiful form. God love her, she looks fit to burst. We’re nearly two weeks overdue now, with no signs of baby making an appearance. I reach her and push my chest into her back, circling her tummy with my arms. My hands meet on the front of her pregnant belly with ease, though I still tease her. ‘Only just.’ I smile into her neck when she thrusts her bottom into my groin. ‘Don’t do silly things like that.’ Closeness to this woman always stirs my cock, but contact renders it concrete. That’ll never change.
‘Why, Mr Ward, there’s something poking into my back.’ She chuckles as she continues to drench the flower beds.
‘Maybe I could fuck this baby out of you,’ I muse, thoughtful. ‘You’ve made it too comfortable in there.’
‘We’ve had sex twice a day every day for the past two weeks. Not even your penis coming at it head-on is making it want to come out of hiding.’ Dropping the hose as I laugh, she turns in my arms, her belly now wedged between us. I look down fondly. Yes, she’s certainly carrying big, but nothing in comparison to when she was expecting the twins. Laying my palms on the top, I stroke and feel, my heart swelling with happiness when the baby kicks against my right hand.
‘He’s having a party in there. Clearly he’s got his dad’s talented dance moves.’
Ava’s hands land over mine, and we feel together. ‘You keep saying he. We don’t know what the sex of Peanut Junior is yet.’
‘It’s a boy,’ I assure her. It has to be. I’ve managed to hold on to my hair for this long. A girl might change that. ‘Jacob and I can’t be outnumbered.’
‘But Maddie and I can?’
‘You two have enough spunk between you for us to have ten more boys and still be out-spunked.’ I shift my hands and take hers, bringing them to my mouth and kissing each knuckle in turn, each and every one. She’s beaming at me, her smile so strong with happiness I feel it warm my face. ‘It’s a boy,’ I affirm.
‘Whatever you say, my Lord.’ She turns away from me and brings my hands back around her tummy, holding them there as she starts waddling across the grass. I follow her steps, my chin resting atop her head. ‘Let’s mooch.’
‘Mooch away,’ I reply, letting her lead the way to the bottom of the lawn where we pick up the gravel path through the flower beds that leads to the bench swing hidden at the bottom of the garden. The air is cool, but not quite cold, yet the sun could be blazing down from the sky. I’m toasty warm, contented, calm and serene. And all of that is being absorbed by my wife.
A beautiful air of peace has surrounded her throughout this pregnancy. I’ve admired it daily as I’ve watched her, whether at home or at the club. She’s been back to work and I’ve made sure I’ve let her get on with it, though I’ve never been truly far. Just far enough for her not to feel crowded, but close enough to sate my need for constant contact, even if that contact is just my eyes looking at her.
This pregnancy has been an entirely different experience for me. I’ve not stressed, not faffed, not driven her up the wall with my neurotic worry. And she hasn’t played me or used that worry as a tool to wind me up. There has been no faking labour to send me into meltdown. Probably because she knows that this time there will be no meltdown. After all, I’m a pro now. I’ve got this.
As we walk, I notice her leaning back on me more and more, her body getting tired. ‘Rest?’
Her sigh is heavy. She’s truly fed up now, but as I’ve told her time and again, these things can’t be rushed. He’ll come when he’s ready. Helping her down onto the cushion on the bench, I take a seat beside her and push my feet into the ground, swinging us back and releasing. We rock smoothly, Ava’s head resting on my shoulder. ‘Kate’s bringing a vindaloo around later.’
‘Another?’ I relax back. ‘That baby will come out expecting a curry instead of your boob.’
She chuckles, and quickly flinches as she does, her hand going to her tummy and rubbing.
‘Okay?’ I ask softly, placing my hand over hers.
‘Just a twinge.’ Pulling her head from my shoulder, she gazes up at me. Her lips twitch, her eyes glimmer.
I know what’s running through that wonderful mind of hers. Though I humour her. ‘What’s tickled you?’
‘Fourteen years ago, you would have crapped your boxers at a twinge.’
I shrug, nonchalant. ‘We’re experts now. After the twins, this is a breeze, right?’
A sharp puff of laughter fans my face. ‘A breeze? Speak for yourself, Jesse. You’re not the one pushing what feels like—’
‘A flaming watermelon out of my fanny.’ I’ve heard her cute analogy a few hundred times. ‘I know.’ Turning into her, I pout playfully as I cup her boobs, circling my thumbs over her nipples until they pebble. ‘Tonight you’re going to let me ram my deprived cock inside that sweet pussy of yours and stretch it in preparation.’
Her grin is thrilling. And wanting. And lustful. That’s one of the few things that hasn’t been different this time around. Her unrelenting craving for all things me. Thank God, because that would be a tragic loss. ‘You’re so selfless.’
‘Anything for you, baby.’ I lean in over her belly and rest my lips on hers. The usual sparks of magic happen inside me, my heart thrumming wildly.
‘Deprived cock?’
‘Yes, deprived. Only a minute after leaving the snug warmth of that special place my dick feels lonely.’ It’s no lie. ‘You going to challenge me?’
‘Wouldn’t dream of it.’ Her smile lies on mine as my hands feel the delicious weight of her amazing boobs.
‘Besides, I have to take all I can get because you’re going to be out of service for a while.’
‘You poor thing.’
A rustling from beyond the bushes has me pulling away quickly, scanning the area. I cock my eyebrow at Ava, who indicates to the left with a nod of her head. ‘I can see you,’ I call, getting comfortable and rocking the bench again when I realise it’s stopped. Two heads pop out of the hedge, grinning. ‘Neither of you would make stealth ninjas.’
‘We were gonna jump out and scare you,’ Jacob declares, breaking free from the branches and twigs, pulling a few leaves from his blond mop. ‘We’re fed up of waiting for Peanut Junior.’ He offers Maddie a helping hand when her blouse gets caught up.
‘You’re fed up?’ Ava laughs. ‘Try carrying this thing around with you for nine months.’
‘Don’t be dramatic,’ I quip, patting the bench next to me for Maddie to come and sit. ‘It’s not been that big the whole time.’
Maddie giggles as she jumps onto the bench and snuggles into my side, Jacob taking the side next to Ava. ‘Dad, seriously. Do you want Mum to hurt you?’
‘She’d have to catch me first, and that ain’t happening when she’s in that condition.’ I put an arm around each of my girls, looking across to Jacob. His head is lying on Ava’s stomach, his ear pushed close.