Avenger(22)
“It does when every place I stopped had already packed up their pumpkins, since it’s Halloween and all.” Caeden appeared in the doorway.
“Did you not get any?” I frowned, noting his empty hands.
“Oh, I did. I got big ones…and I did manage to find a small one for the baby. They’re in the kitchen.”
I clapped my hands together. “Let’s gut some pumpkins.”
“Dude, you married a weird one,” Nolan chuckled as he shook his head, his sandy hair falling in his eyes.
“I know, but I love her,” Caeden winked at me.
“Weird one is sitting right here,” I pointed at myself.
Caeden chuckled and his gaze flicked to the paused TV screen. “You guys are watching Lord of the Rings?”
“Yeah,” I shrugged. “I was in the mood for something different.”
Caeden shook his head. “Are we going to carve pumpkins or not?”
I hopped up—well, I got up as fast as I could which really wasn’t all that fast. “A pumpkin carving we go,” I saluted my husband as I passed him.
Since I was so weak, Caeden had to help me ‘gut’ my pumpkin, but once the top was off and the gunk was cleared out I started carving my design. I was no artist so I stuck with the simple design of a basic flower. I was happy with it until I saw Nolan’s.
“Whoa,” I gasped.
“You like it?” He asked with a grin.
I nodded. He’d carved the face of a tiger into the pumpkin and no detail had gone unnoticed. It was amazing and I couldn’t wait to see it lit up. “It’s incredible,” I told him.
“Geez,” Caeden glanced over, taking in Nolan’s design, “and here I thought my wolf was going to impress you.”
I snorted at Caeden’s pathetic attempt to carve a wolf. It looked more like a mammoth or something. There was nothing about it that was remotely wolf like.
“That’s…interesting,” I said so as not to hurt his feelings.
He dropped the knife and it clanged on the countertop. “That’s code for ‘it sucks,’” he shook his head.
“It doesn’t suck it just—”
“Sucks,” Nolan finished for me and I sent him a glare.
“No, it doesn’t,” I continued to glare at him. “It’s whimsical.”
“You don’t need to make me feel better, Soph. I’m a big boy. I can handle the truth,” Caeden sighed, frowning at his pumpkin. “I never was much good at carving pumpkins. I once threw one at Bryce’s head.”
I giggled. “And what happened?”
“It bounced off because his head is full of air,” he laughed, “and then my mom grounded me for two months.”
Nolan and I burst into laughter.
“I remember that!” Nolan chortled. “I came over the next day and your mom was so pissed she wouldn’t even let me in the house to give you your games back. She told me to keep them, because you were never allowed to do anything fun ever again.”
“She was mad for a few days,” Caeden continued to chuckle. “I don’t know why though. It didn’t hurt him. I’m not sure anything can hurt Bryce. He’s indestructible or something.”
“Maybe all those bad jokes he tells acts as a shield,” I wiped tears from my eyes. I hadn’t laughed like this in a very long time and it felt so, so good.
“They probably do,” Caeden agreed, “they’re pretty awful. Do you know what Lucinda told me?”
I shook my head.
“She caught Bryce taking a cupcake order and when he answered the phone, he said, “This is Bryce, thanks for calling Beaumont Sperm bank, you jack it we pack it.’”
“He. Didn’t.” I gasped.
“Oh, he did. She fired him for it.”
“When did this happen?” I questioned. I felt so out of the loop on everything.
Caeden’s brow furrowed as he thought. “About a week ago.”
I sighed. “I miss everything,” I grumbled.
“Aw, Soph,” Caeden reached over and rubbed my back, “that’s not true.”
“But it is,” I groaned. “You’re free to do whatever you want, go wherever you want, and see whoever you want. While I’m stuck here being an incubator.” I realized the harshness of my words and glanced down at my tiny bump. “Sorry, baby, mommy didn’t mean that.”
“I know it sucks for you,” Caeden reached for my hand, “but it’s what’s best for you and the baby right now.”
“I know,” I sighed. “But when we find out if it’s a boy or a girl you can’t stop me from shopping for baby clothes. It’s happening.”