First comes love.
Then comes marriage.
Then comes a-
Unfortunately, life is not a checklist, and there's no white picket fences and baby carriages. After a failed long and stable relationship, Arryn Rivera tries her hand at online dating and gets mo...
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Arryn sat in her car, unable to move. Pregnant. She was due on February 18th. Maybe it'll come on Valentine's. There'd been such excitement in the doctor's voice, Arryn couldn't help but feel it too.
As it turned out, women often bled when the egg attached to the uterus wall and mistook it for their period. Then there was the undying thirst she'd had for weeks. It all made sense once the doctor explained that sometimes thirst was the first symptom. Crazy. She finished her water and ran her hand across her belly. A baby. My baby. Rhys' baby. Tears came in torrents, and this time, there was no doubt why. Joy bubbled in her chest, and she couldn't remember when she'd ever felt so—happy.
She unscrewed the lid on her water bottle and took a long slow drink. Her stomach churned. There were people to tell, and sharing the news made her anxious. Who first? Not Mother. Arryn wanted her at the bottom of the list. She didn't want Mom putting a damper on the euphoria. Darcy? No. Save her for last. Mom moved up a notch.
She couldn't wait to see Papi and Abuelito's faces light up. They'd be thrilled. She wanted to tell them, but not today. She could save the news until the next food delivery. What would they want to be called? There was plenty of time to choose a name. She had other pressing matters.
A crib. Car seat. High chair. She'd have to make a list. Pulling herself together, she drove down the street to Baby Bella Boutique and found a parking space nearby. She jumped out of the car and walked into the shop with a bounce in her step.
Every female in the place looked to be in a different stage of pregnancy. Surprised by the number of men in the store, and how happy they acted, she wondered if Rhys would be attentive. She shook the notion away before it sullied her mood.
A young blue-eyed woman approached. "Shopping for a gift or yourself?"
Arryn smiled. "Myself. It's my first, and I don't have a clue where to start."
She nodded sympathetically. "I can help you. We have a list of everything you'll need during the first twelve months. Do you plan to bottle or breastfeed?"
Arryn's eyes went wide. In her mind, she'd not gotten past dressing and rocking the baby. "Uh—breastfeed, I guess."
The girl wheeled around, headed toward the counter, and spoke over her shoulder. "Let me get you the list that includes a pump and nursing bras."
Arryn followed, her gaze flitting past pink ruffles and bonnets. She stopped short at a display of plush animals and picked up a teddy bear so soft she wanted to bury her face in it. The bunny she'd had as a child came to mind, and how she'd wagged it everywhere until it became so tattered and worn, her mother took it away. She'd cried for days, but Mom had said Kindergartners were too old for stuffed toys. A week later, Papi bought her a new one, but it never felt the same.
Funny. She'd not thought of that in years. She replaced the bear and picked up a caramel-colored rabbit with floppy ears, big brown eyes, and a pink bow. She hugged it to her chest and imagined her baby loving it as much as she'd loved Cinnabun. She looked at the tag. Ms. Pretzels. That was a good name. Her kid could make up their own name later on if they wanted.
