Cresswell: The Lunar Chronicles

Chapter One Hundred and Thirty-Four

All to soon, summer started to come to a close. Kai and Cinder, and Iko, were the first to leave followed almost immediately by Winter and Jacin. All the sudden departures left Cress extra sad and while she blamed the extra emotions on being pregnant, it didn't make her crying any less embarrassing. At least Wolf and Scarlet were staying another week, Wolf insisting he and Carswell could put together the baby's crib and dresser, saving a bit of cost by having the company come out and do it.

"Are you sure? It looks pretty complicated," Scarlet said, hunched over the massive box that was delivered a few minutes ago. "Stars, what kind did you get?"

Cress shrugged, grinning sheepishly. "An iron one."

Scarlet's eyebrows shot up. "An iron one?"

"It's really cute!"

"It's really heavy," Carswell grunted as he and Wolf started to push it inside.

"I thought you said you'd been working out?" Scarlet asked.

Carswell shot her a glare.

"I'll make you guys some snacks!" Cress said, suddenly feeling guilty she'd gotten such heavy and complicated things. They were Iko's suggestions but she should have thought ahead a little bit and picked things that were easier to assemble.

To late now.

"Thanks," Carswell said, partially standing to give Cress a kiss.

Cress, grinning, started into the kitchen and reheated some of the left-over pizza from last night. Scarlet's homemade pizza! Aces Cress was really going to miss all her famous home cooked meals. Not that Cress didn't enjoy cookie, she just wasn't great at it. Yet.

Carswell and Wolf had gotten both the crib and the dresser into the baby's room by the time lunch was ready.

"I don't think it's going to be that difficult to put the crib together after all," Carswell said, sitting down at the bar.

"Oh good." Cress breathed a sigh of relief. She handed Carswell and Wolf their plates, pouring each of them a small dish of butter-garlic sauce and then getting some for her and Scarlet.

"The room's really coming together," Scarlet added. "Now all we need is a baby to put inside."

"I'm working on it," Cress said with a mock sob. She touched a hand to her ever growing stomach. Baby Thorne had been moving around a lot the past few weeks and she had even started responding to Carswell's voice. It was easily the most precious thing Cress had ever witnessed.

"Take your time," Wolf said a little more seriously. 

Cress shot him a smile.

Afterwards to short of a time, Scarlet and Wolf finally had to leave. Scarlet had enough andoirds on the farm to keep it running and out of danger but she was still hesitant to be gone to long. All summer was already to long, she kept saying.

"The house is so quiet now," Cress sighed after they'd gone. She wrapped her arm around Carswell's wait and leaned into him.

"I know. I don't like it."

"Scarlet left is a bunch of food, though. Frozen, so it won't go bad."

"That was nice of her."

Cress nodded.

Carswell pulled her toward the sofa and sank down, sighing dramatically. "Spades. Don't get me wrong, I love having everyone here, but I'm glad it's just us again."

Cress smiled to herself, leaning into him. "Me too."

Carswell wrapped an arm around her waist, resting his hand on her stomach. "She's getting big."

"Actually the doctor said she's measuring small."

"Oh really?"

Cress nodded. Since her little episode a month and a half ago, she'd been going to the doctors every week just to make sure everything was fine and normal. So far it was. Except that Baby Thorne was apparently small. Which, as long as she was healthy, Cress was fine with considering she actually had to give birth to said baby.

She reached for her tablet and pulled up her school schedule for the coming semester. Classes were supposed to start this coming Monday and as much as she wanted to go to in-person school again she knew with the arrival of No Name in November (hey, that would be a cute nickname; No-Name-November baby) it would be impossible.

Spades her due date was getting close. Less than three months away. At least her room was almost finished and Cress had been stocking up on the more expensive things like diapers and baby clothes and stuff. Actually that was Iko's idea so that when the baby actually came, Cress would have a solid two months of supplies already stocked up.

"I'm gonna go put my sweats on, it's getting cold," Cress said around a yawn.

Carswell kissed her, standing up when she did. He'd gotten a fire started by the time she came back down and they ended up falling asleep on the sofa. Though Carswell must have carried her upstairs at some point as she woke in the middle of the night to use the restroom and was in their bed.

"You okay?" Carswell asked, startling awake.

"Yeah, fine." Cress smiled reassuringly, climbing in beside him and snaking her arms around his waist.

"You sure?"

"Yep. Just had to pee."

Carswell adjusted the blankets over both of them, making sure Cress was good before settling back down beside her.