The Miner's Girl

Chapter 81

(((June 23, 2016)))

Nicole's POV

"I don't know when I'll be back, Mom." I said into my cellphone as I held it between my ear and my shoulder as I was cooking prime rib on the grill.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you can stay up there with Parker, but I also worry about you." Mom said.

"I'm fine. Parker doesn't let me do anything he thinks that I shouldn't." I assured her.

"It's good that he's taking care of you." Mom commented.

"Yeah, but I don't like being babied all the time. Parker and Rick act like I can't do anything because I'm pregnant. How do they think their food gets cooked and their clothes get washed? They're too protective. Especially Parker, good Lord. He's like you don't have to cook or clean or do anything. Just relax." I scoffed. "This is not the kinda place you can relax in. It's go go go."

"That just shows that he cares, honey." Mom said. "And you're obviously still doing all the things."

"Yeah." I replied. "Except for a few things."

"I wish you were here so we could work on the maternity book." Mom said.

"I know. We can work on it when I go back for my next appointment. I'll keep writing things down like I've been doing, and keep taking the weekly pictures. I actually think I'm starting to show a little!" I smiled.

"You don't look pregnant at all, honey. If you're starting to show, that's a great thing. It means I get more pictures!" Mom said.

I chuckled. "I'm only 14 weeks, Mom."

"Second trimester. I bet that little baby is growing."

I smiled. "I can't wait to find out if it's a boy or a girl."

"Me either!" Mom exclaimed. "I have a bet going with your dad that it's a girl. He thinks it's a boy."

I giggled. "I can't wait to show you all the ideas for the gender reveal. Hannah and I have been collaborating on Pinterest. There's so many ideas. We've been narrowing it down, though."

"What kind of gender reveal are you thinking?" Mom asked.

"Well," I sighed. "I really want to do like a country theme, but I don't know about that. I wish they're was like a mining theme."

"There's construction." Mom suggested.

"Eh." I pondered. "I'll have it figured out hopefully by the time I'm twenty weeks and I can go get the ultrasound. The only thing is, who's going to know the gender so they can fill whatever with the pink or blue?"

"I can do it." Mom quickly said.

"Mom." I chuckled. "Do you really think you can keep it a secret and not act like you know?"

"Good point." Mom replied.

"Maybe Rick or Chris. No, then they'd tell Parker. Maybe..." I groaned. "I don't know."

"We'll figure it out, honey. Don't stress about it."

"Nick." Parker's voice came over the radio.

"Hold on a sec, Mom. Parker's radioing me." I said as I muted the phone and set it down beside the grill before picking up the radio. "I'm here, babe."

"Come down to the new cut. It looks so cool down here. You'll love it." Parker said through the radio as I picked up the meat from the grill.

I picked the radio back up and said, "You're lucky I just got through grilling the meat."