A/N: Just 2 or 3 chapters to go now, folks. Glad to have a few of you still with me - thanks for those supportive reviews! :)
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)
Chapter 34
Wade stood back to check the paint job and shook his head. "I just figured you'd want pink is all."
"This is the twenty first century, Wade," Zoe reminded him, poking him in the bicep. "Girls do not automatically have to have pink. Besides, the pale yellow is nice. It's... sunny."
"Like we don't got enough sun in 'Bama without making the indoors look like the outdoors." Wade rolled his eyes, but he was smiling at her all the same. "You're my kinda crazy, sweetheart."
"Good, because I'm pretty sure you're stuck with me now," she said, reaching up as best she could for a kiss, relieved as anything when he leant down to meet her.
This far into her pregnancy, Zoe was having trouble moving around in general, and she sure as heck couldn't wear the high-heeled shoes she was such a fan of pre-pregnancy. It meant that people had to come to her for just about anything. It also meant that it was down to Wade to do things like decorating the baby's room. Not that he seemed to mind at all, and damn, did he ever look good doing it.
"Hey, this ain't a free show," he told her, catching her staring.
"Then you should really learn how to paint with a shirt on," she told him, even as her cheeks warmed from being caught out.
Before Wade could counter her comment in any way, Zoe felt a too-familiar pain pass around her middle that made her double over.
"Ugh, I hate when that happens," she said a few seconds later, straightening up and finding Wade right in front of her, looking more than a little concerned. "I'm fine," she promised.
"Yeah, I know," he confessed. "You told me enough times when this happened before. Still, ain't exactly fun seein' you in pain like that."
"Huh. Get used to it." Zoe laughed, though there was no humour in it. "Four weeks from now, it's going to be a lot worse. I am so not looking forward to that part," she admitted, allowing Wade to help her over to the rocking chair.
Zoe heaved a sigh of relief as she sat down comfortably at last. She knew the pains every now and then were nothing to worry about. It was just the usual tightening, a little Braxton Hicks or practise contractions as she had explained to Wade more than once. She knew Harley had talked to him about it too, but somehow, it was Earl that had really stopped him from panicking quite so much.
"I took your momma to the hospital at least a half-dozen times when she was expectin' Jesse," he had said. "Scared me half to death each and every time, and it was always a false alarm. By the time he actually started comin' on for real, I was cool as a cucumber, and we almost didn't make it to the doctor at all!"
"That a thoughtful expression or you gettin' more pain?" Wade checked then.
"Huh? Oh, just thoughtful," Zoe told him the moment she realised what he said. "I'm sorry, I was thinking about your dad and what he said about when your mom was expecting your brother. I know you and Jesse don't get along, and from what you told me I absolutely get why, but it's weird to me, that's all," she admitted. "I never had any siblings, but if I did... I don't know, I just can't imagine hardly talking to them or not seeing them for so long."
"Yeah, well," said Wade, barely a mutter as he turned away and back to his painting, even though he was mostly done and had very little to occupy him anymore. "If you had a brother like mine, you'd be happy enough not to have him around."
Zoe sighed. "He's still your family, Wade."
"No, he is not," Wade said firmly, turning around to face her again.
He didn't look mad exactly, just determined. Either way, Zoe didn't really want a fight, especially not now, preferably not ever. She was about to apologise for even bringing Jesse into the conversation when suddenly Wade was on his knees in front of her, taking her hands into his own.
"Zoe, I thought I made it pretty plain to you already, but here it is," he said, smiling up at her. "I have all the family I need right here," he promised. "I got you and this little princess on the way," he said, smiling at the large bump between them. "I got old Earl and I got Harley too. Now, sure, I would love to have my momma here, if for no other reason than to have her meet you and see how amazing you are, just like I do," he said, smiling yet, even as his voice got real soft with emotion. "But I sure as heck don't need my brother, nor anybody else around, to make me a family. Everybody is right here already, okay?"
Swallowing hard, Zoe nodded her head. "Okay," she agreed. "You know that's how I feel too, right?"
"I figured," Wade agreed easily, standing up to lean over and kiss her lips. "Now, you sit right there and rest yourself. I got a lot o' cleaning up to do before my shift at the Rammer Jammer. Lots of folks gonna be scrambling for their lunch and pick-me-up coffees before long."
"Ugh, I miss coffee so, so much!" Zoe complained as she watched him work. "I know it's bad for the baby and I even limited how much decaff I allow myself to have for her sake," she said, patting her pregnant belly, "but how unfair is it, when you're going through something that makes you super-tired, you have to give up the one thing that keeps you awake?"
"Sounds like a crappy deal to me, sweetheart," Wade sympathised.
"It really is," she agreed, yawning a very big yawn as she rocked gently in the rocking chair.
Zoe was pretty sure Wade said something else after that, maybe several other things, but she soon drifted off without really knowing what any of the words were.
"Zoe?" Harley called as he came in the front door.
"Right here!" she yelled back from the living room. "You need me out there?"
"Don't get up, sweetheart," he urged her, "I'll come to you."
As much as it was good for pregnant women to get some exercise where they could, Harley was wary of Zoe doing altogether too much. She had the can-do attitude that made her mother so attractive all those years ago, but Harley was determined that Zoe not overdo things and end up with either her or the baby (or both) suffering for it.
Putting his bag down, Harley wandered through to the living room, pulling off his tie as he went. He found Zoe sprawled in the armchair, her feet up on a stool, and a cool drink in her hand.
"Earl fixed me up before he left for his late shift," she said with a smile. "I have to say, being waited on by three guys who love me? Not always a bad thing."
Harley chuckled as he took a seat on the couch.
"Well, you need some pampering while you have the chance for it, Zoe. Soon enough, you'll have your own little person to run around after."
"I don't know whether I'm dreading it or looking forward to it," Zoe admitted. "I think it might be the weirdest combination of both."
"From what I've heard from many an expectant mother in my time, I'd say that's pretty normal," her father assured her. "Now, how've you been doing today?"
"I'm okay." Zoe shrugged. "Exhausted, aching, fat," she listed off grumpily, "but okay."
"I will accept exhausted and aching, but honey, you are not fat. You're pregnant, cultivating new life right there inside of you," Harley reminded her. "It's hardly the same thing, now is it?"
"I guess not," she agreed, rubbing a hand over her pregnant belly and finding a smile. "You know, I've been thinking about names again."
"Funny you should mention that," said Harley then, chuckling into his words. "I heard some talk in town. Reckon they're runnin' a book on what the little one might be called when the time comes."
"No way!" Zoe gasped. "That is so wrong!" she said, before considering. "Also, kind of flattering, I guess. I mean, they all care that much what my baby is going to be called? That must mean... well, does it make me a true Bluebellian?" she asked with a grin.
"I would say so, Zoe." Harley smiled back at her. "Of course, you should hear some of the names they're talkin' about. I reckon they're guessin' everything from Ava down to... well, Zoe, after yourself, of course. Delma said she thought you'd go modern, maybe something like Britney."
"Ugh, no." Zoe shook her head.
"Well, then there was Shula who thought maybe something more traditional, though she's thinking more Southern traditional than anything else, I guess. I do believe I overheard someone else trying to choose between Aura Lea and Bonnie Blue."
"Wow. Those are... choices," said Zoe diplomatically, highly aware that there was a very good chance Harley could have relatives or friends with those names himself. "Any more ideas?"
"I didn't hear too much of what was discussed," he admitted, "but I'd be willing to bet the guesses are wide and varied. Oh, I did hear one more," he recalled then, "but, uh, I don't know that you'll care for the reason."
"Try me," Zoe urged him, too curious to not hear about it now.
"Well, you know, of course, that some folks are just bound and determined to believe that Wade Kinsella is the baby's father?"
Zoe rolled her eyes. "I have tried to tell them."
"I know, sweetheart, but some folks are just stubborn. Anyhow, somebody thought maybe you'd name the little one for Wade's momma, Jacqueline."
"Huh. Well, it's not the worst idea ever," Zoe considered. "One thing I know for sure is this little girl is not being named Candice!" she said definitely. "Although, on the topic of names, I did want to talk to you, actually."
She hadn't absolutely planned to bring up the subject right now, but it seemed to have come around naturally and Zoe didn't see any reason to delay. Pulling herself up a little to face Harley head on, she cleared her throat and then opened her mouth to begin.
"Well, we may not have known each other too long, but I already know that face means somethin' real serious is comin'," said Harley with a look of his own.
"You're not wrong," Zoe admitted, smiling because she thought it was really cool that he already learned her expressions that way. "But it's not a bad serious. At least, I hope it's not. The fact is, well, when the baby comes along, she's going to have my last name, obviously. The problem with that is my last name is Hart, which kind of makes no sense. Ethan Hart stood in as my dad for a while when I was a kid, but he hasn't really been around in quite a while, and you're my real father, so..."
She trailed off then, hoping Harley understood where she was going with this, since she was pretty sure she was going to burst into tears if she had to continue. She watched for some kind of reaction and saw Harley rub a hand over his face. When she could properly see him again, she realised his eyes were filling with tears too.
"Zoe, sweetheart," he said softly, visibly swallowing hard before he could go on. "I can't... I can't hardly tell you what it would mean to me to have you and that grandchild of mine share my family name."
"Since we are your family, I thought it just made sense." Zoe shrugged, like it was no big deal, even though they both knew it absolutely was. "And I need you to know, it's not a gratitude thing, even though I am so, so grateful for everything you've done for me and are continuing to do for me," she explained. "It's not about paying you back or doing what I think you want, though I am glad you approve. It's for me and for her," she said, eyes dipping to her bump. "I just feel like we're supposed to be Wilkes."
Harley nodded his agreement, getting up to go over and hug her as best he could in her current state. Zoe hugged back, a couple of stray tears escaping from her eyes as she did so.
It was odd to think of the first time she walked into that very same room, just six months before, not knowing Harley at all, wondering what she was even doing in Bluebell. Now she was so sure that it was home, that Harley was her true family, that her life was meant to be here or at least very close by. Zoe Hart was supposed to be Zoe Wilkes, and so she would be.
To Be Continued...