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Now that the majority of the background information is taken care of, the major plot work will commence.
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Lizzie smiled as she tucked her hands inside her leather jacket. Miranda hoisted the small baby boy up higher onto her hip. The boy's cheeks were rosy from the autumn wind, hair was dark like his mom's, his wide brown eyes watched Lizzie with curious interest.
Lizzie tilted her head and let out a soft sigh. "I'm really sorry I didn't make it for when he was born."
Miranda let out a soft laugh, but Lizzie knew it wasn't a laugh saying that all was forgiven, underneath it all was the slight sting of being hurt. "It's all right. You can't control the weather, and a storm grounding planes is hardly reason for you to be apologizing. Besides, you and Gordo sent a wonderful gift."
You mean I did, Lizzie wanted to correct her. But she also couldn't ignore the sudden pang of emotion at hearing the familiar nickname for her husband. A nickname she'd given him when they were younger. A nickname she'd dropped after arrival in New York. Around the many circles they traveled in, Gordo just wasn't quite a name that flew. It lacked the sophistication that was demanded among the New York elite that they'd become. She'd stopped calling him it at premiers, then at after parties, then at small gatherings, and finally at home. The nickname she'd once thought suit him better than his own name had disappeared.
She pushed all the unpleasant thoughts out of her head as she reached her arms out for the tiny boy. "Hi there handsome," she cooed as Devon leaned over into her arms.
Miranda gently tugged his jacket down and shifted the weight of the diaper bag into the stroller instead of onto the handle.
Lizzie's eyes drifted over the store names until she saw a the name of a department store. "Let's go in here."
They browsed through the isles, Devon positioned firmly on Lizzie's hip as her hand skimmed the many fabrics. "Are you dressing him up for Halloween?"
Miranda smiled and nodded as her hand fondly caressed her son's head. "Yup, him gonna be mommy's little oinker, huh?"
Lizzie giggled as Miranda blew a raspberry on his cheek, then turned her attention towards a rack of autumn hued shirts. Her hand clutched around round as she smiled at Lizzie. "Could you watch him a minute while I try this on?"
Her free arm tickled Devon's belly as she laughed and nodded. "We'll look around here until Mommy's done, huh bud?"
Devon made a small gurgle and Lizzie grinned taking that for an agreement. Miranda disappeared into the dressing room, and Lizzie placed her hand on the bar of the stroller. "All right, babe, time for you to relax, and we'll go browse."
She lowered him down into the seat and slid the buckle into placed around his round little waist. "How's that? Comfy?"
Devon made a small squeal in reply as his fingers clutched a stuffed yellow toy Lizzie had tossed into his lap.
She pushed the stroller past racks of women's clothes. Devon suddenly let out a squeal and she hurried around the front of the stroller.
"What's wrong, baby?" She asked, her heart thumping in her chest.
Devon leaned to the opposite side of the stroller, trying to see around her. Taking the hint, Lizzie turned around also and saw a large bin of yellow stuffed ducks. She let out a small laugh of relief as she pushed the stroller towards the toys.
Her slender fingers selected a particularly soft looking duck and she knelt down. Devon's wide brown eyes searched the new object with some interest. Lizzie blew air past her lips as she tickled the duck up his arm, and Devon quickly realized that she wanted him to accept the duck. He wrapped his arms around it and grinned up at her as she stood up. She grinned when she realized that two tiny teeth dotted the bottom of his gums.
With Devon now content, Lizzie stood back up. Her attention was caught by a soft looking sleeper. The wheels of the stroller slid across the floor as she came closer and picked it up. It was tiny, probably for a newborn, but so soft. She could imagine how a baby would feel, wrapped in this sleeper, cradled in her arms. A soft smile tugged the corners of her lips.
"So, when can we expect one from you?" Miranda called, walking back over to them, the sweater was obviously a keeper as it was still draped around her arm.
Devon suddenly let out a loud yell as his small fist waved the duck.
Miranda turned her attention to her son as she worked quickly to retrieve his bottle form the diaper bag.
The faintest hint of a sparkled shined in Lizzie's eyes as she returned the sleeper to the rack. She turned away from it with a smile as she followed Miranda's called as they moved on to the next store.