It was the night before their 12-week appointment and Zack had the worst nightmare so far. He woke up crying at 3am. Maggie engulfed Zack into a hug as he kept sobbing into her chest. Maggie rocked them back and forth.
"Mama… Mama," Zack sobbed.
"I'm here baby, you're safe. You're okay." Maggie said as she noticed Zack wet the bed.
Zack's sobs slow to whimpers, "I've got you, I'm here, you're safe."
"Mama," Zack whispered. Maggie wiped Zack's eyes, "bad dream baby?"
Zack nodded.
"Do you want to tell me?"
Zack nuzzled into Maggie's chest, "the bad man was back."
"Oh baby he is locked away and will never, ever hurt you or anyone again. Do you wanna sleep with mommy and I tonight."
Zack nodded sleepily so Maggie changed him and carried him into their room. Alex stirred as she felt the bed dip.
"mmm, Mags," Alex opened her eyes and saw Zack.
"He had a bad dream." Alex nodded and moved to make space for Zack. Zack kept a tight hold on Maggie and refused to let go.
"Mama."
"Ssshhh, I've got you." Maggie said as she began to hum a song. Zack soon fell asleep.
"How bad was it?" Alex asked.
"It was pretty bad. He wet the bed. Do you think you can get me a change of clothes, Zack's grip is really tight. Alex got up and brought Maggie a change of clothes and helped her pry Zack off for a few seconds. He whined but stopped as soon as Maggie embraced him again.
"He's really clingy tonight."
"Thankfully he has his first therapy session tomorrow so hopefully they will get better soon."
"I'm getting a bit worried for him."
"I know babe me too but we should sleep, we have a big day coming up."
Zack woke up first needing to pee so he turned to Alex, "mommy, mommy I need the potty."
Alex put Zack on her hip and brought him to the toilet. Typically Zack can go by himself except for at night or when he is extra clingy. As Zack went Alex wiped her face still feeling groggy. After he went he walked up to Zack and looked at her confused.
"What's wrong baby?"
"Mommy you fat." Zack said pointing at Alex's stomach. Alex furred her eye rows and looked down. She gasped because the bump that was present wasn't there last night.
"Oh my god." Alex put her hands on her stomach and looked at herself in the mirror. She quickly helped Zack wash his hands then went back to bed to wake Maggie up.
"Mags, Mags wake up."
"mmm five more minutes."
Alex shook Maggie's shoulders as Zack said, "mama mommy is fat." That got Maggie's attention.
"Look babe," Alex pointed to the small but noticeable bump. Maggie looked at it in awe and covered it with her hands.
"Oh wow Alex. But how it wasn't there last night?"
"I don't know, I just popped I guess."
Maggie looked to Zack, "baby mommy's not fat, there is a baby in mommy's tummy."
"Really?" Zack said excitedly. Alex took Zack's hands and pulled them onto her stomach.
"Yea Zack you're ganna be a big brother."
"Big brother!" Zack said happily and kissed the bump. Alex teared up. After a miserable night seeing the happiness on Zack's face made waking up early all the more worth it. Alex and Maggie decided to bring Zack with them to the appointment, while Erin and Stacy went furniture shopping for their apartment they were moving into in a couple days. The appointment similar to the first except for the ultrasound.
"Okay are you ready to hear your baby's heart beat?" The doctor asked as they nodded with excitement.
Alex winced at the cold gel on her stomach then heard, "lub-dub-lub-dub-lub-dub."
"That's amazing, Zack that is your little brother or sister's heart beat." Maggie said as Zack starred at the screen.
"Can we have several copies to give to our family members."
"Of course." The doctor said then excused herself.
"How do you feel about a family dinner at noonan's tonight."
"Yeah but I'm probably going to need a nap before considering how early we were up this morning so how does 7pm sound."
"I'll text everyone." Maggie says as she gets a phone call from her aunt.
They dropped Zack off at daycare while Alex went to work and Maggie went to meet her aunt. Both of them had a boring day full of sitting at their desks and doing paper work.
Erin was finishing up on a Mazda CX-6 when the owner comes up, "hello." Erin turned around and was caught completely off guard. This gorgeous woman with short blond hair and piercing green eyes just said hi to her. In all her years she has never been this flustered.
"Uh hi, um is this your car."
"Yup it's one of my babies. I have a 2005 Ford GT at home in my garage."
"Wow I've always wanted to work on a 1977 Ford Bronco."
The lady was impressed. She held out her hand, "my names Jessica."
"Erin." They shook their hands and starred at each other until it got awkward. Erin cleared her throat and took her hand back immediately missing Jessica's touch.
"So your carburetors had to be replaced which was pretty simple." Erin said as they walked inside to the front desk.
The man behind the desk said, "boss the shipment just came in and needs you to sign this." Erin signed it, "can you put the copy in my office and then open the boxes and put them in the storage room."
"So you own this place?" Jessica said impressed.
Erin blushed, "yea, actually I've owned a shop for 20 years but I lived in Nebraska until recently. Learned everything I know from my dad and grandpa."
"That's sweet."
"What do you do?" Erin asked printing her receipt.
"I own a restaurant on 26st Street called Chaplins."
"I'm sorry but I don't know where that is, I've been so focused on opening my shop I haven't had time to explore the city."
Jessica smirked, "well maybe I could shop you around some time."
Erin was shocked, was she really just asked out by this woman.
"Uh yeah, that… that would be nice." Jessica signed her receipt, said good-bye and then walked out the store. Erin looked at the receipt to find Jessica's phone number on the bottom of it with a winky face. Erin had no idea what to do and Erin was panicking. How was she suppose to do this, was she suppose to text Jessica. Did she even like Jessica, how would she know.
Erin called Maggie:
"Sawyer."
"Hey Maggie would you be able to meet me for lunch or at the house?" Erin said nervously.
"Is everything okay. We just got out of our appointment and are dropping off Zack now. How about I meet you at noonan's for a coffee."
"Yea, okay, sounds good. Bye." Erin hangs up quick and books it out the door with the receipt in hand. As she walked to noonan's she couldn't stop thinking about Jessica and their quick interaction. Erin ordered their coffees and sat in an empty booth. Maggie walked up to her aunt and immediately began to worry.
"Aunt Erin is everything okay?" Maggie asked. When her aunt looked up Maggie immediately had an idea of what was going on in her aunts head. She had seen that look a thousand times, gay panic.
"Well something happened today and I'm not exactly sure what to do about it."
Maggie sat down and grabbed her coffee. Erin took out the receipt, looked at it and smiled before giving it to Maggie. Maggie looked at it and smirked.
"So how do you feel about this?" Maggie treaded lightly.
Erin fiddled with her fingers, "I don't really know. You know I never really dated in Nebraska. I was working on her car when she came up to me. I turned around," Erin began to blush, "and I couldn't form a sentence. We talked about cars and what we do. Maggie you should have seen her she was so pretty. She offered to show me around the city."
Maggie's eyebrows shot up but took the supportive role, "whatever you choose to do know that we will all stand behind you and it doesn't change how we think of you. You will always be aunt Erin, the person I owe the world to after what you did for me."
Erin's eyes were glistening, "thank you Maggie. I don't know what to do all I know is that I want to see her again. Does this mean I'm gay or bisexual because I've had a boyfriend. I always thought I was straight but now I don't know. We literally talked for like 10 minutes and she turned me to mush."
Maggie place her hand on Erin's forearm as a supportive gesture, "you don't need to label yourself and you certainly don't need to know right away. Hell it takes some people years to stand up and say something yet you waited merely minutes. Aunt Erin you have guts, almost as much as Alex."
Erin laughed, "I don't know about that but okay."
Maggie smiled, "why don't you take the rest of the day to think about it and if you feel comfortable then text her. You don't even have to say more then just hi it's Erin."
"But how will she know it's me."
"Trust me if it went how I imagine it did she won't be forgetting you for a while. If anything she could have issues getting you out of her head."
Erin blushed and ducked her head, "god this is so crazy. I take you in for being gay and here we are decades down the line in roles reversed."
They got up and Maggie hugged Erin, "I love you aunt Erin.