Disclaimer: If I owned it, I'd probably live in the country it's produced and filmed in, which I don't. At least not yet.
Lizzie's POVI have friends who planned their pregnancies. I have friends who are just as thrilled as they can possibly be for me. I just haven't got the "baby fever" yet. That's hard too, because I'm the one who's having the baby.
Edwin's thrilled. Casey's thrilled. I'm not sure Derek is thrilled per se, but after Edwin talked to him, he seemed pretty happy for us. Then of course, when we told the rest of the family, they were excited too.
Mom started putting together a bunch of my old favorite toys and security blankets and things, and then she actually called Abby (weird much?) to come help clean the garage and find Edwin's old stuff too. When we move into the house (Edwin made our down payment yesterday, it was very exciting), she's going to help us move in, and come stay with me for the first month after the baby is born.
When George found out about being a grandpa, he was so excited, and so cute. First he asked Edwin and I if we thought it was possible for us to move back to London so he and Mom could help out more. When we told him that really wasn't possible, he promised to send Mom out once a month, and said he'd try to be there sometimes too. We do plan to move back home someday, or at least to Toronto. Right now though, we have a great life here, and it's just not time.
Marti was funny. She said she wanted to have heard the announcement in person, so she could throw her arms around us. And then of course, every couple of weeks something hand knitted or sewn would arrive in the mail. When I told her I wanted to decorate the baby's room unconventionally, she asked me for a color scheme, and I've already received the crib clothes from her.
You'd think all their excitement would rub off on me, and on a superficial level, it sort of had. I put on a happy face, and everyone thought I was looking forward to it too. Well Edwin knows I'm not really ready for this. Being a mom is a huge responsibility, and I'm just not entirely sure I can handle it.
Then of course, I have days where I'm really not worried at all. When we went to close the deal on the house, I was walking through and when I came to the baby's room I was pretty psyched. I guess since this is where it was all going to happen, I started to really see it.
But then I'll see some mother in the park letting her kid run wild and free. And someone else's kid pushes her kid into a fountain, and then she yells at her kid for getting wet. I don't want that to happen to me. I'm positive I'm more compassionate than that, and I know I worry entirely way too much.
I don't know what's going to happen. All I know is that something's got to give. I can't keep up this worrying bit forever. My doctor even said so.
Casey's POV
When I was in high school, I used to have visions of Lizzie and I having lunch and talking about kids and all those things grown up sisters do together. I imagined us taking our families on vacation together. I have to admit, I'm kind of jealous. I have wanted what she has for a while now: a fiancé, a baby on the way, and I'm too gutless to approach the subject with Derek. Well its what I've always wanted, really, it's not a recent thing.
I mean if there's one thing he doesn't do its commitment. At least that's the idea I'm beginning to get.
Derek's POV
Casey and I fought yesterday. I'm not sure what we were even fighting about, which really, is usually how it works. We don't go at it like we used to when we were teenagers, but when it happens, I'm usually clueless as to what I've done. Even though I don't know what we were fighting about, I got the idea really quickly that what she was really upset about was not having the things Lizzie has.
I don't blame her. What she doesn't know is that when Ed and Liz get married next month, and they get fully moved into their house, I'm going to propose. Hopefully she can last until then. It's only a month, and I'm trying to keep her calm until then. I'd do it now, but I don't want Casey's excitement over being engaged to take away from Ed and Liz's big day.
What made me finally do it? Well, last month I overheard Lizzie and Edwin talking about us. Lizzie made the comment that she worried Casey would leave me. That got my attention real quick, and I listened more closely. Edwin wanted to know why she thought that. She said that she and Casey had been talking and that she thought I didn't really love her. She thought I was just comfortable. That was the catalyst. It hurt. I did love her. I was shocked to think she didn't know it. The thought of Casey leaving me was what I needed, I guess. That's when I realized I had better do it and do it soon.
I'm waiting until then even though I just got word last week that barring a move to the majors, I'm being traded to another minor league team. I had to say yes when they offered it to me. I'll get higher pay in a less expensive area, and I've got a ring to pay for, not to mention I'd like to help Dad and Nora with a large part of the wedding. And of course, Lizzie and Edwin are moving out, leaving us with all of the rent. It's going to mean moving though, obviously, and I'm kind of worried about how she will take that. It won't be until later this year, so I've got time to make arrangements.
I'd actually like to stay in the area. My brother and Lizzie are here, my soon-to-be niece or nephew is here, and I wouldn't doubt Marti might come stay in their guest bedroom for college next year. She mentioned it to me, actually. Naturally, one would expect my little rebellious sister to buck tradition, but surprisingly, she's not planning on it. She told me that after four years alone with our parents, she needed her siblings.
Edwin's POV
This afternoon, I'm graduating college. Lizzie graduates tomorrow. Next week I start my job fixing computers at a large company. Lizzie is already a lighting and sound technician. What that means is that she sets up and runs the light and sound cues for plays. The great thing about her job is that it consists of three to four hour evenings, four days a week, and lasts through the run of a show. Basically, she gets to choose whether to sign up for a show, so if she wants to spend time at home, when the show she is working on now is over, she can. I would never ask her to. In fact, she wouldn't even need to, because her job is evenings, and mine is daytime. But she says she wants to. It will probably be good for her. She's so worried about not being a good mother; maybe spending a lot of time with the baby will show her she'll be great. I know she will. But she needs to know it too.
Lizzie stirred next to me and upon fully waking and kissing me, asked, "Are you ready for this, Edwin?"
"Graduation? Ready as I'll ever be."
"Yeah, me too."
"Graduating, I'm ready for. Losing Derek and Casey, not so much."
"They're only going to be across town, Ed."
"You mean Derek hasn't told you?"
"Told me what?"
"I guess he figured I'd tell. He got traded."
"To another team? How far away are they going to be?"
"About four hours."
"By car or plane?"
"Car."
"Well that's something. We better get a lot of use out of our guest room. I need Casey!"
"Oh! Don't tell her."
"She doesn't know? What is wrong with Derek? He'll tell you but not her? He does expect her to go with him, doesn't he? Not that she even will."
"What, has she said something to you?"
"Well remember what I told you before? She's just kind of pissed lately that he hasn't proposed."
"Well that's why he hasn't told her. He's going to, after we get married. He doesn't want to ask her to move with him before that, in the state she's been in lately, so he's waiting."
"Smart move."
"That's what I said."
There is a knock at the bedroom door. Expecting my brother or Casey, I call "Come in."
"Hey kids."
"Mom, George!" Lizzie jumped out of bed and ran to throw her arms around our parents. Marti followed not far behind, I got out of bed, and we all exchanged greetings. Well that was just a bit awkward.
"I thought you guys wouldn't be here for another half an hour."
"We got in a little early."
"Mom, did you guys get any breakfast? I'll fix you something."
"It's okay, we got some food before we left."
"That's probably a good thing, Nora."
"Hey!"
"Sorry Liz, but since you've been pregnant your food has been awful."
"Edwin!" she slapped me.
"What? It's true!"
The family was here, and yes, they were here for graduation, but we had a lot of business to take care of while they were here. The tux shop had to get Dad's measurements, and Nora had to find a dress. Marti had to get the final adjustments on her bridesmaids dress as well. So once Lizzie and I got some breakfast and got ready, she, Marti, Nora, and Casey left to take care of business. Dad, Derek and I swung by the tux shop, and then we went to the rink Derek's team practices at. Later, we all met at home to get ready for my graduation ceremony. I had a secret I'd been hiding from all of them, well, except for Lizzie. I'd been completely shocked when I found out myself. They'd be pleasantly surprised tonight.
"Tonight we hold the graduation ceremony at Harvard University for the class of two thousand seventeen for our applied science majors."
I looked out at my family, who'd gotten pretty good seats, and I could see Lizzie grinning like a Cheshire cat. She saw me looking at her and blew me a kiss.
The speeches began and then the woman started with the medical degrees and after about forty minutes, she came to my department.
"The valedictorian in our computer science degree is Edwin Venturi."
I snuck a look at my family as I was walking onstage, and Lizzie was giggling at having kept the secret. Everyone else was asking her if she knew, looking really surprised.
Eventually, they finished calling the graduates names, and we threw our caps into the air. It was exciting, but all in all I liked my high school graduation better. Lizzie and I sat together. Everything is just better when she's beside me.
After the interminably long ceremony finally ended, we all went out for dinner. That brought me back. Our family always ate together, regardless. It didn't matter what we had going on, we ate together, all seven of us, almost every night. Even now, the four of us manage to eat together at least four times a week.
We all went back home and went to sleep early. Lizzie's graduation started at ten the next morning, so we had to get up pretty early. It had been a very long time since the seven of us had to share one bathroom, so it took a while. And of course, it didn't really help that Lizzie has been throwing up pretty much all day every day for the past month. She kept dashing in interrupting.
I had enough foresight to know a wedding would take much more preparation, and enough to know Lizzie would make sure I was miserable by following that "you can't see the bride before the wedding" tradition, so I had rented the best two-bedroom, two-bathroom suite in the hotel we were getting married at for the girls to get ready. Well, Casey kind of planted the idea in my head.
All that to say, that it was so rushed this morning, I probably should have done the same for today. We were rushing out the door, and got there just in time. Lizzie went to sit with the other graduates, and we sat in the audience.
The ceremony began, and the speeches started to draw on. I could see Lizzie looking as if she didn't feel like being there. Only I saw her slip out the door a few minutes later.
I sent her a text message, "what's going on?"
"I got sick," was her reply.
A few minutes later she slipped back in, just under the wire.
"Lizzie MacDonald" called the man. She walked across the stage looking like she felt a lot better. A look of pride was on her face as she shook his hand and moved her tassel.
We followed her graduation with a picnic at the park. As we sat at the picnic table talking and laughing, my mind was on some unsettling news I'd gotten yesterday. One of the bigger stocks I'd been investing in had taken a dive, and I was just a little worried I might not recover from it too well. I'd spoken to my broker, who advised me to go ahead and sell before it got any worse, and invest what little I got in something low-risk, high-dividend. I'd taken the advice. He'd also told me that it was just a small setback, and not to worry, but it obviously wasn't working well.
"Are you still worrying about your investments?" Lizzie whispered in my ear.
"Well yeah! Shouldn't I?"
"Logan knows what he's doing. He told you not to worry, you should listen to him."
"What if he's wrong? You never know when my other big investment will go belly up."
"Ed, this is America. Major league baseball is not going belly up."
"What are you lovebirds whispering about?" Nora asked.
"Oh, uh, nothing." I was not telling our parents about any money problems. They'd just offer to help, and I didn't want to hear that unless it was desperate, which it most certainly wasn't, at least not yet.
Marti seemed to be having some issues as well. "Can I talk to you guys?"
"Yes, of course." Nora said.
"Oh, well, uh, actually I meant Lizzie and Edwin."
"Sure. What's up?" we make our way out of earshot of our parents and older siblings.
"I wanted to talk to you guys about something. See, I like it here."
"We like it here too."
"Dad and Nora are so insufferable! They are completely incapable of dealing with one teenager. Apparently I'm 'twice as powerful' without a sidekick. Or maybe it's without a distraction. I can't remember just exactly how they put it. Anyhow, I'm sick and tired of the crap I go through without a brother or sister in the house. I really miss you guys. I could probably have better timing, but Dad and Nora are putting so much pressure on me to make plans. So, basically, I was wondering if I could come stay in your guest room while I'm in college. I'd baby-sit, and pay rent."
"Marti, can you give Lizzie and I a minute alone to talk about it?"
"Sure."
"So, what do you think, Liz? I know it's a little different what with the baby coming and us being married, but Derek and Casey did it for us. It's not until next year, so we have time to prepare. And you heard her, she said she'll baby-sit."
"Let's do it."
"Are you sure?"
"Well, I mean, she'll be paying rent, and since it would be more of a courtesy than anything, seeing as we don't necessarily need that money, we could save it for the future. And besides, we've been together for nearly ten years. In that time when have you and I ever lived alone? Even for a little bit? Heck, we lost our virginity on a family vacation. It just seems normal to have Derek or Casey or Marti around."
"You make a good point."
"It'll only be four years, and besides, she can go home for the summer. Not to mention, she's been saying for ages she wants to spend a year abroad. So that's three years. So why not? It might be too quiet without her."
"Alright then."
"Marti," calls Lizzie.
"So, have you guys made a decision? Because I totally respect the fact that it's a big one and you'll probably need a few days to think about it."
"No, Marti, we've made our decision already. We'd love to have you."
And that's how I ended up letting my little sister move in with Lizzie, our baby and me.