CHAPTER FIFTEEN

April 9th

31 weeks

"Caterina Hannah Valentine if I have to tell you to stay sat down you will be grounded from your own graduation," Tara said from the doorway of Cat's room.

Cat and April looked at her, the redhead narrowing her eyes.

"Okay, calm the fuck down; I was peeing. Stop treating me like a child," Cat said.

"Watch your mouth, young lady. You are a child, so get used to it."

"I'm seventeen, I'm not a little girl anymore."

"I don't care, you will do what I say."

"Mom," April said. "She's just worried about Baby Girl, you know how pregnancy hormones effect people. You don't have to freak out every time she gets out of bed. You can't honestly expect her to be in bed for nine weeks straight."

"Yes, I can. Because that's what Grace wants."

"What about what I want?" Cat asked. "I wanna move around, I'm getting sore just laying around in bed and it's only been a few days. I'm going insane. I don't want to be in bed, I wanna actually do stuff."

"Well, Grace says no, so you're gonna do what she says. End of discussion."

As Tara left, Cat rolled her eyes with a sigh.

"She's getting on my fucking nerves," Cat muttered.

"I feel you," April said. "I mean, I get it; I was stabbed. Could've died, but I didn't. I'm totally fine. I'm sore. But she won't even let me tie my own damn shoes."

"I'm ready to sneak out and go back home."

"You are home."

"No. This is our old home. We have a new home. And it's not fair to Sam that she's babysitting all those kids on her own. I mean, what's she supposed to do if she has one and has to go somewhere? She can't put a kid on her motorcycle."

"Your car and keys are there. She'll just take your car."

"No she won't, it's pink."

"Right."

Cat sighed and ran her hand over her belly. "God, I hope she's okay..."

"She is. Don't stress. That's what'll hurt her. So... you gonna tell her favorite auntie her name?"

Cat giggled. "I guess... Robbie and I have done a lot of talking and gone through a lot of names."

"And what did you come up with?"

"Ashley April Shapiro."

April smiled. "Aw... you're naming her after me?"

"Yeah. You're my sister. I know you better than I know anyone else."

"I mean, I'm already her godmother, doesn't get any better than that. How's she doing?" April asked, kissing Cat's stomach.

"Good. I mean... really, really, annoyingly active, but she's fine so I'm not too worried."

"Just stay calm from now on and there won't be any major issues. She'll be born on time and she'll be fine. You'll both be fine. And as soon as we're settled then we'll move into the new apartment when we're able to."

"I hope it's big enough."

"It will be. If anything, I can always bunk with Sam so you and the baby can have your own rooms. And who knows, maybe Robbie will move in with us."

"He doesn't have a job to pay for rent, April."

"So? He'll help with Ashley and the daycare kids until he can get one. Helping out can be his contribution. He can do all the manly things, like yard work and taking out the trash and fixing things that we need fixed."

"We both know he's not the manly type."

"He was manly enough to help you make that baby."

Cat rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah."

April 14th

"Don't tickle me," Cat said with a small laugh.

"I just want her to laugh," Robbie said.

"She can't laugh, she's a fetus."

"She can see and hear and feel us poke around on her."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean she can laugh. She doesn't even know how to laugh."

"I can't wait to hear her laugh. She'll probably have the cutest laugh."

"Probably. But I'm more interested in what she's going to look like."

"She'll look like you and April."

"What makes you so sure?"

"I'm just hoping cause I was an ugly baby."

Cat scoffed. "You were not, you were adorable," she said as she kissed his lips.

"You were pretty."

"I was ugly as hell."

"No you weren't. You were beautiful then and you're beautiful now," he said, kissing her neck.

Cat grinned, her fingers running through her hair. "Well, I do try."

Robbie sucked on her sweet spot, letting his hand slowly slide under her shirt.

"Aw, look how cute you two horn dogs are," April said from the door way.

Cat groaned and looked over to her sister with a glare. "Seriously? We were in the mood, damn it."

"Yeah. Mom's gonna be home in like, fifteen minutes. There's no way y'all have time."

"We could have, had you not totally ruined the mood. What do you want?"

"What do you guys want from Braum's?"

"California burger and Sprite, you know that."

"Robbie?"

"Four cheese burger and Coke," Robbie said.

"I'll let Mom know."

"Good. Now get out," Cat said.

"So, how'd it go?" April asked as she sat next to Robbie on the couch.

"How'd what go?" he asked.

"Did you and Cat have sex?"

"Yeah."

"Was it difficult?"

"She was annoyed because being on top was difficult."

"Well... did you at least get off?"

"Yeah. It worked out. She just couldn't do any of the work."

"She hates being a bottom."

"I know."

"You getting excited about the baby?"

Robbie nodded. "Yeah. I can't wait to hold her. I'll just be happy when she's finally here so Cat can stop stressing out."

"She might not stress about the pregnancy, but she'll definitely stress about the baby."

"I'm tired of her stressing. I just want her to be happy."

"We all do. It's just going to be difficult for her. She's only seventeen, yanno? She's still a kid. You both are."

"She's freaking out because she can't work."

"I've already talked to Mrs. Vega. I let her know what was going on, Cat's still got her job, she just has to wait until she can come back. Mrs. Vega is really lenient because we're Tori's friends. At least, you two are. But... you know, maybe you could fill in for Cat. Until she can go back to work, yanno?"

"Would she let me do that?"

"It's worth asking. Ask Tori if her mom would allow it."

"I don't know if she'd go for it."

"You never know until you try. Just ask. Besides, you need to get a job. You're having a baby in eight weeks, and maybe less if she keeps going into labor the way she's been."

"It's hard to find a job when you're still in high school."

"I know. But that's something Cat and I were talking last week."

"What, me finding a job?"

"Kinda. You know how we babysit."

Robbie nodded. "Yeah, and?"

"Well, we're moving into a bigger apartment. Three bedroom. Me and Sam can bunk, you and Catey can bunk, and Ashley can have her own nursery. Cat's gonna need some recovery time, so you can help her with the baby while Sam and I babysit the other kids, and when Cat goes back to work you can do your part with Ashley and help us with the daycare kids until you can find something that works better."

"Yeah, good luck getting my parents to go with that. They've been on my ass about having Cat move in."

"Uh, no. Your parents are fucking nuts."

"Yeah, I know."

"Well, you turn eighteen in May. So, it's not gonna be their decision anymore after that."

"That's true..."

"So, you gonna do it? It'd mean a lot to Catey. Besides, it's better for Ashley if Mommy and Daddy live together so she gets the normalcy... It sucks when you don't have both parents involved in your life, Robbie... Don't do that to Ashley."

"I would never do that. She's not even born and I already love her more than anything."

"You should. But I love her more than either of you do, I won't take any arguments."