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Patrick whispered as he brushed his lips against mine. Then he leaned down and kissed my stomach, too. “And you, too, little girl.” Then he laid back against the softness of the same mattress I was feeling.
    “Me, too,” I repeated, my voice thick with exhaustion. I snuggled closer to him, adjusting my protruding stomach so it wouldn’t get squished. I tried lying on my side, but I had to readjust when I felt the familiar pinch. I put my head against his chest, knowing this position probably wouldn’t last all night, but I didn’t care. At least, for a while I would block out the annoying pregnancy pain and tonight, instead of that stupid beeping, I’d have my husband’s steady pulse lulling me to sleep. I smiled as I slipped under, listening to one of my most favorite sounds in the world.
     

Chapter 5
    Patrick
    One week, I thought, as I prepared Chloe’s dinner tray. In one week, Victoria was due and, if Chloe hadn’t gone into labor before then, we’d head back to the hospital where the doctors would induce labor. The closer we got to the due date, the safer it was for both of the girls I loved. We’d been at Nina’s for just a few days and, while it still didn’t feel like home, I could see how much more relaxed Chloe was here than she had been at the hospital. I reminded myself to make sure we sent Nina a thank you gift when this was all over.
    I could see from the pink in her cheeks that Chloe was feeling better and she had said that the few times she’d gotten headaches, they’d been better and shorter each time. She was still sleeping a lot, but the doctor had told me to expect that. Sleep was the body’s time to repair itself and hers was working overtime to compensate for Victoria. As long as Chloe stayed hydrated and fed, and we could feel Victoria moving, Chloe should sleep as much as her body wanted her to.
    I looked down at the tray and made sure I had everything. Nina had been great about getting Chloe the foods she wanted, so tonight’s menu was tomato soup, a grilled cheese sandwich with American cheese, some diced peaches and a couple chocolate chip cookies. Except there was one thing missing. Normally, Chloe’s favorite way to make a grilled cheese sandwich included a combination of pepper jack and American cheeses. It was Chloe’s invention and it added a little kick to the common grilled cheese, but now that she was in the last stages of pregnancy, spicy foods just gave her heartburn so I left it out. I took one last glance around the kitchen before grabbing spoons for the peaches. The dirty frying pan was still on the stovetop and there were grease splatters everywhere. Man, what a mess I’d made from such a simple meal. I took one last look at the tray, noting the dark edges on one of the sandwiches. I would eat that one. There was enough food on the tray for two since Chloe insisted we eat at least one meal together, just like back home.
    “That looks delicious,” Nina announced as she entered the kitchen.
    Just like clockwork, every time I was getting Chloe’s meals ready, Nina had either been in the kitchen waiting for me or showed up after a few minutes. I brushed it off as a sign that she missed my wife’s company, because she’d chat with me until the food was ready, then follow me to Chloe’s room. She wouldn’t come in, insisting that she not intrude on our family meal time, but I could tell she wanted to linger. It made me realize I’d been too harsh when I suggested that Chloe was spending too much time with Nina and neglecting Elyse. She lived in this big, fantastic house, and yet it didn’t seem like Nina had many friends.
    I glanced up and tried not to show my surprise. Usually, she was wearing a sharp designer outfit, like she’d either just gotten in or was just getting ready to go out. Not tonight, though. Tonight she was wearing yoga pants and a tank top that clung to her every curve. I wondered if she had a personal trainer coming to the house or if