Annie: "Mia only hit him because he tried to copy me peeling an apple with a paring knife. I wouldn't let him use mine, so he snuck into the kitchen for his own. Next thing you know, he broke a plate."

Mr. Nettleton: "...So his dad gave him a smack, then?"

Annie shrugged, "He didn't want to go home, took off running, and crashed right into me."

Mr. Nettleton: "If he got off easy, that's not good enough! And you? You alright?"

"I'm fine. He's just a kid, running wild-how much damage can he do? Now he doesn't even want me to hug him."

Annie grinned, teasing, "Tell me, Mr. Nettleton, is your kid really that special? I nearly got dragged to the ER tonight, and there wasn't anything wrong with me!"

Mr. Nettleton, as blunt as ever, snorted, "The kid? Nah. It's his mom who's precious."

Annie burst out laughing. “What if we have a daughter? Still think you'll act so tough?"

"Absolutely. If we have a girl, I'll be jealous of Andre for the rest of my life.”

"And what if Andre has a daughter too?"

jealous

said, but she was still

night, Annie drifted off to sleep chatting with her

finally felt like he had direction-a family,

hadn't had a wedding yet, but he'd already bought wedding rings, and insisted Annie wear hers, making sure she slid

off his ring finger every chance he got. Annie sometimes pretended not to know

fingers swelling from pregnancy, Annie found her ring uncomfortable and quietly slipped it off. During video calls, she kept her hand out of sight,

the

Every time she scolded him, he just

what she was mad

call up Andre to swap stories about married

was giving

Andre, it was all nonsense and daydreams. "Just wait till you're a dad. Wait till Annie stops knocking you around. Wait till your

actually excited about what's coming," Conner

been there,

at night, Mia curled up next to him, his

sweeter-just with more worries to

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