Avery sat cross-legged on the couch, wearing her comfiest pajamas, a throw blanket draped over her lap. The smell of melted cheese and garlic wafted through the living room as Janice opened a large pizza box on the coffee table. Ryan was in the kitchen, grabbing plates and drinks.
“You ordered extra garlic breadsticks, right?” Avery asked Janice, narrowing her eyes playfully.
Janice raised an eyebrow, pretending to be offended. “Do I ever forget the breadsticks? Honestly, Avery, where’s the trust?”
Avery laughed, rubbing her baby bump. “Just checking. The baby has very specific cravings tonight, and I’m not about to let them down.”
Ryan walked in, balancing plates and a couple of sparkling water cans. “If this kid comes out loving carbs more than anything else, we’ll know why.”
“Hey!” Avery protested. “Blame the baby, not me. You’re lucky I’m not demanding pineapple on the pizza.”
“That would’ve been a dealbreaker,” Ryan said, setting the plates down and flopping onto the couch next to her.
As they dug into the pizza, the banter escalated.
“I still can’t believe you two got half the pizza with plain cheese,” Janice said, shaking her head. “Where’s the excitement? The flavor? The zest?”
“I’m pregnant!” Avery said, pointing to her bump. “Simple toppings are non-negotiable. The last time I tried pepperoni, I cried because it was too spicy.”
Ryan choked on his soda, laughing. “That was a memorable moment. You took one bite and started sobbing like the pepperoni had insulted you personally.”
Janice snorted. “Okay, fine. I’ll allow the plain cheese. But only because you’re adorable when you’re hormonal.”
After dinner, they moved on to their next activity: picking a movie to watch.
“Let’s do something funny,” Avery said, scrolling through the streaming options.
“Or something scary,” Janice suggested, leaning forward eagerly. “We could watch The Haunting of Hill House.”
Ryan raised a hand in protest. “Nope. Hard pass. Avery will scream, and Sunny will start barking, and then no one will get any sleep.”
“Fair point,” Avery admitted. “Comedy it is.”
They finally settled on a rom-com, and the room filled with laughter as they commented on the cheesy dialogue and over-the-top plot twists.
“Why do people in movies always forget their umbrellas when it’s pouring rain?” Janice asked, shaking her head. “It’s like they’ve never seen weather before.”
“Because it’s romantic,” Ryan replied, tossing a popcorn kernel into his mouth. “Soaked people kissing in the rain is cinematic gold.”
Avery smirked. “If you ever try to kiss me in the rain, Ryan, I’ll just yell at you for not bringing an umbrella.”
“Duly noted,” Ryan said, grinning.
As the credits rolled, Avery shifted uncomfortably on the couch. She placed a hand on her stomach, frowning slightly.
“Everything okay?” Ryan asked, his brow furrowing.
“I think so,” Avery said slowly. “The baby’s just been really active tonight.”
Janice tilted her head. “Like… how active are we talking? Gymnastics? Dance party?”
“Something like that,” Avery replied with a laugh. But just as she started to stand up, a sudden gush of warmth stopped her in her tracks.
Her eyes went wide. “Oh my God.”
“What?” Ryan asked, jumping to his feet.
Avery looked down at the couch, then back up at him. “I think my water just broke.”
Janice’s eyes widened as she clapped her hands together. “It’s happening! Oh my God, it’s happening!”
“Janice, stop yelling!” Avery said, panicking. “Ryan, we need to go. Now.”
Ryan grabbed his keys, pacing in circles. “Okay, okay. Hospital bag. Where’s the hospital bag?”
“In the closet by the door!” Avery shouted, holding onto the arm of the couch.
Janice sprang into action, grabbing the bag and double-checking its contents. “We’ve got snacks, a phone charger, and—oh, my God, Avery, why do you have three bottles of lotion in here?”
“Not the time, Janice!” Avery snapped, clutching her belly.
With Janice carrying the bag and Ryan helping Avery to the car, the trio piled in and sped toward the hospital.
“Breathe, Aves,” Ryan said, glancing at her nervously as she grimaced through a contraction. “Remember those classes we took?”
Avery shot him a glare. “Ryan, if you tell me to breathe one more time, I’m going to kill you.”
Janice, sitting in the backseat, chimed in. “Don’t kill him, Aves”.