Page 59 of Honest Boys Don’t Play

It’s what my mom told me when they suddenly moved me from one boarding school to another when I was young.

The last thing I want is for you to get complacent, Beatrice. You’ll thank us for this one day.

Maybe it’s bad to think of that situation right now, because I had never felt grateful for that change, but this is different. This is for Luke’s career and for our baby. Besides, he could’ve had to move all the way across the country, so I feel like I need to count my blessings.

Luke had already put the address into my Apple Maps, so I turn my music up and pay attention to the instructions whenever they pop up.

Eventually, we reach Nashville and turn onto a more rural road. The houses are large, similar in size to what I grew up in, with acres of land in between. I follow the curve of the road, continuing for several more miles. The closer I get to the lot marked as my destination, the more nervous I become. We’re about to be living with people we’ve never met. Granted, we won’t be in their house and instead in a garage apartment, but it’s enough to have me feeling out of sorts.

“You have arrived at your destination,” the navigation guide says in the cheeriest of voices.

I turn down the tree-lined driveway and Luke follows behind in the moving truck. Eventually, the trees thin and things open up, revealing a large farmhouse-style home with a wraparound porch. Off to the side of the house is a massive six-car garage that I assume houses the apartment above. With that big of a garage, I think our space will be a decent size. Plenty for the three of us.

Three of us.

It’s crazy how easily I now think of the baby as a part of us.

I’m not quite sure where to park, but I figure I should avoid blocking any of the garage bays, so I park off to the side and Luke pulls in beside.

I take a deep breath, counting to ten before I shut the vehicle off and get out. It’s only been a few hours in the car, but my legs scream in protest at having been in one position for that amount of time. I didn’t make any stops to pee, but suddenly, if I don’t make it to a bathroom I just know I’m going to pee myself.

My eyes widen in horror at the thought of it.

Luke comes around the side of the minivan and takes one look at my face and panic fills his own. “What’s wrong? You’re not in labor, are you?”

“I have to pee,” I whine. “Like right now or I’m going to pee my pants.”

A feminine laugh sounds and I swing my head to the left, my mouth popping open in horror as the couple I’m assuming can be no one but Tanner and his wife approach. A four or five-year-old girl runs around the front yard, spinning in circles while a toddler boy stumbles after her.

“Come on,” the woman says, reaching her hand out to me. “I’ll show you to the bathroom.”

I have to pee so bad, I don’t even protest. I just say thank you and let her usher me into their main house and to a powder room that is, thankfully, right off the foyer.

It doesn’t take me long and I wash up my hands. I half expect her to be waiting outside the door for me, but instead I spot her outside on the front porch watching her kids tear through the yard while her husband speaks with Luke.

I slip outside, not wanting her to look back and spot me through the window and think I’m trying to nose around.

She looks over her shoulder at the sound of the door and gives me a smile. “Better?”

“You have no idea.” I gesture to her kids. “Well, maybe you do.”

She laughs and extends a hand to me. “I’m Kayla. It’s nice to finally meet you.”

“Bertie,” I reply.

“Is that short for anything?” she asks.

“Beatrice, but I prefer Bertie.”

“Not Bea?” She questions.

“No.” I shrug, stopping beside her on the top step. I wrap my hands around my bump. “Just Bertie.”

“How are you feeling?” she asks, nodding at my bump.

“Very pregnant,” I reply. “I think my equilibrium is off.”

“It definitely gets that way,” she agrees. “But you’re due soon, right?”