The next morning consisted of me and Dan ringing up our friends and family’s to let them know of our news. Whilst Dan was on the phone to his very excited mum, I rang Evie to let her know. To say she was happy was an understatement with the amount of screaming that came down the phone. During our conversation I found out that my engagement ring was the last minute present Dan and Luke had gone out to buy on Christmas Eve. Glancing over to Dan who was on the other side of the room I couldn’t help but smile at him.

The next week flew by; and once again we turned into tourist mode. We went to Rockefeller Centre, went to Ground Zero, to Wall Street, Ellis Island and the statue of Liberty, and a personal fave…Central park zoo. One of my favourite days was when we went on the movie tour around the city which was amazing. We went into FAO Schwarz and jumped on the giant piano, like Tom Hanks did in Big. We went past pottery barn from friends and went into Rockefeller Centre and they showed us where Elf and Home Alone 2 were filmed.

We included a couple of nights out and a trip to the broadway to watch The Lion King as well. Seeing it in London was amazing but here in New York was another thing entirely. And again I was crying when Mufasa died, seriously Disney, break my heart why don’t you.

On one of our last days we went into Macy’s, spending at least six hours in there and of course on the way back to the hotel, I kept my promise and we went back into M&M Word for Dan to buy something.

It was now the night before we were heading home and I was packing my suitcase. “I don’t want to go home; I love New York too much.” I moaned folding one of my tops away.

“I know baby me too, but just think in six days we’ve got our scan…we get to see our baby.” He grinned walking over to me and placing his hands on my stomach. Being eleven weeks pregnant I had somewhat of a bump now, I had googled what other bumps at my stage as well to compare, see if mine was normal. Dan said I was stupid and that our bump would be whatever if wanted it to be.

“Yea I know …I can’t wait to see our baby either.”

“Do you want to find out the sex of the baby or leave it to be a surprise?” he asked as we lay back on the bed. Lifting my top up to see my bump

“I think I want the surprise of it all. Mum never found out when she was having me and Evie.”

“Yea mum never foud out with me either...so a surprise then.”

“Yea…well we don’t find out till the twenty week scan anyway what the sex is.”

“Ahh right,” he grinned kissing my bump. “Come along you, we need to finish packing so we can get an early night before we leave tomorrow.”

***

“Tink come on otherwise we’ll miss out appointment.” Dan shouted up to me

“Coming.” I replied “You don’t have a baby who is squeezing your bladder like a toy every ten minutes making you want to pee.”

“That I don’t.” he laughed as I waddled down the stairs.

It was now March and the day of our twenty week scan. Everything was coming along great, no problems with our pregnancy at all. Also Dan and I had finally moved into our own place. It wasn’t that far away from where Evie and Luke had moved to as well. They didn’t like all the room they had spare once we had left.

“Miss Williams.” The nurse called as we sat in the waiting room

Walking in the room I sat on the bed as Dan sat beside me, clutching my hand.

“You ready to see your baby?” the nurse smiled

I lifted up my top before she squirted on the blue gell. Moving the sonogram device over my stomach our baby appeared on the screen seconds later.

“Here is your baby.” She smiled.

Hearing the sound of the heartbeat immediately made me beam and seeing them on the screen made me cry. I wanted them already in my arms.

“I could listen to this sound all day.” Dan whispered as the nurse left the room for a second leaving our baby on the screen.

“Me too, I love you so much Dan thank you.”

“I love you too baby, what you thanking me for?”

“For giving me everything I could ever want.”

“Right back at your Tink.”

I couldn’t believe in four months we would have our baby it was crazy.

Heading home we placed the new pictures from our scan in frames and popped them on the mantal piece.

Walking up the stairs into the baby’s nursery I added another scan picture to the wall. Dan had painted the room a gorgeous cream as we didn’t know what we were expecting. We still had to get the main things for the room, including the cot and baby changing unit but we still had time.

Standing next to the wall opposite the window Dan pulled out his black marker pen. “Stand still .” he grinned as he followed the outline of my bump on the wall. Writing five months at the bottom before pulling out the tape measure to see how big I had got. Placing a delicate kiss on my stomach, before smiling up at me. “I love you, you big geek.” I giggle pulling him up and kissing him.

“Love you more Tink.”

Moving away from the wall there were five lines, each slightly getting more of a bump each time. It was a timeline of my pregnant on the nursery wall, we thought it would be a great way to monitor my bump and decorate one of the walls at the same time. Giving the room a very personal touch.

Wandering into the bathroom to use the toilet, I did what I needed to do. “Ahhh.” I gasped placing my hands on my stomach. “DANNNN”

I could hear him running down the landing to me, “Liv what is it? Is everything okay? Is it the baby?” he rambled out all at once.

“Pass me your hands.” I smile, placing them on my stomach I saw the biggest smile appear on his face…then I felt it again.

“Oh wow.” He beamed as he felt our baby kick

“The doctor said it would be any time around now I would start to feel them kicking.”

“That’s amazing.”

“We need to add it to the wall.” I laughed walking back into the nursery.

Also on the wall where we’d drawn my bump progress, we had written all the important events of the pregnancy so far. Like when I found out I was due, first scan, first time they moved, hiccupped, now the second scan and their first kick. The writing was spread out over the wall in fancy letters. We were going to carry it on once they were born with other important information.

Sitting down on the sofa that night, resting my head on Dan’s lap as we watched re-runs of friends. Dan linked our fingers together wrapping them over me.

“So when can I make an honest woman out of you baby?”

Smiling like an idiot I turned to look up at him,

“Well as much as I would love to be married before this munchkin comes along, I don’t want to look like a whale walking down the aisle. So maybe a couple of months after they’re born? So I can feel sexy in my white dress?”

“Well this little one is due in July…did you want a winter wedding or summer one?”

“Summer please.”

“So how about July next year? Gives us plenty of time to plan it and then this little one can be part of it as well.”

“Yes...I love it.” I smile leaning up to kiss him

“As much as I want you to be my wife now, I want to give you a wedding you’ve dreamed of since you were a little girl.”

“And this is why I love you.” I smile sitting up and placing my arms around his neck before kissing him.

We were about to really get into it when the phone rang.

Me: “Hello...Luke?”

Luke: “Hey you alright?”

Me: “Yea I’m fine what’s up?”

“LUKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE” I heard Evie scream in the background.

Me: “Luke what the hell is going on? Why is Evie screaming? Whats wrong? Is she okay? Tell me?”

“ calm down.” Dan says taking the phone off me trying to sooth me

Dan: “Luke what you say to Liv getting her all worried and upset?”

I was stood up pacing the floor for his reply.

“Dan what the hell is going on?”

Dan: “Yea okay mate, see you there soon. Good Luck. Bye.”

“So?” I ask impatiently

Smiling Dan gets up and walks over to the stairs. Grabbing his jacket and throwing me his hoody. “Dan.”

“Put it on.” He laughed

“Why?” I replied holding it

Sighing he walked over to me and put it over my head. “We’re going the hospital…Evie’s in labour.” He grinned

“She’s four weeks early.” I panicked grabbing my ugg boots and putting them on, slipping my PJ bottoms into them.

“She’ll be fine . Luke’s driving her to the hospital now so we need to go.”

Considering it was her first child, Evie gave birth to a gorgeous baby boy within three hours of us being there. Luke was with her every step of the way as me and Dan waited anxiously in the waiting room.

“Come on in.” Luke smiled coming out to get us.

“Congratulations .” I smiled giving him a huge hug before Dan said his congratulations to him.

“Thank you. Come on this way.”

We followed him to Evie’s semi-private room. Opening the curtain and walkin in, I was the smallest bundle of blue I’d ever seen.

“Oh wow.” I whispered before I began to cry.

“Awww .” Dan chuckled pulling me into him and kissing my head affectionately.

Smiling up at him I walked over to my sister, holding her baby boy.

“Congratulations .” I smile leaning over to give her a kiss and stroking my nephews tiny head

“Thank you.” She smiled “You want a cuddle?”

“Oh yes please.” I grinned taking him off her ever so gently and cradling him as I sat on the nearby chair.

“He’s perfect.” I smiled down at him

“Isn’t he just.” Luke beamed sitting down on the bed next to Evie.

“So is everything okay with him? With him being early?” Dan asked sitting on the chair next to me playing with his fingers.

“Yea, everything’s fine. I was worrying to begin with but once we heard him cry and the nurse brought him over after checking him I was fine. His breathing is slightly quicker than normal but other than that he’s perfect.” Evie beamed.

“So does my gorgeous nephew have a name?” I laughed “Been here five minutes and I don’t even know what to call him.”

“We’ve gone with Thomas James.” Luke smiled before kissing Evie’s head as me and Dan gasped.

“Oh .” I smiled . James was our dad’s name.

“We wanted something to go down our family in memory of him you know.” She smiled wiping a tear from her eye.

“You know it’s funny.” Dan smiled at us and I nodded, “Me and Liv had the same thought. Using James as a middle name for a boy and Anne as a girl.”

“That’s so weird.” Luke laughed but me and Evie just looked at each other

“Twins Luke.” We say together laughing

“Now let’s hope you two have a girl.” Evie replies as I hand over Thomas to Dan to have a cuddle.

“We’ll have to wait and see I guess.” I smile placing my hand on my bump, and as if knowing we were talking about them…they gave me a little nudge.

***

Baby Thomas was allowed to come home the next day with everything being fine with him. I couldn’t wait to go round and see him again. I couldn’t believe my sister had a baby, it was so surreal. I mean eighteen months ago it was just the four of us in our house, four friends at that just lived together. Each of us havin numerous boyfriends and girlfriends, and now we’ve coupled up…with babies and marriages too. Weird how the person who is perfect for you has been right under your nose, been with you all along. I smile at the thought.

“Dan can we please go shopping for the cot today, I don’t want our baby coming early and for us not to be ready for them.” I shout from the bathroom.

“ we’ve got four months yet.”

“Not the point.” I gurgled whilst brushing my teeth.

“Fine come on, get ready and we’ll go.”

“Thank you.” I smile at him through the mirror. Quickly getting ready into some trackies and one of Dan’s hoodies, I threw my hair up and put on a little bit of make-up.

“Record breaking time that was .” Dan laughed as I came out the bedroom.

“I want to go shopping.” I grinned rubbing my hands on my belly. “I just want to have peace of mind that we have everything for this little one before they arrive.”

“We will…now let’s go shopping.”

Over the course of the next few hours we spent a stupid amount of our savings getting everything we needed for the nursery, before packing it somehow into Dan’s car. The next day or so was taken up with Dan and Luke fitting together everything whilst I got to sit downstairs and ogle my gorgeous nephew and catch up with my sister.

We were planning TJ’s christening, she wanted it before I had the baby and for when Thomas was a bit bigger. Booking it for June, we just needed to find a church and somewhere to host the small party afterwards.

“Liv you’ll be god mother won’t you?” Evie asks me.

“Oh , course I will. Thank you.” I smile at her “Who else you having?”

“Dan of course, Luke’s two brothers and Megan and Paige.”

“Dan will love to be god father to this little one.”

“So how you feeling ? Baby being okay for you?” Evie asked

“Yea I’m great, loving every minute of it. The midwife said everything was normal and coming along great. Only sixteen weeks to go.”

“That will fly by…trust me.”

She was right. The weeks flew by us and before we knew it, it was the day of TJ’s christening. I had five weeks of my pregnancy left and felt like a whale waddling around everywhere. Our nursery was complete and my pregnancy timeline was getting bigger. It scared me to look at it as it showed me how fat I really was.

I had to take my engagement ring off as well as my promise ring a few weeks ago as my fingers had begun to swell and I didn’t want them getting stuck and getting cut off. So Dan went out and bought me a cheap plastic ring to put on as a joke. He said he didn’t like seeing me without an engagement ring on.

Today it was gorgeous out so I put on my new summer dress, it was short at the front and longer at the back. It didn’t make me feel or look like a whale either. Rubbing my stomach I had a strange feeling that I couldn’t put my finger on.

“Everything okay?” Dan asked passing me a cup of tea

“Yea…just I duno, something feels off.”

“The baby?”

“I duno, think it’s just trapped wind or summat. Nothing to worry about.” I smile

“You sure?”

“ I’m fine don’t worry.” I smile leaning up to kiss him “Morning”

“Morning to you too gorgeous.”

I curled my hair, pinnng it back from my face and applied my make-up.

“You look stunning .” Dan smiles walking out the bathroom in his suit.

“Thank you, so do you handsome.”

“Thank you, you ready to go? I said to Luke we’d get there early.”

“Yea two minutes.”

I popped everything I needed into my handbag before grabbing the present and going downstairs. I slipped on my very comfy and cute sandals ready to go. I hated that my feet had swollen so much I could no longer wear heels. Rubbing my stomach I still had this strange feeling, but I brushed it off. I had other things to think about today.

We parked up at the church leaving the present in the car and made our way to the front where Evie and Luke were waiting with his parents. The christening wasn’t due to start until half twelve and at ten past now a few people had started to arrive.

I could see Evie glancing at her watch every two seconds because Paige wasn’t here yet.

“ calm down she’ll be here.” I smiled

“You sure?”

“Yes now calm down.” I say again grabbing her arms and looking her in the eye.

“Ouch.” I gasp grabbing my stomach

“ you okay?”

“Yea.”

“DANNNNN.” Evie shouted

I watched how Dan’s face dropped as he saw me grabbing my stomach before running over.

“Baby what’s wrong.” He panicked grabbing my hand

“Little fucker is kicking me.” I laugh but still holding my stomach “And hard.”

“You sure that’s what it is?”

“Yes now feel.” I laughed putting his hand to where they were kicking.

“Fuck.” I gasped as they kicked again.

“Wow that is hard. I’m sticking with you now, I don’t want something happening and me not being there.”

“Nothing is going to happen.”

As the time hit twenty past we all began to head into the church as Paige had finally arrived blaming her car running out of petrol so had to wait for her dad to come save her.

I was sat next to Dan at the front of the church with the rest of the god parents, Evie and Luke who was holding TJ.

We followed the vicars commands and spoke when the text on our sheets were highlighted. Vowing to protect and love TJ through the power of god and what ever else he told us do to. I wasn’t really concentrating; my mind was on my stomach. I was getting small twinges every twenty minutes or so.

I followed Dan as we all went up to the font as the vicar took Thomas and christened him using the holy water. Thomas was so quiet, just gazing up at him whilst he spoke and didn’t cry once.

Rubbing my stomach again I had another twinge. “What is going on with you today ?” Dan whispered squeezing my hand.

“I don’t know.” I replied looking scared at him

“The baby?” he asked

“I think it’s on its way.” I whispered

“You’re kidding?”

“Shhhhh.” I whispered as the vicar finished off the service and passed TJ over to Dan.

Quickly posing for a few photo’s before we made our way outside.

“Liv what’s wrong?” Evie asked cuddling Thomas as we stood outside.

“I keep getting twinges, I think our babies on its way.” I panicked

“Oh shit. Okay. Well you’ve been to the classes, until your waters break and you’re getting contractions close together they won’t admit you. So let’s head over to the party where we can keep an eye on you.”

“Okay.” I replied

“Liv…” Evie says grabbing my face in her hands

“Everything is going to be okay.”

“But Evie I’m five weeks early.”

“Thomas was four…he’s fine. So don’t worry okay. Being stressed won’t help you or the baby. Now let’s go.”

Twenty minutes later I was sat in the pub Luke and Evie had chosen for the party. It was the family room, so lots of space for the DJ, a dance floor and tables and chairs.

The food was open not long later so I piled my plate with food before going to sit back down. Dan was watching me like a hawk. I tried to stay as calm as possible, I really didn’t want to go into labour right now. I hadn’t prepared myself.

Making it a couple of hours with only twinges I thought it was getting better but I realised they were getting more intense and closer together.

“Just going the toilet .” I smile as Dan getting up.

“Okay .” he replied giving me a kiss. He’d calmed down from before considering my waters were still in contact and I wasn’t crying out in pain.

Doing what I needed to do I went to wash my hands, before feeling a gush of water hit my feet.

FUCK…my waters just broke.