Party of Four

A Little Spice - Nica

“Just taste it,” I encouraged. Calabrian-soaked spaghetti noodles were wound around the fork I held up to Cole’s mouth. “Don’t be afraid of a little seasoning.”

“I’m not afraid of seasoning,” Cole insisted, backing away from me. “That’s not seasoning though. That’s a culinary crime.”

“No it’s not,” I sighed before shoveling the forkful into my own mouth.

“We’re Irish, Nica,” Riley reminded me from the other side of the expo window. “The most seasoning we can handle is some salt on our potatoes.”

I rolled my eyes jokingly as I swallowed the pasta I had just chewed. “That’s no excuse. Plenty of Irish people enjoy seasoning.” They both shuddered in response as I twirled more noodles around my fork.

“You really like that?” Cole’s brows arched, concern in his voice and his eyes as he watched me eat another bite.

The heat was immediate, making my eyes water slightly. The sauce was rich and oily, coating my tongue in a way the morning taco failed to do. The fire wasn’t immediate combustion, it was a slow, building burn that spread across my chest, warming me from the inside out. My head felt clear, my fatigue vanished. The hungry, demanding gremlin in my stomach finally sighed in glorious relief.

Yes, this was it. “It’s perfect,” I told him after I’d swallowed.

He still couldn’t hide his concern. “The baby doesn’t need perfection, Nica,” he sighed heavily, knowing he wasn’t going to win. “Just don’t make yourself sick.”

Being a double meant Cole was cut first, leaving just Nate and me on the line. Riley and Mallory were still knocking out to-go’s. Outside of that, the restaurant had a brief dinner pop, but we never got truly busy.

About an hour after Cole clocked out, Riley and I were cut too. There was still an hour and a half until close, but Eli didn’t think it was going to get any busier. He’d also said he could jump on the line if Nate ended up needing help.

Riley and I walked outside to find Cole standing behind the bushes, leaning against the half-wall. A cigarette hung between his lips. He put it out as we approached the car and stepped through the bushes to join us. Instead of claiming my usual spot in the front seat so I could control the music, I stretched out in the back.

The fatigue wasn’t the same as it had been early in the pregnancy. However, I still got tired faster than I had before I had gotten pregnant. I was a little over halfway through it at this point, and as Poppy got bigger, and my body changed, I got tired easier.

At home, I showered, then dressed in a pair of gray leggings and an Orlando Solar Bears jersey that was far too big. Since we’d actually gotten home at a relatively decent time, I could actually enjoy the night together with Cole and Riley instead of going straight to bed. My slippers dragged across the floor as I shuffled into the living room. They were both already sitting on opposite sides of the couch while Riley flipped through the options on the TV. I carried a cup of tea in one hand, my other hung at my side, the sleeve falling far past my fingertips.

“What are we watching?” I asked as I sat my cup on the coffee table and took a seat between them.

“Don’t know yet,” Riley answered.

“The new Strangers movie is supposed to be really good,” Cole offered.

“I don’t care what we watch,” I yawned as I propped my feet on the edge of the coffee table. My legs tilted to the side, against Riley’s thigh. I rested one hand in my lap, and the other on Cole’s thigh.

Cole leaned into me and pressed a light kiss to my temple. “You look tired,” he murmured.

“I am,” I agreed. I laid my head against him, “But I can stay up for a movie.” I sighed contentedly, listening to the soft thump of the remote’s buttons as Riley clicked through the options. I almost didn’t notice my eyelids slowly closing as they grew heavier.

The next day, I worked the morning shift, Riley was on the dinner shift, and Cole was another double. So Cole rode to work with me, and would ride home with Riley. Since we were both on the line though, I was stuck on the clock while he took his break. It was okay though, because it meant having the opportunity to shop for their Father’s Day gifts while they were both still at work.

I had an idea of what I wanted to do for them, but it would depend on what Jasper & Jade had in stock. One day I might learn how to not procrastinate on my shopping.

They had been so thoughtful with their scrapbook gift on Mother’s Day, and I wanted their gifts to reflect that same thoughtfulness. So once I was able to clock out, I drove across the street to the bookstore I used to work at.

“Oh my God, Nica!” Casey shouted the moment I walked in the door. A huge grin spread across her face as she ran up and embraced me.

Her happiness was infectious as I matched her grin. I hadn’t seen her since I’d quit last year. Even when I’d stop in to shop, she never seemed to be here when I was. “How have you been?”

“I’m good,” I told her, pulling back from the embrace, but letting my hands linger on her upper arms.

Now that the initial shock of my appearance had worn off, Casey took the opportunity to really look at me. “Nica!” I began to blush, realizing what she was noticing. Just over a year ago I had been trying to convince her Riley was just my friend and that I didn’t want a relationship with Cole even though he was in fact attractive. Now I was standing here pregnant with their child. “You’re pregnant?” Her brows arched in surprise.

I nodded, still grinning. “I’m having a girl. We’re naming her Poppy.”

“We?” Another brow arch. “Is it Riley? Or is it Moth Tattoo?”

I felt my face warm. “Both,” I admitted, my voice low. “We kind of…are a throuple.” There was no kind of to it. Not when we were living together now and planning a commitment ceremony. I just couldn’t quite wrap my head around how different my life was now compared to when I’d last seen her.

“Oh my God, Nica!” It was becoming a mantra. I couldn’t blame her though. Even I was still surprised by what my life had become at times. “What happened to not wanting a relationship?” she teased.

I felt my blush deepen, and I pressed my lips together for a moment as I shrugged. “It just kind of…happened, I guess. I moved into my own place last year, and threw a housewarming party, and things just happened.”

Casey walked with me while I shopped, and we chatted. I caught her up on all the things that had happened to me since my car accident, and why I never came back to Jasper & Jade. I added her on snap before I left, and we exchanged another hug. I left full of happiness, thrilled I’d gotten to see an old friend again.

At home, I pulled the journals I’d bought out of the paper bag they were packaged in. The leather was soft beneath my fingers. One was onyx black for Riley, the other a soft gray for Cole.

I opened the front cover of the first one and placed the first line on the heavy, cream-colored paper:

Cole,

You are our foundation, the quiet strength that keeps us anchored. You think before you speak, you observe everything, and you protect us fiercely. You are the safest, warmest place I know, and that is exactly the kind of father Poppy needs. She will know unconditional love and safety because of you. She will watch you build things (whether it’s dinner specials or furniture), and learn what it means to be steady and kind. Thank you for making space for us in your heart. You are going to be the most wonderful dad. I love you.

Nica

I closed the journal, smoothing my hand over the surface before pulling Riley’s to me.

Riley,

When I met you, I knew you were going to be the best kind of chaos in my life. You are all fire and heart, all drama and light. You make us laugh until we cry, and you make even the hardest days feel like a dazzling adventure. You’re going to teach Poppy how to be bold, how to argue her point, and how to find the humor in everything. But more than that, you’re going to make her feel seen, because you are the most observant person I know. Thank you for bringing so much light into our lives. You are going to be the most magnificent father. I love you.

Nica

I finished the last line, feeling a swell of emotions in my chest as I closed the journal. I tucked them away in