“Honey, I’m going shopping. I’ll be home in a little bit, ok? Bye! I love you!” Kelly yelled to her husband as she almost slipped out of the door.
“Wait, who are you going with?” Nick questioned, coming up from his studio.
“I’m going with AJ. My belly isn’t getting any smaller and I can’t fit into anything anymore!!” Kelly laughed, and walked over to give Nick a kiss goodbye.
She met AJ at a small, quiet restaurant where they had lunch, then proceeded to go shopping.
“Wow…you sure have gotten big over the past few months,” AJ commented looking at Kelly’s stomach.
“Thanks, I’ve been waiting to hear a compliment like that all day,” Kelly retorted sarcastically.
“Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean that in a bad way. Besides, you’re not fat, you’re pregnant and there is a diffrence,” AJ smiled.
“How about this place?” Kelly tugged on AJ’s sleeve, while they were strolling down the sidewalk.
The two friends walked into the store and were immediately greeted by a saleslady who looked to be in her early twenties.
“Hi, could I--oh my gosh, you’re AJ McLean, aren’t you?” the saleslady greeted AJ, her jaw practically dropped to the ground and her brown eyes open wide.
His goatee, tattooed arms, and sunglasses had failed to disguise him again.
AJ laughed slightly and grinned. “Yeah, I am,” AJ answered simply then changed the subject. “We were wondering if you could help us find some maternity clothes.”
The saleslady, her name tag read, Sydney, looked Kelly up and down, noticed her protruding tummy, and noted the wedding ring on her finger.
“You’re married?! She’s pregnant?” Sydney queried AJ, agape at the prospect.
“Um, no I’m not married and yes, obviously she is pregnant, or we should definitely get down to the Jenny Craig office a few blocks down,” AJ joked.
Kelly noted the confused expression covering the girl’s young face, so she tried to explain, “What he means is that he and I aren’t married and this isn’t his baby." "Hi, I’m Kelly Carter—Nick Carter’s wife and I need some help finding some maternity clothes, please,” Kelly shook Sydney’s hand and introduced herself.
The poor girl went pale and stuttered on her words for a few moments before leading AJ and Kelly to the correct section. After showing the two around, Sydney left them to do their shopping.
“That chick was pretty funny!” AJ laughed, as Kelly’s stack of things to try on grew larger.
“Yeah, first she thinks I’m married to you and having your baby, then she finds out I’m married to Nick and having his baby. I wonder what the tabloids will say this time…” Kelly rolled her eyes, and went into the dressing room to try on her new clothes.
“Nick, hon! Are you home? Nick??” Kelly ventured through the house, sitting her bags of clothes down.
“Oh well…guess not…” Kelly decided, taking her clothes upstairs to unpack from the bags.
The phone rang and Kelly picked up, “Hello?”
“Hey! What are you doing?” Ang’s voice greeted her over the phone.
“Just got home from shopping with AJ. I have the cutest clothes now! I bought this pair of velvet leopard print pants…ooh, they’re so cute!” Kelly gushed, admiring them as she hung them in her spacious closet.
“Definitely sounds like something AJ would’ve picked out…” Ang trailed off.
“Hey, have you seen Nick by any chance?” Kelly asked, changing the subject.
“He and Brian went out for dinner earlier, and Brian’s not home yet so I assume they’re still out. Are you busy right now?” Ang asked her best friend.
Kelly knew that something was going on…she could detect it in her friend’s voice. “No, I’m not busy. What’s wrong?”
“It’s just that Sofie wants you to come over,” Ang paused, “and she told me that she wants you to be her mommy.”
Kelly laughed at this obvious child-made statement. “You’re not really upset about this are you?” There was a brief silence on the other end so Kelly took that to mean a yes. “Listen, I’m sure she only said that because you make her do stuff that mommies are supposed to…take a bath, brush her teeth, clean her room and I get to take her to do all the fun stuff…get ice cream, play a game, or see a movie.”
“No, Kel, you don’t understand. It wasn’t anything juvenile like that. She said that I was mean and she hated me and wanted to live with you and Uncle Nicky,” Ang said, her voice quavering, almost on the verge of tears.
“Listen, I’ll come over in a minute okay? Just don’t worry about it. Bye,” Kelly and Ang both hung up the phone.
In a sense, Kelly was glad that Sofie had said that about her to ease her insecurities about becoming a mother, but she had to go comfort Ang to make her see there was nothing to worry about.
“So are you okay now?” Kelly slipped her arm around her best friend’s shoulder.
“Yeah, thank you,” Ang sighed, wiping her wet eyes.
“Good, and you my little angel,” Kelly grabbed Sofie and started to tickle her, “need to apologize to your mommy for saying that you hated her. You didn’t mean that, did you?”
“No,” Sofie bowed her head in shame. “Mommy, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay, sweetie. Come here,” Ang outstretched her arm to her daughter and tucked her tightly in her arms, smothering her in kisses.
Kelly watched this mother-daughter scene for a few moments, getting anxious thinking about the arrival of her own twins.
“I really hope I make as good a mother as you,” Kelly smiled, looking straight into her best friend’s green eyes.
“You will, don’t worry and Nick will make a great dad,” Ang reassured.
Just as she completed that last statement, their husbands burst through the door carrying bags from various stores.
“What is all of that?” Ang stood up to inspect what the guys had brought home.
Kelly took Sofie’s hand and led her over to the bags, as well. “Hey Uncle Nicky!” Sofie smiled up at Nick’s towering figure.
“Hello my little angel,” Nick picked her up and kissed her fair, baby soft cheek and held her tightly in his arms.
Kelly watched the two while images of Nick with their own children filled her head. The anticipation was killing her…she couldn’t wait until she could hold their twins in her arms.
“I bought you some stuff,” Nick winked at his wife.
Kelly stared into her husband’s sparkling blue eyes, “What did you buy me?”
“Actually, it’s not really for you…it’s for the twins,” Nick grinned broadly.
“Yeah, we went to all the toy stores!!!” Brain interjected, getting excited.
“You bought our babies toys?” Kelly raised an eyebrow.
Nick grinned sheepishly at his wife, “Yeah, and some clothes, too.”
“You are such a sweetheart. How did I get so lucky and find you, huh?” Kelly walked over and wrapped her arms around her husband’s waist.
Brian pretended to cough, “I believe that would’ve been mine and Ang’s fault for introducing you two." Brian smiled as Sofie ran into her daddy’s arms for a warm hug. “Hey princess. Daddy missed you today,” Brian said, kissing his daughter on the top of the head.
Brian and Ang both noticed the obvious stares coming from the Carter’s direction. They both knew that the couple was about to burst with anticipation for their children’s arrival—they knew that feeling all too well.
