Round Two

ROUND TWO

Noah

" M ama, baby!"

"Mm-hmm," I hum as I put another plate in the dishwasher.

"Mama, baby ! Baby, baby, baby!" Poppy's little voice grows louder when I don't give her the attention she wants.

She'll be three next month and loves to talk. And Fisher loves to gloat that she gets that from me.

What can I say? Hollis women have a lot to say.

Juggling being a mom, wife, and managing a horse training business has been the hardest aspect since she's been born, but getting to watch her grow and change is the biggest blessing of my life. Witnessing Fisher be a dad to our little girl and teaching her about horses and ranch life makes my ovaries explode on a daily basis.

"You want your baby doll?" I ask, grabbing more dishes from the sink and then rinsing them off.

She tries to walk between my legs, but I quickly stop her before she falls into the dishwasher door.

"Sweetie, let me finish this and then I'll find your baby."

She watches me from the side as I add in the soap, then close the door and get it started.

"Baby, belly!" Her little squeals make me smile but as soon as she points to my belly, my lips turn into a frown.

"Yep, you were inside my belly," I say.

"New baby."

"No…Mommy isn't havin' a new baby." I lift her into my arms and place her on my hip. "Should we go find your baby?"

For the next hour, I sit on her bedroom floor and play dolls. She makes them ride her stuffed horses and we chase each other over the makeshift racecourse of blocks and stuffies.

When it's time for her afternoon nap, I tuck her into her new big-girl bed and read her favorite book, Every Cowgirl Needs a Horse . She's obsessed with her Aunt Ellie, who's a professional barrel racer, and claims she's going to be one, too.

"Sleep tight, sweetie. Love you." I kiss her forehead and adjust her stuffed bear so it's not covering her mouth.

"Night night, baby," she murmurs.

The corner of my lips pulls at the sleepiness in her words, but then I contemplate what she said. She's never said that before. The only time she's talked about a baby is when she's referred to her doll, but she's been adamant all morning that I have one in my belly.

After I quietly leave her room and close the door, I grab my phone and look at my period tracker app. Fisher and I have been doing the "if it happens, it happens" method since I stopped taking my birth control three months ago. The plan was to use condoms until we were sure we were ready for another but there might've been one or two—actually, more like five or six—times we were too desperate to stop for one.

According to my app, I'm not due to get my period for another six days.

But could Poppy be right? Can she sense I have a baby in my belly?

No . That's…impossible.

Noah

Hey, do you have any extra pregnancy tests I can use?

I text my best friend who had her second baby last year and will freak out as soon as she reads my message.

In three…two…one…

Magnolia

OH MY GOD! Are you pregnant?!

Noah

That's what I'm trying to find out…you have any?

They were actively trying, so I know she was buying the test strips in bulk.

Magnolia

Sure do! You want me to bring them now?

Noah

I'll pick them up later. I won't test for a few more days.

It'd be too early to know for sure, so I'm better off waiting, but it's going to be torture.

Magnolia

I hope it's a big fat positive! The kids would be so excited for another cousin :)

Her oldest, Willow, and Poppy were born on the same day and have grown up together. We call them baby besties, but then when she had her son, Laken, I've been on the fence about having another. Poppy's kept us plenty busy, but if we had more, I didn't want them too far in age since she and Fisher's son— my ex-boyfriend —are already twenty-nine years apart.

I'd like to give Poppy a sibling she can play with and share a childhood with without the large gap.

Noah

Yeah, I'd be excited, too! Poppy's been saying I have a "new baby" in my belly all morning, but I'm not late, so not getting my hopes up yet.

Magnolia

Okay, that'd be some weird psychic toddler shit if you are.

I snort at her choice of words.

Noah

I think it's said animals and young children can sense it. I dunno if that's right, but if she is, I'm having her pick the next week's lottery ticket numbers.

Magnolia

Well, remember when you were pregnant with Poppy and Donut knew right away?

Donut's been my horse since my teen years, and we've been through a lot. It was sweet to watch his reactions as my belly grew and then when we could finally introduce him to Poppy.

Noah

Oh yeah. He kept nudging my belly and acting overly protective.

Magnolia

I say we go to the barn and test our theory. If you are and Poppy's already sensed it, he probably will too.

It's a silly idea, but I agree anyway.

Noah

Meet me there at four.

Fisher will still be working, and Poppy will be awake by then.

Even if he doesn't act any different, Poppy loves any reason to visit him anyway.

Fisher

"Whoa, girl. You're okay," I say softly, stroking my hand down Bambi's leg. She's Mallory's new quarter horse and still a little skittish around me.

I've been a farrier for close to two decades, so I could do it in my sleep at this point, but it's always a bit risky when the horse has a fear of tall men with long hair.

Noah's words, not mine.

She's been trying to get me to cut my hair and beard for family photos, so I wouldn't doubt it if she's just trying to get me to do it. I agreed to a trim but her thumb and finger gap were a good five inches apart, and I said hell no.

After cleaning and trimming Bambi's hooves without injury, I put her back in the stall and hear giggling down the aisle toward the front of the barn.

"Dadda!"

I smile wide as soon as I see Poppy waddling toward me.

"Hey, sweetheart." I lift her into my arms. "What are y'all doin' here?"

"Mama has baby!" She points down the aisle toward the rest of the stalls.

"She has your baby doll? Well, let's go find it." I kiss her forehead and scrub my free hand down my leather apron to wipe off the dirt.

"In her belly," she clarifies.

That has my brows rising. "Who told you that?"

"Donut!" she squeals.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure there's something lost in translation. As soon as I find Noah, I see Magnolia with Willow and Laken.

"Hey," I greet, wrapping my arm around Noah and kissing her cheek. "What's goin' on?"

"You're gonna be a daddy again!" Magnolia blurts.

"Magnolia Hollis!" Noah scolds.

"Huh? Wait…Poppy said there's a baby in your belly. That's true?" I turn, searching her face.

"I don't know for sure. I'm not late yet but Poppy's been saying I have a baby in my belly all day. So we came out to visit Donut to see if he could…sense it, too."

I burst out laughing, my head falling back on my shoulders. "I'd ask if you're jokin' but I can tell you're not."

"Donut knew when she was pregnant with Poppy, so why not? He nuzzled right up to her belly a few moments ago. He knows," Magnolia confirms.

"Did you take a test?" I ask Noah.

"Not yet. Magnolia gave me some of her spare ones, but I was gonna wait a few days since I'm not due to get my period for almost a week."

"You really think he can sense it this early on? You'd barely be three weeks along. One week gestation. That's if you conceived at the same time of ovulation."

"Okay, Mr. Scientist," Magnolia snickers.

"Biology," I correct. "And I've had a few kids now, I know how pregnancy and conception work."

"If we're gettin' technical, it's human reproduction," Noah adds.

"Which is biology," I confirm.

"Okay, whatever—sperm met egg—and now she's with child," Magnolia says.

"Unconfirmed." Noah gives her a pointed look. "I'll test each morning until my period is late or shows up."

My gaze lowers to her stomach and my chest swells with the idea of her pregnant with my baby again. I loved watching her body grow and change the first time, and getting to witness it a second time would be a blessing.

On the third morning, Noah gets a faint second line.

The following day, it's a little darker.

By the time her period is due to show up, two bold lines .

"You sure you're ready for this? Round two of sleepless nights, diaper changes, teething?" she muses, wrapping her arm around my waist as I hold her against me.

Although it's more like round four for me, I'm happier than ever getting to experience this new journey with her. It'll be her second time, and I'm sure she's a little nervous about it, but I'll be with her every step of the way.

Cupping her chin, I lean down until our lips brush. "I wasn't prepared for when you came into my life and was shocked as hell when we found out you were pregnant the first time. But both events were the best gifts I could've asked for and adding another child to our family makes it even sweeter."

She beams, tightening her grip around me. "Everyone's going to be so excited."

"And are you?"

"I am…" She nods. "Not so much about the sickness and labor but getting to meet our new little girl or boy will make everything worth it."

"Think I can I request a boy this time?" I tease, smirking.

She wrinkles her nose adorably. "Hmm…I'll see what I can do."

Nine Months Later

We'd like to welcome Tristan Jase Underwood to the family.

He was born February 15 th at 7:47 a.m.

He weighed 8 pounds, 10 ounces and was twenty inches long.

Mom and baby are healthy and perfect.

Big sister Poppy is ecstatic.

Dad has never been happier.