Hearts Attached (14 page)

“Eww, I don’t want to hear about it.” I scowl and shake my head. This makes Kenzie snicker.

“I thought the way we did it was cool,” I say. She looks at me, and her blue eyes are pretty.

“OK,” she whispers. We both wet our lips before we’re kissing. Our lips meet like four times, and as gross as it sounds, I really want to put my tongue in her mouth, but I don’t try since she didn’t seem to want to.

***

“I
hope you’re not mad about the party,” I say before I give Kenzie a hug.

“How could I be mad? It’s sweet.”

Up close, I can see that she’s tired. Her eyes are dark underneath, and I worry the twins are taking everything from her little body.

“Did shopping wear you out?”

“Yeah. I’m sleepy all the time these days.” She lets me go and turns her body away. Taking hold of her wrist, I bring her back around.

“Something is wrong. Do you want to talk about it?”

“Later, maybe. We have company.” She smiles, but I believe it’s forced.

“OK. Can I give you my gift after everyone leaves?”

“Sure. I’d like that.”

Kenzie seems to perk up as she hangs out with her friends. Her cake is covered in purple icing, and she happily eats a piece ... or two. Tired or not, her smile lights up her eyes, and I can tell she’s enjoying time to act her age.

All of our friends are aware she’s pregnant, but neither of us has told anyone we’re expecting twins, not even Liv. I need to tell my parents, but I haven’t wanted to see the evidence of more disappointment.

McKenzie

My head is on Luke’s chest. His heartbeat is strong beneath me, and it has me recalling the sound of our babies’ heartbeats.

“Thank you for the party. It was fun having all our friends here.”

“You’re welcome.” He kisses the top of my head, and I could drift to sleep. His arms and warm breath are soothing, but we have to talk about something, so I sit up. Luke smiles at me immediately.

“Since you’re not going to fall asleep, I want to give you my gift. I stuck it in your closet when I came over earlier to decorate.”

He climbs off the bed and returns with what looks like a picture. It’s wrapped in dark purple paper, with a large lavender bow in the center, and I bet Luke took the time to do it.

“I can’t wait to see what it is, but I don’t want to mess up the pretty paper.” I get up on my knees and scoot to the edge of the bed where he’s holding it.

“I’ll at least save the beautiful bow,” I say as I remove it.

“Rip it off, Kenz. Go for it.” His smile is genuine, and he’s happy. Even with what we’re faced with, he’s positive and content with me.

“I think you might be more excited than I am,” I say as I tear the wrapping off. It’s about an eighteen by twenty-four picture frame, and my mouth is agape as I take in every inch of what is beneath the glass.

“Luke, this is the most thoughtful gift.” Inside are five drawings I did when I was younger.

“See, here are two of the sports cars you drew for me.” Luke points to the top left and bottom right drawings. There’s a picture of an ocean scene on the bottom left.

“Do you remember when you said you were going to live in this treehouse?” he asks, pointing to the drawing on the top right.

“I remember we kissed that day, and I liked it, so I gave you the drawing when I finished it,” I reply with a giggle. He leans over the frame and kisses me, and unlike the one in the treehouse, this one is passionate.

Right in the center is a portrait of Liv, Luke and me. I drew it from a photo of the three of us at a Dartmouth ice hockey game a couple of years ago.

We’re in the stands with green paint on our faces. Our arms are around each other’s shoulders, and we’re smiling cheerfully.

“Luke, I absolutely love it, but don’t you want to keep it?”

“I have more, and anyway, someday, it will be in
our
house.”

I glance from the frame to him. “
That
is the best present you could give me.”

Luke props the frame against my dresser and wraps his arms around my waist. I’m still on my knees on the bed as he kisses me again. Our tongues move together as if they’ve been friends as long as we have, stroking slowly and lovingly.

“I’m going to give you everything, Kenzie. It will take time, but I will, and that treehouse you drew ... we might not live in it, but I’ll build it for our kids.”

His words are sweet yet painful, and I can’t hide that they hurt.

“Baby, what’s wrong?”

“We need to pick a family for the twins. Mom said they’d likely pay for whatever medical bills I have left. Time is going by fast.” I see the same pain in Luke’s gaze, so I glance away.

“It’s your birthday, Kenz. Let’s wait and search tomorrow. Maybe once we find a couple we like, it will be easier to go through with it.” He turns my chin back to him and softly kisses my lips.

“I love you, Kenzie Baker, and those babies in your belly will always be a part of both of us no matter who raises them.”

Luke

I
’m a ball of nerves. Kenzie is twenty-two weeks pregnant, and I’m going to the obstetrician appointment with her today. I’ll finally get to hear their heartbeats.

She smiles at me on her way to her lunch table. Stew’s across from me, and I watch as he twists his body to see who I’m staring at. It should be a no brainer, but he’s not the brightest. He looks pissed when he turns back around.

“Damn, Luke, her belly’s getting huge. You two must’ve hooked up on the first date. If I’d known she was that easy, I wouldn’t have given up so quick—”

I’m launching myself toward him. I thought he was my friend, but since Kenzie and I started dating, he’s been nothing but a dick.

I grab the front of his shirt and practically drag him across the table, causing food to fly everywhere. Our friends interfere once again and pull me off of him.

“Man, why would you say something like that to him?” Dalton asks Stew as he holds my arms.

“Both of you sit your asses down before you can’t play this weekend,” Noah says.

I jerk free of Dalton’s hold and storm out of the cafeteria. Outside, I walk around with my jaw tightened and fists clenched, trying to calm down. Feeling someone grab my arm, I spin around.

“Luke, it’s me,” Kenzie says, stepping back. “What the hell happened back there?”

Pulling her close, I hug her tight. Holding her should calm me. “Don’t worry about it.”

“It was about me, wasn’t it?”

“I know he thought he had a chance at dating you before we got together, but he acts like I broke the two of you up or something.”

“You have to ignore him before he gets you into trouble.”

“You didn’t get to eat. How are you feeling?”

“I’m OK. I’ve been snacking all day,” she says before snickering. “I could provide snack time to a class of preschoolers with what’s in my backpack.”

“I’m nervous but excited about seeing the ultrasound.”

Her smile fades, like every other time I mention us going to the doctor appointment.

“Everyone is talking about me showing.” Biting on her lip, Kenzie stares off, and I believe she’s working on changing the subject.

“I don’t care about everyone. I care about you and our babies.”

***

T
he ultrasound tech appears to be in her thirties, and she’s wearing scrubs. “This gel will be cool,” she says before squirting a liquid on Kenzie’s growing belly. I take hold of her hand as she lies on the table. I can’t stop tapping my foot.

For a few minutes, everything on the screen looks fuzzy and grey. The tech presses on Kenzie’s belly firmly with what she calls a wand, and I guess her stomach can take more pressure than I thought.

After the lady pushes some buttons on the machine in front of her, I hear it. Similar to the day I found out about the twins, time stands still. I hear nothing but the sound of my babies’ beating hearts.

“So, you’re the daddy?” the woman asks, never taking her eyes off the screen. Daddy.

“Um, yeah. That’s their heartbeats, correct?”

“Yes.” As the tech concentrates on the ultrasound, Kenz squeezes my hand harder.

“Would you like to know the sex of the babies?” She smiles and glances to both of us.

“No,” Kenzie says.

“Aren’t you dying to know?” I ask. We agreed not to find out the sexes of the babies, believing it would create further attachment to them, but I want to know.

Kenz peers up at me. “Yes, but we agreed.”

“Please, Kenz.”

After momentarily staring at my desperate face, she turns back to the tech. “OK, you can tell us.”

“The first one ...” the tech pushes some buttons again before freezing the screen, “is a boy. You can see right here.” She points to the screen, and I feel my heart pounding in my chest.

“Now, let’s see if the other will cooperate.” She begins moving her wand again, pressing it hard into Kenzie’s belly. The machine makes a swooshing sound over and over. It’s fascinating.

“I have a female twin,” I say excitedly.

“Actually, you wouldn’t be the reason she’s carrying twins. However, you could possibly pass on a gene to a daughter that causes hyper-ovulation, and she could possibly have twins.”

She moves her wand a touch more, her forehead creasing from concentrating. “And it looks like you have a chance of that happening, Mr. Harris, since your other baby appears to be a girl.”

“A boy and girl?” Kenzie asks, sounding shocked.

“Yep. How about that? Purely coincidental to Mr. Harris being a twin to a sister.”

I squeeze Kenzie’s hand even tighter.

“It’s not coincidental. This was meant to be,” I say. Kenzie takes a peek at me again and smiles. Her eyes are bathed in tears, and it’s causing mine to do the same.

***

C
oach was nice enough to let me come to practice late. I’m in aww still that Kenzie is carrying a boy and girl. She begged me to let her tell Liv.

I’ll have to inform my parents soon, anyway. Kenzie’s stomach is growing fast, and we’re over the halfway mark. I’m in the locker room gearing up when Noah comes in.

“Oh, hey, Luke. Um, how’s McKenzie?”

“Why don’t you tell me what’s up Stew’s ass first.” After pulling on my skate, I straighten up and stare at him.

“Look, he really likes McKenzie. He’s wanted to date her for as long as I can remember.”

“She’s fucking pregnant. He needs to move on.”

“I told him today that he has to cut that shit out. I know he’s been a man whore, but he genuinely wanted a shot with her. I think she’s the girl he would’ve treated differently.

“She’s always belonged with me.”

“She had finally agreed to go on a date with him, and then you get with her right after. He’s pissed, feeling like you had years to make your move.”

“Noah, Kenzie and I have been together our whole lives. Things happened between us over the years, but we didn’t tell anyone and kept fighting it.

“No other guy had a chance at being with her, just like I didn’t want any other girl. I didn’t take her from him; McKenzie has always been mine.”

“Everyone else knows that, but he doesn’t want to see it, and he didn’t mean what he said about her. He’s jealous.”

“It’s a moot point, so you better convince him of that before I kick his ass.”

McKenzie

“I have news, Liv. I told Luke I wanted to tell you.” We’re both sitting on my bed, and she’s leaning over, painting my toes for me. I’m already uncomfortable when I try to do it.

I can’t believe how much bigger you get with twins. All my friends say I’m still small to be pregnant, but I don’t feel like it.

“We’re having twins, Liv.”

She stops moving before her eyes tilt up at me.

“No way, Kenz.”

“Guess what else.”

“Are you having a boy and a girl?” she asks in a high pitched tone, instantly getting emotional.

“Yep.” Tears begin tumbling to her cheeks and to my bed.

“Shit, girl,” she says, trying to put the brush back into the bottle of polish. “You’re messing up my fine work here.” Liv wipes her eyes but then bursts into tears.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, tearing up myself.

“I can’t tell you,” she says.

“Oh, my god. You aren’t pregnant, are you?”

“No, I’m not pregnant.” Her head is giving me an adamant no.

“It’s selfish of me, but I don’t want you to give up the babies, Kenz. That’s my niece and nephew in there. I want to watch them grow up.”

This is the Liv I love. The one who doesn’t have a defensive wall up. This is the girl I’ve been good friends with all my life.

I begin sobbing, too, and now we’re both a blubbering mess. Leaning over, she hugs me, and we literally cry on each other’s shoulders.

My door swings open, and Luke and Dalton are standing there, looking baffled and uncomfortable.

“God, can I ever walk into this room without tears? Liv, why in the hell are you crying?” Luke asks.

She wipes her eyes and promptly stops her tears. I imagine it’s mostly due to Dalton’s presence. His blonde hair is still wet and messy from the shower he took after hockey practice. Luke’s hair is the same.

“Kenzie just told me about the babies.”

“Babies, as in plural?” Dalton asks.

“I was going to tell you soon, man, but yeah, McKenzie is pregnant with twins,” Luke says, staring straight at me. “I need to be alone with Kenzie, Liv. Can you and Dalton go over to our house?”

Without a word, Liv swipes tears away again and climbs off the bed. Dalton hugs her before they go out the door.

Shit, I can’t tell Luke that she wants us to keep the babies or that I want to keep them.

Luke

“What’s going on?” I ask after sitting across from Kenzie.

“Oh, Liv got emotional about us having twins, so then it got me crying.” She wipes away more tears and grins at me. She’s full of shit.

“What did she say?”

“I just told you.”

“No, you shared what you think I need to hear.” Cupping one side of her face, I stare into her eyes. “She doesn’t want us to give up the babies, right?”

Kenzie’s head drops. “No, she doesn’t, especially now.”