The Hardest Part of Today is a Hangover.

We were all over at Erin and Adam’s house, eating food and just enjoying the little time we had with my crazy, eccentric mother, who took an immediate liking to the baby. That made me slightly less nervous about the news I was soon to deliver.

Erin and my mom were playing with Casey on the floor, Oli and I were curled up on the loveseat watching TV, Adam, Christian, and Caitlin were in the kitchen washing dishes, and the rest of the band, Tom, and Christie were all outside in the backyard, laying one the picnic table and watching the stars. It was a peaceful night, and I absolutely loved it.

“So, how have you been Mrs. H?” Erin began, smiling at my mother.

Mom sighed, and I knew that she was hiding something.

“I’ve been alright, dear. Same ol’ California heat, same ol’ whiney husband,” she laughed, tickling at Casey’s foot.

Casey squealed and kicked about, her tiny little chest trembling.
Her bright blue eyes were glazed over with tears of joy and she was just having the time of her life—she was making me smile. And that’s when I caught my hand resting on my stomach.

I sighed, looked at my mother, and cleared my throat.

“Mom, there’s something Oli and I have to tell you,” I breathed out, finally confident in the idea.
My mom looked at me, her eyes bright with happiness, a smile on her face—she would take the news more than well.
“We’re having a baby, Ma,” I whispered, my heart pounding its way up to the back of my teeth.

She nodded, smiling. “I know, Annabelle. You’re shining like the Fourth of July.”

[--]

Oli and I sat in bed that night, thinking of everything that will be coming in the next few months—a baby, a tour, a move, a job, Europe. Everything seemed to be coming so fast and we hadn’t even sat down and talked about anything.

I guess that was my fault. I was trying to act like nothing was happening, when, in reality, it was going to come whether I wanted to or not.
It just depended on me and if I wanted to be a good parent.

Things had started sinking in.

“Do you want to move, love?” Oli asked from next to me, our hands entwined.

I sighed.

“No, Oli, I don’t,” I admitted, “But I’m going to anyway.”

He propped himself up on one arm and looked at me.
“Are you sure?”

I nodded. “Of course”—I moved our hands onto my stomach—“I am. For the baby and us; our family.”

He smiled and kissed me.
“I didn’t think I’d ever hear you say that.”

Truthfully, neither did I.