A Mass Hysteria In The Modern World

[Alyssa's POV]

"Hey, Billie!" I called out, closing the front door. I held an envelope that I had just opened.

"Hey, what?" He asked, coming in the room with our one year old.

"My cousin is having her baby shower tomorrow."

"Which cousin?"

"Jill," I said, almost as a question.

"Sounds fine to me. What time?"

"Two O' Clock."

"Where?"

"Her house."

"What happened to-" I cut him off.

"She kicked him out. He's an asshole."

"Oh."

"Yeah, I said, making an awkward atmosphere. "So, I've been thinking." I sat on the couch, so did Billie.

"Yes?"

"I would really like it if... if we had a third kid."

I felt as if I shouldn't have said anything yet. Billie looked at me as if he didn't hear a word I just said. I broke the silence.

"Babe?" I asked, making sure he was still there.

"I heard you," he sighed and put Keith on the floor. "Well, do you really want another?"

"Yes, Billie. I do. I really, really do."

I grabbed his hands, being hopeful that he could possibly be okay with the idea of a third kid.

"Honestly," he sighed. "I think that having another kid sounds great."

We smiled happily at each other.

"Keith would be almost two by the time the baby comes and he could have a brother or another sister to play with."

"What are you wanting?" He asked me.

"Girl," I smiled. Billie smiled too and kissed me. I felt happy at that moment; knowing that there was going to be a third mini Armstrong.

"It's May, right?" I asked. Billie nodded. "If we started trying this month, he, or she, would be born in February."

"And is that a good thing?" He asked me.

"It is. I want a winter baby. I just don't want to be pregnant over the summer..."

"I'd take good care of you," he said, kissing me again. I smiled at him.

"I know you will."

[The next day]

"Come on, Abby! We're going to be late if you don't hurry up!" I called up the stairs.

Abby came running down and shoved past me. It took everything I had to not scold her. Luckily, Billie had been putting Keith in the car seat. I locked up the house and went outside.

"You drivin'?" He asked me. I held up the keys.

The drive was half an hour but it went by fast. Jill's neighborhood wasn't the best, but it was a really nice looking house. As I walked up to the party, my family turned and looked at me.

"Alyssa!" My cousin, Jill, had yelled. She was big and pregnant. I sat Keith on the ground and held his hand.

"Hey, Jill," I said and hugged her. "You're huge!"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm for sure a fat ass."

Her and I laughed while Keith whined and wanted to be held. I sighed and picked him up.

"Is he yours?" My aunt asked, who was having a smoke by the side door of the house.

"He's ours," I said, looking at Billie. "She's our oldest." I pointed to Abby.

"I didn't even know you were married, let alone have two kids."

"Fifteen years and counting," I smiled. I handed Keith to Billie and followed Abby inside. There were more people... and food. She went straight for the hot dogs.

"Do you want me to help you?" I asked her. Abby shook her head. I grabbed a bottle of water and went back outside. Billie looked like he was already enjoying the party. Although, my family was almost interrogating him. Nobody had met him before, but everyone knew who he was. I held the water in my hand and watched Billie bounce his leg up and down repeatedly. He was nervous.

"Time to eat!" Sarah, one of my many cousins, yelled and went inside. Billie got up and saw me behind him.

"Oh my God, you scared me!"

I laughed and opened the door for little Keith. Billie held my waist as I walked up the steps from the porch and into the patio that then led into the kitchen. I turned and kissed him quickly then went off. Keith was saying, "hot dog, hot dog," after seeing Abby eat. She sat on the couch, texting. I cut a hot dog in half and handed it to my son and he went running off to sit with his big sister.

"Are you doing to eat anything, Billie?" I heard one of my family members ask. He shook his head and said, "no thank you."

After dinner, we all had cake as Jill opened the baby gifts.

"Oh, shit," I said and looked at Billie. "We forgot a gift!"

"We can get one later," he said, patting my leg.

Everyone was taking pictures of Jill opening the gifts. We adults played a few games, too.

"So, Alyssa," my aunt asked. I looked up at her. "Are you planning on having more kids?"

"Yes," I smiled. "We are. Billie and I actually agreed to it last night."

She smiled. "So, we're expecting from you, then." I nodded my head. "When do you want to have it?"

"February."

"Oh! Better start now," she laughed. I laughed, embarrassed, and looked at Billie. He gave me a smirk saying that it'll be okay.

As the day got later, more people were leaving.

"Well, Jill. I need to go home, it's past this one's bedtime."

I bounced Keith on my hip. He was sucking his finger. Jill smiled and we hugged then left. Keith fell asleep on the way home. When we pulled into the driveway, I got Keith out and Abby went inside then straight upstairs.

"What's her problem today?" I asked Billie. He shrugged then I handed Keith to him.

"Can you lock up?" I asked, throwing him the keys. I went in to the house and upstairs to Abby's room then knocked on the door.

"Abby, can you open the door?"

"Come in."

I went inside and closed the door behind me. She was laying on her bed.

"Hey, what's going on?"

"I heard you and dad talking last night," Abby spoke very bluntly. I said nothing. Sighing, I put my hands over my face and shook my head.

"Why do you want another kid?"

"I don't know. I just do. Don't you think it'd be great to have another brother or sister?"

"It just upsets me."

"Would you rather it be a mistake?"

She didn't say anything this time. I decided to leave and let her be.

"School's tomorrow. Get to bed in an hour."

I left and went into me and Billie's room then laid on the bed. I got comfortable and then Billie cam in. I sighed and tried to focus on sleeping.

"Well, today was interesting," he said, laying next to me.

"It was. I had fun though. Did you?" I asked.

"Yeah," he sighed. "Oh! Did you find out what was going on with Abby?"

I laughed. "She overheard us talking last night about having another baby. She's not too pleased about that."

Billie laughed too. "That's typical her," he said. "So, February, huh?"

I nodded.

"That means that I'd have to get you mego-prego this month," he said, almost laughing. I nodded again. Billie turned, facing me, then pulled me closer and held me there.

"When do you want to do that?" He asked.

"Oh, aren't you so eager to know?" I laughed.

"No!" Billie attempted to defend himself. I shook my head.

"It guess it doesn't really matter anyways," I told him. Then realized what I had said right before he looked at me. "Besides tonight!"

"What!?" He exclaimed. "You said it didn't matter!"

"Hey! I'm going to be carrying the kid for nine months! I get to say when I will do that!"

Billie didn't say anything. Instead, he cuddled against me and began to doze off.

The next morning, I woke up to the smell of fresh coffee and pancakes.

"What kind are you making, dad?" I heard Abby ask.

"Your favorite: chocolate chip."

"Yum!"

I heard Keith giggle and push his toy tractor around on the kitchen floor. Smiling, I got out of bed and started going downstairs. The lighting of the kitchen caused me to squint my eyes.

"Hey, beautiful," Billie greeted, following with a kiss.

"Morning," I yawned and went to the table. "Morning, Abby."

"Hi, mom," she mumbled with chocolate chip pancakes stuffed in her face. I looked at Billie and he looked at me.

"Don't worry," he mouthed and smiled at me. "Oh yeah, Mike and Randi are still sleeping in the living room. So be quiet." I gave him a thumbs up.