I'm in Hate With You

"Carly !" I call. Where is she ? And what trouble has she gotten herself into now ? "Abby, get back out here with my kid !"

"Riley, seriously, if you don't bring back my daughter right now, I'll hurt you," Daniel says beside me.

Slowly, I see two heads come up from behind the counter. Abby and Riley stand up, looking guilty.

"What did you two do ?" I demand.

"I... um..." Abby trails off, not knowing what to say.

"We just wanted to..." Riley too can't find what he was trying to say.

Our three-year-old daughter, Carly, pops her head around the corner, grinning. Daniel always says she has my smile. All over her mouth, is chocolate cupcake frosting.

I glare at Abby. "You made cupcakes again, didn't you ?" I question.

"Heff !" she whins. "Carly wanted some !"

"Don't 'Heff' me. I told you too not to give her junk food until after she eats her peanut butter sandwich," I argue. Carly pretty much only eats peanut butter. I wonder how that happened...

"If you hadn't eaten so much damn peanut butter when you were pregnant, she could be eating good food right now," Daniel whispers in my ear, almost as if reading my thoughts.

I elbow him in the side. "Don't you dare blame that on me. She's all yours." In truth, her personality is a lot like Daniel's: mischevious. But, she was also very stubborn as well, so I guess that's all me.

With long dark hair like mine, and bright blue eyes like Daniel, she's a good combination of the two of us. She is so cute; I love her with all my heart.

"Listen, you two need to watch her while we're gone. We shouldn't be too long, but I don't want you all destroying our apartment," Daniel orders.

"Yes, sir," Riley agrees.

Sadly, we'll be moving out of our apartment soon, to make room for the new baby. It was going to be hard leaving behind all the memories. The bed we'd both been sleeping in for the past three and a half years, the bathroom where I had thrown up countless times, the kitchen where I finally declared my love for him. I would be leaving it all behind.

Oh ya. Did I mention that we're having another baby ? I'm six months along, and we're actually going to the doctor's office right now (which I still don't like) to find out if it's a boy or girl.

"I promise, no more cupcake until after lunch," Abby vows. Hopefully she'll keep her promise. I don't want my daughter to be all hyped up when we get home.

Riley kisses Abby on the head when he thinks we aren't looking. They are so darn cute together. Riley popped the question about two months ago, and they should be getting married soon. I smile to myself. Abby always did deserve someone like Riley.

Daniel takes my hand in his (which we decided long ago that they fit perfectly together) and asks, "Ready to go ?"

He knows I still really don't like doctors, and I'm glad he's always there for me. He's my rock. Except when it comes to blood. Then he pretty much faints. When I was having Carly, he had to keep focused on my face so he wouldn't fall over. All the while, I was screaming at him that he "did this to me" and was "a heartless son of a bitch". Ya, I wasn't very happy that day.

When Carly was born (and thoroughly cleaned), Daniel was so happy. He's the best dad, always ready to listen. He loves Carly so much.

I sometimes I wonder what our lives would be like without Carly, but I can't picture it. I can't picture Daniel and I being the perfect couple, waiting until marriage to plan when the kids will be born. I just can't.

I don't think I'd ever want my life to be anything else. I love my life. I have a smoking hott husband, now without lip rings (he decided the were chilish), a beautiful daughter who will grow up to be rad like me, and a best friend who really couldn't be better (plus, she babysits). I have an awesome life. I'd never change it.

"I'm ready," I tell him reluctantly.

He squeezes my hand. "God, you make me so damn hott," he informs me.

I blush slightly and Abby and Riley make gagging noises. Riley grabs his cup of ice and slides a piece in his mouth, beginning to grind it into pieces in his mouth.

I smirk. "Riley, did you know that chewing ice is for sexually frustrated people ?" I ask.

He nearly choked, spitting his ice on the floor. Abby and Daniel laughed hysterically.

Did I forget to mention where I work now ? I work at Music Mayhem. That's right, Daniel's CD shop. Apparently I have major buisiness savy and the store is bigger than ever before.

"Let's go," Daniel says, leading me out the door of our apartment. Out of nowhere, he gently pushes me against the wall and kisses me deeply. I pull him closer to me, only my fat stomach between us.

Sometimes, passion never dies. And I know it never will.