Tongue Tied

Months had passed and Alex's school year, as while as the hockey season, had ended. Nathan and Alex spent majority of their time together. If they weren't alone, or at his house in his pool, or at her aunt's house in the pool, they were with Alexa, Erica, Gabe, Kya, Ryan, and Tyson at someone's house in a pool. They had all stayed in Denver for the beginning of their summers. Currently, Alex and Nathan had just showered after swimming for a bit and were getting settled for a movie night. Alex's phone started ringing and they were disrupted.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Hi, surprise!" Melissa sang.

"Mel, hey!" Alex sat up.

"So, big news." Melissa warned.

"What's that?" Alex asked, looking at Nathan who wasn't paying attention.

"I am expecting!" Melissa exclaimed.

"Expecting what?" Alex gasped.

"I'm with child, Alex! I'm having a baby!" Melissa cried.

Alex grabbed Nathan's wrist, squeezing it to gain his attention. "Oh my god! How far along are you? Do you know the sex yet?"

"I'm in my third trimester so pretty close and yeah, a little boy." Melissa sighed before she continued.

Nathan furrowed his brows. Alex motioned with her hand to her stomach before she did an outline of it repeatedly. He still didn't catch on. She rested her phone between her ear and shoulder and made a rocking motion. His jaw dropped. Melissa was pregnant! Alex nodded at him and went back to the call.

"Enough about that! I'm having a baby shower and I'd love it if you and Nathan could make it." Melissa explained.

"Yes, of course we'll be there. We wouldn't miss it, Mel." Alex assured her.

Alex got the details before she hung up. Melissa was pregnant. The girl who always swore she would never have a child after her niece was born. She was confused and kind of upset. All her friends were growing away from her and changing or growing up, and Alex felt like she wasn't. She looked at Nathan with a frown. He frowned back and pulled her into him. She rested against his chest. He stroked her arm with his thumb.

"Why is everything changing?" She sighed

."Because that's what happens, Al. Things change." Nathan told her, pressing his lips to her head.

"I hate change." She huffed.

"I know you do, but it's life. You've changed for the better and so have all the girls." He explained.

She shot up. "So majority of them leaving me was for the better?" She hissed.

"For them? Maybe." He shrugged. "At some point in everyone's lives, we have to make one outrageously selfish decision. I know which was mine, do you know yours?"

"I don't think I've made a selfish decision in my life." She breathed.

"So yours is still to come. But it's all right, because we all do it. Some just have their one, some have many. It all depends on you." He said, leaning forward.

She kissed him. "I love you."

"I love you. Now stop stressing about the past." He instructed, laying back.

She nodded but stayed silent. "Nate, do you think they'll all be there?" She almost whispered.

He nodded. "I mean, they're Melissa's friends. Isn't a baby a big deal in a woman's life?"

She shrugged. "I don't know! I don't have a kid."

The next few days consisted of them packing what was needed and searching around for gifts. Neither knew babies well, so they had to call their mothers. Kathy suggested a baby bath tub filled with diapers, wipes, and other baby related things. Linda suggested toys and plastic cups. They grabbed a cart and found everything that would fit in the tub. Everything was blue and Nathan thought it would be fun to throw in as much Avs merch they could find that was suitable for a baby. The cashier smiled as she began to ring things in.

"How old is your little guy?" She sang.

"Oh, this isn't for us. We're going to a shower." Alex explained.

"Oh, thank goodness. You can't be more than, what, sixteen?" The cashier asked.

Alex just smiled. "Something like that."

Alex placed the bags in the cart and Nathan wheeled it out to his car. She put the bags into the trunk and closed it. She turned and caught Nathan's smiling face. She narrowed her eyes at him. He just chuckled.

"I'm dating a sixteen year old." He laughed.

She shrugged. "If looking young is a crime, then so be it." She walked to the passenger's side of the car, climbing in.Nathan wheeled the cart to the cart return and came back.

"Y'know, you actually look your age, babe." He reassured her as he climbed into his seat.

"Maybe I like looking sixteen."

"You look younger and I look older. That's probably not good." He smirked.

"I always told everyone I wanted a sugar daddy. I guess I found my old man." She teased.

"Haha." He mock laughed, digging his fingers into her thigh.

She smiled and whacked his chest. "Drive, grandpa."

Notes