#leonorsprong

"Good morning, sleepyhead."

"I think we have some, like, unfinished business from last night."

"--Oh Al. Al, yes. Yes! Allllll!"

Yesenia was in no mood for company, but she didn't have much choice.

She stood to the side, fidgeting uncomfortably, while Citlali and Leonor spoke animatedly about the events of Leonor's wedding.

“—totally not your fault, I mean how could you have known?”

“—really am sorry, though, Lele. I thought we could be friends, but after that . . . I really feel for him, but—”

“I say just stay away, Lali. He’ll drag you down with him. You have to, like, save yourself.”

“Yesenia?”

She jumped, but it was just her father. Holding a gift box.

“Dad? What's this?”

“It's yours. The deed to your mom's store, like we talked about, remember? I wanted to give it to you at the wedding, but I couldn't find you there toward the end.”

A painful lump had risen in Yesenia's throat, difficult to speak around.

“I thought you'd forgotten.”

“How could I? You didn't really think your mom and I would gift Leonor a new business and have nothing for you, did you?”

Yesenia blinked back tears. “I thought— because I wasn't getting married— Dad, I don't deserve it.”

“No need for tears, Yessy. Sweetheart. Take it. Make more of it than we ever did. It's yours.”

“I'll try.” Her voice came out as a whisper. “Thank you.”

"--Leonor!--"

"--Al! Oh yes! Just like that--"

You don't hear anything. You're just reading, just getting absorbed in a good book . . .

Block it out. Just block it out.

"I can't believe how big you've gotten so fast! It really might be twins. Are you prepared for that? It's not easy, you know."

"Al and I will be able to handle it. Don't worry, Mom."

"How are you doing in there? Growing big and strong?" Domingo cooed to Leonor's belly.

"Working on it," Leonor laughed.

"By the way." Domingo looked up from Leonor’s belly. "Your sister--?"

"I don't know. Out somewhere. You might've missed her again, Dad."

"There she is!" Citlali jumped up.

Yesenia froze in the doorway.

"Oh, hey Yessy! We have visitors!"

"I can . . . see that."

"Ha. I guess you worked up an appetite while you were checking out the new business."

"Mmph. Starving. Constantly." Leonor wiped her mouth. "I might be carrying twins. It's more common if you're a twin yourself, you know."

"Speaking of. I wanted to talk to you. I've been thinking I should move out."

"What?! You can't move out. Why? Are you mad at me?"

"Of course not. But, Lele, this isn't a big house. There's barely enough room for the three of us as it is."

"There's a whole extra bedroom!"

"Come on, Leonor, we all know you're not going to want to stop at one. And I just feel . . . in the way."

"But where will you live?" Leonor's bottom lip wobbled.

"Hey, it's OK. I'll figure it out. I'm not looking to move out right away. I'll need to talk to Dad and Uncle Walter about building another house first. Or I guess I could move back in with Mom and Dad . . ." She winced. She loved her parents, but she hoped it wouldn't come to that. "But anyway. I think it'll be for the best."

"I'll miss you."

You'll have even less thought to spare for me when there's a new baby than you do now.

Though her pregnancy was taking a greater toll on her now that she was showing, Leonor couldn't wait any longer to check out the storefront her father had had built for her.

The new building wasn't big, but it was impossible to miss.

"It's perfect!" Leonor breathed. "Oh, isn't it just so cute, Al? So much potential! And it's all ours!"

"Your dad knows you well," Al agreed, looking around. "I bet all the traders and messengers who pass through will be flocking here for some coffee and one of your baked goods in no time."

"We'll have to decorate, though," Leonor said. "And think of a name. Ooh! What do you think about Lovebirds Coffee Co? That's cute, right?"

"Cute and perfect, just like the little lovebird standing right in front of me."

"Aww. Al."

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This is where I did a very intelligent thing and sent Leonor, who'd only just popped into her second trimester, to a community lot without having installed the mod that fixes the community lot pregnancy bump bug.* So from this point on Leonor looks like she could give birth any second even though she still has two-thirds of her pregnancy to go.

It wasn't long before Yesenia's fears were proved right.

"It's really happening!" Al beamed.

"I've been wanting to think so, but I had, like, no morning sickness at all! Just some muscle aches."

"That's because our perfect child knows better than to make their mother sick. But here, let me do something for those aches . . ."

Yesenia had to excuse herself from the touching scene.

At the rate they're going, Leonor's going to be pregnant with the first of her four perfect children before I know it. Maybe she already is.

Where does that leave me?

This house already feels too small for the three of us.

Ugh.

"Are you warm enough, Al? Snuggle up closer if you start to feel cold."

"Now that you mention it, I'm freezing."

"Hehehe! Al!"