Competitive XIII

Note: This is a story-prompt for That-Other-Guy.

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Two Months Earlier

It had already been about a month since her son had returned from his school trip from South America. James had come back safe and healthy, if a bit tan and chubby. After so much anxiety worrying about James wandering through verdant jungle territory, Heather was finally getting back into her ordinary routine. She was so busy catching up on deferred duties that she was belated in realizing that she had missed her period for the first time since her youngest child had been conceived.

Once it registered, Heather felt a little shaken. But she sat down to family breakfast as usual, trying not to get ahead of herself. She watched absently as her daughter, Elizabeth, picked at her food, and James dug in with poorly-restrained vigor. He had put on some more weight recently, and had been acting flushed and awkward, trying to hide it with baggy clothing. It was hardly working. He had gained a lot. But Heather was too distracted to think much on it. She was sure that he would lose any extra weight once the track season started up, like usual.

“You okay, hun?”

Heather turned to her husband, Charles. She forced a smile. “Of course.”

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Heather left work early the following day and stopped by a pharmacy where she purchased a few pregnancy tests, which she shoved into her purse. She still just couldn’t believe she was going through this sort of thing at her age. She got home earlier than the rest of her family, prepared herself a jug of water, and locked herself into a bathroom. Breathing deeply in an effort to calm herself, she went through each of the five pregnancy tests she had purchased, one by one, until her bladder had exhausted every droplet of water she had consumed.

The results were all the same. Positive. Regardless of brand. Heart racing, she sat down on the lowered toilet seat. She didn’t know how to feel about this. She was rather stunned. Heather looked up at hearing the front door open. She threw the tests into the trash, keeping just one, which she returned to its box and stuck into her purse.

She sat in a daze through dinner, James plowing through his food, growing plumper seemingly by the moment. Elizabeth was eating slowly as she watched her brother in morbid fascination, and Charles was just frowning at them in concern.

Heather probably managed to get down two spoonfuls in her anxious state. She waited until after dinner, when she was alone with Charles in their bedroom, to finally break the news.

“He’s getting huge,” Charles was ranting. “I just can’t believe how much weight he’s put on. Maybe we should consult with a doctor. I mean, he actually looks as though he’s—”

“I’m pregnant,” Heather blurted out.

Charles spun to face her. “What?” he said in alarm.

She pulled out the test, showing him the positive sign. “I took five,” she managed.

Charles stared at the test. He took her hands. They both seated themselves on the bed. “It’s okay,” he said, reading her worried face. “God Heather—this is a good thing.” He pulled her into a tight embrace.

They decided not to tell the news to their children, at least not until they could get it confirmed by a doctor. And it was, a week later, during her OBGYN appointment, during which Heather was astonished to notice that she already had a small bump low on her navel. She and Charles agreed that they would prepare themselves to tell the kids the following day.

James was flustered and sweaty throughout the evening. They wondered if he had somehow found out, but then realized it was finals week. He was eating more than ever, but looked really stressed out. Charles encouraged him not to overwork himself.

After dinner, Charles and Heather watched the news for a few hours. It was late by the time they dragged themselves to bed, having dozed off on the couch.

“We really need to have a sit-down with our son,” said Charles.

“Mmm,” Heather hummed in vague agreement. “Goodnight Charles.”

“Good night.”

But it seemed the moment they closed their eyes, there was a shout from the basement, followed by a long groan, and yammering voices.

Charles sat up, turning on the lamp on his night table. “Keep it down!” he shouted in the direction of the basement. He frowned at Heather. “He knows he’s not supposed to have his friends over this late.”

There was a sobbing noise, and more groans, then the sound of a—baby crying?

“What on earth?” said Charles.

“Those boys and their video games,” said Heather, pulling out her ear plugs. She offered Charles a pair but he just scowled at her. “Fine, we’ll talk to him in the morning. About the weight, the stress, the friends—and everything.”

“My pride and joy.” Charles rolled his eyes.

Heather kissed his cheek. “And we get to tell the kids about the new baby.” This earned her a weary smile.

But the next morning when Charles and Heather went down to James’ basement apartment, they were welcomed by the smell of sweat, tears, and…sour milk?

James was sprawled back on a beanbag, looking drained of rather…deflated. His clothes hung off him, and clutched to his chest, to his—his full pair of breasts, were perched two babies that were…suckling from James’ nipples.

Heather felt her jaw drop.

“Mom…dad,” said James, his words breathless and face flushed. “I um…I had…”

Heather decided to hold off on the exciting news of her pregnancy.