[shooshoo]

Joy shook her head. "I can work from anywhere with my laptop and cell phone. This is getting me away from my parents. See after he got out of the Marines, Ben moved away and left me to deal with them since my base of operations is 20 minutes away."

Ben put his feet up and covered his eyes with his forearm. This was going to be great fun having Joy here to needle him about his life choices. He stroked his belly with his free hand, hoping his little girl wasn't picking up on his stress.

"Okay you can stay," Ben interrupted. "But please stop questioning the decisions I made 15 years ago. It's water under the bridge."

"Fine, fine," Joy waved her hand and hooked her arm with Will's. "So when are you due? You look so much bigger then Benny."

"And don't call me Benny!"

[cashewmanz]

Will couldn't help but laugh. He missed his younger brother, who lived across the country, so seeing the playful sibling rivalry between the two was sort of like a trip home for him. "Calm down, Benny," he teased. He was starting to like Joy already.  
  
"I'm actually due a little bit after Ben," he said, proudly rubbing his belly. "Can't figure out what's making me so much bigger, though I hope it's not gonna be a problem when it comes time to...well, you know," he said as he squished a part of his stomach. "Probably just a lot of extra fluid, though the doctors haven't mentioned anything yet."

[shooshoo]

"Let's hope it's not surprise twins," Joy laughed, patting his arm. "The last thing you two need is three newborns."

Ben made a face at that thought. "I'm pretty sure one of the ultrasounds would have found a second baby. Will, want to go nap with me while the she-devil cleans and does our laundry."

Joy laughed and swatted at her brother's head. "I'll go change your sheets first. Extras still in the hallway closet?"

"Yeah," Ben looked at Will tiredly, smiling softly at him.

[cashewmanz]

"Oh gosh, I hadn't even thought of that," Will said, growing worried. "I feel like there'd be more movement if it were twins...unless there's no room!" His mind was racing now, thinking that he could have missed something.  
  
"What...what if they could have missed it?" Will asked to neither of them in particular. There was no way for them to know what the situation was now, but he did his best to dispel those thoughts. "Yeah...a nap sounds good..." Will said as he calmed down.

[shooshoo]

"Don't listen to her. They would have seen a second baby. Plus you're only measuring two weeks over where you should be with a single baby." Ben shuffled to the edge of the couch and pushed himself to his feet, his belly pushing up into the air. He put his hands on the small of his back and headed towards the bedroom, Will following close behind.

Joy turned as he came in, holding the dildo he had used on Will that morning. Ben turned a bright shade of red as she dangled it between two fingers. "I'm pretty sure sex is bad for preterm labor."

[cashewmanz]

"I'm gonna ask the doctor at the appointment next week...don't let me forget!" he urged as he waddled into the bedroom. The sight of the dildo in Joy's hand made him shrink back, somewhat embarrassed.  
  
"That's mine," he said, doing the best to defend his partner. "Ben's the one on bed rest, not me. So...nothing to worry about?" he made a weak case to her.

[shooshoo]

Joy pulled open the bedside table drawer, raising her eyebrows at the other toys in there. She dropped the dildo in with the rest and went back to making the bed. "Just be safe. Both of you. We don't need both of you ending up on bed rest."

"We're both adults," Ben said, stepping slightly in front of Will. "We're not being stupid about this. We really don't want to have to make any hospital trips until it's actually go time."

[cashewmanz]

"Yeah...the one was enough," Will said sheepishly, not wanting a repeat of what happened with Ben. Will was still embarrassed though. Living by themselves they'd never had a need to hide their activities. Joy's unexpected arrival was leading to some...uncomfortable conversations.  
  
"But we appreciate you looking out for us," Will smiled as he watched her place fresh linens over the bed.

[shooshoo]

Joy finished making the bed and patted Ben's shoulder as she left the room. Ben looked over at Will, making a face again. "I guess we need to be more careful about what we leave out."

Ben got onto the bed, shifting the pillows so there was one under his belly and between his legs. There was no way they could get close together anymore and Ben just wanted to snuggle into him. It was one of the things he was looking forward to after the babies were born.

"I can't believe she's here," Ben groaned as Will shifted as close as he could. He laced his fingers with Will's.

[cashewmanz]

"She really seems to get on your nerves," Will noted. "But I never heard you say anything bad about her before. You'd mentioned she was a little busy body, but I always understood that you two got along," he said. He didn't want Ben to be miserable putting up with his sister before the delivery, but there was no telling what was going on between them.

[shooshoo]

"We have very different lives and she never understood why I had to move away after I got of the Marines. I love her and she loves me, but we know how to hurt each other."

Ben felt his belly tighten and he forced himself to relax, that little reminder that he had probably moved around too much already. He smoothed a hand down the side of his belly.

"I'll talk to her and make sure we're fine. She was excited to hear that I was pregnant and supportive when I told her about you," Ben smiled at him. "She was talking about coming to visit after they were born to help out. I guess me going into labor pushed up her timeline."

[cashewmanz]

"Well she obviously cares about you," Will said affectionately. "I think that's sign enough that you two are fine with each other," he said, though hesitating at the end of his sentence.   
  
"Why...why did you move away? I don't think we've ever talked about it..."

[shooshoo]

"I just needed a fresh start. I spent a few years in Africa and the Middle East prior to the war starting. I got out before that and just needed to get away. No one knew I was a Marine, no one asked why I didn't reenlist. I could just live my life," Ben said softly. "She's Army and has reenlisted end twice. My parents sided with her. We're all mostly okay now but that's why I moved away."

[cashewmanz]

"Oh," was all Will could say to that. Suddenly their relationship made more sense. More than just pride, it was a deeper sort of commitment that they struggled with. Something Will never quite understood. He knew what had happened in those areas since Ben had left, and was glad he wasn't there, but could see the difficulty.

"That must have been hard," he said softly.

[shooshoo]

"I did my time and left," Ben said, reaching up to stroke Will's cheek gently. "I never planned on being a military lifer. She probably would have been given the choice. She got shot in Iraq and that was it for her. Honorable discharge."

[cashewmanz]

"That's...braver than I could ever hope to be," Will said with a guilty tone. These conversations always made himself feel bad about his life in some way or another. Like he'd lived too comfortably, or hadn't sacrificed enough.

[shooshoo]

Ben kissed the palm of Will's hand softly. "We all make different choices in our life and those were hers. I like my life and the way I've lived it up until now. Somehow it got me here with you."

[cashewmanz]

"I'm happy too," Will smiled and yawned. "See you in a few hours," he said as he rolled over and shut his eyes, drifting off to sleep.

[shooshoo]

Joy was unloading the dishwasher, stew bubbling on the stove and the kitchen spotless again, when Will came out of the bedroom. She looked over at him briefly before continuing to unloading the dishwasher.

"Is my brother still sleeping?"

[cashewmanz]

"Yeah, he's out like a light," Will chuckled. He eased himself into a chair as he watched Joy busy herself about the kitchen. "I'm sorry about Ben," Will sighed. "You know how proud he can be, I'm sure...he really does want you here, I can tell."