Peals of laughter filled the air as Ryan and Thomas ran through the sprinkler. Ethan was napping on a blanket in the shade beside you. The thought occurred to run through the sprinkler with the boys, but it seemed like too much work to move.

You spotted Sonny before the boys did. He had shed his jacket and dress shirt, leaving him in an undershirt and dress pants. Goodness, he was a sight. Slightly greying at the temples, long, lean body..that’s what got you where you were, nine months pregnant with baby four, with baby three only 11 months. Now you were irritated for no reason. Rolling your eyes, you turned your attention back to the boys.

“Daddy!” Ryan and Thomas exclaimed as they ran across the yard to greet Sonny. He scooped them up, not caring a bit that they were soaking wet from the sprinkler. “C’mon Daddy. Play with us!”

“Give me a minute. I wanna say hello to your Mama.” He sat the boys down then sat in the deck chair beside you. “Hey, doll. How’s my favorite girl and little cannoli doin’?” 

Looking at him over sunglasses, you gave him “the look”. “Well, let’s see. Where to start. It is hotter than Hell, and here is” a little fun fact for you. It is the hottest Summer in history. Um, our A/C is broke and they can’t work on it until Monday. My feet are swollen, I can’t sleep, and I’m sweating in places I didn’t know a person could sweat. Oh yeah, and I’m a week overdue and by the time he is born, he’ll be a toddler. I think that about covers it.” You pushed your sunglasses up the bridge of your nose and took a drink of ice water.

“Sounds like the heat is gettin’ to ya,” Sonny said evenly, not letting your bad mood effect him. He had been down this road with you before. The end of your pregnancies was always tough  Although this pregnancy was tougher since you had just had a baby less than a year ago. 

“Something like that.” Placing a hand on your huge belly, you turned your attention back to Ryan and Thomas. Ethan whimpered as he woke from his nap. As you started pushing yourself forward in an effort to stand, Sonny, placed a hand on your arm, pausing your ascension.

“I got him.” Sonny gracefully stood from the chair. It surprised you sometimes how graceful he could be despite being so lanky. Ethan grabbed on to Sonny’s pant leg and pulled himself up. Sonny bent over, picked him up and then rested his head on Sonny’s shoulder. He gently rubbed Ethan’s back.

“I’m going to head back inside and lie down,” you informed Sonny. “I can’t take this heat anymore.” Sonny helped you from your seated position. “Not like it’s going to be any cooler inside though,” you grumbled, waddling onto the house. 

“Stop it!”  “Give it back!”  “I’m telling Dad.”  Ethan screaming at the top of his lungs. “Keep it down. You’re gonna wake your Ma.” 

‘Oh for Heaven’s sake,’ you thought to yourself. Sitting on the side of the bed, you took a deep breath and pushed yourself off the bed. The arguing and screaming were coming from the family room. Standing in the doorway with your hands on your lower back you waited. “Hey! Everyone needs to stop right now! Sonny can’t you keep them in line for 10 minutes, Jesus.” 

Sonny stared at you for a few seconds, looking wounded. It wasn’t often you raised your voice to him and never to the kids. “Sorry, doll. Ethan needs to be changed, but these two started fighting. I was trying to stop them from being loud and waking-”

 “Well, it didn’t work. Did it,” you bite back at Sonny. “Give me the baby. I’ll change him. Ryan. Thomas. Rooms. Now.” Ethan snuggled into your chest, legs hanging on either side of your belly. He quieted almost immediately. “I can’t tell you how helpful you’ve been. I love that I have to do everything around here,” your voice laced with sarcasm. 

There was little said between you and Sonny during dinner. To be truthful you felt pretty damn bad. He tried his best to help you out when he was home. Looking across the table at Sonny made you feel like an even worse if that was possible. He tried to be happy with the kids. But the tight lines around his eyes and thin smile told you another story. 

After beds and baths for the boys, Sonny went to the home office and you went to bed so you could prop your feet and read a book. He came into bed shortly after you did though. 

“Sonny?” You said softly.

“Hmm?” He kept his back to you. “What did I do wrong now?” His shoulders sagged in defeat.

Ouch. “I’m sorry for earlier. You didn’t break the A/C. You can’t control the weather. I was horrible to you. The boys are so lucky to have you for their father.” Taking a deep breath you continued your apology. “ There are days that I can’t keep them under control. And you do help, a lot. I love you. I’m just so, so sorry Sonny.” Shifting to your knees, you crawled toward Sonny and wrapped your arms loosely around his neck.

He covered your hands with one of his. “Thank you for the apology.” He turned in bed, wrapping you in a hug. “I love you so much, Y/N.” His fingers trailed along your jaw. He grasped the back of your neck, pulling you in for a kiss. “You know,” Sonny said between kissing your mouth, neck and down the angle of your shoulder, “sex can stimulate labor.” 

“Is that right? Why don’t we put that theory to the test.” You pushed Sonny down on the bed, then straddled his hips.

“It also helps with foul moods,” Sonny gave you a teasing grin and rocked his hips up to meet yours.