Free Sewing in Circles by Chloe Taylor

I eat and feel any bigger than I do now!”
    They all trooped into the living room—with Aunt Lulu waddling a few steps behind—and Zoey pulled the dress out of the fancy shopping bag she’d carried it in, neatly folded and wrapped in tissue, so it didn’t wrinkle.
    â€œI love it!” Aunt Lulu exclaimed. “It’s totally adorable! Come upstairs so I can try it on. I’ll give you a sneak peek of your cousin-to-be’s room while we’re up there.”
    Zoey helped zip Aunt Lulu into the dress. It fit . . . but snugly.
    â€œI thought I’d left so much extra room,” Zoey said in despair. “But there’s none at all!”
    â€œYou didn’t count on your cousin here being a super-duper fast grower!” Aunt Lulu said, rubbing her belly lovingly.
    She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled at Zoey.
    â€œStill, it fits me now , and that’s what counts. I can’t grow that much between tonight and Sunday, so it’ll be fine!”
    Zoey helped unzip the dress, and after her aunt had changed back into her previous outfit, Aunt Lulu took her to see the nursery. It was painted a peaceful, pale shade of butter yellow. There was a gray glider and matching ottoman, and a white crib with yellow and gray bedding. Over the crib hung letters of the alphabet painted the same yellow as the walls, and over the changing table, Zoey spotted adorable photos of her aunt and uncle when they were babies. Then she saw a white tree-shaped bookshelf stocked with Goodnight Moon ; Pat the Bunny ; Good Night, Gorilla ; Mr. Brown Can Moo ! Can You? ; and other books.
    â€œI love these books!” Zoey said.
    â€œI know! I remember reading them to you when you were little. Call me crazy, but I’ve been reading to my little niblet already,” Aunt Lulu said, patting her belly. “It seems to stop the nighttime gymnastics that keep me awake at two in the morning.”
    â€œDo you think Niblet understands?” Zoey asked, curious.
    â€œI wouldn’t go that far,” Aunt Lulu said. “But I like to think the baby can hear my voice and is calmed by it.”
    She winced and rubbed her side. “Speaking of the baby, I just got a foot in the rib cage. Do you want to feel your cousin moving?”
    â€œSure,” Zoey said, although to tell the truth, she was a little freaked out by the idea.
    Aunt Lulu took Zoey’s hand and placed it on her round belly.
    â€œHold on a sec. It won’t be long. . . . There!”
    Sure enough, Zoey felt a movement under her hand, where Aunt Lulu’s belly suddenly got very hard and firm and then softened again.
    â€œWhat was that?” Zoey asked.
    â€œNot sure if it was an elbow or a foot,” Aunt Lulu said. “All I know is that there are certain times during the day that I get a constant rat-a-tat-tat going in there. Marcus might have a little drummer on his hands. I’m not sure I can handle that! Maybe the calm of the baby’s room will help keep things mellow.”
    â€œI love it,” Zoey said. “It’s perfect. Niblet’s lucky to have an interior designer for a mom.”
    â€œAnd to have a cousin like you,” Aunt Lulu said, putting her arm around Zoey and hugging her. “You know, Zo, even though I’m having this baby, I’ll always think of you as my first daughter—since your mom died—and I will always be there for you. The baby won’t change that.”
    Before she even knew what hit her, Zoey’s eyes welled with tears, and a lump formed in her throat. She turned and threw her arms around Aunt Lulu and hugged her. Well, as much as she could around the bump of her cousin-to-be, which was an ever-present reminder between them.
    â€œHey, I didn’t mean to upset you,” Aunt Lulu said, stroking her hair.
    â€œYou d-didn’t.” Zoey sniffed. “You made me h-happy.”
    Aunt Lulu smiled.