Moving five people into one house seemed a lot easier on paper. You all thought it would be idyllic, the physical manifestation of all your love under one roof. That love for each other was tested at every turn. Everyone had opinions. There were entirely too many kitchen items. No one could agree on wall colors. The arguments over who got to drive the U-Haul were asinine (though everyone yelled no when Simon grabbed the keys).

Thankfully, it was a spacious house. After some growing pains, everyone carved out their own space. Kyle had the nicest kitchen items, so the extra four blenders and the doubles of all the other items were donated. He also got to pick out a grill and the biggest dishwasher possible. John got him an apron that says 'kiss the chef' and he wears it every day- and gets showered in kisses.

Simon completely took over the garage. Everyone expected him to just drop a duffel bag and hang up his dress blues and be done with moving in. However, he brought over his three motorcycles, collection of helmets, and the most organized tool cart you've ever seen. Then, just when Johnny was going to complain about only being able to park one of the cars in the garage, Simon set up a weightlifting rack. None of the men seemed to mind once they all got to linger and watch him weightlift.

John turned the smallest room into a personal office. He's there all the time, says he's working, but you all smell the cigar smoke on his clothes, and you see the bookmarks moving along in his mystery novels he loves so much. Sometimes you go in there with a gentle knock, and he lets you sit on his lap as he reads aloud to you.

Johnny was the easiest to please. Like the dog he is, he was given free roam of the backyard. He spent entirely too much money on a shed and filled it with sports equipment. Then he went and spent even more money on outdoor furniture and a fire pit. He's out there most nights, poking the fire with a stick to 'get his money's worth' and Kyle cuddled up under a blanket with him.

And you. You orchestrated everything. It's taken months to finally feel settled in your home. You've felt... off for the entire move. Nauseated from the arguing, exhausted from moving boxes, and emotional from the big life change. Now that you've finally unpacked the last box, you thought you'd be able to relax. But something is still nagging at you.

To cover your bases, you take a pregnancy test first thing in the morning. As you wash your hands, an extremely loud clatter followed by even louder yelling echoes through the house. You sigh and see that the test is hardly loading. You push it into the trash when the yelling turn into curses and race downstairs to help Kyle pick up all the pots and pans that fell when the chain of the pot rack broke. The test remains nestled in tissue paper, forgotten.

Days later, Johnny is gathering all the trash in preparation for garbage pick-up. He empties your bathroom trash into a bag and finds the thrown-out test. He can't help himself. He digs it out and examines it. PREGNANT the test window says. He pales, drops the bag, and quickly calls his partners.

"Do ye think they ken?"

"Know what? Know they've got a bun in the oven or know that we know they've got a bun in the oven?"

"Say pregnant. We're all adults, and this is our baby."

"Aye, even if they do know, I think we ought to surprise 'em."

They do their best to keep you out of the house while they set up their gifts. John practically buys out the local florist, flowers everywhere perfuming the living room. Kyle and Johnny are already placing bets on the baby's gender, but fill a huge basket with neutral baby clothes and toys. Simon was thinking of you during his shopping trip. He got you comfort items: your favorite snacks, a new plush blanket, and a pregnancy pillow.

The loves of your life hear your car park in the driveway and quickly get into position, tripping over bouquets and over-zealous baby purchases to stand in the middle of the living room with their offerings. A collective breath is held when the door opens.