Page 72 of Pieces of Us
“I know. I just want everything to be perfect for her. A bare room isn’t perfect. She needs somewhere to sleep, she needs baby toys, we need diapers.”
She pats my back. “Calm down, Daddy. We’ll get there. It will be perfect.”
“You seem pretty sure, Mama.”
“Would it make you feel better if we went shopping this weekend?”
“Maybe. And talk to Audrey about the shower. Have invitations gone out?”
“They went out this week. Shower is in a month; our registry is listed.”
“That’s good.” I blow out a breath and force a smile.
“See, all handled. It will all be okay.”
I feel her hand slide down my arm, and she links her fingers with mine. I turn my head, and she looks up at me with a smile that calms my worries. A smile that makes me want her. A smile that makes me want to beg her for more. Instead, I pull her to me, wrapping my arms around her. For the first time, when I have her in my arms, we have to make room for the baby. I love it.
She places her hands on my chest. “When do you want to go shopping?”
“We could go Saturday. I just have a work dinner Saturday night.”
“I know Audrey and Jax are getting the crib. Emma said she already bought her entire wardrobe, so we can grab diapers and smaller stuff that isn’t on the registry.”
“Okay. I think I’ll feel better when we have some stuff in this room.” I release her and put my hand to her stomach. “Thanks for talking me down.”
“You’ve done it for me. I’m here for you, too, you know.”
“I know.”
“Come on, let’s figure out dinner.”
“What does the baby want?”
“Do we still have your mom’s lasagna in the freezer?”
“We do. I’ll put it in the oven.”
I lean down, kiss her belly, and head to the kitchen to heat up the lasagna.
I wake up to a knock on my door. I squint into the darkness and hear Mel say my name from the other side, and I sit straight up. “Come in?”
The door opens, and she walks toward me. “Linc, she’s kicking.” She stops beside my bed, and she takes my hand, placing it on her lower belly.
I jolt at the first kick. As the weeks go by, I can tell she’s getting stronger. “She’s really going to town in there.”
“I know, it’s crazy.”
I feel it again as Mel sits on the edge of the bed beside me.
“I’ll never get tired of this.”
“Right? I never thought I would say this, but I love being pregnant.”
I see the contentment on her face in the dim light of the room. “I love you being pregnant, too.”
She lets out a soft laugh. We sit for a while, just feeling Millie move around. It’s so insane to wrap my brain around the fact that my child is moving inside of her. It’s amazing and weird.
A few minutes later, I hear her yawn. “You can lie down if you want to.”
