~ Four Weeks Later / June ~
I wake up to the sound of my girl clacking away in the distance and the smell of baked goods in the air. This has become our new normal. Aubrey has started suffering from insomnia, which apparently is normal during pregnancy. But that means she’s up most of the night and when she does manage to sleep, she wakes up at half past four in the morning and creates new recipes until I get up and stop her.
I love trying her new concoctions, but she’s overworking herself, and I’m afraid that isn’t healthy for her.
Aubrey is now twenty-five weeks pregnant and glowing. Her blood pressure has improved over the last week, but she still needs to monitor it until the doctor thinks it’s safe to forget about it. It’s still on the lower side, but no longer within the region of what they considered hypotension.
I throw the covers to the side and climb out of bed, looking at the time. It’s just past seven in the morning, which is later than I’m used to waking up at. But that’s how it is every summer, I slowly fall out of my routine, only to jump right back into it a few months later.
Pulling on a pair of sweatpants with a simple t-shirt, I head over to the kitchen where I know my girl is going crazy at it. When I get to the entrance of the grand kitchen, I rest myshoulder against the wall, folding my arms over my chest, feet crossed at the ankles, and I just watch her.
She’s dressed in one of my gray shirts that, despite her rounded belly, still hits halfway down her thighs. Her feet are bare, red nail polish covering her toes as she pads around the kitchen.
Her hair is up in a messy bun above her head, and when I say messy, I mean very messy. Strands of hair fall out in every direction, the bun tipping to one side, and with every step she takes, or every time she moves her head, the bun wiggles around.
She’s magnificent.
She comes back around the counter, a new mixing bowl in her hands with a serious look on her face as she huffs out a breath to blow the strand in her face away. She finally looks up my way and that serious look disappears instantly, replaced by a breathtaking smile. “Hi, sweetie.”
The pet name makes me smile. She doesn’t use it often, but I like it, it makes us seem more domestic. But I also love the way she says my name. It always makes a shiver course through my body as warmth blossoms in my chest.
I graze my bottom lip with my teeth, watching as she gets back into action. Her hand runs softly over her belly as she takes down notes in the recipe journal I gave her for her birthday.
“I once had a dream a long time ago, similar to this,” I finally say.
She puts the pencil down and looks at me with a raised brow. “You did?”
I nod my head. “Mhm, you were standing in our kitchen in nothing but my shirt, heavily pregnant and barefoot. Your hair was down, and you were making us waffles.”
She laughs softly, looking down at herself and touching her messy hair. “And how does the reality compare to your dream?”
I push off the wall and walk over to her. My hands come to her face as I place the rogue strands behind her ears and cup her cheeks, tilting her head up toward me. I lower myself, rubbing the tip of my nose against hers. “It’s a thousand times better.”
“You’re just saying that to be nice. I know I look terrible right now.” She smiles with her eyes closed.
“Never. You’ll always look beautiful to me.” I kiss my girl delicately, then lower onto my knees and kiss my other girl. “Good morning, my Little Star.” I let my forehead rest against her belly, hands on both sides of it, just taking a moment to connect with my daughter.
I’m about to stand when something pushes against my forehead. My eyes instantly spring open, and I pull my head back, looking at the spot I felt move. I gaze up at Aubrey and find her smiling down at me.
“I think someone is saying hi to Daddy,” she says in her quiet, soft voice.
I look back down at her stomach, waiting to see if something else happens as my heart races in my chest. I move my hands around a little, bringing them closer to the front where I felt our daughter. I wait, and wait, and wait. And just as I’m about to give up, it happens again, this time under my right hand.
A disbelief laugh falls from my lips as I swallow past the lump in my throat, my eyes growing misty with the emotions coursing through my veins. “Hi, baby.” I lean in, moving my right hand and kissing the spot that moved. “Daddy loves you.”
I finally stand, wrapping my arms around Aubrey as I bury my face in her neck, sniffling away the tears. I’ve never felt anything like this. It’s a feeling that can’t even be explained. It’s like experiencing the thing you’ve always wished for, the thing you’ve longed for your entire life. And once it finally happens, it’s so much more than you expected. So much more beautiful.
“Oh, Shane.” Her arms tighten around me, fingers gliding through my hair.
After a few more minutes, I finally let go and let out a breath as I wipe away the wetness from my eyes. Aubrey smiles at me with so much love shining in her eyes, I can’t help but lean in and kiss her. “Show me what you’ve been up to this morning,” I tell her.
“Oh, yes! Come! These three new recipes are unbelievable,” she says excitedly as she takes my hand and brings me over to the three glass stands that hold three different flavors of treats. She picks up the first cupcake with white frosting and what looks like coconut flakes. “Try it.”
I take it from her hand and peel back the liner before biting into it. I never fear anything Aubrey makes, but this time, I should have. My eyes widen as I slow my chewing, unsure of what I’m tasting. When I notice Aubrey watching me intensely, I neutralize my expression.
“Hmm, this is… interesting. What is it?”
“A coconut and pickle cupcake. Do you like it? I was experimenting with new flavors, and these are the three best ones.” She practically bounces on her heels with joy.
