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Grant takes me into his arms. “Sweetheart, I really have to tell you, these tears aren’t something I’ll ever get used to.”
“I just, no one has ever gone out of their way to make me happy the way you do. You could have stopped at the time here in Rome and I would have been happy but you didn’t. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. It’s just a small part of what being in love does to someone. You’re willing to do whatever it takes to make them happy, because when they are happy, the craziest thing is, so are you. I figured it was time we expanded our horizons outside of Chicago. I made sure to pack your camera and a couple of memory cards for you to shoot your way through our time in Italy.”
Over the next week we wake early to explore the city, then, per Grant’s very bossy orders, we went back to the hotel for a nap during the hotter part of the day. Although Rome in May isn’t nearly that hot, it is pretty humid and I find myself growing tired quicker than I remember in Chicago. I put it down to getting up earlier. I also get frustrated how Grant flatly refuses to let me eat the cheeses that make up such a unique part of the food in Rome unless it’s pasteurized or cooked thoroughly.
With only two days left, I’m excited for the day. As we have every morning, we have breakfast on the terrace. I try to get Grant to move faster, to no avail. Climbing onto his lap only leads to slow lovemaking on the terrace. I had no idea Grant had never had sex outside, and found it very exciting. Seeing how much it turned him on made me just as hot.
Laughing, we make our way inside to shower before leaving, only I never make it. The world goes black when I stand. I come to on the couch in the living room with a pleasant looking man in a very nice suit looking down at me in concern.
He and Grant are talking in rapid fire Italian. Hearing Grant speak Italian never fails to surprise, no matter how often he’s done it since we’ve been here. Apparently, he had worked on a few programs for an Italian based company years ago and learned the language then.
I catch the word bambino and the world spins. I don’t speak Italian but I know that word. “Pregnant? He thinks I’m pregnant?”
Grant looks down then crouches down beside me. His hand trembles as he brushes my hair away from my face. “Yes, and so do I.”
Feeling betrayed, I push his hand away. “How could you think that? I’m on the pill.”
“A very low dose pill you take every morning and less than an hour afterwards you drink orange juice, which changes the effectiveness of the pill. Then this past month you didn’t have any type of period. I checked and you still should have had a small amount of a flow, you didn’t. There are also all the changes to your body, every day it seems like there’s something different.”
“Wait a minute, you knew? How long have you known and when the hell were you going to tell me?”
“Suspected, I suspected that was all. It wasn’t until you fainted and I told the doctor what I was thinking and he agrees. Even then, we aren’t guessing. We’re going to a clinic, today. The doctor made an appointment for us.”
This isn’t happening, I can’t take it all in
. Rolling off the couch I run for the bathroom, slamming the door, making sure to lock the door. In a daze, I run a bath more out of something to do then out of any desire. Sitting on the edge of the bath I run my hand over my stomach, a baby. A baby. Grant’s baby. Happiness gurgles up inside me until I’m crying again.
I startle when Grant wraps his arms around my middle, he’s on his knees. “Please don’t cry, sweetheart. This is a good thing, this is a wonderful thing, a baby, our baby.”
Seeing Grant looking tortured stops my tears instantly. “I know. I’m happy. I’m crying because I’m happy.”
“Oh, thank god. I was dying then I heard you crying and I would rather you have smack me than to think you were upset at the idea of being pregnant. Especially when I don’t think I’ve ever been happier.”
“Really? You’re really happy about this?”
Grant’s eyes glow, his hand on my stomach. “This is our baby, and I have never been happier than this moment knowing you’re pregnant with our baby.”
“Oh.”
He laughs, as he mimics me. “Oh.” His kiss is gentle as he lifts me up only to set me back down in the bathtub. “Quick bath, sweetheart, our appointment is only twenty minutes from now. It’ll take that long to make it to the doctor’s office.”
“Okay.”
The doctor is the same one from the hotel room, now he speaks English to tell me the blood test confirms I am pregnant. To hear it again, causes a new flood of tears. Grant explains, as he holds me, rubbing my back. He and the doctor are back to Italian.
“Sweetheart, can we do an ultrasound? We won’t be able to see much, I’m just kind of excited and the doctor says it’s common to do one now to confirm.”
He sounds so excited I nod as I cry again. The doctor starts chattering in Italian and I look up to see him frowning down at Grant. “I’m happy, I am. Hormones, I guess. Please, I would like to have the ultrasound, and don’t frown at him, he’s the one who’s made me happy.”
“Ah... you Americans and tears, basta, this is a happy moment. I’ll go get the technician, you drink this it will help.” He hands me a bottle of water.
Drinking the water, I smile weakly at Grant. “Thank you for putting up with me.”
“Thank you for having my baby.” He picks up my hand, kissing my palm.
My phone goes off with multiple texts. In surprise, I find a flurry of texts from Robin. “Oh, crap, I forgot to text her to tell her we were here in Rome.” I’m not ready to share my news, and I keep my response short. Since I’m texting from Rome and don’t want to think of the cost per text, I’ll call her from a landline tomorrow. “Did I miss it? Did he say how far along I am?”
