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“Oh stop…” he whispered painfully. “Now you are just playing with me.”
“Nope.”
“My hands are itching to rub lotion on a big round baby belly something fierce…” he said in a hushed voice. “Maybe I’m sick or twisted?”
“Maybe you are in love, and this is another male primal need?”
“Needis putting it mildly…” he smirked.
“I’ll have the lotion waiting for you in November.”
“Merry-early-Christmas to me… I get to rub my favorite turkey,” he grinned, causing Emily to laugh wildly as she threw her arms around him again.
John hugged her tightly, blinking back tears, and sighed heavily.
“I seriously love you, Em… since the very beginning.”
“It’s the same for me,” she smiled – and stepped back from him in silent understanding that he needed to go. “I love you.”
“I’ll email you when I get back on base.”
“We’ll be waiting.”
Nodding, he turned away and hefted up his bag, walking forward through the security check point at the airport. When he was on the other side, he turned back to see her standing there waving with one hand – and the other lying on her lower abdomen.
“I love you, my sweet little mama!” he called out bravely, holding back tears. “You take care of my baby, and I’ll see you in a few months.”
Several people smiled and looked at them – and he couldn’t care less.
“Be safe – and come home soon, John.”
“You got it.”
CHAPTER33
EMILY
November
Emily was pretty darncertain that John would never get here – almost as certain as she was that August in Texas was the world’s worst time and place to be pregnant.
She and Karen were both miserable, chafing in places that shouldn’t even be rubbing or making contact, and she had a bothersome rash under her breasts where her underwire bra was rubbing, and combined with the scalding temperatures and sweat, had given her a skin infection that she now had a prescription cream for.
Weeeee.
Fun.
Yes, being pregnant during the sweltering summer heat was for the birds.
John was super sympathetic, always calling to check on her, and they spent a small fortune on calling cards over the last five months to finally get to the point that they had painstakingly arrived to.
He was finally coming home!
She worried at his reaction to leaving the Air Force and never said anything, not wanting to pressure him, but a part of her worried that he would regret or resent leaving. This had been his job, his life, and had saved him from growing up in an environment that would have surely smothered his soul.
That bright, beautiful, laughing soul that he shared with her… she only hoped that his decision didn’t alter it.
Waiting near baggage claim, she saw a massive khaki bag enter the carousel and hesitated. Was that John’s, or some other military personnel? That was odd.
