"Looking forward to the time, unsure of just what will come- all I know is that I'm glad I'm waiting with you. You make your love so clear, your affection warms my heart and brings a smile to my face. Your touch comforts me, the tender caress of your hand assures me you're as happy as I am. I never dared imagine it would be like this- and I wouldn't have it any other way. The anticipation and joy of expectation. Watching you, hearing your whispers, your voice soft and low- professing your hopes and devotion. This is how it should be, the contentment you bring me, the tranquility I feel. Surrounded by perfect love, waiting with you." ("Waiting with you", Chellie)
Chapter Twenty-Four
"I'm gonna be an aunt again!" Haley squealed, jumping up to hug Kerry then Nick.
"You're such a goofball!" Kerry laughed.
"I'm EXCITED!!" Haley said loudly. "Wait. Does Miah know yet?"
Nick shook his head. "No, we're still trying to figure out exactly how we're going to tell her."
"You know she's going to have a million questions, and right now, I'm just too tired to try to explain everything to her." Kerry sighed. Their three weeks in France had been amazing, but exhausting for her, and the week they'd been back still hadn't been enough time to completely recouperate.
Haley giggled. "Ha! Good luck with that one! Glad I'm not the one that has to do it!"
"Bleh." Kerry said, getting up off the couch. "I'm getting tired just thinking about it. I'm going to nap."
"I gotta get out of here anyway, I'm registering for class today. I'll see you guys later." Haley said, heading out the door. She stopped before she got out the door, "One o'clock right?"
"Yeah!" Kerry yelled as she headed upstairs.
"Alright, I'll be here." Haley said, closing the door behind her.
Nick followed Kerry upstairs and lay down behind her, pulling her close to him, his hands automatically sliding down to her stomach. He wanted to be touching her all the time, he was so amazed knowing that their baby was growing inside her. He could remember when his mom had been pregnant with the twins, but this was so different- this was his. He'd helped make this happen.
Kerry sighed and snuggled against him, putting her hand on top of his as he rubbed her tummy. She loved the constant touching and watching him as he did it- the smile, the look of wonder. She giggled everytime Nick would brush his hand across her stomach, swearing he could tell that her tummy was starting to get a little bigger. This pregnancy had already been so much easy than Miah had been. She'd had barely been sick- she'd only thrown up a total of six times, where Miah had kept her continuously in the bathroom for the first four months.
"You okay, angel?" Nick asked, sweeping her hair to the side and kissing the back of her neck.
"Absolutely fabulous." she replied quietly, shivering slightly from his kisses. "Are you going to go with me tomorrow? I'm having an ultrasound, you'll be able to see him or her then."
"Of course I want to!" He said, hugging her a little tighter.
"Momma? Daddy??" Miah called, peeking around their bedroom door.
"Hey, munchkin." Nick said, sitting up. "What's going on?"
"Can I come in?" she asked.
"Of course." Nick patted the bed in front of Kerry and Miah came running in, and jumped on the bed, dragging her huge teddy bear with her.
"Are you okay, momma?" Miah asked, giving Kerry a sloppy kiss on the cheek.
"Yeah, I'm fine, sweetie. Just tired." she said, turning to look at Nick. "You think we should just tell her?"
Nick shrugged. "We have to some time."
"Miah, what do you think about having a little brother or sister?" Kerry asked.
"Like Gracie?" Miah asked.
"Yup, just like Gracie."
"That'd be cool!" Miah said, obviously excited.
"Good, because you're going to get one." Nick said, thinking this might turn out to be easier than they had expected.
Miah looked at him, then Kerry. "How?"
'Or not.' Nick thought. "Kerry, this is all you."
"Thanks, love." Kerry said, making a face at Nick and getting off the bed. She scooped Miah up, taking her back into her bedroom. "Time for a girl talk, Miss Thang."
Nick lay on the bed staring at the ceiling, thankful he'd gotten out of that conversation. He'd started reading just about everything on pregnancy he could find- wanting to know everything that was going on, but had no clue how to begin to explain that to a five year old. He got up to go downstairs and grab a soda, pausing by Miah's room to listen to what was being said.
"EWWWW! You did that?!?" Miah yelped.
"Shoulda gone with the stork story." Kerry mumbled. "That's the same way you got here, babygirl."
"That's yucky." Miah said. "Why do you do that?"
Kerry leaned back onto the floor, "Do what?"
Miah curled up next to her mother, "Have sex."
Nick was definitely glad he'd missed this, even though he was highly interested in what Kerry's answer would be. He thought she'd just tell her something simple, not actually try to explain sex. He was afraid he'd start laughing if Miah asked anything else, so he went on downstairs, sure he'd get a recap from Kerry later.
~~~~
"Lemme have the keys, Nick." Kerry said, sticking her hand in his pocket to retrieve them.
"This is so cool!" Nick said again, not taking his eyes off the print out of the ultrasound. He'd been completely mesmerized being able to watch the movement on the screen in the office. He already couldn't wait for the next appointment, Dr. Hallman had said they'd be able to take a good guess at the baby's sex.
Kerry couldn't help but smile, he was so cute, so excited. It was so much better, having someone to share this with... her parents and Haley had been there, but it wasn't the same. She remembered hoping that Josh would want the baby, decide he wanted to be a good dad, hopes that had quickly faded.
Nick stared at the picture the entire way home, a million thoughts running through his head. Boy or girl? Would he or she look like him or Kerry? Was he ready for this? Could he be the kind of father he needed to be? He felt like he was doing okay with Miah, but it seemed different somehow- starting out at four years old rather than newborn. It was exciting to him, but very scary at the same time. He just hoped he'd be able to be good enough.
~~~~
"How are you feeling, man? Gettin' into the expectant father thing?" Brian asked, spinning the basketball on his finger.
Nick led him into the house to grab drinks, "I love it... but it freaks me out. I worry about something happening- to Kerry, to the baby... Miah getting jealous..." He stopped when Kerry came into the room. "What's going on angel?"
"I'm hungry..." she said, pawing through the pantry, "... and we have nothing I want."
"What do you want? Rok and I can go grab something."
"Ohhh thanks! I want marshmellow creme and... watermelon... and .. hang on... gummmi worms! The sour kind." she said. "Oh, can you grab some orange soda, too, please?"
Nick and Brian just looked at her, about ready to gag.
"Are you serious?" Nick asked.
Kerry looked at him, "Uh, yeah."
"Let's go, man." Brian said, pulling Nick towards the door. "We'll be back Kerry."
Nick shuddered as he slid into the truck. "God, I'm gonna be sick before this is over... the stuff she wants gets nastier all the time. A few days ago it was Cheez-Whiz, strawberry jello and Yoo-hoo."
"That's just gross." Brian commented, wrinkling his nose up.
"Yeah, I know. She said when she was pregnant with Miah the only thing she ate was fried rice, all the time. Partly because it was all she wanted, and partly because it was the only thing that didn't make her puke."
"That definitely sounds better, but it's good she's not gettin' sick all the time." Brian said.
"I don't think she's been sick at all, I've never seen or heard her. Seems like this has been pretty easy on her."
After Brian had left, Nick and Kerry were cuddled on the couch watching 'The Last Unicorn' with Miah. Kerry got the munchies again and went to grab the gummi worms she'd started on earlier. Nick followed her into the kitchen to make nachos from the previous craving's Cheez-Whiz.
"See? It's not that bad." Kerry teased when she saw him reaching for the jar.
"I'm also not eating it with Jello!" he said, pulling her to him for a kiss.
"I'm sorry! That's what I wanted, and it didn't taste too bad either! It's not like I put the cheese ON the Jello- that would have been nasty."
"Just saying it together is nasty enough! I can't believe this stuff doesn't make you sick." He stuck the cheesy goo in the microwave. "Have you even been sick?"
Kerry hopped up on the table. "Not really... the only times I got morning sickness was before you even knew and I was always out somewhere else. This has been SO much easier than Miah, it's unbelieveable."
Nick wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. "I'm glad, I want you feeling good."
"I always feel good with you." She hugged him tightly, "Haley says she thinks you're the reason this is going so much better. And I agree totally with her."
Nick stepped back to look at her. "What do I have to do with you not being sick?"
"Because I know you want this. You show me, tell me all the time... that you're excited, that you love me. I didn't have that before... She said, you're lovin' me good, and the baby knows that..." Kerry said, looking in his eyes.
He pulled her off the table, and hugged her to him. "I love you Kerry...more all the time. I do want this, I'm so excited. I can't wait to see you in another few months...then to hold our baby.. sing lullabies..." he said softly.
Kerry smiled at the picture in her head, Nick was going to be so adorable with the baby.
"DAADDYYY!!" Miah called. "Come back in here!"
"I'll bring your nachos in, go ahead." Kerry said, tying two of her gummi worms in a knot.
Nick went back into the living room, scooping Miah up and setting her down on his lap as he stretched back out on the couch.
The timer on the microwave went off and Kerry put down her tangle of worms to go get the cheese. As she reached up to grab a bowl out of the cabinet, she could feel a little flutter, like a tiny wave moving across her tummy. The bowl crashed against the counter as she went to put her hands on her stomach, giggling.
Nick heard the crash and jumped up, pulling Miah off his lap and setting her back down on the couch and ran into the kitchen. "Kerry? You alright, angel?"
Kerry looked up at him, grinning, "Come here!"
Nick quickly crossed the kitchen to stand in front of her. "What is it?"
She took his hand and pressed it palm down on her stomach, and waited for a few seconds until she felt it again. "Did you feel that?"
Nick looked down at where his hand was, up at her, and then back down to his hand. He pressed his hand a little harder against her tummy, feeling a very faint but detectable motion. "Oh my god... that.. that's..."
Kerry stood on her tiptoes and kissed him, "That's our baby."
Nick slipped his arms around her waist, and pulled her up, hugging her to his chest. "I love you."
"It was written in the stars, on the pages of my heart...
that someday I would find the love I feel for you tonight.
On the ocean of our dreams, like a prayer you came to me,
And the longing that had been, found it's ending in your eyes.
Here's a promise and it's mine, I will love you for all time."
("In my arms again", Michael W. Smith)