Henry.
Four months later…
“Close your mouth, I’m a whale, my feet hurt, and I’m hysterical,” Anna says, pacing back and forth, rearranging things. She tries to cook, but always finds something out of place; that’s how she’s been this past week.
I come every day to see them, and I notice how happy they both are when they see me. I haven’t taken the liberty to do everything I want when I see Anna. In fact, it’s been months since I kissed her, and it’s killing me.
“You’ve always been hysterical,” I tease her. She annihilates me with her gaze and flips me off.
I love it when she’s grumpy. It’s fun to tease her.
“Die.”
I look at my son, who’s glued to the TV, seemingly abducted by those colorful dolls singing songs that haunt me even in nightmares. “Did you hear how she’s talking to me, Jeremy? I’m being cruelly mistreated.”
He just ignores me and nods; I can almost see the drool coming out of his mouth.
“It’s not even half of what I should be saying to you. You didn’t deny that I’m a whale, which implies that you think I am one. For your information, you did this to me!” She points to her large belly and sits on the countertop, taking off her slippers.
This month she became immense, and I loved being there to see it.
“Oh, believe me, I know that, and I would do it again,” I tell her, approaching. She looks at me suspiciously.
“I forgot what it was like to be pregnant,” she mutters more to herself than to me.
I stand in front of her and caress her cheek; she looked more beautiful than ever. Pregnancy suited her well. “You look gorgeous.”
“Too late. You answered too late,” she says, laughing.
“I didn’t want to boost your ego. You’re beautiful, Anna. Stop talking nonsense.”
“I’m a whale.”
“No, you’re not. And if you think so, you’re the sexiest whale I’ve ever seen in my life. You’re beautiful!”
“Thank you,” we were both too close. I knew very well that he wanted to kiss me as much as I wanted to kiss him, but I stepped back before it happened.
“When will we know the gender?” I asked, changing the subject.
“I don’t know yet. They’re supposed to tell me at my next checkup, although I feel like it’s going to be a girl.” She touched her belly, and a faint smile crossed her lips.
“I can’t wait to know what it’ll be.”
She didn’t respond; she put on her sneakers again and grabbed her bag. “We have to go.”
I nodded and turned off the TV. Jeremy resisted until I took him by the shoulders, and he started laughing.
When we arrived at the office, we had to wait for about half an hour. Anna was nervous and uncomfortable; she hated coming in these conditions. Still, she insisted. She didn’t want to leave me alone in this, and I thanked her infinitely for that.
Jeremy, on the other hand, played with his new toy trucks on the carpet. The receptionist kindly watched over him since Anna wouldn’t hire a babysitter. According to her, no one else but her could take care of her son. She’s too possessive of him.
When they allowed us to enter, Dr. Felix greeted us with a chaste smile. “Good day, nice to see you again. Please, have a seat.”
We sat down and discussed what had changed between last week and now-our improvements, what we still believe is lacking, etc.
Although the idea of being with a psychologist still disturbs me from day one.
“Even though there are still many sessions ahead, I think you should start living together again. Everyone here has made great progress. Anna, your distrust of Henry is being overcome, and Henry… Your childhood traumas, as you know, lead to your anger issues. You can’t handle it properly as a well-balanced person in every psychological sense. You already know that. But I see improvements in your behavior. Now you speak more freely, which is a big step for you. In your relationship with the miss, you are freer to say what bothers you without shouting or entering an erratic state. You have no idea of the great progress we’ve made in such a short time.”
“Now I want to challenge you to live together. He should return home and see how this works, put it into practice, and you, Anna, you need to calm down. Don’t seek conflict. If it doesn’t work, I’m sorry to say that the problem is your relationship, not your emotional instability.”
“Live together?” I asked, not believing what he was suggesting. Was he ready for this?
“Yes, as a trial. Obviously, you have to keep coming for some more time, but so far, I am satisfied with the results.”
A few more words from him, and we left without saying much. With Jeremy on my shoulder, we exited the building, and I stopped Anna, grabbing her wrist. She seemed as doubtful as I was.
“Do we do this?” she asked before I could say anything.
“If you want. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable or-” I began, but she interrupted me.
“It’s your home, Henry. You let me live there for the kids.”
“Anna, it’s not just my home; it’s our-”
“Yes, and I let you go. I’m sorry,” she seemed genuinely remorseful for letting me go, I noticed it every time I left to sleep in the motel. But I couldn’t stay to appease her; that would undermine everything I achieved in this short time.
“I understand why you did it.”
“Is Henry coming home?” I could see the excitement in Jeremy’s eyes, so I just nodded.
“Yes, sweetheart,” Anna answered.
“Yes!”
We gathered my things and arranged everything back in its old place. Then I helped Anna prepare dinner. It was all in an awkward silence; none of us knew exactly what to say. The only one who always talked to me was Jeremy; he was ecstatic with the news.
“Okay, you sleep with Jeremy, and I’ll take the sofa,” Anna said as she cleared the table.
“Are you crazy? You’re pregnant!” I followed her through the kitchen and took the plates from her hands. She doesn’t understand that she needs to rest a bit; she’s been standing all day. With the almost abortion incident, she doesn’t seem to grasp the need for self-care.
“And?”
“No way, you sleep in the bed.”
“I sleep here.”
Jeremy is on the sofa, innocently watching both of us.
“What? No, sweetheart…” Anna starts, trying to pick him up.
I’m going to kill her.
“You’re annoying when you sleep. I want to sleep alone,” Jeremy says, and we are left in total shock.
That was a response I didn’t expect.
Anna teased him a bit about it and ended up setting up the sofa for him to sleep comfortably. Damn, with so many pillows, even I want to sleep there.
Once Jeremy fell asleep, Anna got into the shower and stayed there for a while. I won’t lie and say I wasn’t more than happy with the situation; she would sleep with me. I curse the four months away from her.
Entering the bedroom, I tensed. Everything stiffened.
She’s the sexiest pregnant woman in the damn world. Her silk nightgown looked fantastic on her. She looks hesitantly between my body and the bed.
“Come here, I won’t bite.”
“Your voice sounds like the big bad wolf.”
“I won’t lie and say I don’t want to eat Little Red Riding Hood.”
“Who is she in this story?”
“Who do you think?” I took her by the waist and laid her on my legs. I smelled the perfume on her neck, and she cradled my face to make me look at her.
Her hands went to my nape, and she planted a sweet kiss on my lips; I didn’t expect her to take the first step. She sighed as if she had been longing for that even more than I had, which was impossible. I wanted to kiss her more, touch her more, but I knew I couldn’t; the doctor said no sex, and I would adhere to that.
“I love you, and I’ve missed you so much.”
I shrank at her words and wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her closer, although her belly prevented it entirely. “I love you. You are the most important thing in my life.”
I felt something move in my abdomen-was it Anna’s stomach?
She straightened up and timidly touched her belly. “Did you feel that?”
Her voice almost got lost in her words-was it the baby?
“Did it move?” I asked, touching, waiting for another movement from her.
“I think so,” she said excitedly, smiling and kissing me multiple times on the lips; the little one started moving again.
I laid Anna down, and with tears of excitement in my eyes, I kissed the place where he or she showed signs of life.
“I’m not leaving, little one.”