We both greeted her in return, Nicholas fidgeting in his chair until I gave him a look. I was a little afraid he would rush the doctor if he had the chance.
I smiled when the sound of our baby’s heartbeat echoed through the room and kept my eyes on Dr. Whitney’s face as she watched the screen.
She turned and smiled at us. “Okay, are you ready?”
“Yes!” Nicholas’ face was practically smashed to the screen while he gripped my hand.
“You’re having a boy!” She started pointing out various parts.
I glanced from the screen over to Nicholas’ face. He was literally beaming. “A boy,” he said softly. He watched for another minute before leaning in to kiss me. “We’re having a boy.”
I brushed his cheek and smiled. His reactions were always the best part of these visits.
He turned back to the screen, his lips curving into a smirk. “He takes after me.”
“That’s an arm,” Dr. Whitney corrected with a chuckle.
I covered my face with my hands, my cheeks burning flames while she pointed out everything to Nicholas again. He wasn’t even phased, lapping up every word she offered.
Soon after, we were loaded up in the car again, armed with pictures and information about deciding our birth plan. I couldn’t believe how time was flying by. It seemed like only yesterday we’d found out I was pregnant. Now, we had to decide how the delivery would take place.
Nicholas was quiet as John drove, watching the city outside the window, and I squeezed his hand. “Hey, are you okay?”
He faced me, bringing my hand up to his mouth for a kiss. “I’m just letting it all sink in. Sometimes it’s hard for me to believe.”
“What’s hard to believe?”
“That you’re here with me. That you married me and we’re having a baby.” He paused and placed our clasped hands over his heart. “Do you have any idea how happy you make me?”
I did know. He showed me every day, and I felt the same way about him. But it was different hearing the actual words come out of his mouth. It made me feel warm, kind of like after drinking a mug of hot chocolate.
He warmed the cockles of my heart.
I answered him with a kiss that lasted until we got home.
I was in bed, unable to sleep the next morning, thinking over the day before. Nicholas was curled around me, his chest pressing against my back with every rise and fall of it. I smothered the giggles bubbling up at him finding a way to fit himself on one of these pregnancy pillows with me.
He was right about taking the time to appreciate this whirlwind we had been through together. To really step back and take note of how lucky I was to have him in my life. He had given me everything I ever wanted, and today was the perfect day to be thankful for it.
My alarm beeped, and I reached to shut it off before it woke Nicholas up. His arm tightened around me when I tried to get up, but I eventually managed to get out of his grasp.
I took a quick shower and headed downstairs to help Laura with the cooking, not surprised to find her already in the kitchen. The countertop was full of pans and bowls.
“Wow, you’ve been at it for a while.”
She looked up and smiled. “I love Thanksgiving. This will be the first one in a long time that we’ve had so many people around.”
I put some water in the kettle for tea and set it on the stove to heat. “So Nicholas usually spent his holidays alone?”
“Either that or he would take a business trip this time of year.” She gave me a sad smile. My heart ached and my gut twisted thinking about him being so lonely. Maybe he’d been even lonelier than me during the holidays. At least I’d had Lory.
Laura and I worked together, dressing the turkey, making side dishes and desserts, and chattering away as the morning fleet by. Nicholas appeared a few hours later, freshly showered and dapper in his sweater and jeans.
He made a beeline for me, kissing my neck while I had my hands buried elbow-deep in a mixing bowl.
“Good morning.” I wiggled and giggled at his teasing touches.
“Good morning to you too.”
“Do you know how hot you look with an apron on?”
I laughed and tried to bump him away with my hip. “You’re distracting me.”
“Excellent. Mission accomplished. Now let’s go back upstairs.”
“No, you have a check-in with an international partner.” He groaned in response. “If you’re a good boy, I’ll give you a treat later.”
He hummed against my skin. “Oh, really?”
I turned my head to give him a smile over my shoulder. “Depends on your performance.”
“That was mean.” He grumbled and whined on his way toward the door, Laura and I laughing in his wake.
When he came back, Nicholas was talking about moving out of the city again. Bigger house. More space.
“I think I may have found a nice place. Do you want to go take a look in a couple of days?” He sat on a stool, watching Laura and I finish up our cooking.
“Sure. Where is it?”
He responded immediately.
“Is that close to your parents?”
He nods and dipped his finger in the frosting. “Pretty close.”
I smacked his hand away, shooing him off so that I could answer the door. Within an hour, everyone had arrived. It was nice to see John and Virgil in a relaxed setting, along with our friends and Nicholas’ parents.
Clara walked in to give both Laura and me a big hug.
Nicholas helped out, making sure everyone had drinks and introducing those who didn’t already know each other. I smiled every time he pulled out the baby ultrasound pictures and revealed we were having a boy.
Before we ate, I took Clara, Sarah, Lory, and Courtney upstairs to check out the nursery Nicholas and I had been remodeling in the bedroom next to ours.