Total pages in book: 179
Estimated words: 173733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 869(@200wpm)___ 695(@250wpm)___ 579(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 173733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 869(@200wpm)___ 695(@250wpm)___ 579(@300wpm)
Two hours later, the party is in full gear, my gorgeous husband is the center of attention, and we are surrounded by friends; Lauren and Royce, Cole and Lori, being the ones who stay close to us, above all others. It’s almost time for cake and gifts. I want mine to come first. I grab his hand. “Come with me,” I say.
His eyes light with mischief. “Why?” he whispers, leaning in close. “What are you going to do to me?”
I laugh and give him my back while tugging on his hand. With a quick rush through the crowd, I lead the way to our bedroom and once we’re there, I point to the chair. “Go. Sit. Shut your eyes.”
“Should we do this while the guests are downstairs?”
“Yes. Because we aren’t doing what you keep hinting at. Go sit, husband.”
He kisses me and does as ordered. “Shut your eyes.”
“Okay. Eyes shut, sweetheart.”
I grab the box and set it on Reese’s lap. I sit down next to him. “Okay. Your gift that was supposed to be part of the baby news.”
He opens his eyes and smiles at the box. “Future dad. That I am.”
He opens the lid and pulls out the book, giving me a curious look. “When I found out I was pregnant and decided not to tell you right away, I started writing down all of my thoughts so you’d know you didn’t miss anything.”
He flips it open and starts to read before glancing over at me. “This is perfect, Cat. Absolutely perfect.”
“Now you know Debbie wasn’t on my mind.”
He leans over and kisses me. “Perfect. Like you.”
“Some of my thoughts are pretty silly when I read them now. You’ll get a few laughs.”
He refocuses on the book and flips to a random page and gives me one of those laughs now. “You wondered if you tasted differently?”
My cheeks actually heat on that one. “I—well—yes. I did.”
He sets the book aside. “No, you do not, but why don’t I make sure right now.”
I squeeze my legs together. “No. Not now. And it’s your birthday. I do you.”
He stands up and pulls me to my feet. “We do us, sweetheart.”
“And baby Olive.”
“And baby Olive.”
Two months later…
I open the new journal I’ve been keeping to document my pregnancy and start to write:
Today I’m thinking about the night of Reese’s birthday, my father showed up and he could have ruined the night. He was rude and horrible to Reid’s new woman and he had me shaking all over. I think of this today because my father has never been a man to show love and affection, and while yes, this causes me pain, it also drives home the contrast between him and Reese. Sometimes it’s what we don’t have that makes us appreciate what we do have. And if we don’t, we should. I hope that one day my child will read this and remember to appreciate what she has. Yes, she. We found out today that we’re having a girl. For now, we’re calling her Olive, for fun, but we’re torn between the names Ashley and Heather.
Reese appears in the doorway and holds up an envelope. “A gift from your brother Reid, delivered by courier.”
“A gift from Reid and he doesn’t even know I’m pregnant yet.”
Reese sits down next to me. “He said to open it together.”
I grab it, unseal it and pull out a document. “It’s the paternity test. You’re not the father. Well, not of Debbie’s baby.” I set the document aside. “Just the father of Heather.”
“Heather.”
“Yes,” I say. “I like Heather.”
“As long as it’s not Olive,” he teases, and pulls me down on the couch with him, where we do not keep our clothes on, nor do we shut the door, though those days will soon be history, once baby Heather arrives. Which is exactly why Reese seems to believe we should spend as much time without clothes as possible now, while we can.
Six months later…
I wake in the hospital bed to find that Reese has snuck into bed with me, and our daughter, baby Heather, is asleep in a bassinet next to us. I smile and tangle my fingers in my husband’s hair, but he doesn’t wake up. I snuggle closer to him and close my eyes right as Heather makes a soft sound. Reese is up in an instant, awake for our daughter, then he didn’t even notice me playing with his hair. That tells me he’s that comfortable with me touching him, and that he’s going to prove me right and be an amazing father. Which makes me wish that for my daughter, that all of her dreams come true, and that she ends up with a man just like her father.
The End