He came home late from practicing with the band. He didn’t want to wake her. He knew she hadn’t been feeling well and she needed her rest. He quietly ascended the stairs and crept into their bedroom. She was asleep in the bed and the moonlight shone through the balcony and made her silky skin shine like a beacon welcoming him home. He removed his clothing and crawled into bed next to her. She immediately turned and smiled at him.
“Did I wake you?” he asked as he kissed her lips.
“No. I was waiting for you.”
“Really?” he asked seductively as he pressed up against her. Two years of marriage, and every single time they touched was still a blast of electricity. He would never get enough of her.
“I bought you something,” she said as she sat up and flipped on the lamp.
Jake’s eyes squeezed shut as he tried to adjust to the light. “You bought me something?” he asked curiously.
She reached into her nightstand and produced a box.
He smiled as she vibrated with excitement.
He pressed his hand through his hair as he slid the ribbon off the box and opened it. Inside was an empty picture frame. The bottom was engraved, “Our Family.”
Jake licked his lips as he studied it and then tried to read her face for how he should respond. “It’s… nice. You want us to take a picture together?”
Madi giggled. “Lift it up and open the envelope underneath.”
Jake opened the envelope as his brows furrowed. He didn’t like getting surprises as much as he liked giving them.
He pulled out a thin paper with a grey image on it. It looked like a small grain. “What am I looking at?” he asked.
“I’m not sure,” she responded. “It could be a boy or a girl.”
“What did you say?” Jake asked as he bolted upright.
Madi bit her lip. “How do you feel about being called Daddy?”
Jake jumped onto his knees in the bed as his mouth gaped open. “Me? Daddy?” he asked excitedly.
“Apparently you have amazing little swimmers,” she giggled.
Jake’s hand tentatively touched her belly as a smile lit up his face. “You’re going to be a mom?” he asked.
She nodded.
“And I’m going to be a dad?”
She laughed. “Yes.”
“We’re having a baby? You and me?”
“Yes, you and me,” she replied as her hand cupped his face.
“Oh my God, Madi! Are you okay? Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine. I’m ten weeks. I guess I had a different kind of bug. A little tiny one.”
“Bug Morgan,” Jake smiled. “I like the sound of that!”
He kissed her lips passionately before he kissed her stomach. He thought he loved her this morning, but with every hour, every day, his love for her grew. Now, his love was growing inside her as well.
“Push, Madi! One more big one!” the doctor yelled.
Madi grasped his hand as she groaned. Seeing her in pain was killing him. He knew she was strong before, but now… He didn’t know how she was doing it.
