Into the Rage

Chapter 71

Today had a lot going on and I was so excited.  First, a doctor's appointment.  I was eight weeks now and you could definitely tell I was pregnant.

Second, Declan insisted, after my breakdown, to take me shopping for maternity clothes and I found myself actually excited about it.

And third, house hunting!  Declan had contacted a local realtor, who had an excellent reputation and blocked out their whole day for us and had found four houses for us to look at.

We'd already had our shower and I was getting dressed while Declan waited on me in the kitchen. I chose my black leggings, a white maternity shirt and paired it with a pretty gray sweater and gray flats. I felt beautiful today, not at all cow-like.

I did my makeup light but heavy on the gloss to keep my lips from getting chapped in this cold. My hair, well I decided to leave it down as well but put on a cute gray lace headband to keep my hair back from my face.

"Hey babe" I called out to Declan, heading to the kitchen. "I'm ready" I said. He was looking out the window and I wasn't sure he heard me or not so I walked over and put my arms around him.

"Hmm, you smell good" he said, clasping my hands with his. "Thank you" I replied, then stepped around to face him. "Dec, are you okay?" I asked.

"I'm fine baby. Just you know how my brain is" he joked, but he couldn't fool me. I knew what it was too.

"Declan, look at me" I urged. He did. "Look, I love this house and if you're not ready to move on yet, we don't have to, seriously."

"Oh Am. You're so sweet. No, I am definitely ready to move on and I don't have any particular attachment to this house. Elise's father bought her this house and after we married, I moved in with her.

I'm just dreading the phone call to her parents letting them know that I'm signing the house back over to them. We haven't spoken since Elise died, and well, I don't expect an easy conversation."

Well that made sense and I felt bad for him having to face his late wife's parents but at the same time, I'm happy he wants to move on with me, that he feels no emotional ties to this house.

I just want to be wherever he is, so we can make new memories and do things the way we want them done.

Nate was waiting to take us to Dr. Dhoot's office and I couldn't believe in eight more short weeks, we'll know the sex.

"Did you realize that in eight more weeks, you'll really see your son?" I asked him, while fidgeting with his wedding band.

"So, sixteen weeks huh?" He said, resting his hand on my belly, the hypnotic rubbing of it making me want to sleep.

I nodded. "You're so sure that the baby's a boy, huh?" "Yep" I said popping the 'p' and grinning. "Well if you say so, who am I to argue? Anyway, I just want a healthy mommy and baby" he replied.

Nate pulled smoothly into the parking lot of my doctor's office and said he'd pull back up when he sees us come out.  Declan nodded, took my hand and we entered the building.

The office was pretty busy, but not as busy as I had seen it before. One woman in there was expecting triplets. Her and her husband had done fertility treatments and got three for the price of one.

"Okay, I take back anything I might have said about looking like a cow. That poor woman won't be able to walk in another four weeks."

Declan smirked at me as we sat, waiting, holding each other's hands and making googly eyes at the other.

Kristine, Meera's nurse, came out and called my name. We exchanged pleasantries, I introduced her to Declan, and she took us back.

She frowned a little when I stepped on the scale. "Don't be surprised if she gets on to you Am. Your weight is still a little down from what she would like to see."

It was my turn to frown.  I'd been eating like a person with the munchies, so I couldn't figure out why I was still down in the weight department.

I peed in a cup, yea, and put that in the little window, washed my hands and went back to the small office to wait with Declan.

He was reading some kind of maternity magazine when I guess he saw an article about natural childbirth, etc.  He slammed it shut and laid it back down, causing me to laugh.

"Are you gonna pass out on me in the delivery room?" I teased.  He looked a little pale but assured me he would be strong and steady the day of.

I was about to tease him some more when Meera walked in, smiling, my file in her hand.  "Good morning you two" she greeted pleasantly.  We returned the greeting and she got down to brass tacks.

"Okay mommy, I would like to see you up five more pounds by your next visit.  You're still a little underweight for my liking.

Your urine looks great, your vitals are excellent, so I'm very pleased.  How are you sleeping and have you had any morning sickness?"

"I sleep like the dead" I joked, while Declan nodded, showing his agreement.  "And no morning sickness.  Not even nauseated" I told her.

She nodded, making notes and when she was done, she told me to lay down and lift up my shirt as she rolled the ultrasound machine over to where I lay.

She took a sheet of the paper material that's on the beds and put it in the waistband of my leggings, so I wouldn't get gel on them.

I hissed as the cold gel hit my very warm skin, but as soon as she switched on the monitor and turned it to face us, that went away.

And then we heard the baby's heartbeat and saw the image on the screen.  I couldn't have stopped the tears if I'd wanted to. We saw arms and legs and a little head.

"Oh my gosh" I whispered. "Totally" Declan said awestruck. Meera made them a DVD of the sonogram and printed out several pictures of different things...the head, arms, legs and his tongue sticking out.

When we finished with our visit, we sat in the car, on the way to shop for clothes and we just kept staring at the black and white images of our child, our miracle.

"Did, you...did you see...I'm just speechless at all of this. I mean, Am, we made him!" Declan was so enamored by all of it, it was so cute.

"Yes baby, we did.  And it was a lot of fun to, wasn't it?" I winked.  "Oh it sure was and I don't know about you, but I would love to practice some more" he wiggled his eyebrows.

I threw my head back and laughed.  We were definitely going to have fun later tonight.