Molly | Herophine

Epilogue

"Babe, she's moving! Quick!" Jo calls me as I exit the bathroom.

I rush to the bed where she rests, her head and back propped on a mountain of pillows and her 30-week belly on full display. Holding out both my hands, I feel around her round belly until I find the part where our little girl is kicking or maybe stretching her tiny arms and legs out, a cheeky grin appearing on my face at how aggressive her movements have become in the past week. Even if this may be the hundredth time I've felt our little girl move inside her mum's belly, it never gets old and my excitement never seem to diminish with each time. It's a freakish feeling for me and I could only imagine how weird and uncomfortable it must be for Jo feeling a tiny fetus move inside her every so often.

"She's such a feisty little thing, isn't she?" I say in amusement as I feel tiny limbs protruding against Jo's belly.

"That, she is," Jo gushes, her blue-grey eyes shining with happiness and excitement.

After years of trying, we finally got pregnant three years into our marriage. It hasn't been the smoothest ride getting here. Since losing our little Hardin when we were still both 21, so much has happened especially after we confirmed our relationship to the public during our first movie tour for the After franchise. Other projects got in the way, forcing us to only spend so little time together in between. The only time we ever get to spend the entire months together are when we're filming for After movies and going on tour months following wrapping those movies. I've kept the diamond engagement ring I bought before and each year since I first popped the question, I've sort of made it a tradition of going on one knee for Jo, proposing of making an honest woman out of her but each and every time, she would turn me down in the sweetest ways that I don't really end up hurting from her rejections.

That is until the fifth and final movie wrapped. I got down on one knee as what has then become an annual thing for us and as usual, I already prepared myself for another year of rejection. So when she finally said yes, I was rendered speechless and she laughed right at my face. She then took the ring from my hand and inserted it into her ring finger herself as I stared at her dumbfounded. It was only when she leaned down and kissed my lips was I able to register that it was actually happening and that she really did say yes.

A year after that, we tied the knot here in Perth, at her parent's backyard. The wedding was small and intimate-close friends, family and After family only.

And now, three years down, we are finally expecting a little baby girl.

Theresa Langford Tiffin.

*****

As we wait for Jo's doctor's appointment, I hold her hands firmly with mine, squeezing it reassuringly. She's been anxious since last night. Our little girl still isn't due, not at least until four more weeks. She's still 32 weeks on the way.

When the secretary finally calls our name, we make our way into the clinic and the doctor, Dr. Arthur, goes about the usual procedure of checking the baby's heartbeat and the growth and positioning. She doesn't really say anything until after the examination.

"Did you notice some liquid discharges since yesterday, Jo?" Dr. Arthur asks Jo tentatively.

"Not that I'm aware of doctor, no," Jo tells her but I could sense her nerves as her palms start to sweat between mine.

"Your amniotic fluid has considerably lessened since the last time I checked. Have your contractions been longer with shorter intervals?" The worry in Dr. Arthurs voice triggers own nerves and now I feel my entire body trembling.