The Sweetest Devotion

Discomfort

Later that evening Nikki had been discharged from the hospital after many tests and scans to rule out possible disabilities that their baby may have. After ruling out potential disabilities they allowed Nikki to go home with a check-up appointment for the following week to see if the baby has grown anymore. With instructions to if the baby hasn't grown, she will be induced into labour in the coming days after the follow-up scan.

"..Chippy tea?" Jack asks as he glances across at Nikki who has her head resting against the glass of the car window cradling her bump. Jack looks back at the road and waits for a response.
"Sure, it's getting late... I thought I would never see the back of that place," Nikki mumbles.

Jack smiles to himself and drives to the nearest chip shop, he pulls up in the small car park looking across at his wife, "Are you coming in with me?" Jack quizzes.
"I suppose so" She responds unbuckling her seat belt and getting out of the car with Jack, he locks the car and meets her around the front of the car. Jack takes hold of her hand and walks with her into the chip shop.

He smirks to himself noticing Nikki's walk turning into more of a waddle this past week, her bump is getting big and it actually made Jack wonder how much longer Nikki would be able to carry his child before she snaps in two. The couple waits in the small queue for the food and makes a decision on what they're having. "I'm having a small fish, chips and curry sauce, What are you going to have?" Jack speaks up.

Nikki carries on looking at the menu for a moment, "Just tray of chips with curry sauce please" Nikki responds not feeling that hungry at all, but knowing all too well she needs to keep her strength up for her daughter.

Jack smiles and moves behind her, wrapping his arms around her and staying in this position for a while, he slips his hands to her bump and runs his thumb over her bump feeling the baby move under his touch. "She's going to be a Daddy's girl, I already know it," Nikki smiles.
"Hmm, You never know Nik's she could surprise you" Jack chuckles and kisses her shoulder.

They move forward in the queue and Nikki moves away from Jack placing her hand in the arch of her back and sighing, "Jack, I need to go sit in the car... my back," She mumbles as she is suddenly overwhelmed by the pain in her back, more than likely triggered by Braxton hicks.

Jack passes the keys to her and smiles sympathetically as she walks out of the chip shop and heads back out to their car. Jack had noticed today how much the pregnancy is taking its toll on Nikki now and he starts to wonder if it would be worth talking to her about taking early maternity leave. He pushes the thought to the back of his mind as he is called forward in the queue to order food.

Once ordered and paid he pulls his phone out and texts Nikki, 'How's the back now you're sat down? xxx'

His phone instantly pings back up with a response from Nikki, 'Worse :('
Jack sighs to himself and looks out the window at her again, 'Almost ready, then home, food, hot bath and bed?' He smiles to himself, pressing send he looks up to see the woman behind the till handing a bag to him.

He takes the bag and leaves the chip shop and walks across the car park to the car. He places the food on the back seat and looks at Nikki as he climbs into the drivers seat. "How are you?" He asks.
"I'm fine, just can't get comfortable," She responds.

Jack raises an eyebrow and looks at her bump and get carefully positioned seatbelt, "Are you sure you're not in labour?" Jack asks curiously.
"No Jack, I'm fine. She's staying put for as long as possible," Nikki sighs as she strokes her bump.

He nods and starts up the engine before the couple head home, once home the couple eat their dinner together at the breakfast bar before Nikki heads upstairs and runs herself a bath to help the back pain. Before heading to bed leaving Jack sat alone downstairs with a bottle of beer, his mind once again drifts to Nikki and the baby, it excites him knowing their child will be with them in less than five weeks or so, but the idea also scares him having a child who is going to be dependant on him and Nikki for the next eighteen years of their life.

Jack takes a deep breath in and looks up at the ceiling, before grabbing his mac book from the coffee table, opening it up and logging on. He then goes to his work emails and sends a group email but removing Nikki, titling it 'Nikki's baby, Mat leave, surprise party.'
Smiling to himself as he writes out the message explaining that Nikki may have to leave earlier than planned due to the baby not growing quick enough, asking them not to mention to Nikki that he had mentioned early maternity leave, and that he would love to throw her an surprise party which is almost like a baby shower.

Jack double checks the message before sending it and then settles down on the sofa for the evening with another beer and tv.