Feel My Love

Chapter Twenty-Six: Happy and Content

“We started a baby name jar in class today,” Aoife mused helping Marco prepare dinner, the children in her class were excited about the idea of a baby even if they wouldn’t be in her class when the baby arrived.

Marco chuckled looking at Aoife, he knew how much she adored working with children and it was going to be odd for her to take time off from work when she had their daughter but it would be worth it.

“Any good names?” Marco asked knowing that they had yet to think of a name for their daughter, Aoife was twenty-three weeks pregnant and they were looking for names that they both liked for their baby.

“I don’t know… I’m not allowed to look until the last day of school,” Aoife replied laughing, the students were so excited and kept adding to the small jar that had been set on her desk for baby names.

Aoife had kept things light since she didn’t want anyone but family to know that she was going to have a little girl and it got the boys in her class involved since they put forward boy names.

Marco laughed a little, he wasn’t surprised and he looked forward to seeing what names the children came up with; he had a baby naming book on his bedside table and hadn’t seen anything that he liked so far that he could name his daughter.

“That should be interesting,” Marco mused peeking at Aoife, she would have three months off maternity wise and would go back to work in February 2016 after their daughter had been born; his mother had insisted that she look after the baby when Aoife went back to work.

Marco watched his wife carefully, they refused to talk about Belle and her baby and he knew that in five weeks they would know for sure if he had fathered that child; however he prayed that he hadn’t since he had no interest in being tied to Belle in anyway.

“I started work on the nursery today,” Marco said moving to chop up some vegetables for their dinner, the football season was officially over for him and he was home a lot more now until friendlies started up in July.

Aoife stopped and looked at Marco, he had informed her of his plans to decorate himself and she was a little concerned about how their daughter’s nursery was going to look when he was finished.

“Don’t look so worried… I just stripped the walls,” Marco continued, he had thought about decorating himself and he knew that it wouldn’t end well; he had instead hired someone to decorate for him since the room needed to be perfect for their little girl.

Aoife stared at Marco warily, she had no idea what he was doing with the nursery and it made her curious about what he had planned; she hoped that he would let her see soon what he was doing with the room.

“Relax liebe, it’ll be fine,” Marco teased moving to kiss Aoife, he had no idea what he would ever do without her and the baby; he was looking forward to the birth that seemed so close and yet so far away.

Aoife squeaked as Marco drew her close, his hand moving to rest on her bump and she smiled sure that it wouldn’t be long until he felt their little girl kicking; she was surprised just how much the baby moved and was glad that she was experiencing this.

Marco kissed Aoife, his fingers moving over the bump that they could no longer conceal and he was thrilled that everyone knew that Aoife was expecting his baby; he couldn’t wait to be a father and Dortmund had been so supportive of his want to take time off when the baby was born.

Marco had signed a contract extension with the club until 2019, if he had his way then he would never leave the club since this was his home and where his daughter would grow up.

***

“What about Vanessa?” Aoife asked resting a hand on her bump while she flipped through the baby name book, she looked at Marco who wrinkled his nose and shook his head; he wanted something unique for their daughter.

Their daughter deserved a good name and he didn’t want one that was over used too much, Marco was sure that they would find the right now but Vanessa just didn’t feel right to him.

“Gabrielle?” Aoife continued sure that they would find the right name, they had seventeen weeks until their daughter was due and it would fly by; September wasn’t that far off now and she was worried they wouldn’t be ready.

Marco paused before shaking his head, he grumbled moving to lean back on the couch and close his eyes; he knew that he was being picky but none of the names that he had heard seemed right.

“Briana? Alexis?” Aoife listed off watching Marco, she wanted to have a short list of names for their little girl for when she went into labour; they would easily be able to decide on a name then when the baby was born.

“Do we really need to do this now?” Marco murmured was sure that this could wait and they would find a name when the time was right; his hand moved to rest on Aoife’s bump, he couldn’t wait for the moment that he held his daughter in his arms for the first time.

Aoife sighed looking down at Marco, she knew that he was just as worried at her about how fast things were going; they had barely found out that she was pregnant before they had started to get things ready.

It made Aoife wish a little bit that they had found out sooner that she was pregnant instead of close to the half way mark; she hadn’t really had morning sickness and she counted herself lucky on that part that she hadn’t been bothered by it.

“What are you thinking about?” Marco asked snapping Aoife out of her thoughts, she blinked and looked down at her husband realising that she had been brushing her fingers through his hair.

Aoife shook her head and smiled at Marco, she didn’t wish to worry him and she couldn’t help but be curious about what he would do when Belle went into labour; she feared her husband growing close to her sister again.

Marco sat up slowly, he watched his wife closely feeling a little concerned; he had no idea what had happened when she had last seen her mother only that Irene had pushed too hard and Aoife wanted nothing to do with her mother or sister anymore.

“Talk to me…” Marco whispered wanting to ease her mind, bottling things up wasn’t good for her or the baby and he had a feeling that he knew what had happened between her and Belle.

Aoife chewed on her lip, she had tried to ignore what had happened with her sister; she wasn’t stupid and could see why Belle was having such a hard time in letting Marco go, he was a wonderful man.

“Do you still love Belle?” Aoife murmured looking away from Marco, she needed to know and she wished that she hadn’t said anything; she was tied to Marco because that was what his parents had wanted, not him.

“Of course not,” Marco said shaking his head, he cursed Belle for making things so difficult for him and he had feared that this day would arrive; he had no interest in his ex when he had Aoife in his life now.

Marco made Aoife look at him, how they had gotten together hadn’t been easy and it was bond to play on his wife’s concerns now that she was pregnant; he had no intentions of allowing Aoife to ever feel that he didn’t love her.

“I’m happy and content here with you Aoife… I don’t want Belle anymore, I love you,” Marco continued kissing Aoife’s nose, he smiled at her wanting to reassure her in any way possible that she was what he wanted.