It's Only a Matter of Time | A Modern Hamliza Story

21: "What makes you say I can't just hug you for no reason but that I love you?"

After the proposal, the family of three went back to their hotel and threw off their clothes to put on comfy pajamas. Eliza video chatted her family starting with her sisters to share the good news, of course not without flaunting of the ring and fits of giggles from her sisters who were just too excited for Eliza.

While Alexander was showering and Elaina was playing a game on Alexander's phone, Eliza stared at the pregnancy test tucked inside her suitcase. She had planned on waiting until the next day to tell him, but with all the serotonin in the room and excitement surrounding the engagement, it seemed like the perfect time to share her secret with him.

She heard the shower turn off and a towel being dragged down from hanging over the top of the shower and tucked the pregnancy test into the front pocket of her sweater. As she heard clothes being moved, she entered the bathroom to see him finishing up getting his pajamas on. She wrapped her arms around his waist after all his clothes were on.

"Hello, Mrs. Hamilton," Alexander said sweetly, a smile plastered on his face, and his hands rested on top of hers. "To what do I owe the pleasure of having the prettiest woman in the world hanging on me?"

Eliza giggled with her face pressed into his back, smelling the scent of his shirt. "Ooh, I like it when you call me that," she said. "And what makes you say I can't just hug you for no reason but that I love you?"

Alexander turned around, his arms wrapping around her and his hands finding their home just next to her behind. "Hmm, I guess no one can stop you. I like your answer."

Eliza smiled before puckering up, expecting a kiss. Alexander happily obliged.

"And maybe I do have a little something for you too," Eliza added, unable to control the butterflies in her stomach. "Remember how I said that I had a gift for you?" He nodded. "Well, some little birdie told me that you're going to be a daddy again."

Eliza pulled out the pregnancy test from her sweatshirt pocket, handing it over to him with a huge grin on her face. She pointed to the two lines, melting as she watched his face paint itself into shock and excitement all at once. She could practically see how much he already loved this baby just like she did by looking at him.

"No way," he said. "I thought we were—"

"Careful? No, we were trying to be careful. Remember that night a little over a month ago after our night out? Where you suggested this little family rendezvous? Yeah, we forgot a condom," Eliza said, reminding him of the one time they weren't careful. "We were mostly careful, but the one time we weren't, it turns out we've made an Elaina Part Two."

Alexander laughed, still in shock that she was pregnant. He never got to hear the news last time, and he was so grateful that he had another chance to get to experience the things that he didn't before. It was bittersweet, knowing that he'll never get back the times he missed with Elaina, but overjoyed that he and Eliza had another chance to get to experience their miracle in the best way.

"Wow," he sighed. "I can't believe it! We're having another baby... I can't wait."

He placed his hands on her flat stomach, imagining what she would look like as her stomach got bigger and the little life inside of her grew. He was overwhelmed with a sense of deep love for this child that he had yet to meet. He didn't know what they looked like, what their interests would be, or what they would act like (maybe like Elaina?), but he already loved them so much that he didn't even know what to do with those feelings. He settled on leaning down to kiss her belly.

"I'm so excited to see you with our baby. You're already the best dad to Elaina, and I know that you will continue to be the best dad with this newest little buddy," Eliza said. "I just found out a couple of days ago and I can't believe I was able to keep it a secret for even this long. I haven't told anyone!"

"Well I'm glad I'm the first one to get to find out," Alexander smiled. "Even if this is all unexpected and we didn't mean to have a baby right now, I wouldn't change it for the world. I thought I couldn't be happier after you accepted my proposal, but here you are proving me all wrong again."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Just then Elaina knocked on the bathroom door and entered after her parents called her in. She held Alexander's phone in one hand, shoving it in his face. "Guess what, daddy, I beat that level of Candy Crush for you!"

"Well you little smarty pants!" Alexander smiled, picking her up and tickling her tummy. "I think you're going to surpass me any day now."

"Well of course, daddy. I'm preeeeetty smart."

After laughing at her cute daughter, Eliza decided it was time to tell Elaina the good news. "Baby, do you remember when I said I had a present for both you and daddy?"

"Mhmm, I hear the word present and how could I forget!"

"Well the present is that mama has a baby in her belly! You're going to be a big sister!"

Elaina gasped dramatically, her mouth opened in an oval shape. "Really?!"

"Uh-huh."

"Is it going to be a boy or a girl?"

"We don't know yet, Elaina. The baby is only the size of one little grain of rice."

"How do you know?"

"Well I've had a baby before. And I got this app on my phone that tells me new things every week about how the baby is growing. After I go to the doctor to see the baby we can make a date every week where we see what's happening. How does that sound?" Eliza explained, trying to make it easy enough for a five-year-old to understand.

"Very cool!" Elaina smiled.

Eliza and Alexander weren't sure Elaina fully understood what was happening, and that maybe this excitement would die down when she realized she would not only have to share her toys, but also share her time with her mother and father. Still, they took this response for now, hoping that they could find a way to ease her into having a sibling before the baby even arrived. For now, it would be all right.

As quickly as the vacation started, it was time to go home. As fun as the weekend was, they were all exhausted and Eliza had work to get back to.

They were greeted with a surprise engagement party when they got back, though Eliza had to slip her alcohol over to Alexander to keep their little secret up for a little longer. They had agreed to not tell family until after the first ultrasound, and friends not until after the first trimester was over.

Everything was perfect.

...
We are nearing the end of the story already! Just a handful or so updates left! Thanks for reading!