Another Love Story

Chapter 4

I don't recall how long I slept. I remained in this constant loop of in and out of consciousness. Halona brought me food now and again, but I don't remember eating it. I only remember my body being so tired and my bug moving around restless inside me.

Every time I would fall back asleep, sometimes it was restful, and other times the memory of my sister lying unconscious on the floor would jolt me awake. Daniel would be there to lull me back to sleep. I tried hard to get up from the bed, but my eyes refused to stay open, and all I could do was sleep.

I can hear the phone ringing and ringing. After a moment, I hear the gruffness of Daniel's sleepy voice. I want to open my eyes and ask who he's talking to, but I am still unable. My head is still too cloudy with sleep. I just lay and let sleep take over my mind again.

I am cold, and I have to pee. I wiggle over a little bit, feeling for the large warm body I have grown used to, but I feel nothing except more space. I can finally open my eyes and lift my head to see Daniel missing from his space beside me. Where is he?

I swing my legs out of bed and make my way to the bathroom. I halfway expected Daniel to be in there, but he wasn't. A frown appears on my face as I sit to relieve myself. After I am done in the bathroom, my hand cradles the bottom of my stomach as I leave the bedroom, searching for Daniel. I stop at the entrance to the living room when I see him coming through the front door with a girl in his arms. As he gets closer, I can see the girl is his sister, Daisy, and she's passed out asleep on his chest. What was she doing out so late?

"What are you doing up?" he speaks lowly as he approaches me. "Is baby bug awake?"

I nod my head yes. "I woke up, and you were gone," I whisper back and follow him to the guest bedroom.

When we get into the room, I pull back the covers so Daniel can lay his sister on the bed. Then he removes her jacket and shoes before covering her with the blanket.

"Is she okay? What happened to her?" I ask, watching him.

"All I know is she was out late at a party, and she called me to come to pick her up," he says. We leave the room, closing the door behind us. "She passed out in my arms. I'll have a talk with her in the morning."

I nod my head silently. I rub my stomach in slow circles when I feel my little bug begin to create more significant movements. I enjoyed the time he was sleeping since he's so active most of the time. Hopefully, he'll rest again once I am lying down. Back inside the room, Daniel helps me to bed and then returns to his place, spooning behind me. His hand replaces mine, and he continues to rub my belly gently. I smile to myself as Daniel nuzzles his nose beneath my ear.

"Go back to sleep, little bug," he whispers.

I had to rush out of bed the following morning into the bathroom to release the pressure on my bladder. Well, it's more like a waddle, and I can only go as fast as my bug will let me. Emptying my bladder is such a relief I let out a small groan in satisfaction. I have spent a lot of time with this toilet lately. My bug seems to have found a sweet spot seat on my bladder and refuses to be moved. Unfortunately for me, this has increased my bathroom visits tenfold. I may as well live on the toilet.

The only time bug moves away from my bladder is to lean on my lungs, making it hard for me to breathe. I shake my head as I wash my hands in the sink. This is my sad pregnant reality: marriage to the bathroom and shortness of breath. I won't even bring up the back pain.

When I get back into bed, Daniel is awake. He smiles at me and then lowers himself to my belly.

"Good morning, little bug," he speaks to my stomach.

As soon as the baby hears his voice, it begins to move with a small series of kicks. I roll my eyes and lay back down on my pillow.

"Don't get him started, please," I say. "Then he won't stop."