𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐞.

Thirty-two: She's All That.

Ermias stood over the stove, preparing lunch for him and Ashley. The two were alone in the spacious home, trying to have the conversations that needed to be had.

"How you feeling?" Ermias questioned, using the spatula to transfer the pancake to the ceramic plate.

Ashley shrugged her shoulders, focusing on the crossword puzzle she'd found herself entangled in. "Honestly? I feel so ugly." She blurted, she didn't mean to say it the way she did, she just couldn't hold it in any more.

Ermias' ears perked at her words. "Excuse me?" He scoffed.

Ashley avoided his gaze, her cheeks heating up. She couldn't put into words how she felt, she just knew that when she looked in the mirror, she didn't look like herself.

"I just, I don't know.." she trailed off. "I'm so happy that we're having a baby, I'm grateful. I just don't look the same.. and it's making me kind of sad." She expressed.

Ermias sat the spatula down, his long legs walking towards his lover. Pulling out the chair next to hers, taking a seat, Ermias grabbed both of her hands. "Look at me." He said firmly.

Ashley's eyes met his, and he placed his index finger under her chin. "You are beautiful, and once you drop this baby you're going to look even fuckin' better. I don't wanna hear you say no shit like that? Okay. You sacrificed your body for this baby, that's the most beautiful shit in the world. Who cares if you gained a lil' weight and got some cankles? That just makes you a woman."

Grabbing her face, he placed a soft kiss on her lips. "And I love every, single part of you."

The brims of Ashley's eyes filled with tears, squeezing Ermias' hands a few tears fell. Ermias raised his hand, wiping them away. "I love you." Ashley spoke softly, she knew her insecurities wouldn't go away overnight but that eased her pain for the most part.

Ermias moved closer towards her, placing a passionate kiss onto her lips. "I love you more, mama." He stated, profoundly.

Taking in his features, Ashley couldn't help but to admire the man that sat before her. He kept his word, he provided for her, and he wanted nothing but a better life for them as a family. Her hormones had her in a frenzy, but Ermias was too scared to have sex with her being this far along in her pregnancy. In his words: 'he didn't want to poke an eye out.'

Which Ashley understood, even though that was physically impossible. Times like this? Where he was so sweet, and nurturing made it ten times harder to avoid having sex with him.

"You ready for this?" Ermias asked, referring to everything that was transpiring in their lives.

Ashley knew what he was talking about when he asked, he'd asked her this almost five times a day. He just wanted to make sure she wasn't having any second thoughts. He knew life was moving pretty fast for them, they were having a baby, getting married, and then moving to Africa.

Placing her hand on top of her protruding stomach, Ashley nodded her head. "Yes. I tell you this all of the time Ermias. I'm not having any second thoughts, I promise."

Ermias glanced back at the potatoes that were frying for the home fries before responding, "I know baby. Its just, I know you're younger than me so I don't want you to feel like you had to do all of this just for me, or just cause we having a baby. I wanna make sure you comfortable with everything. If any part our life is ever moving too fast for you, just let me know. Aight?"