Jurassic Baby

2

Morning sickness was really getting the better of me.
Everyday of the week I ran to the toilet in the early hours and Owen went after me, pulling my hair off my face and rubbing my back.

"You can't keep going on like this babe." Owen said softly as I cried silently into his chest afterwards. I hated being sick and my throat was permanently burning from the strong acid and bile that came up every morning. I leant into him harder, feeling so weak and he picked me up in his strong arms and kissed my forehead, bringing me back to bed. We lay down and he engulfed me in his arms again, rubbing circles onto my arms as I cried softly. He reached down to my belly and lifted up his shirt I was wearing to see my stomach that was protruding a little more now.

"What are you doing to your mommy?" he whispered, making me chuckle a little despite my tears. I soon fell asleep after that as it was still so early and I was so exhausted from being up early every morning to repeat the same process.

When I woke up it was nearly midday and I shot up in bed as I was late for work.

"Oh no you don't." a voice said and I screamed as I saw Claire standing casually in the doorway.

"Shit Claire!" I breathed, grabbing my chest and she laughed.

"Damn I'm sorry! Owen sent me to check on you, he called you in sick saying the morning sickness is bad." she explained, sitting on the edge of the bed. I stretched a little making my small bump stick out even further and I noticed Claire's eyes land on it and a faint smile crossed her lips.

"Yeah, it really sucks. But everything is going to be worthwhile." I said, "I really feel fine, I'm going to go to the paddock this afternoon."

"Owen told me you'd say that and he told me to tell you no." Claire said, "so here I am saying no."

"Claire come on! I really am fine!" I whined, pouting.

"Rosie, no." She said firmly, but she couldn't stop me from showering and getting dressed.

"Owen is going to kill me for this." She groaned as we sat in the cafeteria at lunchtime. I hadn't eaten all day so I was starving and Claire just ate a salad.

"Well Owen will have me to deal with." I said, finishing my plate and standing up, walking out.

"Rosie you're not really going to the paddock are you? You should probably rest." She said, hurrying after me.

"Claire I'm not an invalid, it's normal." I explained, placing a hand over my stomach on instinct as I weaved my way through the crowds of the park, flashing my lanyard at the security guards to the raptor paddock.
Claire had given up trying to persuade me and I made my way to the cat walk, saying hello to the usual people. Owen was leaning against the railings casually talking to another worker. He was laughing and I smiled at him, but he frowned when he saw me standing there and made his way over to me.

"Hey!" I smiled, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"What are you doing here? You should be resting." He said.

"I'm feeling fine, I promise!"

"But the morning sickness has not stopped and I just want you to relax." He explained, taking hold of both of my hands.

"I know you mean well babe and I really appreciate it, but the morning sickness fades, you know that. I can't put my life on hold for it, especially when it's not permanent." I told him and he didn't look convinced, but nodded anyway.

"Okay... Just promise me if you're feeling unwell then you'll go home." He said sternly and I nodded.

"Yes sir." I said cheekily pretending to salute him and he chuckled.

"Get to work Miss Phillips before I have to take you over my knee." He leant in and whispered and I giggled, walking towards my office.

"Feeling unwell?" A familiar yet displeasing voice said as I searched for my key to unlock my office. Hoskins.

"I'm fine." I repeated for almost the millionth time that day.

"Well that doesn't explain why you and Owen had a little lovers tiff over there." He retorted. I had got the door open now and was walking in, turning the fan on immediately.

"It's none of your business really." I said. He stood in the doorway as I usually kept the door open.

"Maybe you should watch your weight. You're looking a little fuller lately." He commented before walking away. I rolled my eyes and turned on the computer ready to take the vitals of the raptors for today.

"Come on babe, we need to pack." Owen said on Thursday evening and I whined profusely. We had eaten dinner in bed and I was avoiding my own thoughts. The morning sickness was finally becoming less intense but I was dreading going to meet Owen's mother tomorrow.

"Um, yeah, okay." I said, a little distractedly. I had literally bitten my whole fingernail off worrying.

"Hey, what's up?" he asked, sitting on the bed next to me.

"I'm just nervous." I said timidly.

"About meeting my Mom?" he asked and I nodded, "oh babe, she's going to love you."

"You think?" I asked hopefully.

"I don't think, I know." he said firmly.

"But what if she hates me? What if she doesn't take the pregnancy news well?" I said, panic setting in.

"Trust me, she's always going on about me settling down and giving her grandchildren, she's going to be thrilled." he explained, "especially once she sees how much I love you."

"And how much is that?" I smirked, causing Owen to laugh and wrap his arms around my waist.

"So much that I want to get you pregnant over and over again." he smiled and my eyes became blinded with tears.

"Oh baby, what's wrong?" he asked worriedly, tucking my hair behind my ears.

"That's just so sweet and I love you so much and I can't wait to have more and more kids and this baby is just making my emotions all over the place." I sobbed, but with a smile standing broadly on my face still.

"Oh god, I love you, you crazy thing." he chuckled and held me into his chest until I calmed down.

"Right, come on, let's pack now." I said, suddenly a little excited to meet Owen's Mom.

But after work the next day when we were about to board the boat to the mainland, I had a wobble.

"Owen I can't do this." I said.

"What? Yes Rosie, you can." he said, tugging on my hand as I had just stopped suddenly in the middle of the busy crowd waiting to board the boat. I reluctantly followed, but when we boarded our seats and tucked our one suitcase under the chair in front, I clung onto him desperately.

"Babe, come on. It's fine." he said.

"She's going to hate me I just know it."

"Rosie, come on, we've been through this!" he said, wrapping his arm around me and pulling me against him, "you're going to meet her tonight when we arrive at her house and we'll be tired, and then in the morning when you've had a good sleep we can get breakfast and all will be good. There's absolutely nothing to worry about."

"Okay." I sighed in contentedness.

"Just remember that I love you, but seriously baby, as soon as she hears you're pregnant she's going to be over the moon." Owen explained and I smiled and rested my head against his chest as the boat began to pull away from Isla Nublar.