Living with Jennifer Lawrence

[92:] Melanie

It was 3 pm here in California, and 8 am in Japan. I didn't know if Austin was asleep or not, so I decided I'd call him later. I fiddled with the necklace he gave me. His name was on it, and I haven't taken it off.

I laid back in my bed. There were so many names to choose from.

1 Olivia

2 Sophia

3 Ava

4 Isabella

5 Mia

6 Abigail

7 Emily

8 Charlotte

9 Harper

10 Madison

I smiled when I saw my name on the list.

11 Amelia

12 Elizabeth

13 Sofia

14 Eve

15 Avery

16 Chloe

17 Ella

But number 18 struck out to me the most. I loved the name, and it just felt right.

18 Melanie

That's it, I thought, that's her name.

***

I hadn't realized I dozed off until I heard a knock on the door. Jason had to work today, and I was only one home.

Still a little groggy, I walked to the front door and without looking through the peephole, I opened it.

Standing in a gray shirt and dark jeans was the man of my dreams. He held a bouquet of sunflowers in one hand, and hugged me with the other.

"Austin," I said, almost breathless. I didn't expect him to be here. He hadn't told me when he was leaving Japan.

"I wanted to surprise you," he mumbled into my hair. "I hope you aren't mad."

"No, never."

He pulled back and took a moment to study me, then he looked around. "Your parents aren't home?" I noticed a small smile creeping up on his face.

"It's just us." I felt so glad to say that.

He placed the sunflowers on the table and scooped me up. I shrieked with joy.

He gently plopped me on the couch and turned the TV on. A random movie was playing at a low volume; we weren't paying attention to it. We sat so close together, our bodies were touching.

The moment I thought he would say something, we started to kiss. Slowly at first, his fingers lazily tracing the lines of my bones. I liked it—how gentle we were with each other.

He pulled my hips closer to him as he laid back, never breaking the kiss. When his mouth was away from mine, I was instantly saddened at the loss of contact. But before I could complain, his lips move towards my neck.

I hadn't realized how much I missed him until we were this close. I missed his beautiful smile.

We didn't have sex, I was no where near ready for that. I'm grateful that he never forced me to do anything I didn't want to do.

For a few moments, we gazed into each other's eyes. Nothing was said. Nothing needed to be said. He was here, alive and slightly out of breath, and I knew right then and there that he was everything I ever wanted.

"I'll be right back," I told him. I went into my room to get something.

We sat close together, there was no space between us. "Look." I handed him the small picture of the ultrasound.

I leaned my head on his shoulder as he took a moment to process it all. Yes, I sent a picture of it to him, but I wanted him to see it in person.

He sniffed. I didn't think he'd be filled with so much emotion about a baby that wasn't even biologically his.

"I figured out what her name will be."

His face lit up. "Really?"

I nodded. "Her name is Melanie."

"It's a nice name." Then he brought his head to my growing stomach and began talk to her. "Hey, Melanie," he started. "You already have the best mom ever. She's really sweet, you're gonna love her."

He proceeded to say more good things about me to her, and I stroked his hair softly as he did so.

***

Austin sat up, and I rested my head on his thighs and looked up at him. Just as I did to him, he stroked my hair and talked to me.

"I missed you," he admitted.

"I did, too."

There was a bit of comfortable silence, and then I changed the subject. "Prom is coming up." I wasn't planning on going if Austin wasn't back by then. But since he was here with me, I felt like bringing it up. I had seen posters all over school walls talking about it. The theme was Enchanted Forest.

"Did you want to go?"

"I mean, we don't have to—" I stammer.

"I'll go."