Til Your Safe And Sound

Surprise Visit

Dear Grace,

How you feeling, baby? How's our baby? I'm so happy we are going to have a baby! I'm sure it won't be too hard to be a parent. When will you find out the sex of the child? I hope it's a girl! What would we name her? Or him?

Bootcamps getting easier. I can run a full three miles, and not break a sweat. (Well...I think it's three miles)

I can't talk long. We've got another room inspection, and I want to make sure everything's in order before Officer Richard gets here. I love you, and tell me when you are going to the doctor to find out the sex of our baby.

Love you!

-Justin-

"He wants to know when we will find out the sex." I tell Pattie as she neatly folds towels she just pulled from the dryer.

"I can't believe I'm pregnant." I add.

"I will warn you." Pattie says. "Parenthood is going to be tough. I mean, I was litterally just your age when I had Justin."

"I know." I say. "And look at him now, he's a popstar soilder." Pattie laughs lightly, and places a hand on my shoulder.

"What I mean is." she says. "It's not easy. There will be times where you think you can never raise a child at this age." 

I sigh, and look down at my developing baby bump.

We can make it through...

~*Justin*~

Dear Justin,

Your mom said to wait a few weeks before we go to the doctor to find out the sex. Which I'm sure by the time you get this letter, it'll be less than a few weeks. Maybe a week or so. I don't know

Why do you want a girl? So you can have a daddy's girl? What if we have a boy? He'll be a momma's boy, right? Yea he will. I don't know any good names. I kind of like the name Christopher...

I miss you. Alot. I hope you can come home and visit one day! I'd really love that. I miss seeing your smiling face. I'll get to go to the doctor and see the sex of the baby in a few weeks. Hope you can come visit when I do. I think you should be here when I find out if we are having a boy or girl.

Love you baby. Hope to see you soon!

-Grace-

I smile down at the letter as my name was called. I looked away from the peice of paper in my hand to see a passport being shoved in my face.

"Here's your passport." Officer Richard said sternly. "Your plane boards around eight tomorrow morning. Be there, or be left." I nod my head, taking the passport from Officer Richard's hand. He walks away, a stern look on his face.

I'm sure under that stern face, he's smiling. He gets a vacation away from me for a full week, maybe two. Chuck looked in my direction, and narrowed his eyes.

"You going to go knock up that girlfriend of yours?" he asks, adding a dark chuckle.  I roll my eyes as I begin to pack up my things.

By the time I was finished, I still had about seven hours left til I left. I tried to sleep, but couldn't. I was too excited to see Grace. I wondered if it would show whether or not she was pregnant. My mind drifted off as different images of Grace appeared behind my closed eye-lids. Some images were just regular images of her. Her smiling, bright face. The way she looked when I left, the way she looked when we video-chatted.

Then I tried to imagine her pregnant. Her with a giant belly that looked almost as big as her own body. How she would act, now that she has a growing baby inside of her. When she would deliver her baby, how I would be right by her side, holding onto her hands as she squeezes mine.

I felt my lips twitch into a crooked smile as I thought of Grace, giving birth, and breaking the bone in my hands by squeezing them too hard. Not only would she be in the hospital with our baby, but I would be right across the hall, my hands bandaged.

By the time I drifted off into sleep, I was imagining holding mine and Grace's child, my hands still bandaged.

8:00 AM

I boarded the plane, my stomach turning in circles. I was so excited to finally see my baby, face-to-face. To be able to hold her in my arms, and to be able to see what kind of child we would be caring for.

I pulled out my phone, and saw Mom sent me a text.

Tell me when you will be landing, baby. Grace still has no clue you are coming, but she's getting worried about how long it's taking you to write back to her. Don't worry, I'm keeping her calm. Love you!

I smirk as I slip my phone into my pocket, and look out the window of the plane as it takes off.