Untouchable

Chapter 31

Back to Reality

Ruth looked at herself in the mirror as her stomach began to grow. It was January, and freezing. Ruth was five months, 20 weeks, gone, and her stomach was getting very noticeable on her thin stature. Her boobs had swelled to a huge size, and she was eating non-stop.

                Noah chuckled as Ruth struggled to find a top to fit over her swelling stomach. She pulled out her largest shirt and it barely covered her stomach. Noah tossed her one of his large ones as she pulled the last one off. It narrowly fitted her. She pulled on her big, baggy jumper and sat on the bed,

                “I need to go shopping.” She groaned. “I’m fat.”

                “You’re pregnant, Ruth, pregnant and beautiful.” Noah reassured her. She glared at him. Noah sat next to her and stoked her back, knowing it was probably achy, as were her legs and ankles. “Come on you, find your trainers; I’m taking you shopping, maternity style.” Noah kissed her cheek. She reluctantly stood up, found her trainers, and got into the car after pulling on her giant winter coat. Noah drove them to the nearest city, a half an hour drive away, and dragged Ruth into Next, grabbing a basket on the way in. Ruth picked up a load of clothes in her size, dumped them in the basket before going to the baby section and getting some unisex baby grows; neither of them wanted to know what they were having until it was born. For now, the baby was simply referred to a Splodge.

                “You think Splodge will like this?” Ruth asked, holding up a white onsie with ‘My Mummy Smiles When I Giggle’. Noah chuckled and picked up the ‘Daddy’ version, both were placed in Noah’s basked, along with a few more baby grows. They paid for the stuff, and placed it in the boot of the car.

                “Really could do with something to eat.” Ruth complained as she dropped the bag in the boot.

                “Let’s get you to Tesco then.” Noah chuckled, dragging Ruth back down the High Street and bought her a box of donuts, a sandwich, and a drink, while he had a packet of crisps. By the time they got back home, everything had gone, everything eaten, and Ruth was hungry again. She walked upstairs with her stuff, while Noah took the baby things and placed them in the drawers in the baby’s room, walls painted cream, a white cot next to a changing table, and a chest of drawers next to a wardrobe on the adjoining wall. Noah looked at the room, and it looked lifeless and empty without the presence of his child, his beautiful, unborn child.

                Ruth changed in her room into clothes that actually fitted around her bump, and finally felt comfortable in what she wore, despite her boobs still aching a little. Noah walked in when she was changing her bra, and chuckled a little looking at his half-naked wife.  

                “What you giggling at?” Ruth asked, blushing as she pulled her bra on. Stretch marks were slowly beginning to form around her body.

                “Want to have some fun?” Noah asked cheekily.

                “Sure.” Ruth threw her bra onto the floor and stripped out of her maternity trousers. Noah held her tight, stroking her soft skin, gently kissing her as she pulled his clothes off. They clambered onto the bed and he slid into her.

The couple cuddled on the sofa that Saturday evening, watching Top Gun for about the billionth time.

                “What do you want to call the baby?” Ruth asked as the film ended.

                “Dunno. If it’s a girl: Madison, Freya, Georgina, Hannah, Alice; if it’s a boy: Thomas, Elliot, Alexander, Harry, William, maybe? What do you think?”

                “Alice is a pretty name, Poppy, Caitlyn, Holly, Paige; Elliot I like, Charlie, Callum, Jordan… I know he was your brother, but Leon?” Ruth whispered nervously. Noah smiled kindly and kissed her cheek gently.

                “I’m willing to have Leon as a middle name in memory of my baby brother.” His voice was calm, and thankful that Ruth had brought the topic up.

                “Are you sure that’s okay? I mean, um, he would be, what, 23 or 24 now.”

                “And he would probably be with Lyss if he was here.”

                “Most likely in remission. Would it have been a good life for him? Was death kinder?”

                “You’re deep sometimes, you know, Ru.”

                “I have been told I think too much by Lyss and Evie.”

                “You are a very deep person once you open up.”

                “Deep is just a measure. I prefer to say I have a lot of mind to think in.”

                “And a lot of time to think around people you don’t like.”

                “Yes, that is true, and people I don’t know.” She giggled. Noah chuckled and kissed her softly, passionately, deeply. This was what love was to them.