Hia lives in a sleek modern building, that screams no children allowed. He assured me that there are families here, but everything looks so clean and high-end. I can't imagine sticky hands holding crayons will be welcomed here.
We must look a sight as Hia, and I make our way to the elevator. I am visibly pregnant, and he is dragging two cheap suitcases across the marble floors. I imagine the "tea" parties that will be held in my honor and cringe. At least I won't have to see the looks when he goes back down to get the plastic bags filled with my clothes.
"What are you laughing at.", Hia asks.
"Nothing, Hia. It's too hard to explain.", I say.
The elevator dings and Hia gets me settled then drags the suitcases in. I hide my smile behind my hand. He is eyeing me suspiciously.
"I am happy, Hia.", I say.
He hits the button for the 18th floor.
"Me too, kitten. I can't believe I get to wake up to you every morning. Pinch me, I must be dreaming."
He holds out his arm. I swear I am part gremlin because I give his arm a good pinch and laugh at his shocked face.
"Ow! NuNew!"
I burst into giggles. It gets even worse when he rubs his arm and looks at me with a sour face.
"Pregnancy has made you mean.", he says.
Am I mean? Is he going to realize he has made a big mistake? I just got him back; I can't lose him. Visions of him looking at me with scorn plague my mind. My lip begins to quiver.
I see the alarm on his face. I know I am all over the place emotionally, but I can't help it. Tears begin to slide down my face.
"No. No. No. No.", he says.
He pulls me into his arms and kisses away my tears.
"I am teasing baby. You are my precious Kitten, and I love you."
The elevator dings. We have arrived.
"Look, baby. We are here."
After some more quick kisses, he gently nudges me out of the elevator and follows with the cases. I am excited to see his place. I let the excitement wash away my fears and smile.
We get to his door. I see a silver plaque with the number 18 engraved on it.
"You live on the 18th floor number 18?", I ask.
He laughs and puts his thumb on a scanner and the door beeps and opens.
"Yeah, it just turned out that way. Eighteen must be my lucky number. We need to program the door with your fingerprint. Don't let me forget, okay?"
He opens the door into a spacious open room with wood and marble accents on the walls. Beautiful hardwood adorns the floors throughout. The wall facing the street wasn't a wall at all but windows that ran the length of the room. To the right, there was a modern minimalist kitchen. To the left was a family room with a nice cozy couch and a huge TV mounted to the wall opposite.
A cat immediately made itself known. Meowing piteously at Zee. Me he ignored me completely.
"You have a cat?"
"Yes, July. Poor guy, he has been with Mr. Patrickson this entire time. I was afraid he would not remember me."
Zee leaned down and gave July a good scratch then he stood and looked around the place.
"Looks clean enough. Want the tour or are you too tired?"
"Tour!"
There were two bedrooms and an office.
"We can put a desk in here for you to write. I don't use this space very often. I normally go into the office."
I nod. I like the idea of having a room to write in. Usually, I write at the kitchen table or in bed. I know, I have terrible work habits. I look down at Strawberry. I don't think writing in bed is going to work anymore.
"This is our room. I will make room for you tomorrow. I am sorry I didn't have time to get everything ready for you. You can change things if you want. I want you to feel comfortable. I want this to become our home."
His face went a little red when he said, 'I want this to become our home.' How is he so sexy, and adorable at the same time? I turn to him stand on my tiptoes and kiss him.
"I love it, Hia."
That got me a huge goofy grin. The bunny teeth. I forgot his little bunny teeth. You only get to see them if he smiles really big. I give him another kiss because he is extra cute.
"There is a bathroom attached to this room. The other bathroom is this way. It is next to the second bedroom. Right now, the room is a guest bedroom and storage room. I was thinking it could be Strawberry's room."
I can't take this. Look at his face. He really wants my approval right now. Doesn't he realize that I would want him even if we lived in a junky apartment with one room?
"That sounds perfect, Hia."
I peek inside and see a treadmill and some weights. There is a bed against the window wall and boxes are piled everywhere. Looks like work stuff.
He takes me back to the main room and I check out the kitchen. There is not a lot of counter space, and I can't find the refrigerator.
"Hia, where is the fridge?"
The kitchen seemed to have everything else. A double oven, sink, stove, but no fridge. There were lots of cabinets. It was weird. Hia smiled like a little kid about to show me a magic trick. He walked into the kitchen and opened two cabinets. Except they were not cabinets at all. They were the doors to a double-door refrigerator. It looked seamless. I would have never known it was there.
"Woah, that is cool, Hia."
I spin around in a circle. I am looking for a good place to put my nest. If I put it in this room, I may get nutty if people come to visit. If I put it in the room we are sharing, I might get territorial with Hia, and that is not fair to him.
"Hia, where can I put my nest?"
Poor Hia, his eyes bulged out of his head. He had not considered this, I could tell. I started to get itchy. The first thing I need to do is set up my nest. I will not be able to eat or sleep until it is done.
"Hia?"
"Don't worry kitten. I have nest support. Everything will be fine."
Hia pulled out his phone and made a call. While it was ringing, he put the phone on speaker.
"Hello?"
"Mom, it's Zee and NuNew. We have a nest emergency."