Today was the day that Daisy gets to find out the gender of the baby. She was so excited that she was up, showered, and dressed before I was even awake. When I walked downstairs to get some coffee, she was at the stove frying something in a pan. I stopped in my tracks, confused and shocked. Daisy NEVER cooked. NEVER. Yet, here she was in all her pregnant glory, COOKING.
"Good morning, Daisy." I say, hesitantly. My sister turned around with a cheerful grin on her face and her free hand resting on her bumped out belly. She was wearing a pair of navy blue leggings and white and grey striped, over-sized maternity shirt. She was only four months pregnant, but refused to wear anything that wasn't maternity, so I had to go on a rather large shopping spree with her yesterday.
"Good morning, Hay. Want some pancakes?" she asks just as cheerfully. I poured myself a mug of coffee as I eyed the frying pan at the surprisingly perfect pancake. I raised and eyebrow and leaned in closer to the pan to get a better look at it to make sure it wasn't from McDonald's.
"Since when do you cook?" I ask. My sister would've gave me a smug look but instead she just gave me a laugh. What was wrong with her?
"Oh Hayden, you're forgetting that I'm older than you. Mamma taught me everything before she taught you. I was just too uninterested in doing it, unlike you." she tells me. I raise both of my brows this time in nod understandingly. Made sense to me. Daisy serves me a plate of four pancakes, already buttered, and I drown them in syrup. I take my plate and coffee upstairs to my room so I can get ready while eating.
As I shovel in the shockingly delicious pancakes into my mouth, I pull on some denim caprice that roll just under my knees and a white t-shirt. I really didn't feel like showering twice today so I just pulled my hair into a bun at the top of my head and walked into a cloud of perfume. When I go downstairs to return my dishes to the sink, I find my sister sitting at the table, crying. Gotta love the mood swings. I sigh and walk over to her and put my hand on her back.
"What's the matter, now?" I ask. She looks up at me with red, teary eyes and her mascara just barely running.
"Hayden, what if it's a girl? She's going to hate me and not want anything to with me. She might turn out like me and just pack her bags and leave and try to forget everything and everyone at home, and try to do things on her own for once. Oh, then what if it's a boy? What if her turns out like Jeff and is manipulative and distant? Oh, Hayden. I don't know if I can raised a baby." she cries. I take a deep breath and try to find the right words to say to an emotional pregnant woman that had a point to both her statements.
"Daisy, you just need to take a deep breath, and remember that this baby, regardless of the gender, will be the greatest thing that will ever happen to you. You might not see it yet, but I for one already have. You're already more responsible and considerate, and social with your family again, and now that you have us in the picture to help you, this baby will be the light that this family has needed." I tell her. Her lips curl up in a small smile and she sniffs and blinks away the remaining tears in her eyes.
"I just don't want to disappoint my child like I disappointed Mom and Dad, and you." She says, avoiding eye contact with me. I carefully push back the stray hairs in her face and smile.
"Oh, Daisy. You didn't disappoint us. You just, confused us is all. We never really understood why you decided to be the way you were. But I forgave you, and I'm sure Mom and Daddy would have, too. Family builds each other up, not tears each other down." I reassure her. I bend down and hold her shoulders in my arms, my chin resting on the top of her head. She hugged me back and wiped away her tears and smeared make-up.
"Thank you, Hayden. For everything." She tells me. I smile to myself and rub her arms comfortingly.
"Of course, Daisy. Now, let's get going. We have a gender to find out." I tell her. Daisy stands up and straightens out her shirt. I quickly bend down so that my face was right in front of her little bump.
"Listen here, buddy." I say to my sister's pregnant belly, pointing an accusing finger at it. "I know you can hear me, and I don't care what your gender is. You better stop making your mother so emotional, and hurry your tiny ass up because I'm getting eager out here." I tell it. Daisy laughs at me and when I stand up straight she holds her stomach with both hands.
"Alrighty, Ms. Daisy. Everything is looking great with you and the baby. Would you like to know the sex?" Daisy's doctor asks.
"Yes, please." Daisy says excitedly. The doctor smiles at her and moves the ultrasound wand around her belly again until she finds the perfect angle of the baby, and snaps a picture of it by pressing a button on the side of the wand. She lifts the wand away and cleans it and Daisy's belly clear of the jelly and starts to point at the screen.
"Alright. So, there's the head," she says, pointing at the round end of the baby. "There's a hand, those down there are the feet," she continues, showing us tiny little feet and a hand. "And if you look right here, you'll see that there are two little bumps. Congrats Daisy, you're having baby girl." The doctor finally finishes. Daisy's hand squeezes mine and he other hand flies up to her mouth to stifle her cries of joy. I feel tears well up in my eyes and I lean down to Daisy to kiss the side of her head. My sister was crying again, but this time with a smile on her face.
"It's a girl. I'm having a little girl." She says, pure joy taking over her entire body. It was as if her previous scares of having a girl disappeared.
'Dear Chase,
Today was Daisy's gender appointment. And guess what? She's having a *drum roll please*.......................GIRL! Daisy's little bundle of joy is expected to arrive in March, and let's just say that it was a very emotional day. when we came home, Billie-Mae surprised Daisy with pink everything. Pink cupcakes, pink drinks, pink shoes and bibs and balloons. We're so excited, and I can't wait for my first niece to get here! I never would have thought that it would be in these circumstances, or that Daisy would have a baby before me, but I could care less at this point. Now I just have to prepare myself for the constant baby name suggestions for the next six months. I hope you're hope before she's born, or at least right after. I know it's so early and over a sloppy, handwritten letter isn't the best way to tell you, but I do think about having our own family too, someday. Don't get me wrong, I can wait a little while longer, I'm in no rush whatsoever. But just a little heads up, I've always wanted to be a mommy. God, I can't wait to see you again. I miss you handsome face, the way you smell after you shower, and of course how tight you hold me. I hope to hear from you soon, babe. Tell the guys hello for me, and don't go too crazy over this whole bet thing, hahaha. I love you to the moon and back a million times, baby.
Love always,
Hayden.'
I made photo copies of Daisy's ultrasound pictures and stick the best one in an envelope with the letter. I spray my perfume on it, and walk it out to the mailbox. When I open the mailbox, I find two letters in there. One was from Chase, and one was from the United States Army. I raised an eyebrow and opened the Army letter and read it to myself. Turns out, I had to fill out a the provided paper work to verify that I was in fact married to Chase so that we qualified for marriage payments and benefits through the Army. As I tried to read on, the letter from Chase was burning a hole in my hand and I couldn't take it anymore. I hurried up and opened the letter. His letter was short and sweet, and included some pictures of him just working around his station. Cleaning his firearms, working out, standing patrol, and just goofing around with guys while paying cards.
'Dear Hayden,
I know this letter is a little unexpected, but I just wanted to let you know that they are giving us some time off from our station. I still can't come home just yet, however, they're allowing us to video chat our families. I'll be Skype calling you on October 15th, at about five in the morning back home. I know, it's really early and all, but the time zones are just that different. I want to see all of you guys, make sure my grandparents are there, too. God, I can't wait to see that gorgeous face and hear that beautiful voice of yours. I miss you so much, Darling. I love you so much.
Love,
Chase.'
I nearly the mail from my hands, but my body hit the ground immediately. I felt my heart beat for joy, and more joyful tears spill from my eyes. I hold his letter to my chest, pressing his two necklaces into my skin, taking in the moment. I quickly ran inside of the house and called for the girls.
"Billie-Mae! Daisy!" I shout excitedly. Both the girls come running down the stairs from their rooms, both of them looking worried and ready to act on any emergency.
"What?! What happened?!" Billie-Mae asks concerned. I let a few happy cries escape my lips as I hold up Chase's letter in front of them.
"I get to see him. He's video calling us in three days." I manage to say through my emotions. Daisy and my cousin come down next to me and trap me in a tight group hug. "He wants to see all of us, and because of the different time zones, we'll have to be ready by five in the morning." I feel Daisy groan against me arm, and I chuckle. "I know it's really early, but guys, I'm so god damn happy." I say.
I quickly give my in-laws a call and provide them with all the details and spend a good ten minutes crying with Mrs. Taylor on the phone. I couldn't believe it. I was finally going to be able to see my husbands face for the first time in months.
Sorry that it's such a short chapter guys! I promise things are going to start getting more intense soon! I hope you guys are enjoying it, I plan on writing only ten more chapters after this, so things are going to sped up a little after I write about the video call. Sad I know, but don't forget about my other two stories, "Seeing Red", and my newest one called "Rookie". Both are still just started so they have a while to go haha. As soon as I'm done writing "OO-RAH!", I'll be starting another romance story called "Bulletproof". That one won't be southern or military related, but it does have a forbidden love story ;). Hahaha hope you guys are enjoying this as much as I am!
Lastly, thank you for all the 600+ reads on this particular story! It means a lot to me that my little brainstorm is becoming so popular! Lets try and get even more on this one and my other two stories now!!!!