*Josie*
I ran my hand over my twenty-seven week pregnant belly.
It's been a two weeks since Harry's mom came to visit and we announced to the world our true love story. Well, accept the fact that Harry and I made a semi contract.
It really wasn't a contract. We really are married.
And I'm glad.
My belly was huge, and I wasn't even into the third trimester yet. It poked out further than my boobs, which have also grown, and it was beginning to cover my feet. I was also having a harder time getting up from couches and chairs and the bed.
Harry's been distant these past two weeks. I absolutely hate it. We were doing so well until his mom came. He doesn't talk about it and it's really getting to me. I hate it.
As I rubbed my hand over my belly in front of a mirror while wearing a pair of sweats and a tank, I watched my husband shift around on the bed behind me. I smiled and decided to give him some love.
I scurried over to the bedside and sat down on the covers. I kissed Harry's head and pushed his messy hair away from his handsome face.
"Good morning, baby," I said sweetly. He smiled then with his large hand, placed it around me and rested on my belly.
"Good morning," he greeted in return. His thumb stroked the baby until a frown grew on that morning face of his and he withdrew his strong hand. He sat up and I wasn't having it.
"Harry, honey, did I do something wrong?"
"What?" He looked at me questionably. "What would make you say that?" I looked down at my lap and tried to find the confidence I often prided myself in carrying.
"Harry, I—" What do I say? We need to talk about what's been bothering him. "Ever since your mom visited, you've been distant from me. I know I've gained weight over the past few weeks and my baby bump has grown enormously and you probably won't be able to stand the sight me soon, but ... is the way I look really an excuse to hold back from me?"
"Are we talking about sex?" He asked leaning on his hands. I shook my head.
"I'm talking about real love. You could withhold sex from me for years and I'd still love you. But you've been really ... aloof." Harry looked away. I tightened my lips and patted his knee. "Get dressed into something casual. I'm taking you out."
"What? I have work,"
"Nope. I'm co-owner. I'm giving you the day off. Liza can handle herself without you."
"I have meetings—"
"Hey, you're the boss. You can change any meeting. Come on, Harry, have some dignity and pride."
"But—"
"No 'buts'. Let's go."
I quickly dressed into a pair of boyfriend jeans, white adidas, a Micky Mouse shirt, and a navy blue rain jacket. There was a light drizzle at the moment and it usually picked up toward the evening almost everyday so far this month.
Harry climbed out of bed after sending a few texts out to his secretary then got dressed into a pair of loose jeans, a plain navy-blue shirt, and a black rain coat. As he put on his shoes, I braided my hair into two pigtails.
My baby bump was super adorable in the maternity jacket and I did a few poses in the mirror.
"You ready to go?" Harry asked as if it was a chore I was asking him to do.
"Yes, snooty pants." I walked up to my husband and poked his nose. "Seems like someone is still a little sleepy." I gave him a charming smile but his tired face didn't light up like it should.
I tugged him down the stairs and out the door. "What about breakfast?"
"We're going out for that!" I had grabbed my purse and before Harry could hop into the driver's seat, I did. "Today is my treat to you." I rolled out of the driveway and drove into the city. We were quiet on the drive but I honestly didn't care. Washington was beautiful. Seattle was beautiful. The entire City. The fog was heavy and the water was calm. The streets were soaked and the greenery stuck out like a sore thumb amongst this gray world.
I parked the car and Harry followed me out of it. I grabbed his hand and dragged him to a Starbucks. There were so many that I just dragged him to the one that didn't have a line waiting outside of it. We wore our little hoods on our coats until we were inside. There was still a line but it moved fast.
I took in the sweet scent of coffee and it reminded me of the days I worked in so many coffee shops. It also reminded me of that day.
"I'm so happy right now." I said. Harry looked down at me.
"Why?" He asked.
"Because the last time I was in a coffee shop, I got fired. That day was also the same day I found out I was pregnant. It was also the day I found Ryan cheating on me. And it was the day I decided to drive. Drive and run away from New York." I looked up at the man I'm married to and smiled. "It's very nice to smell coffee and realize how different my life is now. I'm finally following my dream and making a record deal. I have a husband who I can't ever see never loving. And I have him." I looked down and placed my hand on my belly. "I have my baby." I heard Harry take in a breath. He squeezed my hand and I sighed.
It was finally our turn and I ordered the Cinnamon Dolce Crème, a heavy egg sandwich, oatmeal, Bacon & Sausage Egg wrap, and a pair of egg bites. Harry just ordered coffee and oatmeal. I paid (with his credit card he gave me) and we waited for our order. I asked for it to go and Harry seemed intrigued. Once we had our food, I hurried to the car and we got in. I drove to a grocery store and parked in the vacant part of the parking lot. I opened the trunk and invited Harry to join me.
We sat in the trunk with the top up as the rain just sprinkled. I ate my food and sipped my drink as Harry did the same.
"Better?" I asked.
"Better," he kindly responded. Once our food was done, I dragged him to the grocery store.
"What do we need?" He asked.
I shrugged. "Stuff."
"Stuff? Stuff causes hoarding."
"Meaningful stuff. Ooo! Let's shop for the baby." Harry stiffened and I acted like I didn't notice. I gushed over the baby clothes and baby toys as well as the cribs and changing tables.
After I bought almost everything boy in the baby section, I looked up a baby store and drove there.
The car filled up with decorations for the baby's room.
At the children's store, I caught Harry eyeballing a stuffed bunny. I walked up to him and asked what he was looking at.
"Oh , uh, just this bunny. I had a very similar one when I was a kid." I smiled.
"Let's get it!"
"No," he shook his head.
"Why not?" Harry was quiet.
A blush grew on his thin cheeks then he shyly admitted, "I still have that bunny back in England. I thought, that when we go to see the mansion my grandfather left me, we could visit my dad, and ... find that stuffed animal." I beamed and wrapped my arms around one of Harry's.
"Baby that is so cute! What a sweet idea! Man, I wish I could give something to our little guy."
"How about life?" He smirked and placed a hand on my belly. The baby kicked and his smirk turned into a genuine smile.
"Let's go. I want to look at music." I drove to a music store and Harry walked around the place patiently as I looked through music books and studied different instruments.
Once I purchased piano books as well as a guitar, we headed off to lunch.
"I'm starving!" I burst as we walked into a Panera. I swung Harry's and my hands as I studied the menu. Everything looked and sounded so good and it wasn't helping that the aroma in the room had my mouth watering. I wanted to magically appear in a booth with everything this place had to offer and just dig in.
"Harry, I want everything!" I whined. He squeezed my hand then swung his arm around me while still holding my hand. He hugged me close to him then kissed my temple.
"Then get everything."
"Silly," I poked his side with my free hand. "I'll get fat if I eat everything on the menu." He chuckled.
I got the tomato soup, the teriyaki chicken sandwich, Frozen strawberry lemonade, an Asiago bagel, and a cinnamon roll.
Harry got tomato soup, soda, and a plain bagel. I ate his role along with mine that went with the soups but he ate the two strawberries that came with the meals.
He loved the soup and I made a mental note to find a tomato soup recipe.
We carried on our journey which included going to an art museum, the space needle, a Cruze, and a souvenir shop. I was exhausted by the end of the day. We sat in the park by the sea as the sun was going down and rain was pelting down on the umbrella Harry bought.
He held me close in a long arm of his as we just looked out at the water.
"I love you, Harry," I softly said. He pulled me closer. He rubbed my arm and I rested my hands on my bloated belly that seemed to have grown in size with all the food I'd consumed today. "There's something bothering you, can you tell me." Harry was silent for a few seconds, maybe a whole minute, then he spoke.
"Josie, my mom said you and I don't belong together." I shook my head then rested it on his chest.
"Your mom is wrong. And anyone else who says so is wrong." I looked up at him and then tugged on his jacket. "Harry, I love you. I can't even imagine a day without you. I should have never cheated on you. I don't want to bring it up but I will if I must.
"That was a mistake. All of it. Sleeping with my ex. You didn't deserve that from me. All you've done is be kind to me and try to make me happy. You are such an amazing man, Harry. Your mom doesn't see that. And I am such a lucky woman to have found a man like you. I mean it. You're way too good for me. I know we are pretty big opposites but at the same time we aren't. We both are passionate. Passionate about the things we love. And I love you. I love music and baking and you. I love you, Harry. Please, don't leave me. I've grown up into more of a woman being with you than I ever have. I'm twenty-five and until I met you, I didn't feel mature. Harry, you make me a woman. You make me older, hungrier, stronger. You surprise me with your rare mischievous ways and I melt. I melt because it's you."
Harry kissed me. He pulled me closer by my back and kissed me. I cupped his sharp jaw and pushed harder against his big lips. We didn't pull away until we both needed to catch our breaths.
"Josie, you do things to me that no other woman has." He looked away but held me close.
"Harry," I began, wanting to taste those lips I missed already, "if I do things to you they no other woman has, then why aren't we closer?"
"What?" He looked at me.
"I overheard you when you said that Liza was your best man." He held his breath. "I'm not going to get mad at you. I understand. Liza has been your assistant for five years and even helped you build up your company. But ... I want that to change. I want to be your crutch. The next time your mother visits, I want you to rely on me and only me. I want you to want me to hold you in my arms, to stroke my fingers through your hair and rub your back. Because I can be and I want to be. For the rest of my life. Harry, I am proposing to you now. I'm asking you to marry me. Only me. Marry me and make me the happiest woman on earth. Father my child and many more children to come." I stifled a giggle and added: "I want to have your babies, Harry. I want a lot of them. If that means giving up my music career or any future, that's okay with me. Because my career would be mothering our children and loving you. And I couldn't ask for a better job." He smiled before kissing me. I cupped his face with both my hands and deepened the kiss.
When he pulled away he smiled, "You'll find the pay of being my wife is very well."
"Stop talking and show me then." I kissed him once more and this was a lot more sloppier and powerful.
Harry drove us home and we carried on in the bedroom.
*Harry*
There was no denying it. I was madly in love with Josie. I watched her sleep and stroked her bare arm. I buried my face in her hair and told my brain to never forget the smell nor the feeling of laying beside my wife like this.
Liza and my mother may have convinced me that I had gotten myself into a loveless marriage. But they are wrong. Josie loves me. Really loves me. I've never experienced such strong love from anyone else.
I wrapped my arm around her and held tightly to her and our baby.