74. MORE THAN THAT
ALIYAH WOKE UP feeling like absolute crap. Her face had broken out, seemingly overnight, her back was killing her, her stomach was grumbling and her feet were sore.
It's funny how quickly her mood can change after eight hours of sleep.
She opens her eyes to stare up at the smooth ceilings and breathes softly. Six months in and she feels like she's been pregnant forever.
Turning her head, slightly, she catches sight of an empty, made-up bed. Elijah must've gotten up early to go to work or something. Aliyah, honestly, can't remember if he kissed her goodbye or anything - she was knocked out.
It's only when she hears a clatter and smells the fresh scent of mango that she realizes he never left.
"Baby," She calls out, loud enough for her voice to bounce off the walls but not loud enough for it to travel down the stairs. When she doesn't receive a response, she groans and pulls her blanket back up to her chin, "Oh well, I tried."
She might as well try to sleep off the discomfort - not like she has work or anything. Just as she closes her eyes and exhales, she can hear Elijah's feet hit against the steps, walking up the steps of the house, and behind him an unfamiliar sound going pitter patter.
Do we have a child I don't know about? Aliyah asks herself, her eyes shooting open. The footsteps are too light for it to be Kyree or Toni.
She, begrudgingly, sits up just in time for the bedroom door to be pushed open, revealing the love of her life holding a tray of breakfast foods and a dog trailing behind him.
A dog.
Wait.
"Elijah -" Aliyah covers her mouth with her hand, a gleeful smile growing on her face, "Did you get us a dog?"
The Golden retriever pants, his tongue sticking out of his head and doe eyes staring up at her. Immediately, at the sight of the animal, Aliyah is overwhelmed with joy.
"Happy birthday, baby." Elijah approaches his girlfriend and rests the tray over her lap. When he does, he assists the dog that was itching to climb the bed and puts it on the other side of his girlfriend. He kisses her sweetly, feeling as a tear rushes down her cheek.
"Ugh, I love you so damn much." She cries, meeting his eyes.
Elijah gently kisses her tear away, "I know this pregnancy has been rough on you and your body and while I am the most amazing boyfriend ever, I am not always enough since my work schedule is crazy. So, I remembered last year when we talked and you said you wanted a dog named..."
"Oreo." Lee finishes his statement, memories of what seemed like so long ago rushing through her mind. Here come the hormonal tears, "You remembered..."
"Always, Lee."
The dog pushes his way in the middle of the couple, earning a choked laugh/sob from the wedding planner. She's just so happy - she has a man that loves her, a baby on the way, and a new dog that she can already feel her heart swelling for.
THE PARK IS QUIET, save for the sound of birds chirping and young children running around. As a birthday date, Elijah decided to run a track of nostalgia. It started with picking up some food from Island Vybez, then a picnic in the park, which led to a grabbing ice cream from the same truck from last year.
Aliyah almost cried at how much he remembered and she appreciated his thoughtful actions. She wishes she could just jump him then and there.
As they situate themselves on the same bench, Aliyah rests her cup of ice cream on her bump and leans back, putting her head on Elijah's shoulder.
"The last time we were here..." Aliyah starts, her eyes scanning the park. Oreo had joined them in their date, sniffing around the grass, "Did you think we'd be at this point in our lives?"
"You mean pregnant and dog parents, living together, and madly in love?" Eli teases, a smirk on his face as he licks his strawberry ice cream.
Aliyah laughs, "Exactly."
The doctor tilts his head in thought, all jokes out the window. With an arm behind Aliyah, he rubs her shoulder, "I think some part of me always knew we'd end up together. We met and just clicked. That doesn't happen often."
"We clicked cause you had good dick and I was horny."
"Eh," Elijah shrugs, jokingly, "Same thing." He pecks her forehead, "But, our friendship was never just a friendship, ya know? Didn't matter how many times we kept telling ourselves we were just friends, we were more than that."
Aliyah tilts her head up to look at her man, a small smile growing on her face. He's right - no matter how many times she tried to convince herself that what she had with him was just a friendship, some part of her knew she was fooling herself out of a beautiful relationship.
He's the father of her child, the love of her life... her everything.
"What's one thing you're excited about teaching our baby?" She asks, moving a hand up to rub his beard.
Elijah chuckles, "Definitely how to set a —"
"No." The planner deadpans quickly, having already expected an answer like that.
Elijah turns to her with a chuckle and a shocked look on his face, "You didn't even let me finish."
"We are not teaching our baby to set a bone."
Elijah throws his head back, "It doesn't have to be when they're a baby. Maybe later - like four."
Shaking her head in disappointment, Aliyah laughs, "Hell no. Ten the youngest."
"Six?"
"Ten."
"Eight it is then."
The wedding planner rolls her eyes and moves her hand to her belly. Lifting her ice cream, she rests it on the bench beside her. Oreo jumps onto the seat and rests his little head on top of her hand.
"I think I'm most excited about teaching them how to love them self." Aliyah exhales, shakily, "My dad always told me 'You are a blessing, baby girl. Anybody would be blessed to have you.' I want that to be the case with our baby. The day they're born, I'm gonna start."
Elijah runs his eyes over his woman's face, a look of awe in his eyes, "We're gonna start."
Aliyah shifts her gaze to the doctor and reaches up to kiss his lips. Pulling away, she meets his eyes, "I wanna take you somewhere."
FROM ONE QUIET PLACE TO another, the couple along with their dog enter the cemetery, Elijah and Aliyah each carrying a flower in their hands, Oreo holding the stem of one in his mouth.
"Eli, I think it's time you met my father."
OKAY SO i know it's been like almost a month and im SORRY
also, it's not twins - im just trying to keep it gender neutral so y'all don't know what sex the baby is
also also, there's a thing in here that came from another chapter (how lee wanted a bearded dragon named pickles) but i went back and changed it to a golden retriever named oreo cause ✌🏾😗✌🏾 continuity
also also also, i feel like this chapter is so mediocre (well, all of my chapters are) BUT i just wanted to get something out to y'all
also also also also, BBY ELI MEETS POPPA PRYCE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER 🥺🥺😭😭 along with another surprise that was supposed to be in this chapter but i don't have the energy for a 4k word chapter oop