Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 58542 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 293(@200wpm)___ 234(@250wpm)___ 195(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58542 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 293(@200wpm)___ 234(@250wpm)___ 195(@300wpm)
“Aw, that’s even sweeter!” Her hand moved from my thigh to my bicep and she gave it a supportive squeeze. And she laughed again. “You’re all right, Liam.”
All right. It wasn’t much as far as compliments went, but it felt pretty damn good. “Thanks, I guess.”
Olive rolled her green eyes as the car came to a stop inside the giant parking lot. “You’re pretty terrible at accepting compliments, you know that right?” She pointed to an empty spot. “Just park there. I want to walk for as long as I can do it comfortably.”
I wanted to argue but I knew the key to our relationship would be picking my battles. “Fine.”
Inside the doctor’s office, the giant lobby was filled with women and kid, plus a few brave men offering support to their women. There were women everywhere, all in varying stages of pregnancy. It was terrifying. All of these bellies were babies, tiny little humans they would be wholly responsible for a long time to come. “Are you freaking out yet?”
I heard the amusement in Olive’s voice before I caught the delight in her eyes. “Kind of, but just because this makes it real. Babies are so fragile.”
Her laughter turned to a sigh. “I know. It’s pretty terrifying isn’t it? But also kind of cool.” The soft look on her face was so damn appealing it took everything I had not to lean over and kiss her right there in a room full of pregnant women. A nurse called Olive’s name and she jumped up and looked down at me. “You coming?”
I blinked. “You want me to come in with you?”
She nodded. “You’re not gonna find out much from here. I didn’t call you to be my chauffer Liam.”
“Oh. I…okay, then.” She smiled and nodded for me to follow, which I did, trying to stay out of the way while the nurse took her vitals. “Not so different than a checkup in the Navy,” I told her when we were alone in the exam room.
“I guess having a baby is a lot like battle. There’s lots of screaming and crying, last minute strategizing.”
“Then I’ll be okay. I think.”
She laughed and when the doctor entered the room, I did my best to stay out of the way and ease any tension my presence might have caused. “This is Liam, the father.”
If he was shocked at all, the doctor did a good job disguising it when he shook my hand with a warm welcome. “Are we ready to see the baby today?”
“See that baby? Is that even possible?” I realized, too late, that my excitement was unwarranted when Dr. Warner and Olive, laughed. “What?”
“Just come over here and let the doctor do his thing.” Olive motioned me over and I stood behind her while Dr. Warner did a bunch of things I’d never seen before and didn’t understand.
He rubbed a wand over her belly and soon a rhythmic thump thump filled the air. “What is that?”
Olive looked up at me, tears shining in her green eyes. “The baby’s heartbeat.”
“Holy shit, that’s the heartbeat?” It was fast and strong, but fast. “Is the baby all right?”
The doctor smiled and nodded. “Yes, that’s a good strong heartbeat. Now let’s see if we can see this guy or girl.” This time I kept my mouth shut and watched the screen, not whatever else he was up to.
On the screen a blurry image popped up and I blinked. It looked like a baby but only if you squinted real hard and tilted your head. “Is that the baby?”
“That’s our baby,” Olive said, her voice thick with emotion.
“That’s the back of the head and well, that’s the tush. The baby is sleeping so we’ll have to try on our next visit.”
I walked back to my spot on the other side of the room in a daze over hearing my baby’s heartbeat. Hearing that my child was asleep with his—or her—ass towards the camera, it made me laugh.
“Care to share with the class?”
I shook my head and told Olive what was I thinking once the doctor had left the room. “Just seems like such a thing my kid would do, girl or boy.”
She laughed along with me. “Were you big on mooning people as a kid, Liam?”
“I plead the fifth on that one.” My gaze was on the changes that had taken place since I last saw Olive without clothes. There was hardly any belly to speak of but her boobs were definitely bigger. “How is all that baby in there?”
She looked down and laughed as she slid the purple dress over her head and walked over to me. I didn’t know if she would slug me or not, so I kept my shoulders squared and my gaze on Olive. “Thanks for coming with me today, Liam.” Her arms wrapped around me in a hug that I was happy to return. Eager to return, in fact.