The way I love you

19| Disney Expo

"Oh my Gosh. Look at you!", Lana expressed with widened eyes when she got a look at Maddie's well-grown stomach. 

They just returned from Lana's mom but the woman couldn't handle another day without her Lola, so she was driving to Matthew the morning after arrival. She hadn't seen Maddie for quite a while now since she wasn't at home when Lana had dropped off her beloved dog, so it was more than a change seeing the young woman with such a round stomach already. 

"I can't believe it. We just met a couple of months ago and now you look so much more… mature and grown-up.", Lana chuckled proudly, pulling her into a hug which wasn't too easy. 

"Yeah… We just started our 23rd week.", The girl explained, rubbing softly over her baby bump before letting Lana into the apartment. "I can tell you. Lola is obsessed with my stomach. Such a sweet girl. She always looks out for me and even puts her head on my knees to watch the little one kick sometimes.", Maddie laughed, walking with Lana into the living room. 

"Naw. She is the best. Little Loli.", Lana grinned, kneeling down when her senior dog recognized her owner immediately after stepping through the door. Her tail started wagging uncontrollably, whilst the dog was almost wincing out of happiness.

Lola turned back into a puppy right there, jumping excitingly around Lana before licking over her owner's face, then hand. 

"What's going on, Lola?", Lana asked laughingly. "It's me. Just me.", Lana chuckled since the dog normally calmed down quite quickly after greeting her. But not this time. 

When Lana sat down on the couch with Maddie, since Matthew was at a model job, her dog jumped next to her, laying down with her front paws over Lana's legs.

"That's what I meant. Haha. She did that all the time to me and watched my stomach.", Maddie chuckled. "Sorry. Must be a new habit for her.", she said. 

"Oh don't worry. I love it. She isn't much of a cuddle freak otherwise. I mean she likes it but she wouldn't lay down with me too often. She always wants her own little space, so having her that close is great. I can give her a lot of attention like that.", Lana chuckled, before her eyes fell on Maddie's stomach again. "So… the baby kicks?", She smiled. 

"Yeah! But it just started recently. Like two weeks ago I felt like a little flutter and it was weird, to be honest. It didn't hurt but it still wasn't that pleasant, so I asked my gyn during my last ultrasound… and yeah. Our little baby boy was big enough to reach his mommy's inner tummy.", she laughed, still having a protective hand on her stomach. 

"It's a boy?? Oh my God, that's awesome!! That's what you have hoped for! Congratulations. Honestly. I am so so happy for you two. I think you're doing amazing.", Lana smiled. 

"Thank you… that means a lot.", Maddie answered, trying to find a more comfortable position with the bump. "It isn't that easy with Matthew's parents, to be honest. So… your words mean a lot.", she said with an uncomfortable smile. 

"I am so sorry. Are they at least behaving a bit better now?", Lana questioned. 

"Well… Ehm… depends on the day I guess. His mother bought some baby clothes, which was quite a cute gesture. And his father… let's say he's not ignoring me anymore but I don't feel too comfortable around him. I believe he thinks I am not good enough for his son.", she explained. 

"As someone who spent 7 years with him, I can tell you that nothing is good enough for his standards anymore. He changed… and I really would wish to have the man back that he once was because… the version he is now… doesn't feel right. He either betrayed me in all those good years we had… or he betrayed himself. I don't know. I just wished I could have him back as a friend... But the old him.", Lana sighed. "Anyway... What about your parents? Are they happy?"