A Gift To You

Together in ashes | Annji

It started early in the morning, and the rain outside had come to stop leaving the city damp and humid. Ganji rolled over on his side as his phones alarm buzzed under his pillow. He didn't feel like getting up,his bed was nice and warm, and he wanted to stay and take care of his wife.

"Hey....you doing ok?" He whispered in a rough voice,eyes still closed.

"Mmmh," she grunted.

"See you when I get back,"

"Mmmhmm," she hummed and fell back asleep. Ganji wanted to snort at how frazzled her hair looked,she forgot to braid her hair down last night.

Rubbing his eyes, Ganji reached over and patted her round belly. After a few months of trying, she surprised him one day after work with a pair of pink and blue booties. The memory made him smile as he kissed her head.

He didn't want to leave,he really didn't, especially with how close she was to expecting! And he most definitely didn't want her working while he was gone, but she insisted that 'We need the money! Who knows what could happen!'. Which was a valid point, but still,he didn't want her lifting anything bigger than a cup or mug.

"Love you,"

"Hmmmhuhmm," she mumbled, then fell back asleep.

He was so excited to be a father. Rolling over on his side of the bed, he got dressed for the day and made a few breakfast sandwiches. Fried eggs,ham,sausage, and bacon. He could eat them all day if he wanted to.

Closing the door behind himself, ganji slipped into his cold car and drove to the collage he worked at as bilingual teacher.

It wasn't a bad job. It paid surprisingly well, and if he wanted, he could probably get a higher position in the school. However, that would take time away from his soon to grow family, and he didn't want that.

"Morning Eli"

"Good morning!"

Eli was the principals assistant and often came to the break room.

"Soooo, has the baby come yet?" He questioned,tapping around for some cream.

"Not yet, but any day now! Anne's doing really well, too, but those contractions are really doing it. "

"Ooooo yeah, I remember gertured told me all about how bad they were, Oh! That's right! She told me that if Anne ever needed some advice for any....ah " he stepped a bit closer just so no one else could hear,"Lactiation issues to just let her know. "

"Does it get bad?"

"Well, for Ger, it was off and on. She complained about all the shirts she lost due to all them all smelling like soiled milk."

"That sounds annoying," he said, clocking in and fixing his suit.

"Oh, she hated it! 'Eli, if you don't come chop these annoying milk sacks off, I'll do it myself.' I threatened to wrap her in bubble wrap after that."

Ganji snorted and fixed his tie, then corrected Eli's, "Well, I have to get to class,I'll see you later."

"Wish I could say the same,bye Ganji!"

Ganji sputtered,"ELI!"

"What?! It was too good to pass up!" Eli laughed

Shaking his head, Ganji made his way back to his classroom as students began to trickle in.

At home, Anne wondered how her husband's day was going,by now, he was probably in his first class teaching. She herself was restocking the small poppers. She sat at her work bench by the register so that people could watch whomever was at work clearly. Ganji didn't want her handling any power tools; so she just stuck to making the small toys,if only to give him peace of mind.