It's A Match

23: We're Going to Be Parents!

2009

Nora stands in front of the bathroom mirror looking down at the two lines with shaky hands. Anthony enters the quiet house and closes the door behind him, "Nora!"

Nora hears her husband calling her from downstairs and quickly wiped the tears away, straightened herself up and walked out the bathroom. Anthony was making his way up the steps and smiled when he saw his beautiful wife in front of him.

Nora returned the smile and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"How was the park?"

Anthony shrugged, "Peaceful, I guess, I talked to Marcellus who brought his kids and Christian to the park and then something unexpected happened."

"What?" 

"Did you know Zack moved here too with the others?"

"Hmm, Dolly called me a week ago and mentioned that they were moving here but didn't say when." Nora told her husband who was giving her a look. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Dolly and Zack wanted to surprise you and Marcel. So... surprise~" Nora grinned and held her arms out wide. Anthony playfully rolled his eyes and gives her a big hug. Nora giggled and hugged back sighing into his chest. "I love you."

"I love you too."

It's the middle of the night and Anthony is sound asleep in the bed all can be heard is his soft snores. Nora sat up in bed and looked at her husband who sleeping peacefully beside her, she tried to get out from under the covers quietly without waking him up. 

She flicked on the bathroom lights and opened the middle drawer to grab the box of pregnancy tests. "Two times a try." She whispered. Nora takes the test and afterwards she sets it on the side of the sink, "And now wait."

Anthony stirred in his sleep a little, when he slowly opens his eyes, he noticed the bathroom lights on. "Nora?" He felt around the bed for his wife to feel nothing. He grunted as he sat up and got out of the bed. As Anthony got closer to door of the lit bathroom, he pushed it open since it was on a crack and sees Nora holding something.

"Why aren't you in bed?" She doesn't answer, "Nora?" He tiredly rubbed his eyes and walked closer to her. "A pregnancy test? Nora, why are you holding a pregnancy tes-" He paused. "Your pregnant?" Nora looked up at him and nodded an smiled.

"Yes, Anthony I took two tests and they both came back positive."

"We're gonna be parents." He quietly said to himself.

"Anthony?" Nora questioned snapping him out of it. 

A huge smile came across his face, "Nora, we're going to be parents." He repeated this time louder and to her picking her up and spun her around causing her to squeal in shock.

"I know, Mr. Hawkin you will make an amazing father." 

Anthony sits her down on the bed smiling like crazy "And Mrs. Hawkin you will make a wonderful mother." They both got back bed, but Nora quickly jumped out because she forgot to turn off the light, after doing that she hopped back in bed.

"Goodnight." 

"Night."

May - 2 months later

Anthony's working and because he's working Nora decided to travel to the white's farm and talk with Francesca and Dolly. 

*TIMESKIP*

"You're pregnant?" Dolly squealed, the two women laughed they knew how much Dolly loved children and she was so excited when she first got pregnant that she called them squealing. Nora nodded and took a bite out of her sandwich that Francesca made them.

Francesca chuckled as she poured herself a cup of tea. Giselle and Michael ran into the kitchen giggling getting the attention of the three women.

"Mommy, can we go see the horses?" Giselle asked her mother. "Only if you two finished your alphabet." She said before taking a sip of her tea. "We did!" They cheered raising their hands together. "Then, it's a yes." 

"Thank you." They said together and ran out the house.

"I hope my baby grows up to have close friends like us and the kids." Nora says imagining what her baby's life might be like once they're born. "We don't know how life we'll be for them. But you can be sure that God has a plan for their life." Dolly said and smiled.

Nora smiled and looked down at her stomach putting a hand over it and nodded.

"I can't wait to see what God has plan him or her."

November - 7 months later

Nora is minding her own business listening to music as she tries to learn how to knit for the first time. Dolly told her before she gave birth to Michael, she picked up a new hobby in knitting clothes for him and that sparked interest in Nora to do the same thing for her child.

"Okay, so I need tie this around this and-" Nora cut herself off when she felt something wet. She is wearing a dress and as stood up she realized, "M-my water broke."

As Anthony came down the stairs, he sees Nora standing there with a shocked face.

"Uh-" Before he could say anything she cut him off.

"Anthony, my water broke, the baby's coming." She said surprisingly calm.

He grabbed the keys and rushed over to her helping her to the car. Once he carefully got her in the car, he got in the driver seat and speed off to the hospital.

They parked in the hospital parking lot and Anthony got out and helped his wife.

Nora is laying in the hospital bed holding her and Anthony's newborn baby boy. Anthony sits beside them and smiles fondly at the sight of his wife and son. A nurse walked in smiling at the family, "Do you want me to take a picture?" 

"Yes, please." Anthony hands her his flip phone and leaned in close to them. "Ready?" The nurse asked holding the camera up. Nora held the baby closer to her chest and smiled widely at her husband nodding. Athony smiled lovingly at his wife and looked back at the nurse, "Ready."

*Click*

She handed him his phone and turned to Nora, "What's his name?"

Nora looked at her son's little face seeing his eyes closed, "AJ, for Anthony Junior." She said staring at Anthony who stared back with tears in his eyes. The nurse nodded and quietly left    the couple alone with their new baby.

AJ opened his eyes looking up at his parents he squealed to get their attention. Anthony and Nora looked down at the baby boy seeing him smile up at them. "Do want to hold him?" 

Anthony takes AJ out of her arms and gently held him grinning down at the happy boy.

"Welcome to the family, AJ."

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Thoughts?

NIV

Psalm 127:3 Children are a heritage from the LORD,
                               offspring a reward from him.