Foreign Affair ›› n.h. mature

Ninety-Seven

Olivia Horan

"Good morning." Niall brought me a cup of coffee in bed.

"Thank you." I took it from him and leaned over to kiss him. Suddenly my stomach churned and I felt sick.

I set the mug down and ran to the bathroom to puke. I'm ready for this stage of the pregnancy to be over.

"Didn't know I was that repulsive," Niall joked. "I'll go brush my teeth."

"Sometimes coffee sounds amazing and sometimes even the smell is disgusting. It's weird."

I got cleaned up and climbed back into bed. It's a Saturday morning and we have nowhere to be. It won't be long before the tour starts this summer so I'm really trying to enjoy days like this.

Niall laid his body next to mine and started tracing his fingers over my small bump of a belly.

"How big is the baby this week?"

"I'll check." I pulled my phone out and opened the app. "Sixteen weeks. Your baby is now the size of an avocado," I read. "He or she can make a fist and even suck his or her thumb."

"Sick!" He sounds so excited every week when I tell him and I love it. "Hello you little avocado," he said to the bump.

He pulled my shirt up and gently traced his fingers over my stomach.

"Sorry you have to do all the shitty parts."

"I don't just do all the shitty parts, I do all the parts," I told him.

"Valid. Except you needed me at the beginning there!" He laughed at himself. "But seriously, I'm sorry you have to puke and stuff. That sucks."

"It's okay. It will all be worth it."

He let out a sigh and laid on his back, hands behind his head.

"We should try that new Chinese place tonight," he started saying.

"Niall!" I practically yelled.

"Or not. Sorry, bad idea."

"No, not that! The baby!" I couldn't make words fast enough so I took his hand and laid it on my belly. "The baby is moving."

"No way," he said in awe. He left his hand right there as the little avocado sized bundle moved around. "That's so cool."

"I know. It's incredible."

"I'm so excited to do this with you. You're going to be an amazing mum." He leaned in towards me, one hand still on the baby, and kissed me.

...

"Your boobs are huge."

"Niall," I said as I rolled my eyes.

"No, they're seriously massive."

"Well maybe you can wait till we're not in public to tell me that."

He shrugged. "I just noticed."

We're out at dinner. Right now we're in Philadelphia for the tour. They have a show tomorrow. Fans aren't crazy mobbing us. It's honestly gotten easier and more calm over the years, probably just because the fan base is growing up and mellowing out. I mean there are still fans outside but it's not unmanageable.

"Guess what?"

"What?" He put a forkful of food in his mouth.

"I checked the app. The baby is the size of a, drumroll please...papaya!"