Then *Poof* I'm Here: A Sequel #Wattys2014

Chapter 5: Mad Father

~Lexi's P.O.V.~

Another morning, another date with the toilet. Was this going to be every morning until this thing came?! I don't think that's something I can handle. I don't like being sick; it hurts and smells and tastes like grapefruit, eggs, and skunk, burning my throat, nose, and eyes. It's disgusting. Why is it even a side effect of having a kid?! Why do we have to be punished every day until we end up pushing out a kid that hurts more than anything else in this world and give someone a life? Why do I have to be punished for deciding to have a baby? Well, an unplanned baby, but still! I could've decided to abort it or give it away or not care about it. Just...why!

"Day 13! Mom's having a fun time, isn't she?"

"Shut up, Mark," I mumbled in between breaths. I kept my hair held back as I finished up and slowly picked myself up. "Why the hell do I have to spend every morning in here instead of relaxing in bed?"

"It's a part of the progress, sweetheart." He walked closer, filming with his video camera now, and tucked a stray piece of faded lilac hair behind my ear. "When it's all over, and we're sitting in the living room of our new home with our baby boy or girl, watching them sleep away, this will seem like a good price to have paid."

"Just imagining that sounds nice." I brushed my teeth and let my hair down again, falling in bed-head waves down my back.

"So what time are your mom and dad coming over?"

"One. And when we tell them, about everything, can we just...please be cautious. My dad will most likely want to murder you, but we have to make them both understand."

"Of course!" I smiled softly and got a washcloth from the towel rack. Mark stopped recording and took both my wrists, turning my arms to expose my scars. "What will we tell them about this?"

"I already thought about that. I'll tell them, only if they ask, that I was trying to bake something in the oven and I accidentally dropped it as I was pickin it up to put it in and it shattered and I tried to catch it but it cut me instead."

"Will they fall for it?"

"They should."

"If you're positive."

"I am." I kissed his perfect nose quickly and saw him blush slightly. "Now get out! I'm gonna take a shower. Maybe you could pack a little more? We're moving next weekend you know!"

"I know I know! I'll work on that, your highness." He chuckled and closed the door behind him.

After locking the door and turning on the water, I took off most of my clothes but stopped at my underwear. I looked in the mirror, and seeing my reflection, I felt confused a bit. The last time I really looked at myself was when I was still in Texas, living with my family. It was before I met Mark and before I ever went to college. I never felt good about the way my body looked, and I decided to change it. I dropped a few pounds and got a little healthier and felt good about myself just a bit. I still wasn't entirely happy with my physique, but seeing the pounds come off felt a bit better. Now I would gain them all back, huh? I'm only about two months and I'm starting to swell just the slightest bit. My chest had started to look bigger too, which I was not happy about. I was always a bit bigger than the average girl, and now this whole pregnancy thing would make me, well, huge. Everywhere. I put one hand on my stomach and felt it was stiffer than it had been before.

This was real and it was not going away. But looking back at myself, I saw a girl whose mistakes in the past made her stronger and the choices she made in the past couple months brought her here. A stable relationship, a new home, a growing family. It was all so quick, but I began to accept it. I smiled at the thought of a little me or Mark in my arms, soft little hands grasping my fingers and learning about the world around him or her. I smiled even more when the image of Mark holding our child and gently playing with them popped into my head. His chocolate eyes full of glee and a great big smile on his face. I could see him and our child several years from now reading bedtime stories together and teaching them about gaming, showing them what he does for a living. I could see him carrying our sleeping baby and tucking him or her into bed, kissing the top of their head and looking down on them as happy as can be. It was something I could not wait for, and I realized Mark was right. Puking every morning and getting a little big were small prices to pay for a life long happiness.