A Firefighter's Baby

Chapter Seven

“I thought you didn’t care.” I mumbled pulling my comforter around me. He opened his mouth to speak but closed it as if fighting to find the right words. He shook his head.

“I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t think straight.” He yawned rubbing at his face. I shook my head.

“Come on, let’s get to sleep. We have an early appointment tomorrow.” I moved to lay on my pillows. “We can finish this conversation tomorrow.”

“Appointment?” He asked confused.

“You’re coming to my doctor appointment, right?” I asked pulling at my blankets as he moved to fix it on my feet. “I’m getting a shot and an ultrasound to see if she’s as ready to come out.”

“I knew you were having her early but how early?” He asked throwing his shirt at his bag.

“The doctor says I can’t get better, just worse. We want her to be ready to take on the world.” I yawned. “So I’ve been getting ultrasounds to see if she’s all developed.”

“So when she’s developed?” He asked pulling me to him again.

“She’s going to come meet her Daddy.” I closed my eyes.

“I can’t wait.” He whispered putting his hand to my belly as she kicked again. Her rubbed at my stomach gently putting me to sleep instantly…..

I woke up the next morning to see snowing out the window. I rubbed my eyes sitting up to look at my alarm clock. I walked to the bathroom going to clean up and pee. Pregnant people have to pee, a lot. I brushed my hair walking back out to see Kellan turned over on his stomach fast asleep. I smiled before walked down stairs into the kitchen. “Morning Lottie.” Mom smiled giving Dad a cup of coffee.

“Morning.” I smiled taking a cup from the cabinet. I poured myself a cup of orange juice taking a sip.

“Excited for your doctor’s appointment today?” Dad asked taking a bite of his food as Mom made me a plate.

“More nervous really. I mean I’m not sure if I’m ready to have a baby.” I sighed leaning my head on my hand.

“Well you should have thought about that when you had unprotected sex Lottie.” I glared at him. “I’m just saying.”

“Oh ignore him. Everything is going to be okay, Lottie. We’re going to be here to help you. Kellan is going to be here to help you too. You aren’t going through this alone.”

“I know. I just, I don’t know if I’m ready for it.” I sighed. Mom put the plate in front of me.

“You are never going to be fully ready for a baby. You just have to push through it. Once you hold her, I promise everything from the past eight months is going to be forgotten.” She smiled at me as her eyes gazed over. “I remember bringing you home. It made all those pregnancy pains worth it.”

“And all the screaming tolerable when you smiled.” Dad laughed as I looked over at him. “You weren’t a quiet baby. You were a screamer.” Mom smacked him.

“Oh shush up. Joey was much worse.” She laughed. “You looked like an angel compared to him.”

“It’s them boys I tell you. Just pains in the asses.” I nodded picking up my fork to eat.

“You can say that again.”

“So have you and Kellan decided what you are going to do yet?” I looked over at Dad.

“We didn’t get to talk about it yet.” I bit my lip.

“Sweetheart, the baby is coming. You need to fighter out what you two are going to do. She needs to be in a stable home.” I sighed.

“I know Mom. It’s just, he just got here. We have so much to make up for, to figure out.” I took a deep breath. “Everything is just so crazy right now. I’m scared our baby is going to get dragged in.” Mom looked at me sadly.

“It’s just something you two will have to talk about.” I nodded. After last night I’m hoping he wasn’t going to try to take my baby away from me. He wouldn’t do that….would he? I finished breakfast as Mom handed me a bottle of water. “You need to drink this all before the appointment today. Drink it all.” She gave me the look.

“I know Mom.” I stood up walking back upstairs drinking my 32 ounces of water. I hate water right now. I walked back into my room to see Kellan in the same position I had left him. I sat on the edge of the bed. I rubbed gently at him shoulders.

“Hmmm a little to the left.” He sighed moving his head as I rubbed at his bare shoulders. I moved to the left. “Oh yeah, right there.” He moaned.

“Come on, we need to get up now.” I stroked his hair.

“5 more minutes.” He yawned closing his eyes. I leaned down to kiss his head.

“Only 5 more. We need to get there before hand. I’m slow now.” I sat up walking to my dresser to pull out a pair of old sweat pants. I struggled into them sighing. Maybe I can’t wait to be able to see my feet and put on pants easier.

“What’s wrong?” Kellan asked sitting up to look at me stretching. I hadn’t moved and was just staring at my dresser.

“I don’t want to wear a maternity shirt.” I looked at him as I sat in sweats and a bra.

“You want one of my shirts. It should fit you.” I looked down as he sat up kissing my shoulder. “I don’t mind. Let me get you one.” He got out of bed pulling up his shorts to get to his bag. He rummaged through it before pulling out a white shirt. “Here Baby.” I pulled the shirt on stealing his hoodie off the floor putting it on. I snuggled in it looking up at him smiling. “Comfortable?” He laughed pulling out a pair of jeans and a shirt.

“Very comfortable.” I giggled zipping it up rubbing my hands on the soft fabric. It’s funny how Kellan’s things are fitting me as I’m so big now. But I’m still small compared to him. I looked at my cell phone pulling on a hat as I stared at the snow out the window.

“Ready?” He asked looking out the window as the snow fell. Kellan helped me pull on my boots. We walked down stairs as Dad got ready to leave for work.

“Call me to tell me what happens.” He said kissing my head as one of the four dogs my parents owned ran outside. I don’t see much because sometimes they stay at work or they come here and stay in the garage. He kissed my head.

“I will Dad.” Mom smiled at me as a cry come from the office. My parents always have raised animals. They take the orphans and raise them till they are ready to go into the reserve they work at. I’ve grown up around it, so it doesn’t surprise me that they’d have one in the house. It came with the job.  Kellan wasn’t as used to it when Mom came out with a baby puma in her hands. He moved back as it called for a bottle.

“We should get going.” I said as she gave it the bottle. It must have just lost its mother as it is same with its eyes and ears closed. Mom nodded.

“Call me. Take my car; it has the snow tires on.” She said to Kellan handing him the keys.

“Thank you.” He smiled as she walked back into the office. We made our way over to car and to the doctor’s office as the snow started off harder. “I haven’t seen snow in a while.” He said wrinkling his nose. We live in California. We don’t get snow so right now, this is new to him. I laughed. I don’t mind snow. I’ve been in it before. We got into the office just as Dr. Holden walked in.

“Morning.” He smiled at me and Kellan. “I’ll take you back in now.”  The nurses were getting ready as we walked back to one of the exam rooms. He patted the seat having me lay down.  “How are you feeling, Charlotte?” He asked pressing on my stomach. “Your bruises look much better.” He said pressing on them gently to test the skin.

“Bruises?” Kellan asked looking over at me.

“It’s nothing, don’t worry.” I yawned as the doctor pressed around on my belly before measuring it.

“You’re looking great Charlotte. She feels ready to mean, but we can’t be sure till the ultrasound.” He wrote something down in my chart the nurse brought it. “Did you drink all your water?” I nodded showing him my empty bottle. “Alright, let’s get you up and into the ultrasound room to see your baby.” He smiled at us.