Love Always Wins

47

Monday May 4th.

Chloe gazed down at her belly with love and fascination as well as with a small amount of amusement. Her innie belly button was now an outie and she was starting to get that darkened line down the centre of her bump that she'd seen on the bumps of countless expectant mums on the numerous images she'd seen online and on tv programmes. But that wasn't the biggest change to happen over the last week. The biggest change was this morning's sudden realisation that she could actually see her baby's movements from the outside, she actually see her belly moving and it was the weirdest but at the same time the loveliest thing she'd ever seen. Her little boy hadn't even born yet and already she loved him more than she than she'd ever thought possible. Sometimes L.J's movements were so strong that she wondered what he was trying to do in there and now as she sat perched on the edge of the bath and looked down at her bare belly, she half expected to see a little arm pop out or a leg. He had no idea of how, together with Mia, Leonie and Seb, he'd been a huge source of strength and happiness to her over the last week and loving Seb as much as she did, she'd once thought she hadn't got room in her heart to love anyone else. She'd been very wrong. Now her heart felt full to bursting point with the love she had for her own little family and that included Seb's two adorable daughters. The girls had stayed for the weekend and went back to Hannah's last night and now the house felt empty without them and much too quiet.
"Ah, this is where you're hiding." Seb popped his head around the door, frowning as he saw her looking down at her belly. "You ok?"

"Yeah." She waved a hand, beckoning him to come in. "He's moving." She smiled.

"Want me to feel?"

"No, I want you to watch." She answered proudly.

"You can see him moving?" He asked, suddenly curious as he sat on the edge of the bath beside her.

"Yeah, but you need to be on my right hand side, I think his back is on my left side and he's kicking to the right."

"When did you first notice?" He asked as he moved to sit at her right side and focused his attention on her belly.

"Just a little earlier, in the shower. The movement was really big and I looked down and could just make out my bump moving."

"You showered without me? How could you do such a thing!" He gasped, feigning hurt and making her giggle.

"Quit the dramatics and concentrate on your son!" She grabbed his hand and placed it on her bump in the spot where she'd felt and seen movement. Unfortunately it was at the precise moment that L.J seemed to decide to fall quiet but they stayed where they were for a few minutes, waiting, just in case. She used the time to focus on her breathing and listen to the sound of Seb's steady breaths, it was something that she found incredibly relaxing and she couldn't stop herself from yawning.

"Boring you am I?" He looked up from where his hand was on her bump to see her looking a little tired.

"Just relaxed. I think L.J's gone to sleep." She smiled.

"Let's give him a poke and wake him up." He gently prodded her belly.

"You won't be saying that when he's born and we're sleep deprived." She laughed as his gentle poking tickled her.

"You said he'd sleep like an angel not too long ago." He said to remind her.

"I'm starting to change my mind." She looked down, unsure if she could feel movement or just had gas brewing. Maybe she should warn Seb, just in case!

He fell quiet again and placed his hand back on her belly. "Yes!" He hissed, breaking out into a grin. "I feel movement, can't you?"

"If I'm honest, at first I thought it could be gas but yeah he's definitely having another fidget. He can't keep still like his bloody father."