STILL THE ONE

Chapter 29 - Rockabye Sweet Baby James

Shawn felt lightheaded, and if he hadn't been sitting down, he would have fainted. Pregnant.

"Shawn?" She looked terrified and he stared at her as if he had never seen her before. Did she look different? Well, pale and a bit sick looking, not the glowing earth-mother thing you were kind of expecting to see from someone who is having a baby. A baby. Oh my God. His baby. His and Camila's baby. A child. Their child. A family.

All these thoughts ran through his head. And he felt.....excited, overwhelmed and terrified.

"Are you OK?" she asked.

"I'm....processing."

"Me too, I don't know...."

"A baby, Camilita. Our baby."

She looked up at him, her eyes huge and brimming with tears. "I know."

"Do you....do you want to have it?" He knew her religion really made it difficult for her to consider anything else, but she was a modern woman, a career woman. He knew they would make any major decisions together, but he also knew he would be guided by her in this issue because it was her body, and ultimately it was up to her.

"Shawn, the doctor wants me to come have a scan done but he thinks I'm too far along for that anyway, not that I would anyway I don't think."

"How far along does he think you are?"

"About four months," she whispered.

"Four months? How did we not notice?" He looked down at her flat stomach, then up to her boobs. They were definitely bigger than they had been.

"We've both been so busy...."

"So what's the next move? The ultrasound?"

"Yes, we can go get that tomorrow."

"Alright then," he said, squeezing her tight again. He felt her shaking against him and realised she was crying. "Hey, hey, it's OK..."

"I know, I think I'm happy, I'm not sure..."

"We can do this honey, together, we can do anything."

***

The next day they had the scan and it was confirmed she was sixteen weeks pregnant. The cramps and nausea were still there, and in fact she had to throw up while she was having the ultrasound, which was so embarrassing. The best part was they got to see their baby on the screen and were given photos. She was astounded at how baby-like it was in the 3D images. The technician and the doctor both said the baby looked fine. All the organs were good, the sizes of things were what they were supposed to be, and all the other bits and pieces they checked for was also within normal parameters.

They went home in shock, and in love with their new little bundle. They talked about a lot of things. She really wanted to tell their parents, and he voiced some concerns.

"Normally I might agree, but I'm already past the miscarriage danger period, so why not? Besides, if I did lose the baby, I'd want everyone to know so they could be there for me, for us."

"OK, let's tell them then."

There followed some of the most surreal conversations with their parents he could ever have envisioned. They rang Alejandro and Sinu first. Sinu screamed and ran around the kitchen yelling in Spanish and Sofi came in and her mother explained and so she joined in the excited screaming. Ale just smiled, tears in his eyes and gestured to the other two with a shrug and a smile. Next they rang Shawn's family and it was like a replay, with Karen and Aaliyah screaming and crying and Manny tearfully smiling and offering congratulations.