Expecting Freshman (Editing)

Chapter 14

3 MOTHS LATER (7 MONTHS PREGNANT)

It had been three months since I found out that I was having a baby girl, I was huge; and since that same day Karson had been acting weird. It's odd, like he's hiding something from me. I've asked him before, plenty of times, and he still never told me.

Maybe it was the coming holidays, we had passed Halloween, Thanksgiving, and we were decorating for Christmas. It was my aunt, Karson, all the little girls, and me. We were having fun, and currently decorating the tree. I handed a baby's first Christmas ornament to Tonya, as it was hers. She reached for the top branch, then frowned when she couldn't reach it.

Slowly, I stood up and looked at her. "Do you want some help, T?"

She looked at me and nodded, "yes, please?"

I smiled at her, and took her ornament, placing on her perfect branch on the tree. "How's that, T?"

She smiled wide and jumped to go get another one, I slowly walked over to the ornament bin and began to search through them, noticing one of my mother. I pulled it to my face and was almost in tears, it was a picture of my mother and I taken just a few weeks before she passed away. My aunt came over and looked at the picture from behind me, "oh, that picture has been in that ornament for years now Abby; why are you so upset?"

I laughed, "it's hard to it every year, and to think she won't even see my baby," I laid a hand on my stomach, pulling my shirt down a little.

"She'll see her, she's always with you."

I nodded, "my baby will never know her grandmother," I wiped my tears.

"Abby," my aunt rubbed my back soothingly. "She has me."

I laughed, going to hang up the last ornament on the tree. I stepped back, admiring my mom and I in the front view. "There, it's done!" I smiled, this was my favorite time of year, so full of happiness and possibilities.

Karson came in then, along with the little ones, including a walking Alyssa. "Wow girls, the tree is beautiful!"

Just then, the doorbell rang. I held up my hand and went to answer it, and I jumped with joy when I saw Ian. I hugged him close to me, and he returned the hug. I pulled him the house, trying to warm him up. "Ian, we just finished the tree!" he smiled down at me.

"You haven't gotten an attitude change," he laughed down at me, hugging me again.

"Ian, I have your Christmas present," we had been together, no fights, no problems, and we were still happier then anything together. He has been there for me, whenever I've needed him...I couldn't be more grateful for him.

He held up a gift bag, "I have you one too," he laughed.

"Come on in here Ian! " my aunt called to us, and so we walked in the living room, hand in hand.

No it wasn't Christmas, it was December 20th. There, stood a dark wood crib, with pink pillows and blankets. I looked at my aunt, tears in my eyes. "Aunt Lacey, a crib?"

She smiled, "it's a new crib, but used and washed sheets," she smiled.

I hugged her the best I could with my huge belly. "I can't believe you did this," I smiled. "I love you."

"There is a present that goes along with this, we are going to turn the basement into a bedroom for both you and the baby," Karson laughed, and I hugged him.

I went back to Ian, and we sat down on the couch. He held out his bag, "there's two presents in there, one for you and one for the baby," he smiled wide.