Falling for Trouble (14 page)

Five months later

“I’m
freaking fat, Abe.”

He
came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her growing belly, laying his
hands over their child. It only took a second but then he felt the tiny kicks
against his palm and smiled. “You’re beautiful.”

“The
baby always kicks when you put your hands on my belly. It’s like Peanut knows
when you’re near.”

Abe
turned her around and cupped her cheeks in his hands. He stared into her eyes
before dipping down and dragging his lips across hers. They started calling the
baby Peanut because he had talked Kid into not finding out what the sex was. He
knew she didn’t like surprises, but she had done it for him.

“I
love you, Sophia.” He dropped another kiss to her lips and then sank to his
knees. Gripping her shirt he dragged it up until her swelling stomach came into
view. He pressed his lips to her belly button. Sophia’s hands sifted through
his hair and he lifted his eyes to hers. She was smiling down at him and he
couldn’t help but return the gesture.

It
had been five months since they reconciled and things were going great. He had
moved up in Red’s and was now a manager instead of just a mechanic. That meant
a hefty pay increase. He tried to get Kid to quit her job, explaining that he
made more than enough to support her. Since they moved in together, he didn’t
have the extra expenses of rent and such, but she was a stubborn woman and
demanded she keep her independence. He didn’t argue with her over that, not
much, but when little Peanut was born, he wanted that to change. She might not
like being told what to do, but he knew once their baby was in her arms, she
would want to stay home. At least, he hoped. He also wanted her to go to
college since he knew that had always been one of her dreams. His subtle hints
about it hadn’t gone unnoticed by her, especially when he brought home
pamphlets from a community college.

“Are
you excited about today?” He gave one last kiss to her belly, placed her shirt
back over it, and stood. Taking her in his arms, he rested his cheek on the top
of her head.

“Yeah.”
He leaned back and looked down at her. “I can’t wait to haul in heavy baby
furniture and spend hours putting it together,” he teased. She lightly smacked
him on the chest and pushed away. Right before she got too far away, he snagged
her hand and brought her back. “Have I told you that I love you today?”

“Yeah,
like five times, but you know what?” She rose on her toes and brushed her nose
against his. “I never get tired of hearing it.”

It
was just the two of them, but in a few short months it would be three, and Abe
didn’t want to stop there. He wanted everything with Sophia. He wanted to give
her that little white picket fence surrounding their home, two-point-five kids,
and a little collie. She deserved a perfect life and he was going to give it to
her.

****

May 12, 2013

“Just
breathe, baby.” Abe was by her side, and although he was being supportive and
loving, she wanted to pop him in the balls. The pain was excruciating, so much
that she couldn’t breathe. “Okay, sweets, here comes another contraction.”

Sophia
gritted her teeth and after a very long minute she breathed out. Narrowing her
eyes and glaring at Abe, she said, “
Please
don’t tell me when I’m having another contraction. I know when the hell I’m
having a contraction, okay?” He smiled sheepishly and apologized right before
another wave of pain hit. When it was over she sagged against the bed.

“Okay,
Sophia, on the next contraction I want you to push.” The doctor situated
herself between Sophia’s splayed thighs.

“This
is it, baby.” Abe leaned down and kissed her forehead. Grabbing her hand he
gave her a little squeeze. “It won’t be long now and we’ll get to meet little
Noah or Abigail.”

It
had been a very long nine months, especially when she couldn’t plan for a boy
or girl, but she was so ready to hold her little one. A contraction came and
the doctor told her to push. Supportive comments filtered around her and she
breathed out and rested her head on the pillow when the agony passed. Abe
lifted her hand and kissed the ring on her left hand. They were engaged with a
wedding date set in December. A white wedding was something Sophia had always
wanted, and Abe was giving it to her. They could have gotten married last
December, but who wanted to try and squeeze into a gown with a pregnant belly?
Not her. Besides, she had her entire life to become Mrs. Rochester. Yeah, that had
a very nice ring to it.

“A
couple more pushes and your baby will be here.”

She
pushed on another contraction. “Kid, I can see the head.” Abe sounded awed and
Sophia opened her eyes and looked at him. “The baby has a head full of dark
hair, Sophia.” There was a smile in his voice which had her smiling too.

“Okay,
one more, Sophia. On the next contraction you’re going to push your baby out.”

Abe
kissed her on the lips and on the next one she pushed with everything she had.
The pain was indescribable, but then immense relief spread through her and she
heard the most beautiful sound in the word. Her baby crying.

“It’s
a boy, a big boy at that.”

“You
hear that, Kid? Little Noah is finally here.
Our
baby is finally here.” He kissed her hard on the mouth and then
there was a flurry of movement. She watched the little, screaming bundle get
carted away to the warmer. Several nurses swarmed around him, checking his
vitals and rubbing him vigorously. Abe hovered around them, his phone poised
high as he snapped picture after picture.

Once
all the activity settled down, her heart was full of love as Abe carried their
little boy over to her. Tears were in his eyes as he looked down at her. He
handed the little bundle wrapped in blue to her and she ran her finger over his
brow. He looked like Abe, and weighing in at over nine pounds meant he was
going to be big like his daddy too. Noah tried to open his eyes and then yawned
big. Both of them laughed out loud. Sophia let her fingers run through the dark
tuft of hair covering his head.

“That’s
our boy, sweetheart. He’s beautiful.” She lifted her eyes to the man she loved.

“Yeah,
he sure is.” Abe sat on the edge of the bed and together they watched their
little man fall asleep. Who knew two scarred pasts could create such a perfect,
beautiful little future?

The End

www.jenikasnow.com

Other Books by Jenika Snow:

www.evernightpublishing.com/pages/Jenika-Snow.html

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Evernight Publishing

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