Just a little smidge o' fluff for the happy couple.
"Blessing"
The wailing of an infant wakes me from a sound sleep one cold December night. Disgruntled at the sudden awakening, I slide, half awake, out of bed and stumble toward the door. As I start to cross the threshold, though, I bump into something large and warm. A soft, soothing voice murmurs, "Lay back down, sweetheart. I'll get her."
Thankful, I collapse into the bed again, straining to listen to my husband coo to our two-month-old daughter, Katherine Elizabeth. I hear footsteps approaching, and I look up to see my husband carry our tiny, tiny daughter into our bedroom. He smiles at me and sits on the edge of the bed, cradling Katie close. "Look, Katie, it's Mommy. You woke her up, silly monkey. Now, you have to give Mommy love so she can go back to sleep." I swear, sometimes she understands exactly what we are saying. For instance, now she is crowing and reaching for me with her chubby hands. I take her in my arms and hold her close, breathing in her sweet baby scent. She is gurgling and smacking her lips as though trying to communicate. I stroke her silky soft cheek and delight in the beaming smile on her face.
"Mommy's sweet baby. Were you lonely in there all by yourself? I'm so glad Daddy brought you in here to see me! Let me rock you, baby girl. Sleepy time, Katie. Sleep, baby." I rock Katie in my arms until she drifts off to sleep. After waiting a few minutes to be sure she is asleep, I carry her to the nursery and lay her down in the crib. I can't seem to tear myself away from her side. I stare at her, still overwhelmed at the blessed turn my life has taken. A wonderful husband, a beautiful home, beloved friends and family, and the perfect, gorgeous baby that I thought I would never bear. I can still remember Dalia Ianni's voice as she broke the painful news. She was as near tears as I was.
"I just don't know. It doesn't seem very likely, with the damage done by the ship's leap…"
Who knew that going though the spacial rip all that time ago could cause such havoc in my life? I was broken-hearted, mournful. Yet, I pushed my pain aside and tried to move on. Then, one day, not more than two years into my marriage, I began experiencing what felt like the flu, with one small difference--it wasn't going away. Another trip to Dalia's office revealed the reason.
Pregnant. I was pregnant.
The pregnancy was actually fairly easy, to everyone's surprise. The morning sickness only lasted about a month, and then it was smooth sailing. I reveled in my pregnancy, watching with sheer delight as my belly expanded and my ankles swelled, as my breasts grew heavy with milk and my skin glimmered with the coursing of life-sustaining blood. Even the delivery was fairly uncomplicated. My family and friends were all there to help my husband and I welcome little Katherine into the world. Nothing's been the same since--sleepless nights of Katie crying, countless dirty diapers, feedings every two hours.
I wouldn't change a thing.
I peer into Katie's crib one last time and press a soft kiss on her forehead. "Good night, little miracle."
I return to the bedroom to find my husband sitting against the headboard. He holds out his arms, and I slip into them, shedding my robe in favor of the feel of my naked skin against his. He is warm and firm and loving beneath me, and a rush of love for this man floods me. I lean up and kiss him, a long, lingering kiss. I drown myself in his taste, wondering if anything in the universe tastes this good. We pull apart, and I look deeply into his eyes.
"You amaze me."
He flushes, and even in the darkness, I see it. He shakes his head. "No more than you amaze me. I never thought I'd be this lucky, you know? Never thought I would find someone to love who loved me enough to love me forever. I know I've found that with you. I knew from the first time we met that you were the one."
I laugh softly and cuddle closer. "Seth, we've known each other since I was three hours old. How ever did you know?"
Seth runs his fingers through my hair, chuckling. "Sweetheart, some things, you just know. Most things concerning you, I just know. We have such a deep connection. It's always been there, under the surface."
I nod in agreement. Seth has a point. Even after we drifted apart after graduation, there was always this pull, this bond. It was an undercurrent of energy too strong for either of us to deny. After ignoring it for far too long, we succumbed to the desires that had always been lurking. And…wow. What energy it was, too. Thank God my quarters on the Christa were on a different floor from the kids'. I screamed loudly enough that first night to send Shank straight to us. To this day, I think Radu heard us--not that he'd ever, EVER admit it. And Seth…his hoarse cries of my name still sometimes echo in my mind. It wasn't just a first time fluke, either. No, for the five years we've been together, and especially in the two we've been married, our sex life keeps getting better. And every day, our love seems to grow deeper and more powerful. I've never loved or been loved this completely. I have to agree with Seth--we were destined to be together.
I sit up a bit and drape myself over Seth's lap. I begin making slow circles with my hips against him. He looks at me, fire in his eyes.
"My wicked wife, you are a minx. God, but I love it--and you." He arches up beneath me, and I am suddenly unable to think, let alone speak. When I regain my mental capabilities, I whisper in his ear.
"I love you too, Seth. I love you so much."
As we begin to move against each other, a thought, unbidden, pops into my mind.
Maybe, we'll make a little brother for Katie.
"Blessing"
The wailing of an infant wakes me from a sound sleep one cold December night. Disgruntled at the sudden awakening, I slide, half awake, out of bed and stumble toward the door. As I start to cross the threshold, though, I bump into something large and warm. A soft, soothing voice murmurs, "Lay back down, sweetheart. I'll get her."
Thankful, I collapse into the bed again, straining to listen to my husband coo to our two-month-old daughter, Katherine Elizabeth. I hear footsteps approaching, and I look up to see my husband carry our tiny, tiny daughter into our bedroom. He smiles at me and sits on the edge of the bed, cradling Katie close. "Look, Katie, it's Mommy. You woke her up, silly monkey. Now, you have to give Mommy love so she can go back to sleep." I swear, sometimes she understands exactly what we are saying. For instance, now she is crowing and reaching for me with her chubby hands. I take her in my arms and hold her close, breathing in her sweet baby scent. She is gurgling and smacking her lips as though trying to communicate. I stroke her silky soft cheek and delight in the beaming smile on her face.
"Mommy's sweet baby. Were you lonely in there all by yourself? I'm so glad Daddy brought you in here to see me! Let me rock you, baby girl. Sleepy time, Katie. Sleep, baby." I rock Katie in my arms until she drifts off to sleep. After waiting a few minutes to be sure she is asleep, I carry her to the nursery and lay her down in the crib. I can't seem to tear myself away from her side. I stare at her, still overwhelmed at the blessed turn my life has taken. A wonderful husband, a beautiful home, beloved friends and family, and the perfect, gorgeous baby that I thought I would never bear. I can still remember Dalia Ianni's voice as she broke the painful news. She was as near tears as I was.
"I just don't know. It doesn't seem very likely, with the damage done by the ship's leap…"
Who knew that going though the spacial rip all that time ago could cause such havoc in my life? I was broken-hearted, mournful. Yet, I pushed my pain aside and tried to move on. Then, one day, not more than two years into my marriage, I began experiencing what felt like the flu, with one small difference--it wasn't going away. Another trip to Dalia's office revealed the reason.
Pregnant. I was pregnant.
The pregnancy was actually fairly easy, to everyone's surprise. The morning sickness only lasted about a month, and then it was smooth sailing. I reveled in my pregnancy, watching with sheer delight as my belly expanded and my ankles swelled, as my breasts grew heavy with milk and my skin glimmered with the coursing of life-sustaining blood. Even the delivery was fairly uncomplicated. My family and friends were all there to help my husband and I welcome little Katherine into the world. Nothing's been the same since--sleepless nights of Katie crying, countless dirty diapers, feedings every two hours.
I wouldn't change a thing.
I peer into Katie's crib one last time and press a soft kiss on her forehead. "Good night, little miracle."
I return to the bedroom to find my husband sitting against the headboard. He holds out his arms, and I slip into them, shedding my robe in favor of the feel of my naked skin against his. He is warm and firm and loving beneath me, and a rush of love for this man floods me. I lean up and kiss him, a long, lingering kiss. I drown myself in his taste, wondering if anything in the universe tastes this good. We pull apart, and I look deeply into his eyes.
"You amaze me."
He flushes, and even in the darkness, I see it. He shakes his head. "No more than you amaze me. I never thought I'd be this lucky, you know? Never thought I would find someone to love who loved me enough to love me forever. I know I've found that with you. I knew from the first time we met that you were the one."
I laugh softly and cuddle closer. "Seth, we've known each other since I was three hours old. How ever did you know?"
Seth runs his fingers through my hair, chuckling. "Sweetheart, some things, you just know. Most things concerning you, I just know. We have such a deep connection. It's always been there, under the surface."
I nod in agreement. Seth has a point. Even after we drifted apart after graduation, there was always this pull, this bond. It was an undercurrent of energy too strong for either of us to deny. After ignoring it for far too long, we succumbed to the desires that had always been lurking. And…wow. What energy it was, too. Thank God my quarters on the Christa were on a different floor from the kids'. I screamed loudly enough that first night to send Shank straight to us. To this day, I think Radu heard us--not that he'd ever, EVER admit it. And Seth…his hoarse cries of my name still sometimes echo in my mind. It wasn't just a first time fluke, either. No, for the five years we've been together, and especially in the two we've been married, our sex life keeps getting better. And every day, our love seems to grow deeper and more powerful. I've never loved or been loved this completely. I have to agree with Seth--we were destined to be together.
I sit up a bit and drape myself over Seth's lap. I begin making slow circles with my hips against him. He looks at me, fire in his eyes.
"My wicked wife, you are a minx. God, but I love it--and you." He arches up beneath me, and I am suddenly unable to think, let alone speak. When I regain my mental capabilities, I whisper in his ear.
"I love you too, Seth. I love you so much."
As we begin to move against each other, a thought, unbidden, pops into my mind.
Maybe, we'll make a little brother for Katie.