Chapter Four: Break Time Reading

Calleigh was walking down the hall of the lab along side Alexx. The two were casually chatting when Calleigh stopped Alexx when they got close to Horatio's office. Through the large glass window they could see him at his desk, reading. They could see the cover of the book he read, What to Expect When You're Expecting.

"Look at that sweetie. He's so excited," Alexx said.

Horatio thought pregnancy was the most beautiful and amazing thing he'd ever been a part of. Yes, been a part of. He couldn't help but smile every time he saw Aimee's round five-month pregnant belly. Horatio was completely convinced that their baby was a girl. Although a patrol cop or a detective "warned" Horatio that with the hormones, mood swings and cravings that accompanied that pregnancy that he wouldn't be 'happy' much longer.

"It can get pretty irritating, man," one detective told H. "She can start crying without warning, and something you could say to her the day before and she wouldn't cry about she'll cry about the next day. Then there's crying for no reason. It can grate on ya by the time the kid gets here. Make you feel you're glad it's over."

Horatio openly gave the man a dirty look.

"You have absolutely no understanding for the woman who's carrying your child. Do you have any idea of what her body goes through by the minute doing that? I think Aimee's incredible. She can have anything she wants any time and cry on my shoulder anytime and however often she needs to."

The female detectives thought Horatio was "quite a man" for this reply.

"What makes you so sure?" Aimee said with a giggle while she and Horatio lay in bed, Horatio rubbing her belly.

Giving her belly a kiss Horatio smiled and said "Oh I don't know. I just got this feeling."

The couple hadn't planned to find out their baby's gender before the birth.

"Pregnancy really agrees with you," Maria commented to her best friend.

Maria and Aimee had known each other for twenty-one years, since they met in kindergarten. At first, like everyone in Aimee's life Maria was surprised that Aimee had become involved with an older man and a man who worked in law enforcement, a very dangerous job with long hours. A job where a single phone call would devastate Aimee's life. Nevertheless, she couldn't deny Horatio was a great guy. She was thrilled her best friend was engaged and expecting. Even with the age difference Maria thought the couple would make great parents together. Maria thought it was "just adorable" how Horatio tended on her pregnant friend. It was plain to see her fiancé adored her.

Neither Aimee or Horatio noticed Maria had seen them snuggle up on the couch when she walked past the living room door as she was leaving after being over for dinner. Maria would have never thought the Lieutenant was a "cuddler." But there Horatio was, his arms wrapped tightly around Aimee, his palm resting on her six-month pregnant belly. Both were smiling apparently their unborn baby had kicked. With a big smile on his face Horatio kissed Aimee on the lips then leaned down and kissed her belly whispering "I love you."

Aimee was looking forward to quitting her job as a graphic designer to raise her baby. She was surprised by the strong reaction she got from co-workers.

"You're quitting?"

The company Aimee worked for was one of the very few companies in the United States that gave pregnant employees a full year of maternity leave. It was a policy to try and keep employees. Aimee planned to take that year, receive the year of partial pay and then not return to work.

Aimee's answer, 'Yes, I'm quitting. It's not like we'd be the first family to live solely on a cop's paycheck.'

"But won't you go crazy being home the baby all the time?"

"I certainly wouldn't. If I would go 'crazy' why would have a baby in the first place? And furthermore, I personally don't understand why, unless you absolutely needed to, to keep a roof over your head, why someone would have a baby just to stick it in daycare eight hours a day."

Aimee was given one neutral piece of advice from an older co-worker who had taken time off work till all her children were in school full-time.

"Be prepared for things to get financially tight, especially after that first year."

Aimee didn't mind hearing this—simply because she knew it were a fact— or the tips her co-workers gave her on saving money. She told the co-worker, Danica that her fiancé couldn't be convinced that their baby wasn't a girl.

"We don't know and we're waiting to find out. But when Horatio talks to the baby he says 'daddy's little girl.' I told him it's going to be quite funny when the baby's born and we have a boy."

The couple would have to wait another three months to find Horatio's 'feeling' would be correct.