Chapter 4 Ever Ever After
"I'm pregnant!"
"You're kidding right?" Ash's eyebrows raised as he tried to figure out the truth.
"No. I'll be three months Monday. She told me I could have left the tests on the counter too long. Isn't this great?"
"Great? This is…this is fantastic!" Ash placed his hands on her cheeks and pressed his hot lips against hers. "We have to tell everyone."
"Well, we're going to Cleo's tonight, she invited all of us, but maybe we should wait. I mean, we don't really know anything about this baby."
"Emma, nothing is going to happen to this baby. We have waited so long. Let's just tell them. Did you gain any weight?"
Emma nodded with a smirk. She lifted her baggy blue shirt up and put her hand on her swollen stomach. "Ten pounds. And when I didn't think I was pregnant, I started to get really worried."
"Wow!" Ash's eyes grew wide. "I didn't realize you were showing. How didn't I realize this."
"Its called maternity clothes. I had bought a lot of maternity clothes, before I miscarried all those times. In fact I'm going to go change. Make it obvious I'm pregnant. I mean, I am showing."
"Ok, what time are we going?" He asked, watching her slowly climb the steps.
Emma stopped on the steps and glanced at the clock that read twelve forty eight. "She told us four, so we'll leave ten to."
Ash nodded, watching her climb the rest of the steps and turn into the bedroom. He plopped himself down and turned the baseball game on. The approaching footsteps a few minutes later, caused Ash to turn his head. There he saw, Emma's hair, beautifully curled, wearing the same denim capri pants. This time she was wearing a white fitted T-shirt that read in big blue letters, Baby makes the belly go round. "Cute and very true."
"Yup I…" She paused as a wave of nausea hit her. She turned around and ran back up and into the bathroom. Not having a clue what was happening, he ran after her, as his heart continuously raced. "Morning sickness has begun." Emma's groggy eyes stared at Ash. He took a deep breath of relief, kneeling down to rub her back. Suddenly, Ash pulled her curls back, as the entire contents of her stomach fell into the toilet. She was leaning on her knees, one handing hugging the toilet, the other clutching her swollen stomach.
"Are you ok?"
Emma paused, before slowly planting her feet on the tiles. "I think so." She raised her eyebrows sliding her hands onto her stomach. Her shaky limbs followed Ash down the steps. As she finally felt the rug, she walked over and plopped herself down on the couch. She flipped through the channels, stopping when her eyes landed on Titanic. Her face lit up with a smile when she realized it had just begun.
"Ok, I'm going to go bake some cookie mix to bring to Cleo's." Ash would do anything to get out of watching Titanic.
Emma rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Can you get me some humus and crackers please?"
"Humus? Do we even have humus?"
Emma shrugged her shoulders. "I guess I'll just have to deal with my cravings."
"No, no, I'll go to the store. I'll get a cookie mix too." Ash knew the next six months, were going to be rough. He grabbed his keys from the nearby hook and positioned his hand on the doorknob. "I'll be back in a few."
"Get brownie mix instead! I like them better and so does Izzie!"
Ash couldn't help but laugh. "Ok!"
The little girl had blonde hair, much like her Mother's. Her eyes were bright blue, also like her Mother's. She ran around the lawn, hiding from her Father. Her cute little voice was sweet and tiny. "Mommy! Mommy! Don't tell him where I am!"
"Ok sweetie!" Her mother laughed as the little girl hid behind her tree house, the same spot she hid every time. Her father ran around the corner and looked around. He quietly walked over to the tree house, pretending to be oblivious she was there. He ran over and lifted her in the air. He slid her back to the ground and tickled her chubby belly. The little girl broke into laughter.
"Mommy! Where does the baby sleep?" The little girl asked oblivious that it was out of nowhere.
"The baby sleeps in Mommy's belly." The little girl ran over to her Mother and hugged her stomach. Her Mother took the little girls hand and placed it on her ponderous stomach. "Do you feel the baby kicking?"
The little girl nodded, before placing a gentle and comforting kiss on her Mother's stomach.
Emma slowly opened her eyes and looked around the room. Her groggy eyes landed on the clock that read, three thirty. She blinked her eyes numerous times, making sure her vision was correct. A smile formed on her lips as she thought about her dream. The delicious smell in the air made her crave. "Ash?"
"In the kitchen babe!" He called out across the two rooms. "Everything ok?"
"Yeah, I just didn't realize I was asleep."
He soon appeared in the living room, leaning against the doorway between the two rooms. ""Yeah, you were craving humus so much you fell asleep before I could bring it to you."
Emma bit down on her lower lip as a chuckle slipped from her lips. "Oops."
Ash just shook his head as a smirk formed on his face. "Well you better do whatever you have to do, because we're leaving in like ten minutes."
"Ok. Are the brownies in a container?"
"No, I just took them out of the oven." Ash replied with a head shake.
"Well…I'll go do that!" She jumped up and headed for the kitchen, only to be stopped by Ash.
"I'll do that! You will eat them all!" He gently turned her around towards the steps. "You go fix you hair or makeup or whatever you always take forever to do."
"Yeah, but that stuff is already done. Except, I'm not sure what bag or shoes I'm wearing."
"Well then," started Ash. "You should go do that." Ash watched as Emma climbed the stairs, once again. He went back into the kitchen and began placing the brownies in a large rectangular container. He then patiently waited on the couch in the living room. Emma finally came downstairs, prepared to leave. Ash helped Emma in the car, before running around to the other side of the car and slid himself in the drivers' seat. He turned the car and pulled out of his driveway.
Five minutes later and he pulled into Cleo's driveway. They both laughed, when their eyes landed on Izzie standing at the door, in her yellow floral sundress, waiting patiently. Emma waved and blew a kiss toward her, resulting in her waving energetically. Emma quickly got out and walked up the porch steps. She meticulously opened the door and was greeted by a hug on her knees. "Hi sweetie."
"Aunt Emma! Like my dwess? Mommy bought it fow me!"
Emma laughed at her excitement. "Yes, it's very pretty."
"Uncle Ash!" The little girl's brunette curls bounced as her feet lifted from the ground.
"Hey sweetheart." He left a kiss on her head, before walking into the kitchen with Emma and Izzie following.
"Hey guys!" Greeted Cleo. "Mmm, brownies!"
"Yup." Emma laughed, watching Cleo place the brownies on the counter.
"Hey." Rikki and Zane said in unison, as if they practiced it for weeks.
"Hi." Emma and Ash walked around the kitchen to each person, leaving them a hug. "Linda Kate!"
"Ala!" Linda Kate clapped her chubby hands together, as Emma lifted her out of her seat.
"Are you telling a story?" Emma smiled, placing a kiss on her cheek.
"Aunt Emma? Why you belly big?" Izzie inquired, oblivious to the fact it was rude.
"Isabella Rose McCartney!" Lewis's eyes grew wide as his daughter's comment.
"No it's ok. Read my shirt."
"Baby makes the belly go round. Baby? Belly? Are you…?" Cleo couldn't believe her eyes.
"Yes! I'm pregnant!"
"Oh my gosh! Congratulations!" Rikki and Cleo gave her hug, startling Linda Kate. "How far in?"
"I'll be three months Monday, when I have my first ultrasound."
"Well…we're all going to be pregnant at the same time, because…. I'm pregnant too."
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