***A month later***
Jonathan's ankle was healing nicely. He was now able to walk on it without crutches. He was supposed to get his cast off in about 2 weeks.
Jennifer was 4 months pregnant, hormonal, hungry all the time and sleeping a lot more than normal. Thankfully, the nausea had stopped.
They were lying in bed the day of their gender ultrasound.
It was 5 a.m. and Jonathan was sleeping. Jennifer was wide awake.
She was reading a "What to Expect When You're Expecting" book. She suddenly stopped.
She grabbed her calendar and counted the weeks. She was almost 16 weeks. The book said she should have felt the baby move by now.
"Jonathan….Jonathan….."
"Darling, we need to give your body a break, ok?"
"No not that, the baby".
He sat up.
"Are you ok?"
"The baby hasn't moved, Jonathan. Hasn't moved at all, not once."
"It will, darling. It will".
"Did you just call our child it? Jonathan, you can't call our child that!"
"Ok, sorry. The baby will move. The baby will move".
"When? I need to feel the baby move. We need to call Susan".
"Babe, it's 5:30 in the morning. We are seeing her at her appointment later today. Can't we just talk to her then?"
"Sure. But if something's wrong with the baby…"
"Darling, nothing is wrong with the baby. You need sleep, now come on, let's get some rest."
She begrudgingly put the book down, and turned her light off.
She snuggled up to his chest.
"Are you mad at me?"
"No, I love you, you need to rest".
***Later that day***
Jonathan woke up when his alarm went off and turned it off quickly so that Jennifer wouldn't wake up.
Their appointment was at 11, so he let her sleep till 8:30, and then woke her up.
"Babe…..morning, sleepyhead".
He leaned down and kissed her.
"Darling….you better wake up. We have to go see our baby".
She opened her eyes and kissed him.
After she had her robe on, they went downstairs and had breakfast.
"Darling, what's the plan for today?"
"Well, that depends. Do you want to find out today or do you want to wait till tomorrow night for the party?"
"I want to find out at the party with you".
"Ok. So, we are going to have Susan do the ultrasound, and then she will call the fireworks factory after we leave and talk to Jason. Jason is going to make our fireworks for us, and on my way home from the office, I am going to pick them up. And tonight, I am taking you wherever you would like to go to dinner, and then we are going to have a redo of one of your anniversary presents".
"Which one? Don't you dare say the motorcycle".
He pulled her onto his lap.
"I promised you no more motorcycle and I'm sticking to that".
She leaned down and kissed him.
"Darling, remember how we were going to stay in a hotel that night? I am going to call and make us a reservation".
"Jonathan, that's very sweet. But we can't. Pa is coming tomorrow, and we have to get the house ready for the party plus his visit. What if we reschedule that to after his visit is over?"
"Ok, we can do that. But I still want some alone time with you tonight".
"Deal".
"I need to go get in the shower so we can get to the appointment".
She took his hand and led him back upstairs.
They went into the bathroom and she started the shower, and helped him undress and put the bag over his cast.
He climbed in the shower, and then she undressed and climbed in after him.
"Nurse, please don't tell my wife".
"I won't tell if you won't".
She leaned up and kissed him, and then he turned around and sat on the bench. She soaped his back, and then shampooed his hair again. He was really getting into her washing his hair.
"That feels so good, babe".
She rinsed his hair for him and then conditioned it, and then rinsed his back.
"Stay there, Mr. H."
She moved in front of him, and straddled his lap.
He ran his hands up her back, and pulled her in for a kiss.
He turned his attention to her full breasts, and took one in his hand and one in his mouth. She arched her back in response to him sucking her nipple and nibbling it just enough to drive her crazy.
She reached down and guided him to where she wanted him, giving him a squeeze of her own.
He lifted her off him, and stood up, and carried her out of the shower. He grabbed a towel on the way and threw it on the bed, and then laid her down on it.
She lifted her legs to wrap them around his waist, and he thrust into her, causing her to cry out.
He leaned down and kissed her on the neck.
"Careful, darling, Max is still downstairs".
He continued to thrust in and out of her, over and over, causing her to say "Yes! Yes!" every single time.
"Jenn…ifer…"
He took them both over the edge, and then laid down with her.
"You were amazing".
"You weren't bad yourself".
"We got the bed all wet, Max is going to kill us".
"Nonsense. Today after the doctor's appointment, we can go buy a new bedspread and then switch them out when he's at poker".
They got up and she went and finished her shower, and then they got ready.
He drove them to the appointment and they were signed in by 10:40.
Susan pulled them back right away, and they started the ultrasound at 11.
"Before I begin, do you want to know the sex?"
"We want you to not tell us today, but after we leave, we want you to call Jason at Coastal Explosions. Tell him what we are having, he is going to make us some fireworks, and then we are going to have a party tomorrow night, and set them off and find out that way. And you have to be there!"
"I wouldn't miss it. And I promise I won't tell a soul".
She put the jelly on Jennifer's belly, and began to move the ultrasound wand around.
"Now, what I am going to do, is I am going to show you parts of your baby. But, I am going to print off everything that I want to show you, and tomorrow after the reveal, I will go over it all again with both of you".
"Great, that's a good idea".
"I am concerned, because I was reading in What to Expect When You are Expecting that I should be feeling the baby move by now, and I haven't".
Susan covered Jennifer's hand with hers.
"Jennifer, it's ok. We will take a look and we will see what's going on. Not every pregnancy goes along exactly with what the books say".
Jennifer nodded.
"Look, right there, your son or daughter is moving all around. You can't feel it yet, but there is definite movement".
Jennifer breathed a sigh of relief.
She showed them the 4 chambers of the heart, the arms, legs, the spine, all of it.
"Everything seems to be progressing like it should, I see no abnormalities nor any cause for concern. And you seem to be measuring ahead but only by about 3 days or so."
After it was over, they sat up and Susan helped Jennifer wipe her belly off.
"Ok, question time. Any unusual activities or cravings happening?"
"Well, I can't get enough fresh mozzarella cheese. I could eat it by the pound at every meal, almost. And I'm amazed that every time I make what I would consider to be more than enough food for myself at one meal, it's always just enough, and there aren't any leftovers".
"That's good. It's better to eat more than to not eat enough".
Jonathan wanted to ask her something, but he was afraid that Jennifer would get mad at him.
"How are your hormones?"
"All over the place".
"She's not kidding. She's not so much emotional, but when she wants something, she wants it now, right then, that instant".
"What is it that she is wanting?"
"Me".
"Jonathan!"
"It's true, babe. It's a legitimate question".
"Most husbands would kill to be in your shoes, Jonathan. This is totally normal. Pregnancy makes the mother have a need to feel desired, and often times, that need gets expressed and fulfilled the best through sex. As long as you don't overdo it, it's totally fine".
"Will you be my doctor in the delivery room?"
"Yes, I will. And you can call me anytime, you know that".
"I wanted to call you this morning at 5 a.m., but Jonathan talked me out of it".
"Listen to your husband". They all chuckled.
"So what is next?"
"Next month, we will do the gestational test, where you drink the sugary drink and we do a blood draw. It's not horrible. After that, we will start planning how you want delivery to go, and you guys can take a hospital tour and childbirth classes."
"Sounds great."
She leaned over and opened the cabinet, and pulled out a box.
"I want you guys to practice with this. Now, you need to do it on a weekend, or on a day when you can devote a full 24 hours to it. The instructions on how to do it are in the box. Call me if you have any questions".
"What is it?"
"It's a surprise. Open it when you get home".
Jennifer nodded.
"Ok, I am printing out pictures for you, and your DVD is almost finished. I will bring the DVD with me tomorrow and explain it to you after the reveal."
She made a few notes in the chart, and then dismissed them.
"I am calling Jason right now."
"Thank you, Susan".
Susan and Jennifer hugged, and then Jennifer and Jonathan left the office.
She made her follow up appointment and paid the bill, and then they headed out.
He ordered them lunch to be delivered, and they stopped by the party store and picked up everything on her list for the party.
By the time they were finished, she and Jonathan had 2 carts each.
"Babe, do we really need all of this?"
"Darling, we have about 30 people coming tomorrow. We are having it catered, so we will need plates, napkins, cups and silverware. We have to have a banner to hang, and party favors, and stuff for games for them to guess what we are having, and since we are doing the fireworks outside, I thought it would be nice of us to put these floating candles in the pool".
She suddenly got very self-conscious, and got very nervous.
"Why are you staring at me?" Her voice started to crack.
"Because you were speaking to me, darling".
He didn't say anything else and went and hugged her. She cried right there in the aisle at Party City.
***Later that afternoon***
Max was going to LAX to pick up Jennifer's dad. Jennifer had been drilling it into him that he couldn't tell him about the baby.
"Promise me you won't tell him, Max. I want to be able to tell him about the baby".
"I promise, Mrs. H."
"I mean it, Max. If you tell him, I will make your life a living hell".
"I doubt that. I was briefly married to a German woman once. Ain't nothing going to touch that experience".
"Max!"
"Just agree with her, Max. It's the only way".
"Jonathan!"
"Babe, you have done everything to Max here but beat him with a stick about not telling your dad. If he says he's not going to tell, I'm inclined to believe him. He's never betrayed our confidence before. Cut him some slack."
She sighed.
"You're right. I'm sorry Max".
"I'll be back".
He turned and left and shut the door behind him.
"Max, I'm-"
"Sorry". She started to cry and went to the kitchen.
He went after her.
"Darling, how about a bath?"
She nodded.
He took her hand and they went upstairs. He drew the bath for her, and then helped her undress, and then dragged the vanity chair over to sit behind her.
She climbed into the tub, and he grabbed the washcloth and leaned down and scrubbed her back. He grabbed a cup and turned the water on the sink on, and wet her hair.
"Just relax, darling".
He shampooed her hair like she had done for him, and really rubbed her scalp. He gave her one of his classic neck massages, and then helped her rinse her hair. She handed him the conditioner, and he worked it in, and then he rinsed her hair again.
He helped her up and got her a towel to dry her off.
"Don't look".
He snuck a peek anyways and then kissed her.
"I can't believe you looked."
"Darling, you are beautiful. You are growing our child in there, and you have never looked lovelier."
She kissed him.
He helped her finish drying off, and then she put her robe on and wrapped her arms around him.
"I'm sorry, darling. I'm a mess of hormones and I hate that you have to deal with these outbursts".
"I love you, and it's fine. It's all part of it".
He kissed her forehead.
"Now, you need to get ready because your dad and Max will be here soon".
He left her to get ready and went downstairs to make sure all of the baby stuff was out of the way.
She was staring at her stomach in the mirror. She had a small baby bump, but it was definitely there. It was round, like a basketball. If she wore a tight dress or shirt, it was extremely noticeable. If she wore a loose or baggy one, she could probably hide it a little longer.
Max and Mr. Edwards got to the house just before Jennifer came downstairs.
"Stephen, so glad you could come visit".
"Jonathan, nice to see you. Is Jennifer here?"
"Yes, she is upstairs, blow drying her hair. She will be down in just a second."
He and Mr. Edwards sat down and chatted while they waited for Jennifer.
A few minutes later, she came downstairs.
"Pa, are you here?"
"In here, sweetheart".
She had put on a bright blue and gray striped dress that really showed off her baby bump.
She went around to him, and he stood up to hug her.
"Hi Pa!"
"Hi my sweetheart, let me look at you! Jennifer! Are you…"
Jennifer nodded.
"I'm going to be….."
She nodded again.
"we wanted to tell you in person".
"I'm so happy, sweetheart".
He kissed her cheek.
"You will be the best mommy. And Jonathan will be the best daddy".
"That's what I keep telling him".
They sat back down.
"When is my grandchild going to be here?"
"Beginning of May, we think. I'm 14 weeks today. And tomorrow night, we are having a party, and we are all going to find out together whether it's a boy or a girl".
"Splendid! I cannot wait".
"Well, I am going to go get some water, would you like some?"
"No thank you. I'm just fine".
"Ok, I'll be right back".
Jonathan knew it was more than that, she was really going to apologize to Max.
She found him in the kitchen, preparing dinner.
"Max, I owe you an apology, I'm sorry, I should have trusted you, and I do trust you. It's not you, it's my hormones".
She leaned up and kissed his cheek.
"It's ok, Mrs. H. I promise it's forgotten."
"You're the best".
She grabbed her water and then went back to the den.
She sat down with her dad, and they chatted about all kinds of things.
"Now, do you two have stables near here?"
"Not that we use, why?"
"This grandchild of mine is going to need a pony".
"Pa! Now, I don't want you spoiling the baby. I told Jonathan no bribing, and that goes for all of us".
"Grandparents rights, my sweetheart. Grandparents rights".
"Oh! We forgot to open our present. I'm going to go get it".
She went and got the box from Susan's office and opened it.
As soon as she did, she started laughing uncontrollably.
"what is it?"
She just held it up and showed it to Jonathan.
"Oh, no. No, Jennifer, I love you, but no".
"will someone tell me what is going on?"
Jennifer was laughing so hard that Max came in from the kitchen to find out what was the matter.
Jennifer drank all her water and calmed down.
"Ok, so the story is, back about a month ago, the day before we found out we were pregnant, we went to a new daddy's class, designed to help daddy's learn how to care for the baby. And we started off with plastic baby dolls, and Jonathan was doing amazing. He learned how to pick the baby up, how to transfer the baby from him to someone else, how to feed, burp and change the baby. He did amazing at all of it. And then she got out the simulation doll."
"More like a Chucky doll".
"Jonathan! It was not".
"Anyways, this doll cries and you feed it, and then you burp it, and you change it and it simulates a real baby. And the mom has a key to turn it off if needed. And that part wasn't too bad. But then, the teacher of the class amped it up a little, and put a code in so the baby would spit up and wet the diaper and cry for longer periods of time. And the baby did all of those things, to Jonathan. All over his shirt and his face and the key wouldn't work."
"How long did this last?"
"About 10 minutes".
"10 minutes of pure hell".
"Jonathan! I told you, it's not always going to be like that".
"And then we learned on a different doll how to bathe the baby, and Jonathan was a Rockstar at that too".
"So why do you have the baby here?"
"Because at our ultrasound today, Susan gave it to us so that we could practice for a straight 24 hours."
"We are going to wait till after your visit, Stephen".
"How incredibly kind of you".
Jennifer put all the pieces back in the box, and took it to the study.
She came back and sat by Jonathan on the sofa.
Max had made them a gourmet meal, and they all ate and sat around talking, before they retired to bed.
She climbed into bed next to him, and snuggled up to his shoulder.
"I'm so glad my dad is here".
"Yeah, it's nice for him to get to find out about his grandchild with us".
"What do you think the baby is?"
"I think it's a boy. What do you think it is?"
"I think it's a girl. And I want her to have your eyes".
"As long as she has your hair".
"Or yours. I like yours too".
"What names do you like?"
"Well, we need to decide if we want to do a theme".
"A theme?"
"Yeah, a theme. Like our names start with J, so the baby's name can too. Or we could do a family name, or we could go modern, edgy with a different name".
"I'm fine with any of those ideas, babe. I don't have any family names to give the kid though".
"Yes you do. Charles. Plus, Max is family and we can use his name".
He rolled over and kissed her.
"What names do you like for a girl?"
"I love Josie. And Jolie, and Jesstine, and Jenna".
"I like those too. What about for a boy?"
"There is a boy's name that has been banging around in my head the past few weeks. You might not like it".
"What is it?"
"Jagger Charles".
"Jagger. I like that".
"What about you? What names do you like?"
"Well, I think we should incorporate both sides of the family with our kids name. So, if it's a boy, what about Jagger Charles Edwards Hart? Or what if we did Jagger Stephen Maxwell Hart?"
"I like both of those options. What do you like for a girl?"
"I like Jesstine and Jenna the best out of the ones that you mentioned".
They continued to talk about baby names till Jennifer fell asleep.
"I love you".
He lightly kissed her.
"I love you too…"
She was fast asleep.