The newsies are all chattering as Ike calls them to attention. No one says anything about the last time we were on the table. Ike makes sure I won't run away this time because he hugs me by the waist. Race makes a muffled cat call that make me look at him in confusion. I look up at Ike for several seconds before we begin. He starts off like last time.
"Three years ago, we had our little Lucy." He says. "We love her so much and we wanted another child that happened. It didn't go as we planned, but we still turned out fine." He looks down at me and kisses my forehead. You can hear Race gag on account of holding the kiss.
"Anyways, a few months ago, we still wanted another bundle of joy and we hope it will be successful-"he continues.
I cut him of happily, "Yes, that's right, I'm pregnant again." The newsies are so happy for me. Ike is on the ground now, waiting for me to jumps in his arms bridal style.
"Even the seasons change our love still stays the same," Ike whispers in my ear as he puts me down. I pull him close to whisper something and he turns scarlet. He knows it's true after a week of not talking to each other. Pulls me close one last time at the lodging house and kisses me on the cheek. We walk outside of the Lodging house as Ike whispers his horrid week.
"When you're gone, the pieces of my heart are missing you. The face I came to know is missing too. The words I need to hear to always get me through the day and make it okay, I really missed you." He says. It makes me blush.
That night in bed, we finish eating all the strawberries. We have been through so much today, selling the newsies I was pregnant, selling my papers with Star, and seeing Ike at the dock. Don't even get me started on how many kisses I've had. After dinner I walked into the bedroom, Ike decided to sleep…that way. I put on my nightgown and throw a shirt at him. As soon as I turn around, he throws it at my face.
"It's too hot," he complains, even through the ceiling fan was on. He kicks the covers of his side of the bed. He flops on his back, revealing long sunburn running down his back.
"I don't want you to get cold," I say, picking them up, I don't see it until I turn around. His argument was too good for mine.
"You aren't hot; you're hurting because of your sunburn." I say.
"Can you fix it? I don't want to keep you and the baby up if I cry in pain," he says.
"Yes, I can fix it," I say. "I am going to put Lucy down for the night. Then I can fix your pain." Ike groans in pain, he then goes into the bathroom as I put Lucy down for the night.
"You're a good girl, don't let daddy poison your mind," I laugh when I know she is asleep. I kiss her forehead. Where I find an Aloe Vera, I think. Because I know it will help instantly. Thanks dad. I see of the potted one on the window seal in Lucy's room, I think. It isn't that big, but I slash one of the leaves off. It'll grow back, I think. I walk into the bathroom and cut open the leaf. I apply the leaf on his back with some ice. Ike sighs in relief as this happens and finally agrees to wear something to bed. I walk out of the bedroom to get a glass of water. I set it down and pick up a long awaited book. Ike comes out fully dressed.
"Better," he questions, "hope you're happy, because now I feel like my shirt will rub against it."
"Just wear your cotton shirts and apply the aloe," I smile at him. We lay in bed while Ike twirls his fingers through my hair, it feels good all over. He dangles another strawberry over my mouth, it takes me several tries to get it, but the baby is coming, growing and changing, every single day. Ike leans down and kisses me on the forehead. He pops a strawberry in his mouth and gently picks out the leaves. I make a silly gag face.
"What? You're not even supposed to eat the leaves." He says.
"Oh, I know, it's just that I realized these strawberries are wild," I say, can't think of what to say next. I keep laughing as Ike blows out the light, signaling for me to go to sleep. I immediately snuggle up to him, breathing in his sent. He kisses me real fast and starts talking to my belly, the same way we did with Lucy that one time.
"Hey my little O'Malley," he says gently while rubbing his fingers over my stomach. "You may not know this, but Blink loves you, Star loves you, Sketch and Davey love you," his voice gets quieter every time he says a name, the last are barely audible. "Butta Fingas and Mike love you, Smalls and Twig love you, and, most importantly, mommy and I love you." I fall instantly into a dreamless sleep because after that, he just had to sing like he does to Lucy.