Thank you all so much for your reviews and as always I appreciate your feedback for ideas! -M
26.
"Maybe this was a bad idea."
"This could be the one!"
"Nice optimism!"
"Oh come on! It could be!" I said laughing. "And we've only looked at a few apartments. Don't give up yet!"
"We've seen a hundred."
"A hundred? Exaggerating just a bit don't you think?"
"I'm pregnant I get to exaggerate."
I pressed her hand, which I was holding to my lips as we kept walking.
"What about the one we saw on Tuesday? It was a huge apartment!"
"You mean the one that looked like it hadn't been updated since the mid eighties?"
"We could do a little remodeling."
"You're kidding right?"
I laughed again.
I was kidding.
"I did like the one in Tribeca?" Olivia said trying.
"It had no kitchen."
"Do we cook?"
"So the baby is going to order take-out?"
"If it's my baby he will!"
"Ha ha. Benson!"
"I thought it was kind of funny." She grinned.
"Ok… what about the one with the gym and the outside space? That would be nice."
"Too modern. Everything felt really sterile."
"I guess it did feel a little cold."
"See we're never going to find the right one before the baby comes!"
"Maybe this is the one! When the agent called she seemed really positive about this one." I said encouragingly as we walked up 8th Avenue.
"I just wonder if maybe we've taken on too much trying to find a place so quickly. I mean I just want it to be the right place; I want it to feel perfect for us."
"Honey we'll know it when we see it, and if looking for an apartment becomes to much, we'll hold off until after the baby comes. This is suppose to be something we're excited about, so if it's too much…"
Olivia shook her head agreeing.
"I love you." She said emphatically, "and I'll tough it out."
"I love you too and no you will not tough it out. Not while you're pregnant with that baby!" I teased pointing to her belly.
We crossed the next block.
"And we're here." I said as Olivia and I both looked up at the building before the doorman greeted us.
I continued to hold her hand tight as we went inside.
Maybe this would be the one.
"An open mind!" I reminded as we stood on the elevator up.
"This kid I'm carting around really wants to find an apartment! Trust me I have an open mind!
I grinned, placing my hand at her every growing belly.
"We're trying baby boy to find you a home."
Olivia gave me a quick kiss and as the doors of the elevator opened, I marveled at how beautiful she was.
"Hi Olivia, Alex."
We had come to know our agent well in the last couple of weeks.
"As I told you over the phone, I think you guys may really like this one. It just came on the market and I made a quick walk through before you got here." She said opening the apartment door for us.
We walked in to the open space our heels clicking against the hardwood floors.
"Two bedrooms, two bath, ample living space, generous closet space. And Alex I think you will like the kitchen." She said with a smile.
"Wow this is a great kitchen." I said looking around.
"All updated appliances, great counter space."
We went through the rest of the apartment ending up in the second bedroom.
"It has great light." Olivia said looking out the window.
"And as you can see you're very close to the park." The agent said.
I walked up next to Olivia looking outside to the view over looking Central Park.
"I will leave you two alone to chat or to look around further." The agent said looking to me as I turned to acknowledge her.
I smiled an all-knowing smile.
I waited until I heard the front door close.
"Well what do you think?"
Olivia looked at me, and then took a few steps, looking around the bright and sunny room.
"Does it seem perfect?" She asked.
"It seems pretty perfect."
"His crib could go right here."
I smiled.
"Perfect spot."
"And it really does have great closet space. And the master has a tub just as big as yours now…"
"I would hate to have to give up the tub."
"And the kitchen..."
"Is great." I agreed.
Olivia was quiet as she walked in to the hallway and in to the empty living room.
"Alex can you see us here?"
It was my turn to think.
My turn to envision our lives here.
Raising our baby here, Sunday afternoons, making love to her here, growing with her here, all the possibilities of what our lives could bring.
I walked up behind her, putting my chin on her shoulder.
"Yeah… I think I can see us here."
"I feel like this is it. I feel like I can see us here…
I made my way in front of her, looking in to her eyes.
She grinned.
I leaned in kissing her, taking a moment to savor her lips, savor the feel of my hands on her hips.
"Now it feels right." I said as I pulled away grinning.
Olivia smiled at me with her perfect smile.
"You know you do look pretty sexy standing here in this living room." She said, her brow raised.
"How did I look in the bedroom? Bathroom? Kitchen? Sexy?" I joked.
Olivia laughed.
"Incredibly sexy in the bedroom, unbelievably sexy in the bathroom, tantalizingly sexy in the kitchen…
"Very good answer Benson!"
Olivia reached for my hand and we made our way out of the apartment just as I had held her hand on the way in.
We had found our home.