"Cori, I have something to tell you," Lindsay said, walking into her daughter's room and sitting down on the bed.
Cori's eyes widened in alarm. "Is something wrong?" she asked, worried.
Lindsay laughed. "No, no," she told her, "quite the contrary, actually."
"Well, what is it, then?"
Lindsay smiled. "I'm having a baby." She bit her lip, waiting for Cori's reaction.
"Really?" the girl asked, a smile growing on her face.
"Really," Lindsay confirmed.
"That's exciting," Cori gushed.
"I know," Lindsay couldn't wipe the smile off of her face. "I'm really excited, too."
"What about dad?"
"He's excited as well," Lindsay assured her.
"Do you want a boy or a girl?" Cori asked. This seemed to be the classic first question that is asked when you first announce you're pregnant.
"I really don't care," Lindsay said honestly, "but, a boy would be nice, for your father's sake."
Cori laughed. "Yeah, I suppose he's sort of out numbered."
"He sure is," Lindsay laughed.
Cori got up and went to her computer. "I have some homework to finish," she said ruefully.
"That's fine. Goodnight, Cori," Lindsay said walking to the door.
"Goodnight, Mom."
Lindsay was halfway out the door and into the hallway when she suddenly remembered the conversation she'd had with Danny after they went to the doctor. "Cori?"
"Yeah?"
"Can you not say anything about the baby yet?" she asked, "We wanted to keep it quiet for a little while."
Cori smiled. "Sure. No problem, Mom."
Lindsay smiled as she got her younger daughter ready for bed. Babies were such an amazing thing. The thought that she'd given this little girl life and that another one was on the way was almost overwhelming.
"Mama, Dada," Sophie babbled happily. "Co-wee."
Lindsay couldn't help but giggle at Sophia's version of Cori's name. She finished changing her diaper and started wrestling her into her pajamas.
A pair of arms wound their way around her waist as she settled Sophia into her crib, armed with her blankie and a pacifier. She jumped.
A rumble of laugher was present in her ear. "I didn't know you're so jumpy, Montana," Danny teased, kissing her neck.
"Don't do that," she said crossly, turning around in his embrace. "It scared me."
"So I noticed." Danny kissed her gently.
She tried to hit him in the arm, but his arms wrapped around her wouldn't allow it. He laughed at the look of annoyance and defeat on her face.
"Stop laughing at me!" she scowled.
"Or what?" he asked, ready to have a faux fight.
"Or I'll never kiss you, ever again," she said triumphantly, wiggling out of his arms and running down the hall.
"I don't think so!" Danny called after her.
Lindsay tried to barricade herself in the bathroom, but Danny was too quick and he made it into the room before she had a chance to even lock the door. "Nice try, Linds," he laughed.
"Not fair," she grumbled.
"It is too fair," he shot back.
Lindsay turned her back on him and went to the sink to brush her teeth and wash her face. Once more, a pair of arms wrapped around her from behind. "No," she said, intent on acting angry.
"Yes," he said, trailing kisses down her neck.
"Stop, Danny, I'm mad at you," she could suppress a smile as she said this.
"No, you're not," he told her, spinning her around and bracing his arms on the counter behind him.
"Danny - "
His lips on hers cut off any statement she was about to make. He kissed her deeply, eliminating any feelings of faux or real annoyance that she had with him. She locked her arms around his neck and pulled herself closer.
"Mmm, Danny," she sighed against his lips.
He broke the kiss and trailed a finger down the back of her neck, sending shivers down her spine. "I love you, Montana," he said quietly.
"I love you, too," she said.
He held her, touching his forehead to hers in a rare moment of quiet reflection. Between their daughters and their crazy work schedule they hardly had enough time for each other. These moments, which used to be an everyday occurrence, were now cherished treats that only happened every once in a while. Danny smiled and kissed his wife again. "Bed time," he told her, "Mommy to be needs her sleep, and so does Baby."
Lindsay smiled, loving the way he was always looking out for her and their children. Sure, he was a little on the overprotective side, but she thought it was cute and endearing. "Only if you'll tuck me in," she teased.
"Oh, you can count on that, Montana."
"Danny?" Lindsay asked later when they were cuddled together in bed. His hand rested protectively on her stomach, his chin snuggled up next to her neck.
"Hmm?" he asked, somewhat sleepily, placing a kiss just below her ear.
"Do you want a boy or a girl?"
"I don't really care, Montana, as long as it's ours." It had become a nasty habit of Danny's since they'd been married to say things like this that were resting on the fine line in between romantic and cheesy. Regardless, Lindsay soaked every word up like a sponge. She was a romantic/cheesy kind of girl.
"Really, though, don't you want a boy? Don't you have enough girls to deal with already?"
"Sure, a boy would be nice," he admitted, "But I honestly don't care if we have another girl. What about you?"
Lindsay had given it thought in the last few weeks since she'd found out she was pregnant. Like Danny, she would be happy with either gender, but she did find herself leaning in one direction. "I kind of want a boy," she told him, grinning at his pleasantly surprised reaction.
"And why would that be, Mrs. Messer?" He asked, flipping her around so that she was facing him.
"I don't know," she shrugged, "I guess I just want somebody for you to teach to play football or baseball or soccer or whatever it is that you want to teach him. Plus, with at least one of each, I'd feel like we had a completed family."
"I can teach sports to Fee or Cori, you know. Girls can play sports, too." He kissed her on the nose.
"I know. I guess I just really want a Danny Jr. running around the house," she blushed slightly when she said this, something she'd never quite grown out of, even after being with Danny for so long. Luckily for her, he found this just as endearing as she found his cheesiness and overprotective tendencies.
"Oh, I see," Danny laughed, "one of me isn't enough?"
Lindsay giggled. "Nope, guess not."
"I kinda like the sound of that," he told her.
"Do you now?" she laughed.
"Yeah, I do."
"Do you have any names in mind?" Lindsay asked suddenly.
"Honey, we just barely found out," he teased.
"I know. Still, a name is very important. You can't say you haven't thought about it at all."
"Yeah, I've thought about it," he said.
"Well," she prompted.
"Well, what?" he asked.
"What have you got in mind?"
Danny sighed. "Boy or girl?"
"Either." She wasn't going to let him get away with not telling her anything.
"Ok, um…for boys I was thinking maybe Landon or Jackson or Luke," he eyed his wife carefully when making his suggestions, gauging her reaction.
She smiled. "I'm surprised," she admitted.
"Good surprised or bad surprised?"
"Good surprised. Jackson was on the top of my list. Luke was up there too, but I hadn't even thought of Landon. I like it."
Danny smiled. He'd done well. "What about girls?" he asked her.
"Well, Ava, Ella or Chloe," she said without hesitation.
"Wow. You've really given this a lot of thought."
"Yeah, I have," she smiled sheepishly.
"I like Chloe," he said.
"Me too," she said. "That was my favorite."
"Well that was easy," Danny laughed. "Chloe for a girl, Jackson for a boy."
"And the good thing is," she said with a teasing smile, "We have 8 months to change our minds."
A/N Yep. So there it is. Kind of choppy. Sorry. I try.
xoxo
Lia
