Matthew Williams smiled as he pulled his fiancee, Irunya Chernenko, into his lap. He placed his hands on her large, pregnant belly. His smile could barely fit on his face. "Can't believe you're due any day now," he said, laughing happily. "How do you feel, Rune? We're going to be parents any day now!"
Irunya smiled up at him. "I am overjoyed, my dear Matvey," she said, smiling up at him. "Words cannot express it." She leaned back against him tiredly. "But this baby is pretty heavy. I hope it comes soon."
They both had decided that they'd rather not know the gender until it was born, having picked up many gender-neutral items since Irunya had announced her pregnancy to him. Both of them were so excited that they could barely stand it. Matthew was secretly hoping for a girl so he could have his little princess, and Irunya wanted a little boy who would look just like his father.
Matthew grinned at her and kissed her cheek. "You'll do just fine, I know it. You've taken all of the classes. You know exactly what to do. I believe that everything will run smoothly."
"Oh, Matvey, you know exactly what to say," she said. She snuggled more comfortably into his arms and closed her blue eyes. "I believe you. I believe that everything will turn out well. I have to believe in this. Otherwise I feel as if I will get too worked up."
"And we don't want that." Matthew smiled at her and nuzzled her neck. "We want a good birth for our precious child."
"Our little Madeline or Michael," Irunya purred, smiling. She reached over and cupped Matthew's cheek in her hand. "You are the best fiance that I could ever ask for. We will make the perfect parents, Matvey."
"Of course we will," he agreed. "Our child will love us, and we'll always love it. We'll be the perfect family forever."
"We'll have the perfect family," she said, tilting her head to kiss her fiance. "God, I love you, Matvey. You're the best thing to ever happen to me, my love."
"You're the best thing to ever happen to me too, Irunya," he responded. "I think you're just the most amazing woman on this earth."
"Stop it," she giggled, yet she loved when Matthew showered her with compliments. It wasn't like when she was younger and her parents expected better at all times. She never felt good enough. Ever.
Matthew's mind thought back to when he and Irunya were first pregnant with the baby. He remembered how Itunya was still awkward about compliments because of her parents. He remembered how angry both of their families were with them having just gotten together a month before and already expecting a baby. But what their families couldn't tell was the love shared between the two young lovers.
.
Nine Months Before
Irunya sat on the couch, having just been yelled at by her parents on the phone for the third time since that morning. She had told them she was pregnant, expecting them to be happy, but it was much, much more worse than she could have ever imagined. Tears streamed down her face as she sat, trembling and holding the phone that had once held hope of encouragement.
Matthew walked in, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yours, too?" he asked her. He sat next to her. "You know what? This is the one time I'll ever say this, but screw what they say. Just screw it all, Irunya. We'll raise our own kids. And if they don't like it, they don't have to see them."
She looked up at him, her pretty face swollen and bloodshot from crying. "Oh, Matvey, how will I ever be able to do this? I need support from my parents. I need it."
"No, it's just that you crave it," Matthew said. "You want it for the baby because it's something you've always wanted for yourself. But the thing is, as long as the baby has two proud parents who love and support it, it'll be fine."
Irunya blinked at him as her eyes blurred with tears. "How can you see through me like that so easily?" she whispered to him. "How do you do things like that so easily?" She used the backs of her hands to wipe her eyes. "It's not fair. I think this is the first time I've ever cried in front of you."
"And I doubt it will be the last, my darling," Matthew softly told her. He reached out and grabbed her hands. "But here's the good part about that. It's okay to cry in front of me. I'm not going to down you for your weaknesses, because I have weaknesses as well. You will figure them out as this relationship progresses. But for now, I'm just going to be here for you and give you all of the love and encouragement that you need for now."
"Matvey, why are you so good to me?" Irunya whimpered, sniffiling.
"It's because you need someone who is going to treat you like the goddess that you are," Matthew answered with a smile. "You are an amazing woman, and I want to know everything there is to know about Irunya Chernenko. I want to know what makes you smile, laugh, cry, what makes you pissed, everything. I want you to be open to me and tell me your dreams, your cares, your worries, your wishes. I want to know you."
"Matvey, you make knowing me sound so romantic," Irunya softly said, smiling. "But there's really nothing like that in me."
"Of course there is," Matthew assured. "There's something like that in all of us. And I'll let you know all of that about me as well through our journey together."
"A journey?" Irunya asked. "What kind of journey?"
"It's a journey of finding ourselves and each other through our love," Matthew said. "It's not going to take a day, a week, a month," he explained. "It will take a long time, but it will be more beautiful than you could ever imagine. Will you join me on it?"
Irunya smiled at him. "I would love to, Matvey. It would be such a pleasure." She looked up at him. "I make my promise with a kiss to you." She pulled him closer and met his lips with hers. "I love you, Matthew Williams, you cheesy, romantic sap."
Matthew smiled. "If you're calling me names like that, I am just fine with it."
"What names are you not fine with?" Irunya asked with a wink.
"You'll just have to find out, now won't you?" he asked, winking back.
"You're a cheeky one," she giggled.
"Just the cheekiest," he assured, pecking her cheek. "Irunya, you are the most wonderful woman on this planet and I'm so glad to say that you are all mine. You are everything I could ever ask for in a woman and more."
She blushed. "You're just saying that, Matvey."
"Of course I'm not!" he said, as if it were rude to even suggest such a thing. "I would never say a single thing like that if it weren't the absolute truth!"
She fell into his arms, closing her eyes and just taking all of him in all at once. "I trust you, Matthew," she softly said. "And I will trust you unless you give me a reason not to. I want to raise our child with you, and I want to spend my pregnancy with you. Are there any objections?"
"None at all," Matthew assured, smiling. "I would be honored to have you do that."
"Then it's settled," she said, smiling up at him. "You're stuck with me."
"Oh, how terrible," he sarcastically responded. "I'm stuck with a beautiful woman who is carrying my unborn child. Woe is me."
Irunya giggled. "You'll be thinking that eventually."
"I highly doubt it," he assured. "I'll always think you're amazing."
.
Present Day
"Hey, Irunya?" Matthew whispered into her ear.
"Hmm?" she hummed back to him, tilting her head to try to get a glance at him.
"You're amazing," he softly told her.
"You still think so?" she asked. "Even though I'm absolutely huge and moody and only God knows what else?"
"You're huge with my baby," Matthew corrected. "Your moodswings are tolerable. And I still love every little thing about you."
Irunya suddenly clutched at her stomach, cringing in pain. "Matvey!" she cried out. "Contractions! Matvey! It's the baby!"
Matthew forced himself to remain perfectly calm as he stood, hands remaining on Irunya, who was in his lap. He kept his hands on her shoulders balancing her as he noticed a puddle forming on the hardwood floor around her feet. "Are you going into labor?"
"My water just broke," she whimpered, trying to stay strong. "Yes, Matvey!"
He forced himself to remain calm. "I'll drive you to the hospital."
