Hello! This is a fun little one-shot I did during my free time. I hope you enjoy it, please leave a review!
Alexander steps out of the closet, straightening his camouflage hat. "Ready to go, Sweetheart?" he asks. I look into the mirror as I fasten my gold hoop earrings.
"Almost. Have you seen my purse?" I say.
"On the kitchen counter where you left it."
"Oh." I grin and he kisses my cheek.
"We're telling your folks tonight, correct?"
"Yep. I invited them to dinner for my birthday, but really…"
We exchange a knowing glance. He kisses me gently. "I can't wait."
"Neither can I."
"You look really pretty, Betsey." His hands reside on my waist. I had straightened my hair, wore a reddish lip color, and an army green jean dress with strappy sandals. I never wore green very often, but now I wear this all the time to show my support to my husband's military career.
"You look so handsome, Lieutenant Colonel Hamilton." My fingers trace his chest.
"Why thank you, Mrs. Hamilton." Our lips meet and I can't help but smile.
"We need to go before we are late," I tell him between kisses. His hand has slid under my dress and is gently squeezing my thigh.
He groans and releases me from his embrace. I laugh when I see him.
"What?" he asks.
"Lipstick, Honey." I wipe my red color off his lips and jawline. He's laughing too. "I love you," I whisper in his ear.
"I love you too, Darling."
When we get to the restaurant, an Italian place, my family is waiting at the hostess table for our table to be ready.
"Happy birthday, Lizzie!" my little sister says as she hugs me.
"Thanks, Peg." I smile and greet the rest of my family.
Angelica, my older sister, and her husband John, Peggy and her finacé, Stephen, and my parents are all there. We all chat, standing around. Angelica's little boy is flourishing in preschool and Peggy's wedding is coming along nicely. Mama and Papa's form has a good planting season in upstate New York. Then they ask about Alexander.
"I ship back out to Iraq in six weeks for three months, then I'm back for a month," he informs them. I squeeze his hand.
"Why would they send you just to bring you back for only a month?" Stephen asks.
Alex pales. "Reasons." His grip around my waist tightens and his fingers tenderly press against my abdomen. He gently and delicately brushes his lips against my ear as he whispers,
"When?"
"Later," is my quiet response. He nods and straightens up again.
Our table is called and we go back. The waiter asks what we'd like to drink. Everyone in my family except Alexander orders some sort of alcoholic beverage. I bite my lip.
"Um, I'll take a water," I say. Alex pats my knee and orders the same.
When the waiter has left, I lock eyes with my husband. He gestures to my family. "Why don't you tell them, Dear?"
"Tell us what?" my father asks as he unfolds his napkin.
I purse my lips to hide my gentle smile. "Well, one the topic of birthdays, a week or two ago I… I mean we…" I struggle to say it. I'm too happy. Alex kisses my cheek and squeezes my knee under the table. "Well, I'm pregnant!"
Everyone cheers and Alex smiles at me. He pressed his hand to my stomach.
"When are you due?" Angelica asks.
"January 30th," I smile.
"Boy or girl?"
"We don't know yet, she's only four months," my husband says with a gigantic grin.
"Aw!" My mother reaches across the table and squeezes my hand. "Congratulations, Sweetie."
"Thanks, Mama. We're both super excited." Alexander wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls me against him.
"Well, finally I'm getting a grandchild out of you two!" my dad says. We all laugh. I am happy and content.
"Alex, can you help me unzip this?" I say as I hold up my hair so it's out of the way.
"Sure, Baby." My shirtless husband tells me. He was in the middle of getting into the shower.
"Why hello there, handsome," I giggle. You can tell he's an active soldier, he has the body for it.
We've been married for almost a year and he still gets to me. His hand holds my waist as his other unzips me. I shiver at his touch. I'm blushing and I know it. I smile to myself.
"Thanks, Love," I murmur. I go to step away but he catches my hand.
"Let me do it for you. I mean with the baby and all, you should be doing the least amount of work." He lets my dress drop and I giggle again. He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me against him. My back is pressed against his chest and I love it.
I'm feeling flirty tonight. "I think this is unfair," I tell him.
"What's the matter?" he breathes against the skin of my neck. His breath is hot and steamy.
"You still have pants on while I do not. We have to make it fair."
He chuckles. "Alright then, whatever you wish." His hands leave my waist and he unbuckles his belt. I hear him slide off his jeans and toss them on the bathroom floor. He hugs me again, now in only boxers.
"Better, Angel?" he asks. I nod. He kisses my neck for a moment and then stops. "You know, if we're talking fair…" He unclips my bra. I stifle a squeal as he lets it fall.
I make soft whimpery noises as he slows touches what the bra was covering. He moans that he loves me in my ear. I say the same. I feel light-headed.
"I think that maybe we should try saving water and just shower together. Be more earth-conscious, right?" he whispers.
I titter quietly. "Well, I mean if you really want…"
"I do." He spins me in his arms so I face him. He runs his hands up my legs and pinches the hem of my underwear. In a moment, we're both naked and tangled in each other as the hot water from the shower falls onto us.
I laugh as he kisses me and lifts my leg a little. "I love you," I say.
"I love you too." His strong and muscular arm wraps around my body and he holds me tight. Goodness is he so sexy when he's like this!
We then proceed to make love. Alexander was hesitant at first, saying maybe we shouldn't with the baby and all. I convinced him that it would be just fine. He was leaving in six weeks anyway. He gave in pretty quickly.
We're both wrapped in the same towel, pressed against each other. His wet
Auburn bangs hang in his eyes and I push them out of the way.
"I want to know something, and I want you to be entirely honest," he says after a moment of gazing.
"Okay. What is it?"
"Are you one hundred percent sure you will be okay by yourself for the next few months?"
I nod. "I'll be fine."
He sighs. "I wish I didn't have to leave you now. Please, please call me if anything changes and after every appointment."
"Don't worry, Babe! I will! You're worrying too much."
"Maybe. Better safe than sorry."
I roll my eyes playfully. He presses his hand against my stomach and rests his forehead on mine. "Send me progress photos too. I want to see how he's growing."
"I will."
"Thank you. I'm really going to miss you."
"I'm going to miss you too."
"Pick up, pick up!" I groan as I sit on my bed. A pillow is clutched over my slightly swollen stomach as I press my cell phone to my ear. I'm greeted with only a voicemail notification. "Alex!"
I dial his number again. Finally, after calling three times, he picks up.
"Jesus, Babe, what's the matter?! Five missed calls!" he says.
"God is it good to hear your voice," I whine.
"What's the matter?"
"Nothing. I just missed you so badly. I have good news."
"Really?"
"Yeah. My six-month ultrasound was today."
"Oh, it was wasn't it? How'd it go."
"He's super healthy. Note the pronoun."
"Note the pronoun? What do you mean- Oh! Oh, he! It's a boy!?"
"Mhm!" I smile.
"Aww, Elizabeth! Have you told anyone else yet?"
"Nope. I wanted to come to you first. My sisters are throwing me a baby
shower and I figured I'd tell everyone then."
"Lovely. Dear God, I miss you so much."
"I miss you too." I sigh. "I sent you a package today. It'll come eventually.
Some socks, a pocket Bible, and some ultrasound pictures. He's the cutest thing!"
"Oh, Eliza," he groans. "Thank you, Dear. You know those pictures mean the world to me. You look beautiful by the way in the last one you sent."
"Thanks. I'm even bigger now. He hasn't started kicking yet but I'm sure he will soon."
Alex sighs sadly. "I'll miss it."
"Yeah… The doctor said sometimes you can see them move. I'll video it if want."
"That would be great. How've you been feeling? Morning sickness still?"
"No, not really. It's not as bad anymore."
"That's good." He pauses. "I love you."
"I love you too."
"And I'm so sorry but I have to go. Thank you for telling me, I'm so thrilled. Tell him his dad loves him for me, will ya?"
"Sure, Alex. Talk soon?"
"I'll try. Bye, Sweetheart."
"Bye." He hangs up and I sigh. I wish he was here. Calling once a week isn't enough. I slid out of bed and go into the closet. I take one of his hoodies, a grey sweater with King's College Alumni across it. I pull it over my head and bury into it. It smells like him.
I look over at the picture of us on the nightstand. It's a photo of us at our wedding. My eyes start to water and I bite my lip. I cry at everything lately. I blame the baby, but I know it's because I just need him.
I lay down in the big, empty bed. His side is untouched. I could, if I wanted, take up both sides of the bed. But I don't. I keep to my side, hugging his pillow. This is the first time he's left since we married. He did go once while we were dating, but it's so different now that we're married.
I curl up into a ball, hugging his pillow and trying not to cry. Somehow I end up falling asleep.
I stand in front of the mirror, stressing. I'm a whopping thirty-three weeks pregnant. I tried calling Alexander, but he didn't pick up. Today's our one-year anniversary, December 14th. I'm trying to find a good angle to show off my ginormous belly so I can send Alex the photo.
I snap it and text it to him.
Hey Babe! Happy One Year! I love you bunches. Thirty-three weeks today! He's been kicking all the time. I miss you. You come back the 28th, right? XO ?ￂﾠ
I sigh as I stare at the screen like that will make him respond. It's ten AM here and five PM there. He should be able to call now. His break is around this time. My eyes water and I turn off my phone. I slip it into my, or should I say his, hoodie sweater pocket.
I look in the mirror again. I cock my head to the side as I survey myself. I don't look too different, only my stomach. It's bigger than I thought it would get and I'm not even full term. I place my hands over my bump.
"Hi there, little baby," I coo. "I can't wait to get to meet you, Sweetheart." I rub my hands in a circle and feel a kick. I giggle. "Moving and groovin', are ya?"
I can see my stomach move and I quickly pull my phone back out. I quickly film it, laughing.
"The baby says hi too, Honey!" I say. I send the clip to Alexander as well.
God, I miss him so much. I hold the phone to my chest and whimper. My phone dings and I quickly look at it like my life depends on it.
It's from my sister, Angelica.
You holding up okay?
I groan and type my response, a simple yeah. I toss my phone onto the bed and stumble down the stairs. I'm hungry again. This baby is making me always hungry, goodness!
I lean against the kitchen counter in silence as I peel a banana. The house is so empty. I can't stand it. I know he's home in two weeks, but… My heart is practically bleeding.
I feel a spike of pain in my abdomen. It scares me. I cradle my stomach and wait to see if it will happen again. It does. I don't know what to do.
The baby couldn't be coming, right? He wasn't due for another month and a half! I waddle up the stairs to text my mom. She'll know. I wince at another pain. I pray that they're just Braxton Hicks. I can't do this without my husband.
Are little pains normal now?
I text her. She texts back immediately.
Yes, sweetheart. If they get bad though, call me. Keep an eye on it
I will, Mom. Thanks.
No problem. Happy Anniversary honey.
Thank you.
I turn my phone back off and collapse on my bed. I nestle into the blankets, hugging Alex's pillow. Just as I almost fell asleep, my phone buzzes with a notification. I look at the screen.
I sit up in bed. It's from Alexander.
Aww, you look so beautiful! He's getting so big! I love you too, Angel. ?
I quickly text back.
When are you coming home?
Oh, yeah, about that… I have bad news.
What?!
I can't come home until February
I stare at my phone in disbelief. I can't believe this. This cannot be happening. My eyes water and my bottom lip trembles. I struggle to type my response.
You better be joking
I'm so sorry, Babe
Alex! You promised you would be home!
I know, I'm sorry! It's not under my control
I sob as the tears start to fall.
He's due in January! You're going to miss it!
I'm aware of that, Eliza.
Well you don't have to be rude about it
Please don't work yourself up, it's going to be okay.
No it isn't!
Neither of us says anything. I wail and hiccup-cry. I eventually make myself type the words.
Why did I listen to you?
What?
It'll be fine," you said. "Just this once won't hurt anything," you said. One
night. One gosh dang night without protection and I'm pregnant. We both know this was an accident.
But you said you wanted kids, Angel!
Yes but not four months after getting married! We still have debt and you
were just about to leave for Iraq and…
Darling please now, it's going to be okay.
No it won't. Nothing is ever okay. I regret this so much.
Regret what? The baby?
Yes. No. I don't know. All of it. Marrying a soldier.
He doesn't say anything. I gasp for breath as I cry. My tears are suffocating me.
So you regret marrying me?
He finally said something. I bawl.
No! I just…
It's fine. I understand. I'm sorry I can't be enough for you, Elizabeth. I try. Goddamn do I try! I wish you would've told me this before we married. We wouldn't be in this mess then.
I didn't mean it like that, I swear. I love you more than anything! I'm so happy that we're married. I only wish you had a different occupation. You being this far away is so, so hard. I'm going crazy without you.
You think this is easy for me?!
I didn't say that, Alexander.
But you meant it.
No
Yes. I have to go. Happy fucking anniversary
Fresh tears stream. I cry and cry for an hour.
We don't talk for a month. I'm either sobbing or curled up in bed. Everything hurts and I just want this baby out. I broke his heart and I don't know what to do about it.
Today is January 21st. The baby is due in nine days. I'm always on the edge of my seat, overly conscious of everything. I miss Alexander more than anything. I do still send him the weekly progress photos, however.
I take a picture in the mirror again. He won't care, I know it. But it still feels good to send it to him anyway.
Thirty-nine weeks, Hon. Nine more days! Crazy, I know. Lots of love, stay safe.
I send the message with the picture and I don't get a response. The screen shows he read it, however. I sigh. I stumble into the closet and reach for my pajamas. I decide to go to bed a little early.
Pain stabs me. I tell myself it's just more false contractions. My phone buzzes as I pull on my pajamas. Pain accompanies me to where my phone sits.
Alex texts,
Cute.
I groan at his one-word response. It's still better than my last two attempts,
he didn't say anything at all. More pain greets me. I'm getting worried. I decide to live with it and get some sleep.
I wake up sweating in the middle of the night. Everything is screaming in pain. The sheets are wet. My water has broken. I'm having a baby.
I quickly dial Angelica's number. She picks up.
"What?" she groans, groggy from sleep.
"I just went into labor."
She snaps out of her daze. "Oh crap! I'm coming to pick you up, hold on!"
I groan in pain as she hangs up. I don't have a bag or anything. I don't have a plan, a built crib, or a husband. He isn't here. I start to cry as I dial his number. I hold the ringing phone to my ear using my shoulder as I scramble around my bedroom to throw a bag together.
He picks up after three rings. He sounds upset.
"What, Eliza?" he snaps.
I take a deep, wheezing breath. "Guess who just went into labor."
He groans. "Please tell me you're kidding."
I grip the bed frame to support myself through a painful contraction. "Do I sound like I'm kidding?"
He pauses. "Did you call Angelica?"
"Of course. She's coming to take me to the hospital." And I mutter under my breath, "Since you aren't here to take me."
He hears. I know he does. "Well sorry flights across the world take a couple hours. If you could've just waited until like three-thirtyish…"
"Wait, what?"
"I'm flying over the Atlantic Ocean right now. Plane's get weird so late at night."
"WHAT?!" I shriek. "You said you wouldn't be home until February!"
"I pulled some strings. I couldn't miss the birth of my son, now could I?"
"Alexa- Mh!" I moan as another contraction comes. "God, this hurts," I joke.
"I'll be there soon, Angel. I love you."
"I love you too."
He hangs up just as the doorbell rings. I stumble down the stairs, slowly. I have a little backpack full of stuff for the baby. Angelica helps me to her car and I sit in the back seat. Her husband drives and she sits next to me.
"Come on, Liz, just breath," she coaches. I'm wheezing as she rubs my shoulders. I try to concentrate on Alexander.
"He's flying home right now," I manage to say. She knows that by he I mean my husband.
"That's good news. You need him, I can tell."
I nod.
I'm checked into the hospital and my mom and dad show up about ten minutes later. I text Alexander a picture of my hospital wristband.
I land in twenty minutes. Hang on for me! ?
I'll try. Love you!
XO, Betsey
The next hour's hard. Very hard. I'm fighting back screams as my mother and Angelica hold my hand. I'm staring at the door, willing my husband to walk through. My phone buzzes.
"What does it say?" I whine. Angelica looks at it and shows it to me.
Just landed! How are you holding up?
"Tell him I said just peachy," I say before I cry out in pain again. My mother
rubs my back. Angelica texts it to him.
The hospital is about ten minutes from the airport. He should be here soon.
And it's a good thing, I don't think I could hold on any longer.
There's a knock on the door. "Betsey?"
I shriek. "ALEXANDER!"
He opens the door and I start sobbing. He's head to toe in his camo uniform.
His name, Hamilton, is patched on his chest. He has the stars and symbols of his impressive ranking on his sleeve. He's tanner than before, the Middle Eastern sun did a number on him. He looks so handsome.
I hold my arms out and he runs to me. He hugs me tightly and I sob into his
shoulder.
"I love you," I wail.
"I love you too." He squeezes me and my sister moves aside. He presses his
lips to mine desperately and I kiss back. His hand is against my stomach while his other holds my neck. "I missed you so goddamn much."
"Me too. Never do that again."
"No promises."
I frown briefly before giving it up. He's here now, that's what matters.
"You look so beautiful," he tells me as he takes my hand. I smile slightly
before squeezing his hand with a new painful contraction.
"Oh crap," I groan. "This isn't quite the reunion I had in mind."
"Perfect nonetheless, Darling." He presses his forehead to mine and I try to
take a breath but it is so hard to. I shift over and he sits on the side of the hospital bed next to me.
The contraction dies down and I immediately kiss him again, wrapping my
arm that didn't have the IV around his neck. My family looks away. I hold his face to mine as our tongues brush against each other.
"Ez ji te hez dikim, Elizabeth," he says between kisses.
I pull away. "What?" I chuckle.
"It's Kurdish for 'I love you'. I picked up a little in Iraq."
I smile and pull him back to me. The only thing that interrupts me is another contraction. I groan and he squeezes my hand.
Forty-five minutes later,
"Here he is!" the nurse says as she lays a naked little baby boy on my chest. I sob and hold him close.
"He's perfect!" I say. Alexander kisses my forehead.
The baby has all my features except for his eyes. Those are distinctly his father's. The piercing blue stares at me as he cries. I am crying as I hold him. Alex's arm is around my shoulders as the other strokes our son's head.
"What should we name him?" he asks.
"I have no idea."
"We can figure it out later." I smile at my baby boy. The nurse asks if Alex wants to cut the cord. He agrees and I tell my mom to film it. She does. I hold the baby as Alex does it. The baby is quickly taken from me for a moment, weighed and examined before being handed back to me. He is now swaddled in a blanket and has a hospital band that matches mine around his ankle.
He nestles into my chest and whimpers. I stroke his back and Alexander does so to mine.
"Can I have a picture of you two?" he asks.
"I look terrible, Alex."
"You look gorgeous, what are you talking about? Smile." He snaps a photo and I chuckle.
"Do you want to hold him, Dear?"
"Of course."
I pass him to my husband and he simpers. "Hello there, little stranger. Hope you didn't give your mother too much trouble while I was gone."
I smile. "Now I need a picture of you two."
He rolls his eyes and my mother takes the picture for me. I update it to be my home screen photo.
A few hours later, everyone has left except Alex. He sits in a chair pulled up next to my bed, telling me about Iraq. I'm breastfeeding our son for the first time. It's kind of weird, but I like holding him so close to me.
He finished his story and I smile at him. "I thought of a name idea."
"Did you now?" he says.
"Alexander."
"No. I'm not worthy, Darling. He's too perfect for my name."
"I disagree."
"How about a different family name? Your father?"
"Philip? I like that name. Phillip Hamilton…" I think about it. "I'm for it if you are."
"I like it. Little Pip." He kisses are sleepy son's cheek.
"I can't believe we only have a month together before you have to leave again."
"Actually, there's a part two to the early homecoming surprise."
"What?" I get my hopes up too quickly, don't I?
"My unit is being furloughed for eighteen months. We aren't needed."
I stare at him in disbelief. It's too good to be true. "No way…"
"Yep."
"This is just… I can't believe it. I thought that you would miss all of this…" I smile as my eyes start to fill with tears of happiness. "I love you, Alexander."
"I love you too. I love you too much for my own good, honestly."
I laugh. We press our foreheads together and sigh thankfully. I'm so glad to be in his arms, with our little son, Phillip Hamilton.