Author's Notes: Thank you for the very nice feedback!!! : ) Really made my day … several actually! ; ) I am glad you like the fuzzy parts as well as the angsty parts! : )
This is the last "real" chapter. The 8th is really short. So I hope you'll enjoy it and please let me know what you think about it! : ) Thank you!!! : )
Chapter 7: "Happy Birthday"
"She's a miracle, Abby. Our miracle. I can't believe that we practically made her.", he said with a smile and wiped his teary eyes. "I mean, I see your input, she's beautiful. But … it's still so unbelievable. She's perfect. I love my girls so much."
"John?"
"Hmm?"
"John!"
"What?"
"John, it's time to get up."
Slowly he felt himself awake from his dream. He opened his eyes slowly, still smiling.
"Good morning beautiful."
"Good morning." She smiled at him before she kissed him. "Took you long enough."
He grinned. "I didn't want to wake up, I had a beautiful dream. We had our baby. It was a girl and she was so beautiful. She was as pretty as you, just perfect."
She looked at him and smiled. "I could hear that."
He looked at her confused. "Don't tell me you heard me talking while I was dreaming."
She grinned. "Yup, you were very sweet. So you want a girl?"
"Maybe.", he answered with a bright smile. "But I will love it, no matter if boy or girl. Though a little Abby would be great. She'd have your eyes and your mouth with your beautiful smile ..."
"Stop it before I blush!", she said and threw a pillow against his head.
"I'm only telling the truth."
"Yeah, whatever.", she said with a smile before he leaned over to kiss her, his hand resting on her round belly.
"John?"
"Yeah?"
"We should name that spot after you."
"What?", he asked confused, looking into Abby's eyes.
"That spot.", she answered and pointed at his hand on her belly. "I feel like your hand was there every minute over the last 7 months.", she said with a smile. She didn't mind that it was like that. It was the opposite. She loved it that he was looking forward to the baby and wanted to be close to it. She was just amused that he didn't get tired of the same spot over the weeks and that his hand was always in exactly the same position.
John grinned. "I know, guilty of that.", he said and kissed her again. "But it's so great to be close to the baby."
"I know."
"I will miss that when the baby will be born. But I am so looking forward to it."
"Me, too.", she said, moved closer to him and let her head rest on his chest.
"Hey, you okay? You are so quiet.", he asked her after a few minutes of silence.
She looked up at him. "Yeah, I'm okay."
"You're not. Come on, tell me."
"It's stupid, really."
"It can't be stupid if it bothers you.", he said and began stroking her back reassuringly.
She sighed. "I am just scared, you know? I was with so many women while they gave birth, but this time it's me. And I don't know what it will be like." She still looked into his eyes. "Don't get me wrong. I am happy and looking forward to our baby so much. But … I can't explain it. I told you it's stupid." She buried her face into his chest again.
"Hey." He put a finger under her chin to make her look at him. "I understand what you mean. It's not stupid. It's a new experience for you and me. And even I am excited but also scared. So it has to be for you, too. But you know I'll be with you. I won't leave your side and hold your hand, okay? I won't let anything happen to you or the baby. I will take care of you."
She smiled at him. She was glad that she would not be alone, it made her feel much better. She already knew he'd be with her, but she needed to hear it again when she was scared like now.
"I know you will. Thank you."
"You don't have to thank me. You are carrying our baby. To be with you while it will be born is the least I can do. I didn't want to miss it.", he said and kissed her cheek gently.
"I love you."
"I love you, too."
***
"Did she have a name?", Abby asked, sitting at the kitchen table, eating a Bagle.
"Who?", he asked confused, standing at the tea kettle to make some tea.
"The baby. Our daughter. In your dream I mean."
"Oh! No, I don't think so. Why?"
She laughed and pointed at the bulge under her nightshirt. "Well, as you know, there won't be much more time to think about it I fear. We have 2 more weeks maybe, and we still didn't really think about a name. Neither for a boy, nor a girl. So I thought maybe you were inspired in your dream."
He laughed a little and walked over to her.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but even in my dreams I am no help in finding a name for the baby."
She rolled her eyes playfully. "What did I marry you for?"
"Hey, I dreamed at least that it was a girl."
He took the half eaten Bagle out of her hand and put it down to take her hands and maker her stand up in front of him. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close, as close as Abby's round belly allowed them. She did the same and let her head rest on his chest.
"Do you think I was right? With my dream I mean, that it will be a girl."
She pulled away a little to look into his eyes. "I don't know, I know as much as you do.", she said and reached up to kiss him gently.
"Yeah, but you are the mother. Aren't you supposed to have some kind of instinct?"
She was silent, looking into his eyes with a mischievous grin.
"Come on, you know something. Would make it easier to find a name if you knew."
"Well, I don't know for sure, but if you asked me …", she paused to tease him, "… it's a girl. But I am really not sure, it's just a feeling."
He grinned from ear to ear. He would really love the baby, not matter what sex it had, but the thought of having a little girl made him happy.
"What?", she asked.
"Nothing, I just thought that it would really be great to have a girl."
She smiled back at him. She liked the thought of having a girl, too.
"So, what's the name then?", she asked with a grin.
He looked at her, confused.
"You said if you knew the sex it would make it easier to find a name. So I say it's a girl, what's the name you suggest?"
He smiled at her and scratched the back of his head. "Errr … let's just decide when it's there and we see it, okay?"
She smiled at him. He was as clueless as she was. "Taking the easy way out mister, huh?"
He nodded and smiled.
She grinned back at him and kissed him. "Okay, but to make up for that you take me shopping today."
"Hey, what do I have to make up for?", he asked and kissed her back.
"After all, you don't know a name for the baby."
"Neither do you."
"But I carry around your child for 9 months already."
"It's yours, too."
She stepped back from their embrace, her arms crossed in front of her chest and gave him a playful glare.
That made him smile. He loved their playful banter. "Okay, you win. What do you need?"
She smiled back and went back into his arms. "Baby stuff."
"Again? Don't we have enough for 10 babies already? I mean, it is only 1 in there, right?", he asked and patted her belly.
"We'll see.", she answered with a wink. "And no, we don't have enough. See, the baby thinks the same.", she added when she felt the baby kick. He felt it, too, since he still had his hand on the same spot and grinned from ear to ear. Even after months they both didn't get tired of feeling the baby move.
"Okay, we'll go.", he said, still smiling. Honestly, he loved to go shopping for the baby.
"It's really just a few last things."
***
"I am exhausted.", he sighed, walking up the last steps to their apartment, carrying 4 huge bags upstairs. Abby was already at the door, searching for the keys in her pockets.
"Come on old man, I am waiting.", she said, holding the door for him after she opened it.
"Old man?", he laughed. "How much do you think these bags weight? You said you needed just a few last things, but I think we bought all they had in the baby store."
"I don't think so. And how much do you think our baby weights?"
He didn't have anything to say to that. She was playing the baby card and there was nothing he could say. She was right, she had the most work during the pregnancy. So he could at least carry the bags.
He let the bags fall to the floor and himself onto the couch when he reached the living room.
Abby sat down next to him, leaned forward and started to search through the bags.
When she found what she was searching for she leant back and held up a tiny shirt.
"All these things are so small.", he said amazed. He moved over, closer to Abby, kissed her cheek and let his hand rest on its spot on her belly.
"I know.", she said and kissed him back.
"I can't wait to hold it in my arms."
"Me neither."
With that she leaned forward again to put the shirt back into the bag before she got up.
"I will bring the stuff into the baby's room.", she said and bent down to pick up one of the bags.
"Abby!", he exclaimed.
"What?", she asked surprised, letting the bag fall back onto the floor.
"You are pregnant. You shouldn't carry around heavy things."
"John, don't be silly. This is not heavy.", she said and picked up the bag again. "It's just a few baby clo …", was all she brought out before she let the bag fall down again. "Ouch!", she said and put her hand on her stomach.
"Abby, what's wrong?", he asked excited, jumping up from the couch, putting his arm around her.
"Well, I think the baby wants to see it's Daddy.", she smiled at him with teary eyes.
"Really?", he asked, his eyes getting teary, too.
"I think so.", she laughed.
"Okay, sit down and stay right here, I will go and get your bag."
"Okay. But do you even know where …", she wanted to say, but he was already gone.
10 seconds later he was back. "Abby? Where is your bag?"
"In the bedroom.", she answered, smiling.
"Okay.", was all he said before he was gone again.
She thought she'd be as excited as Carter when it was finally time for the baby. So she had already packed the stuff she needed to avoid the stress. But, to her own surprise, she was completely calm. She was looking forward to the baby, too. But suddenly it felt like a natural thing. There was no need to be scared.
She watched him pace through the apartment, grabbing this and that, before she suddenly heard the door close. She became a little nervous. She didn't really want to believe that he left without her, that only happened in movies.
"Okay, we can go.", he said when he came back 2 minutes later. She was just staring at him.
"What?"
"I thought you left without me.", she said, close to tears. The hormones still had control over her body and she cried easily.
"Hey.", she said and sat down next to her. "How could I leave without you? I was just bringing everything to the car to be there for you.", he said and helped her up. He gave her one last big hug before they left the apartment, together this time.
***
"Okay Abby, when you feel the next contraction I want you to push as much as you can. The baby is almost there.", the nurse said, smiling at Carter and Abby.
"If someone had told me before how much that hurts, I'd never have agreed to this.", she brought out between deep breaths. "I can't do that any minute longer."
Carter was sitting next to Abby, holding her hand. He was hoping that what they say is true. That you forget all the pain when you hold the baby in your arms. Because he was sure he did not only want one child with Abby.
But he could see that she was in a lot of pain for hours already. In the beginning it was bearable. When he walked up and down the hallway with her. But now it was getting worse with every minute.
She squeezed his hand with every contraction. And he was sure, if her screaming wasn't that loud, he could hear the bones in his fingers break. But he didn't care. It was the least he could do.
"You are doing great baby.", he said and kissed her forehead. "I am so proud of you. And it's almost there. You will make it", he added with a smile. "I love you."
She turned her head and was just about to say something when the next contraction hit her.
She screamed loudly and squeezed his hand again.
"Push, Abby. I can see the head already.", the nurse said, trying to encourage her.
She took all her remaining strength and pushed as much as she could while Carter was holding her hand, whispering words of encouragement.
Suddenly the pain subsided and they could hear the baby scream.
"Abby, you were fantastic.", the nurse said. "You have a beautiful little girl. Does Daddy want to cut the cord?", she asked.
Carter just nodded and got up to do so. It was a weird feeling to separate the baby from Abby.
Afterwards he sat down next to Abby again and the nurse laid the baby on Abby's chest.
Carter and Abby both didn't have words. They had tears in their eyes and were staring at the baby and into each others eyes in turns, admiring the beautiful child that was the result of their love. She had dark hair and blue eyes. Carter could see Abby's nose and her mouth in her face. It made him happy that the baby had so much from it's mother.
Carter was the first to find words. "Oh my God Abby, she is so pretty. She looks so much like you. She will be a beautiful girl and drive the boys crazy.", he chuckled, playing with the little girl's feet. "I love you so much." He kissed Abby's forehead. "And you, too." He kissed the top of the baby's head.
Abby smiled at him. "You remember your suggestion? Seeing the baby and deciding for a name?"
He nodded.
"Well, I want to call her Jona. It's like John and Abby.", she smiled at him.
"I like that.", he said and looked at the baby. "Hi Jona. Do you like that name?"
Abby laughed. "I am sure the baby has your intelligence, but I doubt she can already answer you."
"Who knows.", he said with a wink. "She looks at least pretty content with her name."
"Yeah. And I want her to have Millicent as the middle name."
That brought fresh tears to his already watery eyes. "Abby, that would be really nice, but we really don't have to …"
"No John, I really want it. I know how much your grandmother meant to you. And I'd like it if she had her name and reminded you of her."
"Thank you Abby. It means a lot to me.", he said and kissed her lips gently. "Jona Millicent Carter. I think that sounds pretty good."
"It does."
"And as a nick we could call her Gamma.", he laughed.
"Don't you dare!", Abby said and hit his arm playfully.
"I was kidding, don't worry."
"You better were.", she said before they kissed again.
The nurse came to take the baby away again.
"Do you want to bath and dress her?", she asked Carter.
"I'd love to. I'll be right back.", he said to Abby and kissed her again before he followed the nurse to the small bathtub.
"She is so tiny.", he said, holding his daughter in the water. After the nurse knew how big she was and how much she weighed and after the doctor checked that everything was alright with her, he could finally give her a bath.
"I am afraid I could hurt her."
"Don't worry, they only look so fragile. You can't break anything if you are a little careful. You are doing it great, believe me."
He smiled and brought his attention back to his baby. "She is almost sleeping.", he smiled.
"Yes, she feels like back in Mommy's stomach. It's warm and wet. Babies like baths. But I think it's time to get her out and dress her."
He nodded and took her out of the water carefully to lay her on the towel that was placed next to the tub.
He dried her little body and dressed her, still hardly daring to touch her.
"Okay, let's go to Mommy now.", he said and carried her over after she had her clothes on.
He put her in Abby's arms and sat down next to her on the edge of the bed.
"52 centimetres and 3 kilograms.", he informed Abby proudly. "I think we did a pretty good job. She is perfect."
"We did.", she answered and smiled, both admiring their baby.
***
"I am so glad that I could go home immediately."
"Me, too.", he said and smiled, sitting on the couch next to Abby, holding the baby in his arms between them. "Look how peaceful she sleeps."
"Yeah, she must be exhausted after everything."
He looked up from the baby into Abby's eyes. "You must be, too. Do you want to sleep a little? I will take care of Jona.", he said with a grin.
"I bet you do.", she smiled back at him. "But it's okay, I am fine."
"Are you sure?", he asked worriedly.
"Yeah, to be with you two is all I need at the moment. I can hardly take my eyes off her."
"I don't think I can give her out of my hands again."
"Wait until she screams.", she joked.
"Even if she screams or if she needs her diapers changed, I will do it happily."
"I know.", she said before they kissed.
"The only thing I can't do is breastfeed her. But it's much better to watch you doing it anyway. You look so beautiful together."
"I bet.", she said, smiling at him.
"But I feel guilty."
"Why?"
"Well, you had all the work. You were pregnant and you had all the pain while giving birth. And what do I?"
She leaned over and kissed him passionately. "You make me happy."
