Della had entered her fourth month and was now unable to hide her growing belly. She and Perry had just finished a particularly long case. Now, she was asleep on his office couch. Gertie was told to not buzz in for any reason. Which is why Tragg and Burger just walked in. "Gertie said we could just come in," Tragg said.
"Shh," Perry said and pointed to Della.
"Oh, sorry," Tragg said. For the first time, he and Burger noticed Della's bump. "Perry, is she...?"
"Yep," he smiled.
"That's why you didn't want me to question her," Burger said.
"I was worried it would get her worked up. I know she doesn't normally, but she's never been pregnant. I didn't know how pregnant Della would react."
"Well, congratulations," Tragg said.
"Yeah, congratulations, Perry," Burger added.
"She doing alright?"
"Just some dizziness and nausea from time to time. Other than that, she's fine. Although, I feel like aside from her stomach, she getting thinner."
"Maybe that's just how it looks?" Burger suggested, "Della's always been tiny. This is a big difference. Well, not big, but, um, you know what I mean."
Perry chuckled, "yes, I do. It's a good thing Della's asleep."
Martha Bradford had gone to Perry's office after finding out that another woman was allegedly married to her husband. The man turned up missing so Perry decided to go to Bradford's boat to see if he was there. Della had insisted on going with Perry to check out the Mary Bell. When she had to climb on and off the boat, she regretted her decision. "You okay?" Perry asked once they were aboard.
"Yeah," she sighed, "I underestimated how much my belly would get in the way."
Perry opened the door to go down below and took Della's hand. The two found the dead body of Joe Bradford. Martha Bradford was charged with his murder shortly after.
The crooked candle was stuck in Perry's mind. One night, after court, he decided to return to the boat and conduct a little experiment. Della went with him again. Perry got Della situated on a bench below deck while he sat in a chair. They had set up the scene and dozed off. They woke up when the boat moved, but went back to sleep. The next time the boat moved, Perry's chair slid to the wall. Della stood carefully and braced herself on the table. She took a candle out of her pocket, "are you okay?" Perry asked.
"Yes," she mumbled.
Perry went above to investigate, "my watch must have stopped. What time is it?" Perry asked when he returned.
Della looked at her watch and stumbled into Perry's arms, "two-thirty."
"Look," the dummy had fallen to where the body was when the two discovered it. The candle was crooked because the boat was. Perry helped Della to the deck and back into the boat. They returned to the dock where he helped her out. "Perry, I think this is the last time I'm doing this with you. At least until the baby arrives."
Perry wrapped an arm around his wife, "I'm sorry, darling." He kissed her temple.
"It's not your fault. You warned me."
"Let's get you home and into bed."
That night, Della crashed as soon as her head hit the pillow. Perry's client was acquitted once again. The man decided to buy a boat and keep it at Captain Noble's dock. Perry took his wife to the dock after their case. "Perry, why are we back here?" Della asked.
Perry led Della to the boat, "I wanted to show you this."
"Why?"
"Look at the name."
On the side of the boat was 'Bella Della.' The woman looked at her husband, "did you buy this boat?"
"Of course I did. Why else would it have that name?"
"Perry," Della began to stammer, "this must have cost a fortune. We have a baby on the way. You should have talked to me."
"Della, I had a boat that I hadn't been using. I've had it since before we met. I sold my boat and used the money to get this one. I used some of Martha Bradford's retainer for the rest. Sweetheart, we're going to be fine. Besides, we needed more room for the baby."
"I'm sorry," she said.
"Don't be," Perry rubbed her back, "you were right to be upset. Just know that I would never make a purchase if that meant taking something away from you or our child."
"I know," Della smiled, "you're a smart man. You'd never make a stupid purchase, expensive or not."
"Wanna take her out this weekend?"
"Sure," she answered, "besides, I happen to love the name."
"I thought you might." Perry and Della kissed before heading back to the car.
That Saturday, Perry and Della drove back to the marina. Perry helped his wife onto the boat before joining her. Della had a sundress on that perfectly accentuated her belly. She was seated on a bench while Perry drove the boat out. He looked over and smiled. "What are you smiling at?" Della asked.
"My beautiful wife." When they were out far enough, Perry dropped the anchor. "Now, is my little mother to be hungry?"
"Starved," she said.
Perry chuckled, "do you want to eat up here or down below?"
"It'll be easier below deck."
Perry took her hand and led her down below. He had Della take a seat and went to fix her a plate. "Here you go," he said as he sat it in front of her. Perry went to make his own plate and when he returned to the table, Della was nearly done. "You weren't kidding when you said you were starved."
"This baby is going to cause me to gain a hundred pounds."
"I highly doubt that." He watched as his wife looked down at her stomach. She placed her hand on it and frowned. "Darling, you look beautiful."
"It's not that," she said.
"What's wrong?"
"Do you ever doubt your ability to be a good parent?"
"Of course I do."
"How can I be a good mother if I'm working?"
"How can you be a good mother if you're unhappy?"
Della looked up at her husband, "what do you mean?"
"If you stopped working, you'd be miserable. That won't benefit our family. Now, do you feel better?"
"Yes," Della said, but didn't appear better.
"No, you don't."
"Well," she blushed, "I'm still hungry." Perry smiled and took her plate. He returned with another sandwich and more chips for her. "Thank you," she smiled.
After lunch, the two went to sit on the deck. Perry decided to fish a little while Della just enjoyed her surroundings. She eventually went down below to make a snack but never returned. Perry went down and found his wife asleep on the bunk. He smiled and covered her up before returning to the deck. About a half-hour later, Perry heard his wife calling him. He went back down and saw her sitting up with her head in her hands, "what's wrong?" he asked as he knelt by her.
"I went to stand and got dizzy. I haven't been dizzy for a while."
"Could be the tide. Why don't we head back?"
"No, I'll be fine."
"Della, it's fine if we go back." Perry didn't let her answer that time. He went up and raised the anchor. Once they had docked, Perry tied up the boat and helped Della down. She stumbled, but Perry caught her.
Captain Noble saw them, "you folks alright?" he asked as he walked over.
"My wife's equilibrium is off a little. Between the pregnancy and the tide, she's quite unbalanced."
"I'll bet," he said, "need help with anything?"
"I think we should be good. Thank you, though," Perry said.
"You folks take care. I'll see you next time."
Perry and Della said goodbye to the man and Perry helped his wife to the car. She was asleep instantly. Perry carried her inside and placed her on the couch with a blanket. All he could think about was how lucky he really was.
Della didn't go with Perry to investigate much after that last case, but she was happy to be off her feet as her pregnancy progressed. She'd get lonely at times, but Gertie was always there. Perry walked into his office one day and found his five-month pregnant wife on the couch. She had her feet up and her hands on her stomach. He smiled, "you look more beautiful every day."
Della turned to look at her husband, "I look like a whale."
"I don't see a whale. I see a beautiful expectant mother. My beautiful wife, who's carrying our child."
"How did I get so lucky with you?" she saw the bag in Perry's hands, "is that lunch?"
"Sure is," he said.
"Good, I'm starved."
Perry set up the table and walked over to his wife. He took her hand and helped her up. "You okay?"
"It's just hard to get up from there. It's so low."
"Want me to put it up on blocks?"
Della laughed, "no," she said.
