Dallas
Hotel living only lasted about two weeks before we were sick of it. Beth had been trying to talk me into buying new furniture for the house and start getting the baby's nursery ready but all I could see was the bills that we had to pay.
Just as I was about to buy her plane ticket she came down with a cold, and it hit her hard. She was absolutely miserable, the doctor had given her medication but it hadn't been helping much. I'd already been working a week with Darry's company and the money was fantastic. He paid weekly, so it was a nice thing to look forward to every Friday.
Beth coughed and blew her nose, sniffling. I groaned, it was Saturday, but barely. It was only half past midnight and she was keeping me up.
"Jesus Beth," I grumbled, rubbing my face,
"Do you think I want to be sick?" She asked, coughing, "Do you think I really want to be feeling this miserable while I'm pregnant and just about to fly to New York?"
"You ain't going to New York, I told you. Your parents said they'd pack everything up themselves and bring it down, whatever we didn't want they're going to sell."
She laid back and sniffled, she looked absolutely miserable, yet somehow she still look beautiful to me.
"Why don't you try drinking some of the tea the doctor gave you?" I asked, and she looked over at me,
"How? How do you expect me to drink tea when we don't have a kettle?"
I threw the blankets back and flicked the light on for the tiny kitchenette, turning the water on so it was as hot as it was allowable. I let it run for a little while before putting it into a mug, tearing open the package and pouring it in. I mixed it before going back over and giving it to her. I made sure it was the drowsy tea so we could at least get some sleep tonight.
She drank it and put the cup on the nightstand, adjusting herself so she was laying down. She looked over at me and I gently rubbed her arm,
"How are you feeling?"
"Like shit," She said smiling. I chuckled and kissed her head, "Can we please go shopping? I got my last check today from the station in New York and it's more than enough to furnish the place… We should get it done before I get too fat."
"You ain't going to get fat."
"Yes I am, I'm going to get all big and gross and I'm not going to be able to shave or paint my toe nails or take care of my feet."
"You don't gotta do all those things." I said, and she smiled softly, putting her hand on my cheek,
"I do… I'll be gross if I don't."
I smirked, "You're having a baby. It's going to be gross no matter what. I promise I'll still like you even if your legs are hairy and your toes aren't painted. But you can go to a salon or something, can't you?"
"Dallas those places are crawling with infections and diseases. You could learn how to paint my toe nails and shave my legs." She said with a playful grin. I smirked and chuckled,
"Yeah right." "Oh really? I'm having your baby and you can't even paint my toe nails or shave my legs? It's not like I'm asking you to wax my-"
"Okay Jesus enough." She rolled her eyes,
"Steve helped Tessa out and shaved her legs."
"Well good thing I'm not Steve."
"Seriously Dallas?"
"What?"
"I'm carrying your damn baby and you can't even help me out?"
"Yeah okay. I knew this definitely wasn't going to end well."
"Oh my god. Does anything ever end well with you?"
"Oh my god." I said, and she huffed,
"I don't sound like that. I don't."
I mocked her and she glared at me, "Stop it. Stop. Just roll over and go to sleep. Leave me alone."
I groaned and I rolled over, and I felt her huff.
"While we're up can we talk about baby names?"
"Why? We have four months. We don't need to talk about names."
She it my arm, "Seriously? Seriously Dallas? Why are you still here? Clearly you don't want to help me raise this baby."
"Jeez, I don't know. It's not because I love you or anything."
"Yeah I didn't think so either."
I sat up and looked at her. I didn't realize I was glaring until her glare faltered.
"What do you want to name it?" I asked quietly, knowing full well that she knew the gender. She shrugged and I rolled my eyes. "I know you know the gender, don't play stupid with me."
"Well you didn't care about knowing so don't worry about it." I rolled my eyes, this was a terrible idea considering she's moody as shit right now.
"Seriously Beth. Either tell me the gender or at least some names you like."
"Fine… I like Theo for a boy… And Victoria for a girl."
I swallowed hard. "It's a boy?" She bit her lip before nodding, a smile slowly growing on her features. She knew that I absolutely hated the name Victoria- I'd slept with three different girls with that name. "We're… I'm having a son?"
"You're having a son… We're going to have a little boy."
I hugged her tightly, moving my hand so it was resting against her bump.
She kissed my neck softly and I rested my head on hers. This is the first time in this entire process that it hit me that she was having our baby.
"I've got a surprise for you tomorrow morning…" I said quietly, and she grinned,
"How am I supposed to sleep now?"
"Well we're going to get it at eight so you'd best be sleeping because you're going to need it."
She yawned and nodded, adjusting her pillows so there was one between her legs and a couple around her head.
I moved so my head was resting on her side and I fell asleep. My alarm was set for six thirty the next morning- not for me but for Beth. I could be out of bed and ready to go in ten minutes, where as she needed to shower, do her hair and make up and pick six different outfits to try.
She heard the alarm and got up, going to the tiny cramped shower and I could tell that she was hardly awake. I stayed in bed until she was getting dressed and I rolled out of bed, pulling on jeans and a tee shirt. She looked at me curiously and I grabbed the keys to the truck.
"We'll stop for breakfast first and then we'll go."
"Where did you want to go for breakfast?"
"I was thinking Two-bit's diner." I could see her cross her arms and I rolled my eyes,
"I won't even look at Sylvia, okay?" She rose her eyebrow before she nodded. We went out to the car and I drove to Two-bit's diner and we found an empty booth.
"Good morning, how can I help you?" A young girl said with a warm smile, and Beth smiled at her,
"Hi, can I get the bagel belt… With a plain bagel and a hashbrown, and a chocolate milk?" She nodded and wrote it down and she looked at me,
"I'll get the meal that has two of everything."
She smiled and wrote it down, "And would you like a coffee?"
I nodded, "Yeah, black if you have it, and if you have dark roast that'd be great."
She nodded and went back to the counter and put entered it onto the computer.
"She seems nice," Beth commented and I nodded,
"Yeah she does. I wonder if Two-bit's in this morning."
She shrugged and started moving out of the booth, "I'm just going to use the washroom."
I nodded and got my phone out of my pocket and texted one of the guys I worked with that had the surprise,
'All still good?'
He sent back, 'Yeah man, see you soon.'
I put my phone away and Beth came back out just as food was being put down.
"Hey, do you know if Two-bit is in this morning?" I asked, and the waitress nodded,
"He is, would you like me to get him for you?"
"No it's okay, thank you." I said, and once she walked away I texted Two-bit to let him know that Beth and I were here. As I expected he came down, but just as we were finishing our breakfast.
"Hey you two! How's it going?"
"Good man. The food here is fantastic." He grinned and shrugged,
"I would say it's thanks to me but that's why I hired some chefs." He said with a huge grin. Beth moved over on her side of the booth and he slid in beside her,
"You're looking good Beth. How far along are you now?"
"About five and a half months." He smiled and nodded,
"Well congratulations. Do you know the gender yet?"
Beth looked at me, we hadn't discussed my family knowing. Or anyone knowing for that matter,
"We do but we want to tell everyone at the same time."
He nodded understandingly and smiled,
"Well I'll let you two go, but we'll see you later."
I nodded and he went back upstairs. The waitress came over and handed us the receipt but the total was zero. I knew from last time it's because I'm Two-bit's brother (practically) so I knew that's why, but Beth insisted we leave the amount we would have paid in a tip. We went back out to the truck and we got in and I started driving. She seemed a little nervous when I pulled up to the house. I got out and she gave me a nervous look before getting out as well.
Chuck opened the door and waved,
"Hey Dallas!"
"Hey man, this is my fiancée, Beth. Beth this is Chuck from work, he's one of the framers."
"It's wonderful to meet you."
"You too. Come on in," He said, opening the door wider. We went in and a young woman (the same age as Chuck) smiled,
"Hi, I'm Marrisa, Chuck's wife."
"It's nice to meet you," Beth said, shaking her hand. She smiled and Chuck nodded at her,
"Can you go and grab the surprise for them babe?"
She smiled and nodded, going into one of the back rooms. Beth looked at me curiously and Marrisa came back out carrying a big puppy that was black and white.
"O-oh my god…" Beth exclaimed, eagerly taking him into her arms.
"These guys are called Great Danes. He's only eight weeks old, but he already weighs nineteen pounds."
"Oh… He's perfect," She said, wiping her eyes before looking at me, "Thank you so much…" I grinned and kissed her,
"You're welcome babe. He was their last pup and no one really wanted him because he's not one solid color."
"Thank you… Gosh I've wanted a Dane my whole life." She said, before I kissed her softly. I thanked Chuck before we went out to the truck and I started driving to the pet store.
"So you've got a dog… And we're having a baby… Will you be a stay at home Mom?"
"I knew you were up to no good… But yes… I've decided that I want to stay at home with the kids. But if money gets tight I want you to tell me okay? No money secrets now… Please."
"Of course. We have a joint account and you know I'm straight with money." She nodded and rubbed the puppy's head, he was huddled into her embrace. He was a cute dog, but I knew that she wanted one of these monsters her whole life, so when Chuck said I could take it off his hands free of charge I wasn't about to say no.
"You know we need a vet appointment for their shots right?"
"Yes, I've already booked one with the vet that Chuck was going to."
She kissed the puppies head and I reached over to pat him.
"What are you going to name him?" I asked, pulling into the parking lot,
"Theo… I've thought of a better name for our son."
"Oh yeah? It better not be some stupid name like Cash or something."
"No, Jack. Jack Tucker Winston."
I thought about this- my kid having my middle name definitely made me nervous. I did however feel proud that she wanted to name him after me.
"You're letting him take my middle name and my last name?"
"Why not? I'm taking your last name?"
"You are? I thought you were against it."
"I was, but at the same time I hate my last name. Bonner is a terrible last name, and unfortunately my brothers are going to carry it on- given they get around to getting married and having kids."
I chuckled a little and she shook her head, "You giggle like a school girl every time someone says it."
I shrugged, "Whatever you say, Elizabeth Boner."
"Haha, real original idiot."
I grinned and we went into the store and started getting what we needed.
"How are we supposed to take care of him and go furniture shopping?" She asked and I grinned,
"Put a coat on and hide him in it."
"That would not work. No way."
She started looking at collars and leashes before putting a couple in the cart. We grabbed a couple dog beds, and some dishes before getting a bag of dog food.
Some girls came by and made a huge deal about the dog, which Beth loved, I could tell she couldn't wait to show him off. I got my wallet out to pay and she leaned up to kiss me in thanks. I knew that this was making her forget how terrible she felt, hopefully she'd start sleeping more.
"Are you going to help me with taking him out in the night?" She asked and I shrugged,
"I doubt it."
"What if someone tries to attack me?"
"You're an ex cop, I'm sure you'd kick their ass just as good as I would."
She sighed and we went back out to the truck, going to the hotel. She put the collar and leash onto Theo and brought him outside to pee. I went into our room and checked my cell phone, one thing I always did when I was with Beth was put my phone away, half the time I didn't have it on me or even turned on if I was with her.
The phone started to ring and I glanced down to see it was our real estate agent in New York, Claire.
"Hey Claire, what's up?"
"Hey, I just got an offer for your apartment." She said, and I started to feel giddy.
"Hang on, let me call Beth up here." I went over to the door and looked over, waving to get her attention before waving for her to come in. She picked up Theo and brought him inside, and I put Claire on speaker,
"Hi Claire!" Beth said excitedly, holding Theo as if he were a baby (Which he absolutely loved).
"Hi Beth! I have great news, you two got an offer on your apartment!"
"Oh that's fantastic!" Beth said, looking at me with nervous but excited eyes.
"Yep, they offered you forty percent over asking price. They wanted you to be interested in their offer specifically, with the open house there was small talk between potential buyers of putting offers in."
"Oh my gosh… That's… That's amazing." Beth said, looking at me. I nodded,
"Okay… Well… Can we have a couple minutes to think about it Claire?"
"Yeah of course! I'll email you all of their conditions and requests okay?"
"Sounds good." I hung up and immediately heard my phone chime, and I read the conditions out to Beth.
"Wow… I can't believe how much we're going to make on that apartment."
"I know… We're making a lot on it."
"What do you think? Should we take the offer?"
I nodded, "Let's do it. The conditons are normal, we know it's going to pass inspection, there's no risks for us."
She grinned and I kissed her passionately, "Congratulations on selling our first place baby." I said, rubbing her back.