Chapter 9 - Left in Appleton
He figured he would give her some 'space' to collect her thoughts. Figured the ride home would be plenty. Figured she eventually would crack when her allergy to silence would start itching, but no.
Nothing.
She stared out the window the whole ride home, giving him a reassuring smile every now and then. Accepted his hand covering hers, but nothing more than that.
He knew for a fact that she was kind of freaked out. Scared, panicked, and without a clue of what to do with him saying 'Oh, ah... as soon as she`ll let me I guess' when Oliver and Traci cornered them with when Sam was going to 'impregnate his wife'. Knowing that the issue was never that she didn`t want him to, but rather the thought of being responsible for another human being, when she had proven that she didn`t even have the skills to nurture a plant.
He chuckled.
Probably louder than planned, he understood when Andy looked up from her plate, with almost everything left of her dinner. "What`s so funny?", she asked somewhat nervously.
"Nothing sweetheart. Listen... About what Oliver said...", he started, but was interrupted by Andy. "I`m sorry!", she blurted out.
"No, don`t be sorry". He put down his fork and knife, and moved his chair closer to hers. "Look... I know, and you know, that there is nothing more I want than for us to have our own family. Little feet patting across the hard wood floor... That`s my dream. And I know it`s yours too...Am I right?"
She nodded, and pulled out a smile for him.
"I have waited for what we have for a long time, and if you`re not ready... I`ll wait until you are. It`s your body, and it`s completely your call, okay?"
He wasn`t scared at all. Wasn`t afraid that she would run, or not wanting any of it. What he did know, was that her 'mother' made her think it runs in the family. That she would turn out just like her. Being a horrible parent, leaving your child, and not ever return. Andy? Was not that person. Was not her mother, and would never for anything in the world leave her own child.
This man" Who the hell is he? Can he be any more perfect? I`ll have ten of your babies!
"I, uh...It`s not that I`m not ready Sam, because I think I am, but it scares the shit out of me okay? It scares me because I would give up my body for... a while. It scares me because I would have to go on desk duty eventually, and it scares me because not once in my life have I ever had a plant longer than a week. You want to know why?", she asked.
"Why is that sweetheart?", he laughed.
"Because I forget to water it! I forget it needs nutrition Sam! What if... what if I decide to run? Have you ever thought of that? What if, god forbid, I become my own mother?", Andy rambled as she stood up and carried the dishes to the sink. She put them down and leaned on the kitchen island, facing Sam. "What if I leave too Sam? Then what?"
He got up and joined her by the counter. "Andy? Look at me". And so she did. With her big, beautiful, glowing eyes, waiting for whatever pep talk he was about to give her.
"I know for a fact that you`re nothing like Claire. You would never be that kind of parent, you would never leave your own child, and you would go through fire and back to keep them safe. You never go half hearted into something, and you sure as hell don't come out of it empty handed. So, yes I know it is scary, but you are your own person. You are not your mother and you are going to be the best mother any child could ever have, okay? And do you know what else I know for sure?"
She nodded again. Dying to know his next one.
"I know for a fact that when it happens, you will go into it with full force, whole hearted and with all the love you`ve got in you. Because that`s what you do Andy. You love, you protect and you do whatever you can to make sure your close ones feels that... I feel that, our friends and family feels that, and every child you and I bring into this world is going to feel that... Please know th...".
When her lisp was on his, he had all the answer he needed. He felt her tears touch his skin and when he held on to her, she held on even stronger. Not wanting to let go. Ever. When the need for air became great, Andy made just the tiniest gap between them and against his lips that was still so, so close as she whispered "I love you Sam".
He hoisted her up around his waist and walked them towards the living room. As he gently laid them both down on the chaise, he brushed his lips over hers. "I love you too sweetheart", before he let their lips meet again.
It wasn`t even a week later when Andy came home to the smell of Sam`s many skills in the kitchen. Kicking her boots of and placing her duffle bag by the stair, she followed the smell of greatness leading her into their kitchen.
"Hi, you're home", Sam said looking up from the many pots and pans on the stove. He was met with his most favorite smile, and today the smile was different somehow. Happier maybe?
"I am. What are you making?", she asked as she came up from behind and slid her hands around his waist. "Smells really good". Placing a kiss to his clothed back, he pulled her around facing him.
"I really missed you tonight", she said snuggling into his hold on her. "Me too".
"You missed yourself?", she asked mockingly. Back, he gave her a glare of pretend hurt. "You know what I mean Andy".
"Sorry, must be the jetlag in my system". He laughed. She hadn`t really been gone that long, but every second spent apart felt like an eternity. As much of a cliché as it sounds, it was the truth. They were still newlyweds and sure acted like it too.
"Yeah, I figured. So, how was Appleton?"
She hoisted herself on top of the kitchen island next to Sam. Dangling her legs as a child she took a sip of his wine. Earning her a raised eyebrow.
"That bad huh?", he teased, pouring her a glass too.
"No, no. Appleton was good. Conference was great. Really interesting actually. Did you know that the first female police officer goes all the way back to 1915?", she asked wisely.
"Really? I bet she was nothing like you though", he smirked, letting his hand glide up her inner thigh.
"The flight home however...Gail and Chloe of course was seated together and fell asleep. Me? Not so much".
"So, bad flight then?"
"Ask the mother and crying baby in 13 C", she spat out. "It was a nightmare. That kid... cried for three hours straight".
She saw his face drop to his feet. Along with his smile and hope for a kid their own. She wasn`t worried though, because she had already made her mind.
She reached out her hand and pulled him close when he accepted it. "Sam?", she whispered. He met her eyes, waiting for whatever was coming. "I left my pills in the trash back in Appleton", she smiled.
And just like that, he was done for. When his lips finally met hers, he felt bubbles form in the pit of his stomach. The anticipation and excitement of what would be in store for them counting from tonight and for how long it would take to 'impregnate'(Oliver`s word) her.
"Really" he said against her lips. Pushing her blouse down, exposing one olive tan shoulder for him to see, he leaned in again. "You, uh...by a mistake or...?"
She let her hand roam under his shirt, sliding the tiniest bit under the hem of his jeans. "No, no mistake. Purpose... I left them on purpose Sam... You know what that means don`t you?", she asked teasingly.
"Uh... That I won`t get any further with you than this?", he smirked. Clearly knowing what it meant.
"Funny, but no... Not what I had in mind". She felt his whole damn body buck when her hand accidentally slid underneath his boxers.
"Tell me", he kissed against her lips. "I want you to say it".
" Well, it means that uh...-", She could feel the smile on his lips against her own. She knew he knew what she meant, but saying it out loud would make it real and right up doable. "I want you to... fertilize me Sam... Get me pregnant, knock me up and impregnate me, or whatever they call it now a days", she laughed on his lips. "I mean, if you still want that of course".
Never have her blouse buttons been unbuttoned that fast before. "Where the hell to I sign up for that?", he asked desperately as he turned off the stove.
She raised her eyebrow, and took his hand and placed it on her still bra covered breast. "How about here?"
"Signed!", he said, taking her in his arms and carrying her upstairs. "Sam what about dinner?"
"Dinner can wait. I want dessert first". He crushed his lips on hers, and not once did they part on the way up towards the bedroom.
:)