"Huey..." Jazmine moaned lightly, rollin to her back.
"Hm?"
"Do you think he'll look like you?" Jazmine asked, rubbing her tummy affectionately. Huey rolled himself over to look at the the plump woman wearing one of his old tshirts. He placed his hand on her watermelon sized gut and ran his hand all over with hers.
"Would you like that he looked like me?"
"I would..." She admitted, "It would be a curse if he should look like me..."
"Why do you say that?" He blinked.
"Because I am not as pretty as you are... my skin is... so... muted and scraggily," Her words rewarded her a kiss and a little chuckle from the man sharing his bed with her.
"You... are the most gorgeous woman I have ever met..." He whispered hotly into her ear. Jazmine sighed and snuggled into him, her back pressed against his chest. He draped his arms around her, playing with her tummy and replying to his son's kicks with pushes of his hand, "how you feeling?"
"Not so bad..." She sighed, enjoying his warmth, "I don't feel sick anymore,"
"Good," Huey said, dropping a kiss on her cheek. He couldn't recall a time he felt so joval. He nuzzled her gently with his nose. She responded by snuggling back and kissing him. Huey was a bit startled. They had kissed before, obviously, but he had to always initiate it. Always.
Was she... finally getting used to him?
He let that thought take him to sleep, relishing on the thought of living his life as a family. Or... well... family-ish.
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Huey smiled when Amie pointed out the baby on the moniter. His grin grew bigger than Amie, or anyone else, had ever seen on the usually stoic man. Jazmine blinked in confusion, how was that possible?
"Amazing isn't it? We can see the baby in perfect 3D view," Amie bragged, "He looks like you, Huey,"
"You think?" Huey was smiling.
"That's... the baby?" Jazmine breathed, "Is his skin dark?"
Huey and Amie shot her odd looks. Amie shook her head with a smile and said, "Yes, his skin will be dark,"
"Good..." Jazmine sounded totally relieved.
Huey looked at Amie with a face that read something of an apology. The doctor stepped away from Jazmine and jotted something on a clipboard, "Okay... the baby is due any day now. Wow. Are you keeping her diet consecutive?"
"Of course,"
"Okay... Doctor Pewtersmith is a friend of mine. He will deliver the baby. You will want to be in the room with her, Huey?"
"Sure,"
"Great. Okay, make sure she keeps eating her vitamins and everything should be fine," Amie explained. She pointed a stern finger at him, "You make sure that you keep an eye on her. These next few days are gonna be rough. Don't let her out of your sight. She can not be alone. This is the most impartive point at the pregnancy. If she goes into term early and is all alone there will be trouble,"
"Makes sense,"
"She should probably learn to use a phone,"
"Oh, I know already!" Jazmine bragged, "Huey taught me his work number and his cell number!"
"Well, thats all fine, but has he taught you 911?"
"Yes! For emergancies only," Jazmine was proud of herself for remembering. Amie smiled and nodded in assent.
"Yes, well, you do know that if you start to deliver the baby and you're all alone, thats an okay time to call 911, right?"
Jazmine nodded her understanding and looked up at Huey with happy eyes. Huey smiled down at her and helped her up and out of the dimly lit room. Amie waved at them, and let them on their way.
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"What are you doing, Huey?"
"Finishing making this bed," Huey answered, "Lil' guys gotta have a place to sleep, right?"
"I... suppose. But I wish you wouldn't spend money on me,"
"I like to," Was his flirtacious reply as he adjusted the last bar at the bottom, holding the crib up. He grinned at his handy work and stood up, "Besides, its not for you, it's for the baby. Yeah. I figure we can just turn the guest room into his room since you uh... moved in with me in my room an' all,"
"His room?"
"Yeah. I wanted to surprise you but... I had Caesar come over to help baby proof the house. I got all those pluggy thingies for the electrical sockets, some toys. I got rid of all the sharp edged furniture and moved all the really breakable stuff to high shelves," Huey bragged inhaling deeply, "I'm pretty sure I'll prolly have to scrap a lot of those when he starts walkin' cos, hell, I know me an' my brother tore up every nice thing OUR grandad had,"
"Walking?"
"Yeah. But by that time, I think we'll probably move into a bigger place- better yard, ya know?"
"Oh... Huey..." Jazmine turned her gaze down, her hands running over her stomach.
"Jazmine..." Huey spun to face her, taking her hands into his, "I... I've never been a happy person... but with you... I don't know. It's just like... I can't stop smiling. I don't know what's traditional back at your tribe but, here in America..." Huey reached into his back pocket and pulled out a velvet box. Jazmine's eyes widened, she knew exactly what that was for. Also, from TV, "When a man wants a woman for a wife... he proposes with one of these," He revealed the ring. It was solid gold, the center was a perfectly cute garnet stone, "I didn't wanna getcha a diamond cos... well... heh, ya know..."
"Huey..." She gasped lightly, tears flowing to her eyes. Huey smiled again, his heart reaching new heights.
"I've... fallen in love with you, Jazmine,"
She could hardly speak, the tears running like waterfalls as she clasped her hands over her mouth. She shook her head violently and stepped away from him. Huey had first thought her tears to be good. Like women on TV... but all his hopes, dreams and well... everything soon came smashing to the ground like a burning heap of rubble as soon as she muttered a very inaudible,
"No..."
"Wh..what?"
"Huey, the baby isn't staying here," Jazmine confessed, "I'm not staying here. I have to go home,"
"Go home?" Huey repeated, almost dumbfounded, "Jazmine, home is where they beat you and hate you for being light skinned. Why would you want to go home to that?"
"They wont if I have the baby," Jazmine reasoned, rubbing her tummy, "They...they'll love me if I bring them back a healthy dark skinned child. A strong boy, also! He will be sent off to work the armies! Grow up to be a warrior,"
The realization hit Huey like a ton of heavy bricks. It took him a moment to speak. He paced around the room, finally feeling the bitter, horrible taste of actually getting what it feels like to be a "Baby Daddy,".
"I...I can't believe this, Jazmine," He finally coughed out, "You... you don't love this baby, do you?"
"Of course I do," she said darkly, "He's... gonna save me,"
"You're giving him up to be a mercenary, Jazmine! This baby is just so you can be... be accepted!" Huey spat, glaring holes at her. Jazmine normally would have flinched at his anger, but felt something in her snap.
"How would you like it! If your entire family, entire nation hated you and no matter how hard you worked or tried to be love, your own FATHER wouldn't look at you!" She let her tears continue, her fists balled tightly, "All I ever wanted was for them to love me!"
"And THIS is gonna do it!?" Huey barked, grabbing her by the shoulders and staring at her in the eyes, "Jazmine.. I love you. I love you. Do you hear me? I LOVE YOU. I want you to stay here with me. I... I know I was meant to just get you pregnant and send you back but... Things have changed. You can stay here, Jazmine. You can stay here cos... I don't think I can go back to who I was before,"
"Huey..." She sniffed, "How can you ask me that? To decide this instant?"
"Why should it take you any time?"
"Because you're asking me to leave everything I have ever known for the rest of my life!"
"Because everything you have ever known has been abusive! And you're just gonna give our baby to live the life you have had to live! Now you look me in the eye and tell me honestly, honestly, are you okay with that!?" Huey shouted at her, "Don't you get that I love you? I LOVE you!" He wrapped his arms around her tightly, snuggling his face into her hair, "Please... please say it back..."
I love you...
"Huey..." She let more tears fall. She so wanted to say yes, but something in her refused, "Please... lemmie just... think,"
I love you so much!
"Save it," Huey snapped, heading for the door. He grabbed his coat and hollered over his shoulder, "Don't wait up!"
Don't go. I love you.
She heard the door slam and she collapsed to her knees, crying loudly in her hands. Why couldn't she say she loved him back? What was wrong with her? She knew she did... so why couldn't she just do it? Was it... fear? Was she afraid of loving him? She sniffed. She had felt so smart, pretty, and civilizied this passed year. He had made her feel special. Ever since she met him... he treated her like a human.
And she knew his words were true... she knew that going home was not wise...but... it had been all she could focus on during her beatings and hurt filled words growing up. She craved love so desperately... that she was lashing out at it.
That's when she felt something drop from under her. She looked down and saw the large wet stain forming at her bottom. She yelped and nearly collapsed from the sudden pain.
She was... having the baby.
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I assumed yall noticed that Jazmine is actually getting better vocab now
i tried to make it obvious... but i guess i failed XD
She's supposed to be changing a lil bit.
yey! Baby!
Uh oh! Huey!