"What about names?" Erik asked as Kerri fidgeted around the compartment, trying to find a comfortable spot.
"What about them?"
"Well, it would be nice to have a few in mind."
She finally settled for lying across the bench across from Erik on her side and propping her head up on her hand.
"For a boy or a girl?"
"For a girl."
"Charlotte. Or maybe Rose."
"Why those names?"
She shrugged. "I just like them. What about you?"
"For a girl?"
She nodded.
"Thea or Mahala."
"Mahala? What does that mean?" Kerri grinned; she had always taken a liking to anything that had an exotic ring to it.
"Powerful, in Arabic."
"Well, how about boy's names?" Kerri was now on her back, staring at the ceiling.
"Julien."
"Julien? I think I have a dead uncle named Julien."
"Well, we can keep it in the family then." Erik gazed out the window, leaning forward.
"We're here."
Kerri sat up to look. The house was nice, made out of brick. There was a gigantic fountain at the center of the cul-de-sac, an angel playing the harp. Raoul emerged, and Kerri suspected he had been waiting by one of the grand windows that flanked the door.
His hair was longer, but other than that, he looked the same. Kerri jumped out before the horses had stopped moving.
"Kerri!" Raoul was in half a state of shock Her hair was shorter, way shorter. She was smiling, virtually glowing. She had gained a little bit of weight, but she was still on the skinny side. He had expected to see her as big as Christine (who was due next month) but she barely looked out of her first trimester.
She hugged him tightly, asking how he was, and how Christine, and wow, the house was was big.
"Kerri, slow down." Raoul laughed.
"I'm sorry." She bit her lip to keep from grinning, but a smile peeked through anyway.
"Tell me about your trip." Raoul nodded at Erik, taking a suitcase from his hand.
"It was hot. Really hot. But the cruise from Italy to Spain was amazing. I've never seen so much blue in my life!"
"Well, you look fabulous. I wish Christine was as thrilled to be pregnant. You don't even look it."
"She eats like she's pregnant." Erik snorted. Kerri hit his arm.
"Just because I'm not an anorexic like you does not mean you get to make fun of me."
"I'm not making fun of you! It's an observation, you eat like you're pregnant."
"Do you see what I have to deal with?" Kerri looked at Raoul as they walked inside. Erik rolled his eyes.
The house was as he expected; tastefully decorated, lots of artwork on the walls, sculptures in corners next to vases full of flowers. Expensive furniture and tapestries in every room. A typical upper class home.
"I haven't told mother you're staying with us, but she's coming over for dinner on Saturday. So unless you want to turn my house in to a war zone, I would recommend visiting before then."
"She should know it's her fault I'm not at home in the first place."
"You need to stop hating her. I understand that she's tried to force you into a lot of things, but she is still your mother."
"Raoul, you will never understand what the last four years has been like. She was planning my wedding at the age of 12. Do you know what that does to a girl? She went easy on you because you were a boy; everything was already set for you. You should be thankful you're not female."
"Trust me, I am." He opened a bedroom door for them.
"Dinner is in a half an hour, so make yourselves comfortable, but not too comfortable." He began to leave, but stopped.
"And if Christine comes in here, ignore her."
Kerri laid down on the bed, happy to have a mattress to sleep on, but sad that is was not her own.
"What are you so depressed about?" Erik stood over Kerri, who was on her side again, hugging a pillow.
"I'm just tired."
"Well, maybe if you didn't argue with me about everything, you wouldn't be tired."
Kerri smiled.
"Well next time, you can get pregnant."
Erik laid down next to her.
"I think I will pass on that opportunity, thank you."
Kerri suddenly gasped, putting her hand on her belly.
"What?" Erik sat up.
"Give me your hand." She held out her hand, waving it anxiously.
"What's wrong?"
"Just give me your god damn hand!" She exclaimed, laughing.
Kerri took his arm, wrapping it around her.
"Put your hand right there."
"What am I feeling for?"
"Just wait a minute."
There. Movement. A kick? The couple exchanged glances.
"Did you feel it?" Kerri whispered, although she had no idea why the circumstance called for it.
"Yeah."
"Kerri giggled. "This is so amazing."
Erik kissed her neck, lacing their fingers together.
"You are amazing."
"Thank you."
"We should probably get up."
"I'm too tired."
"You're always tired."
"Because I argue, remember?" Kerri smiled, closing her eyes.
"Maybe if I could sleep, I wouldn't be tired."
"But you sleep all of the time."
"Well maybe I need to sleep more."
Erik relaxed against her back, drawing circles on her hand with his thumb. She scooted up against him, using Erik as a human blanket. He slipped his knee between hers, so now they were touching pretty much everywhere the clothing allowed. Kerri felt safe. She always felt safe when Erik held her. Maybe it was the fact that he had killed people with his bare hands for a good portion of his life. Or it could have simply been the strength he used to keep her pressed against him. She wasn't tired enough to go to sleep, but she wasn't alert enough to do anything other than think. Think about her mother, think about the baby. Think about what was going to happen tomorrow, and how they were going to manage an understaffed opera house, a new home, and a new baby all at the same time.
All she could do was think.