Drabble 19: Transformation.
"Nervous?" He asks in a hushed tone, pushing curls out of her face. She bites her lip, avoiding his eyes.
"What if she's like my brother?" She whispers, eyes glued to her over-sized tummy which nurse was rubbing a clear jelly on, "What if she dies? What if she's already dead?"
"Nat, she was kicking just this morning. She's fine, okay? Promise." He kisses her forehead and looks to the nurse who's already begun, and Henry resists the urge to touch the jelly.
"Well… she seems to be doing fine." The nurse smiles, pointing them to the screen, "Two legs, two arms, and oh, she's a big girl already! I'd be expecting an earlier delivery than we initially planned. Do you have a name for her, yet?"
"No." They say at the same time and she smiles, pressing a few buttons to print pictures.
"Well, I'd get working on that. Just a few more weeks and you'll be changing diapers."
"Yeah…" Natalie breathes, wringing her hands. Henry nods and soon the woman is wiping off Nat's stomach and he's helping her to her feet.
"This is happening." She comments a few hours later, digging into the watermelon and chocolate ice cream she was craving.
"I know." He smiles, flipping through a thick baby names book, "Okay… Allison."
"No. Too girly." She pops the spoon into her mouth, "We're going to be parents, Henry. There with be a kid that calls us 'Mommy' and 'Daddy'. Fuck… I'm gonna have to attend PTA meetings, Henry. I'm not a PTA person. What if she's into soccer? I always hated soccer… I'm not going to be a soccer mom, Henry. Wait… what if she's girly? What if she's into pop music? What if she's-"
"Nat, you're doing it again."
"…sorry."
"What about Sally?"
"Henry, she's our daughter, not a baby doll."
"Good call."
"But really, what if she's nothing like me? What if I don't know what to do? What if I'm a…" She sighs, switching over to the ice cream and attacking it rather aggressively, "What if I'm a bad mom? What if she doesn't like me?"
"Babe, I'm sure… Oliva..?…. will love you. You're her mom."
"No. Olivia is a child's cartoon about a pig. We're not naming her after a pig." Natalie rolls her eyes, "But I'm not fun. You're fun; you're going to spoil the shit out of her. I'm not going to be fun. I don't know how."
Henry puts down the book, scootching his chair over to her, "Nata, c'mere." He wraps his arm around her shoulder, letting her lay on his chest. "You're going to be the best mom ever. I promise. …Rachel… will love you."
"I'm scared." She whispers and he nods, "I'm so scared she's gonna die, Henry."
"I know, I know. But she's going to be fine, I swear to you." He rests his cheek on her head, rubbing her arm, "We're going to be okay."
She nods, pretending to believe him. She really hopes he's right.
She really, really hopes.