8 YEARS LATER

"Good morning, Sassy." Beth greeted and gently petted the black cat that was rubbing himself against her feet, like any other morning. Before making coffee, she put food into his eating bowl and then watched while he was approaching the given food.

His name was the exact opposite of how he really was; slow, lazy, maybe little stupid and cuddly. Plus, he was plain black with green eyes and really fluffy – the best animal ever. There was nothing that could be done about him being fat; he was like that since he was a kitten. Putting him on diet would be utterly absurd. And his stupidity… well, maybe he ran into glass door while running, but that didn't matter anymore.

Sassy would first look at his surroundings, come few steps closer, stop, adjust himself and then jump in front of his bowl. "Pfft, weirdo." Beth would mock him every morning after he did that on which he would give her pleading look. "Don't be a wuss, you know I'm joking.", "Meow." Was his answer as he kept eating. "Why am I even talking to you?"
"And you call him a weirdo." Beth heard a voice behind her and got up from the squatting position. "Morning, hubby." She kissed her husband with a smile and went to finish the coffee. "Hmph, I wondered where my shirt disappeared." Sebastian said when noticed Beth was wearing his shirt. "Sorry, it was the first thing I found on the floor." She smirked when remembered she was the one who took it off from him and threw it somewhere behind her last night.
"If you found nothing on the floor, would you wear that?", "I don't know. You need to find out.", "Challenge accepted."
"By the way," Beth paused while putting Sebastian's cup of coffee in front of him and smiled at the letters on it which showed 'World's okayest husband',
"I'm doing groceries today. Need anything?", "We're out of duct tape.", "It's on the list. Next.", "Light bulbs.", "That too. And yes, LED, I know.", "Clever girl. Oh, and-", "You know what?" Beth jumped off the black bar stool she was sitting on and gave Sebastian a shopping list from the fridge. "Here, check it out. I'll go get the newspapers.", "Thank you, honey."

While walking to the porch of their house to get the newspapers, Beth glanced at the pictures of Sebastian and her that were hanging on the wall along the staircase. In the middle was a big one of them on their wedding, while around it were also the pictures of them, taken through the 8 years they were together.

The cold morning air pinched her skin as soon as she opened the door. The newspapers weren't on the porch, but on the lawn. Even after 5 years of living in the new house, Beth hoped she'd see them lying on the doorstep, right in front of the door, but no. The paperboy is obviously a girl who doesn't know how to throw properly.
Beth cursed the cold weather as she quickly picked up the papers from the wet grass.
"Good morning Mrs. Michaelis!" Beth heard a boy's voice before she managed to enter the house. "Morning Benny!" she turned on her right to greet the neighbor's kid Benny who was standing on the balcony in his pajamas. How is he not cold? Actually, his full name was Benjamin, but he liked being called Benny since it's shorter. She was the same.
"Why are you up so early, Benny?", "I couldn't sleep." 'One of the few.', "Is that so?" Beth asked while moving from one leg to another. She really wanted to go inside, but didn't want to be rude to Benny; he was a nice and cute kid and sometimes played games with her and Sebastian, although he was only 7.
"Is that your pajamas?" he asked and pointed on her/Sebastian's shirt. Beth laughed and shook her head. "Can we play today, too?", "Uh, sure thing, but later, okay?", "Okay! Bye!", "Bye, Benny!" she waved at him and rushed into the house, trembling from the cold.

"Warm me up, warm me up." Beth said to Sebastian as soon as she entered the kitchen and sat into his lap, pressing against his chest. "Don't tell me it's cold outside." He joked and embraced her with his arms. "Oh, hush. Benny kept me from going inside. He's coming over today, just so you know.", "Cool, we can play Twister.", "We played that last Saturday.", "So what? It's better than the most of new games these days.", "Let him choose.", "Fine. Also, you didn't write toothpaste on the list.", "It's right under the soap.", "Damn it.", "Sucker. Then I suppose you don't need anything else.", "No, you got it all.", "Good. How's your leg today?" she straightened up to look at his prosthetic leg.
"Great, it doesn't hurt.", "Then that means…" Beth said as the wide smile appeared on her face. "Yes." Sebastian confirmed her unfinished sentence, but they knew what the thing was about.
"Nerf war Saturday!" They said simultaneously and smiled to each other. "The loser takes out garbage for a month, no excuses.", "Deal. And the winner?", "He… hmph. I don't know.", "Me neither. Should I get the jar?", "Yeah." Beth nodded her head and got off from Sebastian's lap to get their 'Winner's jar'. It was made exclusively for their game days. Every time they thought of something, they wrote it on the paper and threw into the jar.
"Okay, you pull out the paper." She handed him the jar since it was his turn this Saturday. "The winner…" he stopped while struggling with opening the folded paper. "The winner gets to decide what the loser is going to wear for one whole day. Anything." Sebastian read out loud and smirked at Beth. "Deal." She simply said and smiled at him, already creating ideas.

"Fuck, it's already 8. I don't want to get stuck in the crowd." Beth said almost panicked after looking at the time on the oven. She quickly drank the coffee from her cup and headed to put on clothes, but felt Sebastian pulling her shirt. "Aren't you forgetting something?" he asked, still holding the shirt. "Oh, geez…" Beth sighed and came back to kiss him. "You're such a baby sometimes.", "So?", "Nothing. You think of letting go now?" When he shook his head in sign of disapproval, Beth somehow took off the shirt while he was still holding it. "Suck it!" she yelled while running naked to their room. "You will come back!"

Ever since Beth went to the town to do the shopping, she started feeling sick. Considering she didn't eat anything since yesterday's lunch on work, it wasn't surprising she was feeling sick. Knowing that Sebastian made breakfast, she quickly did the shopping and went back home.
"I'm back!" she yelled while coming into the kitchen from the garage door, carrying shopping bags. "Already?" Sebastian asked, walking into the kitchen from the living room. "Yeah. Luckily, I came earlier because I just saw two buses, full of tourists, arrive in front of the store." She explained as Sebastian took the bags from her hands and put the groceries in the cabinets and shelves.
When they were done, their breakfast started. Beth put the extra amount of French toast and bacon on her plate, but when she swallowed few bites of it, it started coming back. After practically throwing the fork from her hand and overturning the chair from the sudden rising, she ran to the bathroom to throw up.
She really hated that disgusting feeling in her stomach and throat that tortured her muscles and lungs.
"Beth? You alright?" Sebastian asked while crouching down next to her to help her throw it all up. "I'm sorry, your cooking is delicious and all, but currently I can't stand it right now.", "Were you okay yesterday?", "Yeah. I think it's because of the sandwich I ate yesterday at work. It smelled fishy, but I was starving.", "Oh, you dummy. Here." He said and handed her a glass of water he filled. She nodded and thanked him, then slowly sipped the water.
When the nausea stopped, she brushed her teeth to get rid of that disgusting taste in her mouth while Sebastian made her regular toast. At first, she was eating slowly, but then started faster and faster, adding butter, jam and peanut butter to it, all together. "I think I'll stick to light food today.", "Uh, sure…" Sebastian said, stunned with the things she put on her toast.

"Ready…", "Steady…", "Go!" Beth and Sebastian started playing their Nerf war game in the backyard after they set up the shelters and planks as walls to hide behind. Both of them had 10 darts and the one who gets hit 5 times loses. In the first 5 minutes Beth got hit 3 and Sebastian 4 times. The other 5 minutes Beth missed the chance to hit Sebastian by tripping and falling down, making him a winner when he hit her. Plus, he hit her in her butt cheek, twice.
"God damn it!" she shouted and threw her blaster on the ground, rubbing the hit place. "Who's sucker now?", "…I am." Beth quietly said while sitting down. "I can't hear you." He cheerfully said while leaning down to face her. "I said I am." She repeated louder and pulled Sebastian towards her so he fell on top of her. "That's right. Your punishment starts today and my award… huh, I'll think about it." A sly smile appeared on his face before he kissed her.
"Why can't we have fun like them, Jack?" Suzanne, Beth and Sebastian's neighbor who was watching with her husband that little game of theirs on her balcony while enjoying the fine Saturday afternoon, asked Jack. "Because every time I suggest something, you say it's stupid.", "Okay, it's not that stupid. It looks fun."

"Hey, does it seem to you I'm getting fatter?" Beth asked Sebastian one morning while she was putting on clothes. "This shirt wasn't this tight before.", "Well it was about time for you to get fat." He said while leaning his head to the right to thoroughly look at Beth. "Your hips are a bit wider, yes.", "I know, right? If this keeps on, I'll have to go… shopping. Ugh.", "It's not the end of the world, hon.", "I know.", "By the way, when is your appointment again?", "Wednesday, why?", "I'm just asking.", "Oh, okay."

"Hey, Beth. Mind if I join you?" one of the Beth's coworkers wanted to join her at the table. "Sure, sit down.", "What are you having?", "Mmh, hamburger, fries, tuna sandwich, cheese croissant and a banana. You?", "Okay… wow. I have a turkey sandwich. That was all that left.", "Want some of mine?", "Ooh, thank you. You bring your lunch from home?", "Mhm. Sebastian makes these before going to work.", "Lucky you. With a husband like that." She enviously said and bit into her sandwich. "You have no idea." Beth said and smiled. This reminded her of high school.

"Good afternoon." Beth greeted her gynecologist when he entered the room and did the same. "Elizabeth. How are you feeling?", "Suspicious.", "Why is that?", "My period is late again, about three weeks. I eat properly and healthy. I'm also getting fatter and eat enormously." She explained the thing so he doesn't have to ask a million questions. "Did you have sexual intercourse during those three weeks?", "No, we didn't want to take risks.", "Smart of you." He said and finished the check up. "Elizabeth, you might be pregnant." He said and looked at the papers, studying them, while Beth's heart started beating maniacally. She almost forgot how to breathe. "J-Just a moment there. You said that I was infertile, there is no way I can be pregnant." Beth confusedly said, breathing heavily. "I know. But your cervix shows clear signs of pregnancy. Were there any other symptoms? Like nausea, high temperature, tender breasts, not standing specific food?" the doctor counted some of the symptoms and Beth tried to recall what happened in the past four weeks, which was difficult considering the news she just heard. "Uh… I threw up once when I ate something for breakfast and I don't eat that anymore." She paused, trying to recollect her memories. "Take your time, calm down." The doctor gently said to her, patiently waiting. "My nipples are more sensitive and the veins on my breast are more visible than usual. Oh, and my hips are wider. And I think that's that.", "I see." He said and wrote something on the papers that were in front of him. "You'll need to take urine test. That way we'll know for sure."

Her doctor said the results will come in two days and that's when she should come again. When Sebastian asked her how it went and what did the doctor say, Beth said it's nothing unusual and that everything was fine. She hated lying to Sebastian, but until she finds out if she's pregnant or not, she's not going to tell him a thing. Or act strangely. At least she'll try not to act differently. But Sebastian notices even the slightest changes about her.

Friday after work, when she came to the hospital again, Beth was sitting nervously on the chair in front of the doctor's desk, waiting for him to come. Her palms were sweating, legs bouncing up and down, hands shaking; she was never that nervous in her whole life.
When the door opened, she twitched and tried to breathe normally. "Good afternoon again." He calmly said and Beth greeted back. "The results came." Calm tone of his voice relaxed Beth just for a little bit, but he was a professional and that was in his jobs' description. "Congratulations. You are pregnant." Beth's heart stopped for a second or two and then started beating fast and loudly, she could hear it in her ears. She couldn't utter a single word, but only inhaled and exhaled large amount of air.
"Are you completely sure?", "Completely. You are perfectly healthy, you have no bacteria in your system and you're pregnant for 5 weeks." Beth covered her mouth so she doesn't start screaming. "But how? I was infertile.", "Yes, about that. I asked some of my colleagues and other doctors about their opinions. Since you're my first patient with that problem in my whole career, I was certain it was permanent, but after I asked others, they said they had some patients who had the same problems. Ovaries recovered over time and were capable of producing eggs again. Sure, it takes time to recover, but in the end it recovers.", "Well, is there any danger in pregnancy?", "No. Unless you take care of yourself, there is no danger." Beth sighed in relief and leaned in the chair. Now, in which way should she tell Sebastian?

I bet you totally expected this :D
What do you want it to be: a boy or a girl?