A/N: Thanks for reading. Enjoy!
"Ok Ana. How about you lay down on this blanket?" Ethan stretches a white blanket on the grass of Crescent Place Park where we're doing the maternity photo shoot we've been discussing. He called Thursday night and asked if today might be a good time. "And Christian, you can lay down behind her and place your hand on her stomach." Christian helps me on to the blanket and then settles in behind me.
"Is this ok?", Christian asks. Max, who's serving as Ethan's assistant for the day, gives a thumbs up for approval.
"Well...I need both of you to shift your bodies a tad to the right.", Ethan says. Christian and I do so and then wait. "Maybe that was too much to the right."
"Ethan, this grass isn't very comfortable.", I groan.
"I'm sorry, but we want these photos to be perfect."
"Ana's in them so of course they're going to be perfect.", Christian replies.
"Fucking swoon.", Max laughs. "Ethan, they look fine to me, but you're the photographer." Ethan steps back and observes the scene in front of him in the very moment a rumble of thunder booms in the distance. "I didn't know there was a chance of rain today."
"The weather said maybe a pop up shower.", Ethan shrugs. "Even though that thunder sounded far away, I'm going to go with the set up and shoot." He raises his camera and proceeds to snap several photos, some from the front and a few from the the sides. "All right. How about we go and do the rest under the pavilion?"
I grab Christian's hand and get to my feet, feeling a tiny droplet land on my shoulder. One then hits Christian's hand. We make our way to the pavilion while the rain starts falling more steadily. By the time we're under the roof, it's raining cats and dogs.
"So much for a pop up shower.", I sigh. Luckily, Ethan and Max had already set up the next phase of the shoot which is merely a white drape on a concrete wall, but they've added props such as a jar of pickles and baby blocks. A stool is centered in the middle of the drape.
"Ana, have a seat on the stool and hold the pickles.", Ethan says. He grabs a handwritten sign with We're Having a Baby. "Christian, stand next to her and hold this sign while giving the biggest smile possible." Christian and I follow Ethan's instructions and wait for Ethan to finish snapping away. "Awesome." We go about with the rest of the session, listening to and watching the rain around us. Forty-five minutes later, Ethan stores his camera back in the case. "I'm afraid the rain is going to keep us from getting any more shots on the grass. We can do some more when you guys would like."
"I do know there's a definite chance of rain tomorrow.", Christian replies. "Let's aim for next Saturday if you're available." Ethan pulls his phone out and scrolls through what I assume is his calendar.
"Next Saturday is good for me. You're going to the doctor next week to find out what you're having, right?" Christian's eyes go to mine.
"Yeah. We've got an appointment on Tuesday. We can't wait to find out what we're having.", I answer even though Christian and I already know we're having a boy who we've decided to name Oliver.
"Kate was over last night and said she thinks you already know but aren't telling anyone. I told her you wouldn't be able to keep that news to yourself so there's no way you already know.", Ethan laughs.
"The doctor asked us on Monday if we wanted to go ahead and find out, but we wanted to wait until our appointment this week.", Christian adds.
"Huh.", Max murmurs. "Why not go ahead and find out? You could save yourself a trip next week."
"A week might seem like nothing, but it can be significant in a pregnancy. The chances of seeing the gender are greater as time goes on. Ana and I figured we'd have more luck if we waited for our actual appointment." I'm not believing a word Christian says, and I doubt Ethan and Max aren't either.
"That makes sense.", Ethan says. I was wrong. Christian, appearing relieved, snakes his arms around my waist.
"Are you ready?", he asks me.
"Yeah. Ethan, Max, thank you for today. It was a lot of fun, and we can't wait to do some more shots."
"I may have been a little demanding, but it was fun, definitely much more than the shoot I did at work yesterday. A woman brought in her two poodles for photos. They've won several prizes in dog shows, and she wanted some photos to show her love for them. The owner said they were obedient and well behaved. Apparently yesterday was the exception. They wouldn't be still and kept running away from me." Christian and I along with Max are trying not to laugh, but the visual of Ethan chasing after the dogs makes it difficult. I eventually got a view shots in, but that was it. You can laugh now."
"I'm sorry Ethan. You painted this picture, and now it's stuck in my head.", I giggle. "We're going to go.
"You guys should have seen Kate with all her car knowledge. It was so fucking hot.", Elliot says before taking a swig of his beer. "Even hotter than the cars at the show." He leans closer to Kate and places his mouth to her ear. "Later I'll look under your hood." Today was the Greater Seattle Auto Show which Kate covered for the magazine. Christian and I stopped by her and my mom's apartment afterwards.
"Uh you weren't as quiet as you thought. I heard you from the other side of the room.", Christian admonishes his brother. "Carla probably heard you from the kitchen." At the mention of her name, my mom pops her head out from the kitchen. "Carla, did you hear Elliot?"
"I did, but I'm pretending I didn't.", she murmurs. She comes out of the kitchen and sits down in the chair next to the sofa where Christian and I are seated. "I'm anxious to hear about the photography session. Did Ethan get a lot of shots?"
"So so. We're going to hopefully do some more next weekend.", I answer as Kate's eyes position on me. She grabs a chip from the bowl in Elliot's hands and takes a bite without refocusing her attention. I respond by giving her a steady glare. Neither of us blink, but she appears to be uncomfortable.
"You're seriously weirding me out right now.", she says. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"I was about to ask you the same thing."
"I wasn't staring at you."
"Babe, you were staring at her.", Elliot laughs. Kate's green eyes turn red as she finds another person to place her attention. "Or maybe you weren't. It seemed like you were, but you might have been just staring at the wall. I'm sure that's what it was."
"I may need to reconsider our plans for later."
"Please don't go into detail in front of us.", Christian pleads.
"Ok you've got me. I wouldn't define it as staring. It was more like observing. I was trying to get a read on Ana to see if I could possibly find out if my prediction of the baby being a girl is correct." I grin and place my head on Christian's shoulder. Kate snaps her finger and jumps to her feet. "I knew it!", she shouts.
"What the fuck?", Christian growls. "Ana didn't say a word."
"She didn't have to. Her body language said it all. You're having a girl." She paces the carpet in front of her while rubbing her hands. "Aunt Kate's going to spoil her god-daughter."
"You might want to stop right there. We've yet to choose godparents for Oliver."
"Oliver? Who's Oliver?", Elliot asks, completely perplexed. My mom gasps and begins crying simultaneously.
"Oh.", she sighs. Elliot continues being confused.
"I'm waiting. Who's Oliver?"
"Our son. Oliver's our son.", I answer. Christian's hands go on top of the one I've placed on my stomach.
"You're having a boy? I was wrong.", Kate mumbles. "And you're naming him Oliver? Would his name happen to be an homage to Olivia?"
"Huh?", Christian asks. "What does Olivia have to do with his name?"
"Oliver, Olivia, they're kind of similar." I hadn't even thought of what she's saying although I now understand. "Not that Olivia isn't deserving of having a baby named after her, but I call dibs on the next kid being named after me."
"Why do you get dibs?", Elliot asks her. "Maybe they'd rather name their kid Elliot or Ellie. They could start a new trend and go with the name Elliota."
"I sometimes wonder about you.", Christian tells Elliot. "We hadn't thought of the name sounding like Olivia, and even if so, we love the name Oliver. It's a good, strong name."
"I love it as well.", my mom says. "Oliver Grey."
"What about the middle name? You could still go with Elliot. Oliver Elliot Grey.", Elliot suggests.
"We discussed the middle name last night and decided on Raymond. Oliver Raymond Grey.", I announce. "We can't wait for him to be here so all of you can meet him."
"When he gets older and out of diapers, he can stay the night at our place." Only Christian and I seem to be oblivious to what Elliot's referring to. Turning to my mom, she nods her head.
"You and Kate are moving in together?", I ask.
"We are moving in together. We've been discussing it for a while and came to the conclusion that she's going to move into my place."
"I also gave them a push.", my mom says. "I'm doing well at work and can afford the rent here on my own. Not only is it good for Kate and Elliot, but it's good for me. While I've enjoyed living with Kate, I want to experience living alone which I've never done. Call it one more step in my progress."
"Have I told you lately how proud I am of you?", I ask her.
"You have, and I'm just as proud of you."