Wednesday, June 8, 2022- 22 weeks

"Howard, I got those books you were asking about." Stuart approaches our group not long after we arrive at the comic book store. Our friends and I watch as Howard follows him to the counter. Curiosity is getting the best of the rest of us and we find ourselves making our way to the counter to see the books Howard had Stuart order for him.

Koothrappali is the first to speak when he gets a view of the books Wolowitz is sorting through. "Those aren't comic books. They look like children's books."

"Yeah," Wolowitz shrugged, continuing to inspect the books. "Bernadette is wanting to do this one-thousand books before kindergarten thing with the kids and has been insisting I do it with them, too. I wanted some new books cuz I'm getting tired of the ones we have. Stuart said he knew of some good ones he could order for me."

I'm not inspecting the books as closely as the other guys, but I notice a few Star Wars and superhero books on the counter. I wonder if I can add any of these books to the baby registry without Amy noticing. Maybe someone will see them on there and get them with something Amy wanted. She kept telling me to pick things I liked for the registry, she might not care that I add something like these types of books.

"I'll take these," Wolowitz pushes four of the books across the counter before turning his attention to me. "Do you want me to give you a ride home since I have to go right past your place on my way home?"

"You're leaving already? You didn't even pick any comic books for yourself." I wasn't planning to leave this soon, but I don't want to take an Uber, either.

I glance back to where I'd been looking for my new comic book. Since we moved, Amy and I have been discussing our budget. She wanted me to give up new comic book night completely. I finally convinced her I should be allowed to get one new comic book every week. After all, it costs the same as her weekly trips to Starbucks when she goes to Target. We each get one special thing a week, anything beyond that that we had been spending on those types of things is being put into a savings account for our son. Our son; I'm still baffled at times that I'm going to have a son in a matter of months.

Wolowitz lets out a sigh, "Is five minutes enough for you to pick something? I want to get home to read one of these to the kids for bedtime. You'll know what it's like to want to get home for bedtime soon enough."

Selecting a comic book, I take it to the counter, leaning over it, I whisper to Stuart, "Can I get those books Howard didn't want?"

"What? Oh, yeah." He scans the items and I pass him my credit card to pay for them. "You want a bag?"

"No. They'll fit in here," I'm already placing them in my messenger bag. "I'm ready. Let's go."

I follow Wolowitz to his car, climbing into the passenger seat and placing my bag at my feet. Neither of us says anything until we approach the last few minutes of the drive before reaching mine and Amy's house. "Amy's okay with you getting Star Wars books for the baby? I saw you shove them in your bag."

"It's not like any of his other regular customers would buy them. I was doing him a favor by taking them off his hands. Maybe they're for Ava. Her birthday is coming up." I can't tell him they're for my baby because he might figure out we're having a boy when Amy and I decided not to tell everyone what we're having. Unlike our friends who shared everything, we've been enjoying keeping this pregnancy to ourselves as much as possible.

"Sure, whatever you say," I can hear Howard roll his eyes at my response.

He turns the car into the driveway and waits for me to get out. "Thank you for the ride. I'll see you tomorrow."

The living room and kitchen are empty and dark, sans the lamp next to the couch that dimly lights the room. "Amy?" I call out. This house is nice, but it's so big sometimes. If Amy wasn't in the living room or kitchen at the apartment, I knew I could find her in the bedroom. Here, I'm left searching for her at least twice a week. I make my way from room to room until I find her with her harp in the spare room at the end of the hallway. "Hello," I alert her of my presence.

"Hi," she looks up, resting the harp and sitting back. "How was the comic book store?"

It's been weeks since I've seen Amy with her harp and ignore her question. "You had time to play tonight."

"Yeah, but I think I'm going to have to stop until after he's born. I feel like I can't get close enough and I'm stretching too far to be comfortable." She rests her hand on her stomach. I approach and sit on the floor next to her, placing my hand over hers. "He's been pretty still this evening. I think he's sleeping."

"I got something for him," I open my messenger bag and retrieve the four books I purchased, "Not this one, that's for me. Here," I place the remaining three on Amy's lap.

She shuffles through them, reading the title of each and inspecting the cover, "Goodnight Darth Vader, Star Wars Little Golden Book Library, and Baby's First Klingon Words. You got these at the comic book store?"

"Howard asked Stuart to order some kids' books for him and he didn't want these, so I got them. I thought it would let me have something in common with our son from the start."

"Sheldon," Amy sighs, resting her hand on my back. "You'll have things in common with him. And even if he doesn't like Star Wars and Star Trek, you'll take an interest in the things he likes, just like you do with me and the harp. You'll ask about his day and make an effort."

Now it's my turn to sigh. "But what he's like Georgie: into girls and football and cars?"

Amy chuckles at my worry, "That's what we've got Penny for. She'll help him talk to girls, and she loves football. As for the cars, maybe we try to deter him from that. None of our friends are really into cars. Or maybe we call Georgie and they can bond over that."

"I don't know how I feel about my son bonding with my brother. What if Georgie tells him all the things he did to me when we were kids and he starts treating me that way?"

"Your relationship with Georgie is so much better than it was even a few years ago. Georgie is a good guy who takes care of his family. That sounds a lot like someone else I know," I swear Amy winks at me. "I'm gonna head to bed early. You gonna stay up to read your new books?" I shake my head, leaving the books on the chair Amy vacated. We haven't begun setting up the nursery, so there isn't a place for them in the room next door.