Friday, Sept 16, 2022- 36 weeks
"Are you looking forward to your last day of work?" I ask after parking the car in Amy's assigned spot outside the biology building. Today is her last day of work before starting her maternity leave followed by her sabbatical for the next year. We have a little over three weeks until her due date, but the doctor said our son could be born any day.
Amy shrugs before walking away from the car, "I don't know. Seth has been the lead on everything for weeks now. I just have to finish packing my things this morning before the baby shower this afternoon the department insisted on throwing. So, I'll have a lot to bring to the car tonight."
Great. I'll have to convince the guys to help move everything, then bring it inside by myself when we get home. I guess I can take my time bringing it in from the car throughout the weekend. Amy can work on putting away her belongings and any last-minute baby gifts over the next few weeks until our son decides to join us. The very thought of the possibility of Amy being home alone when she goes into labor terrifies me. I don't want to be away from her and miss a second of our son coming into the world, but there's a chance I won't be there.
"Are you coming for the shower? It's at two in the conference room," Amy's gentle voice pulls me from my thoughts. "Rajesh already texted me that he'll be there. It will probably only last around an hour. We might be able to leave a little early if you wrap up your work before coming over."
Before I can process what I'm saying, I find myself blurting out, "Maybe I should start my paternity leave, too."
"You should wait like we agreed. I'm only starting my leave now because my doctor wants me to take it easy until he's born. I wish I were able to work until the day he's born, especially knowing that I'm taking the next year off," she trails off as we approach the door.
I stop in my tracks and grab her hand, holding her back from entering the building, "I thought you wanted to stay home until his first birthday. You don't have to. It's okay if you've changed your mind. Wolowitz and Bernadette like the university daycare. We can head over there now to get his name on the list for after the holidays."
Shaking her head, Amy turns down my suggestion, "No, I want to stay home with him. I'm sorry. It's just the emotions over it being my last day of work. I'll see you later."
"I love you," I bend my head, quickly kissing my wife. "I'll meet you in your lab at one-thirty so we can go to the baby shower together."
I place the last box in the trunk of the car and Wolowitz slams it shut for me. He, Koothrappali, Leonard, Amy, and I are all standing next to the car. "Thank you so much for helping carry everything," Amy rests her hands under her stomach as she thanks our friends for bringing the boxes from her lab and the gift bags from the baby shower.
"It's going to be weird not seeing you all the time anymore," I watch as Koothrappali extends his arms, stepping toward my wife.
They briefly embrace before Leonard comments, "We'll still see her all the time. I'm sure she'll bring the baby to visit Sheldon all the time. If you guys need anything, don't hesitate to call."
"I need to get my bag from my office. I'll be back in ten minutes, then we can go home." I speedwalk back to my office, quickly packing my laptop into the same messenger bag I've used for years.
My return walk is much slower. While Leonard is right, the guys who started as friends of my new roommate and turned into my family won't see my wife every day anymore. My wife, whom I only met because of them. My wife, a phrase that never crossed my mind until years after I walked into that coffee shop. I'll miss our drives to work together for the next year and the spontaneous visits to her lab. On the other hand, I know that she and our son will be waiting for me to return home at the end of each day.
I approach the parking lot once again, finding Amy leaning her back against the side of the car, laughing at something one of our friends said. "I'm ready," I announce, rejoining the group.
"Thanks again," she shares a look with each of the men that I don't fully understand.
Amy and I sort through the latest round of baby gifts before bed. She's been struggling to get comfortable to sleep. One thing we've found works is if I rub her back, relieving the pressure she experiences on a near-constant basis. Tonight is no different. After listening to Amy sigh, shifting every few minutes, I climb out of bed, instructing her, "Slide over. I think we should swap sides until after he's born. We've switched sides every night for the past two weeks." She shifts to my side of the bed, kicking the blankets off almost instantly.
I gently rub her lower back before she murmurs, "Thank you." Continuing my actions, I feel Amy relax under my fingers. "Please don't be mad at me, but I kind of asked the guys to help you since I won't be at the university. I didn't ask for them to watch you exactly, but things like make sure you've eaten lunch if you're in the zone or give you a ride home if I go into labor while you're at work."
"Okay," I sleepily reply. I suspected she would do something like that. I'm much more comfortable with the idea of one of our friends driving me home if Amy were to go into labor while I'm at work than needing to take the bus. I do think it will be easier for all of us if we look at getting a second car so I can drive myself to work each morning and home if needed during the day without asking one of our friends to leave in the middle of the day. That's something to be discussed after the baby is born and I'm on paternity leave.