When Steve's parents got home, they happily invited Steve and Laura down to the kitchen to watch them cook, but they didn't let them lift a finger. Laura was right. They prepared one of Steve's favorite childhood dishes, and things were significantly less awkward.

"You know, Steve ordered me frog legs on our very first date. I didn't realize how special they were to him then," Laura said as she took another bite, actually enjoying frog legs for the first time, even though it was the third time he'd made her try them.

"My mother's buttermilk-battered and fried frog legs were legendary in Louisiana," Roberta explained. "She passed when Steven was about four, and I just had such a craving for her cooking. I made nothing but frog legs for a year, and Steve was in heaven, but that could be because it was basically the first home cooked meal he'd ever gotten. After that year, I don't know when I actually cooked for him again."

Steve pursed his lips. "These are great, Mom," he said gently, dripping with empathy as she looked at him with worried eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Steven. I'm sorry you didn't get a lot of home-cooked meals."

"You were working," he shrugged.

"So was Harriette Winslow," she replied, looking away from Laura quickly.

Herb cleared his throat as the room filled with that same uncomfortable feeling that had followed them at the museum. "Steven, your mother and I have been doing a lot of processing since we last saw you. We told Laura that we didn't want to hurt you anymore, and we thought it was best that we take a step back from our relationship with you until we learned better."

"Laura told me," he replied uneasily.

"We really weren't expecting you this week."

"Oh," Steve said softly.

"But we're glad you're here," his mother cut in urgently. "We weren't expecting you, but we're glad you're here."

"We're just not done yet," Herb continued.

"Done with what?" Steve asked.

"We've been seeing a therapist, Steven," Roberta answered. "A family therapist. An American who works at a different hospital here in Moscow. We've been talking through your childhood and ours, and we've been trying to figure out what we did wrong, and more importantly, why we did so very many things wrong. When we told Laura we needed time to figure out how to be better parents, we meant it. We've been trying. I know everything hasn't been perfect since you got here, but I hope it's felt different. To both of you," she said, looking directly at Laura.

"It has," Steve agreed excitedly. "It really has."

Roberta didn't look away from Laura until she nodded and confirmed that. "It has," Laura agreed.

"But it hasn't been perfect," Herb continued, "because we weren't done. Our therapist has been pushing us to reach out, but we haven't felt ready, so we're glad you were the brave one and took this first step."

"You have always been so much braver than us," Roberta said softly, looking at him with the pride both Steve and Laura had expected to see at the museum that afternoon.

"We called our therapist at the museum today, and we made an appointment for tomorrow morning. Now, you don't have to, but we'd really like you to come with us."

"Can Laura come too?" he asked immediately. This felt impossible without her.

"Of course," Herb answered.

Steve looked to Laura. "Is that ok with you, Sweetums?"

"Of course," she said slowly and seriously. She grabbed his knee under the table.

"Good. Then it's settled," Roberta smiled, beginning to eat again. "So, Steven, where are you working nowadays?"

———————————————————————

That night, Steve was tossing and turning in bed. Laura tried to give him time to settle in, but it clearly wasn't working. She turned toward him. "You're gonna give me motion sickness, honey," she complained.

Steve put his glasses back on and propped his head up on his elbow. "You're still awake, bedbug?"

"How could I not be? You're rolling around so much, I'm amazed you haven't rolled off the bed yet."

"It's happened before," he admitted.

"I know. I was there," she reminded him. She lay her head down on his chest. "What's wrong?"

"I'm worried about meeting this therapist tomorrow."

"What are you worried about, specifically?"

Steve thought for a moment. "I'm worried she's going to tell me that I'm crazy, and my parents were never that bad. I'm worried she's going to tell you that I'm traumatized and shouldn't be trusted around children. I'm worried she's going to tell me that I'm completely right, that my parents never loved me the way other parents did and will never, ever be able to."

"Steve, it's one session. Even if any of those things were true, and they're not, I don't know how she could figure it out by talking to you for 45 minutes."

"You're right. I know it's not logical, but that's what's keeping me up tonight."

"How can I help?" she yawned.

Steve stroked her back gently. "Well, you know, there's one thing that always puts me to sleep."

Laura smirked. She raised her head to look down at him. "At your parents' house?"

Steve pursed his lips and shrugged. "It would get the job done."

Laura giggled. "Well, then what can I say? We're just being practical," she teased.

"Very practical," he nodded, pushing her back on the bed and leaning over her.

He kissed her hard, and Laura moaned in response. It showed her just how badly he needed her in this moment. She raised her hands to his arms and slid them slowly up and around his neck. She pulled him closer. Under the blanket, she felt him spread her thighs and slip between them. He broke the kiss and moved down to kiss her neck. "I love you, Steve," she whispered, stroking his back.

"I love you too."

His hands slipped under her tank top and cupped her breasts. "Please be gentle," she reminded him. "They're sensitive right now."

"I'll be gentle," he promised, brushing his thumb over her nipples. She moaned softly. He lifted his head to look down at her face as he played with her nipples. "You are so sexy," he purred as he watched her face in pleasure.

She smiled. "Thank you, baby. I feel sexy with these big titties," she giggled, squeezing his hands on her breasts.

Steve laughed and snorted. He lifted her top over her head and pulled it off. He jiggled her full breasts. "You have always been sexy," he assured her, kissing down her chest and pulling her nipple into his mouth. With pregnancy, they were darker and larger. He sucked hard and pulled away sharply. She whimpered as he pulled back. He kissed her lips again. "I will always find you sexy," he promised. He sucked hard on her other nipple and pulled away again. He leaned in and kissed neck. "I wanna taste you," he breathed heavily in her ear.

Laura felt a shiver run from the top of her spine down to her clit. "God, yes. Please eat me out, Steve."

He nibbled her earlobe. "With pleasure." He kissed down her body and slipped under the blanket. He kissed her thighs as he landed between them. He breathed deeply, overwhelmed by her scent. She even smelled different. Just as amazing as she always had to him, but different.

Laura closed her eyes as he peppered her inner thighs with kisses. He had always been a generous lover, but she swore he was spending more time down there than he used to. Maybe it just seemed that way because he never let her go down on him anymore, no matter how much she begged.

"Honey, we talked to Dr. Walker. She said there was nothing wrong with it."

"I know that, luscious lips, in my scientific mind, but it just makes me uncomfortable."

"You're being silly."

"I know, but… Laura Lee, our baby eats what you eat."

"Not literally," she laughed.

"I know that," he grumbled. "I get what you're saying. I just… don't wanna right now."

Laura pouted at him. "But what if I wanna?"

Steve glanced at her sideways. "You're kidding."

"Nooooo. It might not be my absolute favorite thing we do in bed, but I still like it. I love it. I don't wanna go ten months without it."

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder," he promised, running a thumb gently over her pouty lip.

"I don't have to swallow."

"LAURA LEE!"

She gasped loudly as his tongue finally touched her clit. She reached down and pressed the back of his head down, drawing him into her. He flattened his tongue against her, and she melted. "Steeeeeeeeeeve."

Oh, how he loved that sound. His tongue flicked against her clit gently again and again. He loved pleasuring her like this. He always had, but there was something extra special in it for him now. Not just the way she tasted different now. He knew her body was challenging her in so many ways during pregnancy. He knew she was putting up with aches and pains and discomfort all so that they could have a baby, so that he could have a baby. He felt like he was taming her body for her when he did this. Like a wild mustang. He held her down, lassoed her, and made her whinny. Not his wife whom he loved and respected far too much to compare to an animal he wanted to domesticate, but her body. Her body wasn't behaving for her, so he tamed it for her and made it make her feel good, if only for a brief moment.

As she came, Steve heard a muffled scream. He pulled away from her and saw she'd pulled a pillow over her face. He dove back in and took a moment to enjoy her juices. She was so much wetter during pregnancy. He growled quietly as he licked her entrance. Then he climbed out from under the covers and lay beside her. She had returned his pillow, and he rested his head on it. He placed a hand on her stomach. He rubbed it tenderly, grounding himself. As much as he wanted to climb on top of her and hammer into her with everything he had, he had to be gentle. He had to be patient. He had to be careful with the woman carrying his baby. He kissed her cheek.

"Orgasms are better pregnant," she panted.

"You've told me," he chuckled.

"I'm sorry you'll never know what it feels like. They're just so much easier and bigger and better."

Steve smirked. "I don't need easier orgasms. If anything, mine come too easy when I'm with you."

Laura laughed and turned to him. "I love you," she said softly.

"I love you, too, beautiful."

"How hard are you right now?"

"Are you teasing me, my pet?"

"Yeah," she breathed, "I am. How bad do you want me?"

"So bad, baby."

"How bad?"

"Feel how bad," he ordered, grabbing her hand and pulling it toward him.

"No," she answered, taking her hand back. "Tell me."

Steve exhaled sharply through his nose. "I want you, Laura Lee. I need you. My blood is pounding, and I can barely breathe. I need to remind you that that baby is mine, that you're mine, that you're my mate."

"Do you love me?" she whispered.

Steve whimpered. "Of course, I do. You know I do. I've already told you I do. I love you, Laura Lee. I am madly and deeply in love with you, and I always have been, and I always will be."

Laura sat up suddenly and got on all fours, facing away from him. He sat up and got behind her, the blankets falling away from them. "I love you, too, baby," she whispered, "and I always will."

Steve stroked her back gently. "Can I…?"

She felt his member at her entrance. "Yes. Pleeeease." She gasped as he felt his tip spread her walls apart.

He groaned as he pushed more of himself inside. "You're so wet."

"You got me so wet," she whined as he pulled back and then pushed more of himself inside. "You turn me on so much."

"Yeah? You think I'm sexy, Laura Lee?"

"Yes, baby. You're such a good husband, and you're gonna be such a good daddy, and you have such a big dick." As Steve laughed and snorted, Laura felt his muscles contract inside her, and she moaned.

"I'm gonna be such a good daddy," he promised as started to really thrust into her, "and I'm gonna keep getting you pregnant over and over and over."

"Oh, God," Laura exclaimed. "No, you're not. Just one more after this one," she said firmly.

"But we need more. It'll feel soooo good to have more," he begged, thrusting into her faster.

"Steve, wait. Stop," she said firmly, pulling away from him.

Steve held onto her hips as she pulled him out of her. "Sweet cheeks, nooooo," he whined. "I'm sorry. I know you only want two. That's fine. I promise. I wasn't trying to pressure you. I was just getting excited."

Laura shook her head at him and turned back to him to stroke his cheek. "It's not that, silly. Didn't you hear the bed squeaking and the headboard rattling? Once you got going, I was afraid you were going to wake up all of Russia."

"Well, that's not that many people comparatively," he complained. "Half as many as the U.S.."

"Including your parents," she reminded him firmly.

Steve frowned. "Bubble butt, you can't be planning to just leave me hanging. I told you how much I need you."

"I'm not leaving you hanging. We just need to get off the bed and onto the floor."

"What a relief!" he exclaimed. "If you made me stop now, I wouldn't sleep until the baby is born."

Laura leaned forward and kissed him. "C'mon," she said, standing from the bed.

Steve grabbed a blanket from the bed and set it on the ground. Laura got down on all fours on it and got more comfortable as he bent down behind her. He grabbed her wide hips firmly and pulled her back toward him. "Where were we?" he purred, sliding back into her. He pushed himself forward and buried himself deeper in her, as deep as he could. She screamed out to him.

"Right about here," he said, thrusting into her again.

"Oh, God, baby!"

"Shhhhhh…" he reminded her.

"It's so deep," she whined.

"Too deep?" he asked cautiously.

"No, it feels good. It feels so good."

"It feels good for me too, baby." Steve pumped in and out of her faster, pulling her hips back again and again, thrusting into her big booty. He was barely getting started when she moaned loudly and leaned lower, resting her face on her arms on the floor. She shook all over. "Good job, baby mama. Come on me." She had barely caught her breath when Steve began to thrust into her at full force again. She called out to him loudly. "We're not done yet," he mumbled. He smacked her booty hard. "Bounce that booty back, baby. Bounce that big booty on my… manhood."

Laura giggled and thrust back toward him. "Ohhh!" she exclaimed as he filled her completely. "Oh, that's it, Steve. Right there. Right there."

Steve continued to hit that spot again and again for several minutes. He started panting heavily, but he was determined to send her over the edge for the third time that night. He leaned over her and reached for her full breasts. He tweaked her nipples and gritted his teeth as she moaned loudly.

"Oh, I'm gonna come again. Baby, you're gonna make me come again."

Steve grunted as this workout was starting to get to him, but he stayed strong, huffing and puffing in her ear. "Come for me again, hot stuff," he growled.

"Don't stop. I wanna come. Just don't stop." She started to thrust back into him harder and faster. She mewled as he tweaked her nipples again. "STEEEEEEEEVE," she cried as he sent her soaring over the edge again.

Steve held on tight to her hips and thrust into her three more times as she vibrated all around him and moaned. Then he came deep inside her. He held her close as they both finished and their bodies finally relaxed. He slipped out of her slowly. Steve helped her stand and steadied her as her knees gave out. "Careful, honey knees," he whispered. He got her back in bed, and she collapsed dramatically onto her pillow. He climbed in beside her and pulled the sheets and quilt over them again. "You're gonna get cold, darling. Let me warm you up." He wrapped her into his arms.

"That was incredible, Steve," she panted. "I think that was the best sex we've ever had."

"Hm. I don't know about that, my bodacious beauty. We've had a lot of good… times together."

Laura chuckled. "Sex, Steve. We've had a lot of good sex. You can say, 'sex'."

"But what if the baby hears?" he cringed.

"If the baby starts hearing and retaining things in the womb, I think you should be more concerned about him or her hearing you having sex than saying the word 'sex'."

"Don't put that idea in my head!" he scolded.

"Sorry," Laura shrugged.

Steve took a deep breath and sighed. "I feel better," he whispered, taking his glasses off again and resting his face in the crook of her neck.

Laura reached up and stroked his face. "Good. I'm glad. Are you gonna be able to sleep now?"

"Yeah," he whispered. "Just talk to me for a while."

"About what?"

"About our baby."

Laura thought for a moment. "Have you thought anymore about what you want to name the baby?"

"I thought you wanted to save that conversation for when we know if it's a girl or a boy."

"I did say that, but I've been thinking about it, and I'm still thinking the same thing I've been thinking for years."

"What's that?"

"I wanna name the baby after you."

"That's very sweet, my love, but I think we can do better than that."

"How?"

"Well, for starters, we could name the baby after you, Laura or Lawrence."

"Steven or Stephanie," she countered.

"Sweetums, you're doing all the hard work of bringing our baby into this world. What kind of a jerk would I be if I insisted I get an honor as incredible as that one?"

"You're not insisting. I am. I wanna name the baby after you because we wouldn't be here without you. I wouldn't have such an incredibly perfect life if it weren't for you."

"Your life isn't perfect. Your husband's a big nerd, and you work for free." He laughed and snorted at his own joke.

Laura giggled too. "My husband is the king of nerds," she corrected, "and he's brilliant and kind and generous and romantic and sexy and funny and so incredibly devoted to me. He is everything that I ever wanted and so much more. I wanna name my baby after him."

"But my wife is my dream come true. I've been worshiping her since we were five years old, and I've always wanted to name one of our many, many babies after her."

"I thought we'd use one of my parents' names for his or her middle name, depending on whether it's a boy or a girl."

Steve smiled. "I think that's a great idea, babykins."

"Well, maybe it's not. Maybe we should name our baby Stephanie Laura or Steven Lawrence for the sake of compromise."

"Hmmm…. What about Laura Stephanie or Lawrence Steven?"

Laura laughed. "You are impossible."

"We could combine our names. Lawreven? Laurephanie?"

"Stevaura?"

Steve laughed and snorted. "Is that for a boy or a girl?"

"I'm not sure," she laughed. "Maybe either."

"Maybe neither," he teased.

"Maybe."

Steve yawned loudly.

"We should get some sleep, baby."

"But we haven't named our baby yet."

"We have six months to decide."

"I guess we can pause this conversation then."

"For now."