I can clearly tell that the the first trimester of my pregnancy is over: I don't get sick that often, I feel better, and my appetite is roaring. Also, I feel the distinctive need of nesting, meaning I long to make our home baby-friendly. Jack kindly offers to rob a baby store for me, and I decline after laughing about that silly idea for a long time. Imagine the terror that is the Joker, stealing diapers and making some poor sales woman advise him on what stroller to take?! Instead, I take Jackson with me, and one morning, we find ourselves in a gigantic store called Super Baby World.
"Hi! Welcome to Super Baby World! The place where you will find EVERYTHING for you baby or toddler!", a middle-aged sales lady gives me that overly friendly smile that I loathe so much, "I'm Becky. How may I help you?"
"We just wanted to take a look around..", I answer, trying to let her know that we are not interested in her help. I know she's only doing her job, and I know this friendliness and eagerness is apparently part of the job, but I don't like it. Especially when it comes to anything that has to do with kids – in that case, I find privacy extremely important, almost sacred.
"Oh! Are you expecting?", Becky won't let go off that easily.
I look at my belly – it's showing just a little. And what does Becky care if I'm pregnant? Maybe I'm shopping for a friend? Back off, Becky!
"We will call you if we need you..Becky.", I smile coldly, and I see her take a few steps back.
"..why don't you like Becky?", Jackson smirks a bit as we stroll down the huge aisles. I know he teases me.
"Why do we need to know that her name is Becky? Why do they do this?", and by "they" I mean Americans, and by "this" I mean the annoying habit of unnecessarily introducing yourself to complete strangers.
"They think they're being friendly", Jackson shrugs his shoulders, "I guess they are friendly..?"
"I just want to order a coffee, but no, 'Hi my name is Brett and I'll be your barista today and how are you doing', well fuck you Brett, I just want coffee!", I rant a bit.
"Mom", Jackson rolls his eyes at me, "Do you remember, back in Croatia? You used to rant because you regularly waited for like 15 minutes in shops and none of the clerks bothered even to say 'hi'..not to mention the waiters in cafes..remember? You always hated that they made us wait and that they're so rude."
"Yes, yes", I pout childishly, "There's no pleasing me."
We spend the next hour slowly looking over baby stuff. I am amazed by the variety of things offered, and sure enough, I decide that I need everything. Jackson proves to be extra-useful when we start discovering all the baby strollers with their different functions. He looks at one Stokke model for a while, and then does a little presentation for me.
"..ok. This is like a 3-in-1 model. Here you have the basket for the baby when it's born, see the flat one? And this one is for the period when the baby can sit by itself..and this is the car basket.", he explains, and I admire his technical skills. In no time at all, he finds knobs and buttons that I didn't notice at all, "Here..you can regulate the handle with this…and here is how you fold the entire thing when you want to put it in the car…oh look, you can turn the basket in either direction. That's handy."
"Excuse me, could you show me how to fold this one..?", a pretty and very pregnant woman approaches us, "I'm sorry, do you work here..?"
"I don't, but I guess I can take a look", Jackson simply says and leans over the stroller the woman pointed at, and starts pushing and pulling at the poor thing, "Oh, this should do the trick..wait..it's a bit..here we go."
"Wow, thank you! I'm sorry to have bothered you, I've sent my daughter to find someone to help..", the lady apologizes.
"No bother at all", Jackson smiles politely, and then I notice his eyes widen and an expression bordering between dread and delight washes over his face.
"There she is! Jasmine, it's ok, this young gentleman already helped me", the woman tells the girl-her daughter, apparently- who approaches us. To say she's beautiful would be an understatement – she's gorgeous. No wonder the goofy look on Jackson's face.
"Hi, Jasmine", Jackson surprises me by greeting this girl. Not only that, the tone of his voice sounds…longing, but also a bit angry. Once again, he reminds me of his father. This is how Jack used to look at me when I displeased him – royally pissed off, but still wanting me so much it hurts.
"Jackson", she simply answers, but the look she gives him! Something between deadly daggers and hot kisses.
Both her mom and I can clearly sense the tension between those two, so we take a few steps aside and let them play their staring game. We chit-chat for a few minutes, and she tells me how often she and her daughter come to this store, since she not only expects a baby but also has a lot of nieces and nephews, and this is the best store in the neighbourhood. We both giggle a bit at the dramatic good-bye between our teenage kids, namely him telling her darkly "See you in school", and her answering "Guess so" and shooting him a look filled with disdain and about a ton of invitations.
When we're about to leave the store, Jackson takes a sharp turn and steers right towards Becky. They exchange a few words, and he points at a sign saying "Help needed". Poor Becky nods, and Jackson nods back, and then turns back to join me.
"I thought you were taking that job at the local gym..?", I comment as we enter the car, loaded with baby stuff.
"I'm not.", he says.
"You'd rather work at a baby store.", I state.
"Sure.", he says quickly.
"Because you've always been so interested in child care..?", I tease him, "And the pay must be..astronomic."
"Wouldn't know."
"Maybe if that girl went to that gym, then you'd work at the gym, right?", I laugh. He just rolls his eyes at me, but a little smile escapes him.
"By the way, employees get a special discount at the store, so I think you'll be really happy with me working there", he informs me, and he's right!
…
"Are you sure you have spent enough money..?", Jack asks me dryly as he notices the number of bags Jackson and I are dragging in the house.
"No. It was just our first trip. And, FYI, I'm about to spend shitloads of money on that baby. You made it, now pay up", I tell him, "Oh, and don't mind your pregnant girlfriend busting her back by carrying all of this..why don't you just sit back, relax and continue reading your.."
My eyes fall on the cover of the magazine Jack is reading and I have to blink again. I stop dead in my tracks and ask him:
"Why in the name of God are you reading a bridal magazine?", I ask and Jackson bursts out laughing. It really is a very silly scene.
However, Jack doesn't even smile, but patiently looks at both Jackson and me, as if waiting. And then I understand that he actually is waiting. He's waiting for us to figure out why he's reading a bridal magazine!
"Oh, wow", Jackson says and Jack gives him a short affirmative smile.
"Jack..?", my logical mind knows what this means, but my heart is about to explode and I dare not admit what this could mean.
"Yes?", he asks. His brown eyes bore deep into mine, and again I have the feeling as if he can read my soul. I can't find the strength to say another word, and the tears start coming like crazy, and sure enough I'm already sobbing.
"Aw crap", I can hear Jack sighing and standing up. He comes to me and holds me gently in his big arms, "I found a few gowns that would look particularly beautiful on you..so just pick one, ok?"
"But..but..but…", I try to form a sentence, "You didn't ask."
"Ask what?", he plays with my hair and smiles at me, knowing very well what he's supposed to ask.
"You're supposed to drop on one knee, and then ask me..", I demand, drying my tears.
"Come on..", he rolls his eyes, and that makes me angry. I deserve that moment – I deserve it!
"And you're supposed to give me a ring!"
"Hah!", he snorts a laugh, "Haven't you spent enough money for one day, lady?!"
"Jack!", I yell angrily, "You either do it right or don't do it at all!"
"Oh, well", he smiles and I can see happiness in his smile. Suddenly, I realize that he has probably predicted the way I would react.
His eyes never leaving mine, he slowly drops on one knee before me. Another surge of tears ruins my makeup.
He gently takes my left hand into both of his.
"GHANDI!", he yells very unceremoniously. Our sweet, ugly, huge and slightly smelling dog trots into the room, and in place of his usual collar, there is a giant clown bow, with a little jewellery box attached to it. Jack neatly detaches the box and a second later, I'm staring at the most elegant diamond ring you could imagine.
"Oh", I say, taken aback.
"Sonja", Jack squeezes my hand lightly and brings me back to reality. He then slowly puts the ring on my finger, "Will you do me the extraordinary honour of marrying me?"
I want to say "yes", but I find myself speechless in the immense joy I'm experiencing.
"You know me and I know you. Since we were high school kids..you kept by my side in the darkest moments. You soldiered through all the ugliness that I bring...", he mistakes my lack of words as a sign that I still need persuasion, "You make me feel…almost normal. I mean that in the best possible way. You gave me a son..and you carry our daughter. I can't change who I am, and you don't want me to change, but what I can do is to be the best possible husband to you and father to our children. And I will do so, even if you say 'no' to me now. But still, I'd prefer you said 'said'. I'm old-fashioned like that. So, humour me, if you will."
I want to laugh and cry in the same time, and I even feel a bit of my pregnancy-related nausea coming, so I keep shtum for a moment or two longer.
"Ok, I will take off the face every evening", he rolls his eyes, "And I will use the towels you brought just for that. Jesus."
Now I laugh.
"Maybe I should hold my tongue a bit longer, who knows what else I could get out of this?", I joke.
"Don't push your luck, woman.", he threatens lightly, "Come on already, my knee hurts, I'm not twenty anymore."
"Ok, if you insist – I'll marry you", I finally agree and then squeal a bit as he, fast as a lightning, jumps to his feet and embraces me in a bear-like hug, followed by a kiss that makes me instantly blush.
"Uh, yeah, congratulations, I'm off now..", we hear Jackson clearly embarrassed voice, "Gross…get a room. Let's go for a walk, Gadni."
A/N: Hello there, I hope everyone has a most magnificent and successful 2018!
I'm sorry I made you wait again! I can't really make any real promises, but I love this story and working on it, so you can rest assured that I will not abandon it and that I will update it regularly.
Let me know how you liked the new chapter :)