Nate was a morning person.

For as long as he could remember, his body would wake him in the early hours of the morning. It was a habit he had gotten from his grandfather at a young age- the early bird gets the worm. An early wake up call gave him more time in the day, it allowed him to stay focused and disciplined. It allowed him to go for a run or fit in a work out before school. It allowed him to make the most out of his day. Sleeping in was for the lazy.

When Cassie first started staying with him, he found her early morning routine attractive. She would also start her day early, do a little workout, use some stone thing on her face for ages. She had a routine, she was disciplined, she cared about her appearance and he could relate to that.

Nowadays, being heavily pregnant had made her constantly tired and, rightly so, there were no more alarms set for 4am.

Instead, Nate traced his fingers up and down the curve of her hip slowly, her naked back was nestled into his chest, his lips softly traced the slope of her neck, slowly trying to wake her up from her sleep.

"I know you're awake." He whispered in her ear, having felt the shift in her breathing and the way her bum would wiggle against him every once in a while.

"It's soooo early." She whined playfully, her eyes tightly shut. "Go back to sleep."

His fingers had dipped a little bit lower, slowly making their way down her body and in between her thighs.

The soft little smile on her face, the arch of her back, her hand guiding him to find just the perfect spot would tell him she was now definitely awake.

Nate had lost count of how many time they'd had sex since moving into their new home. He could confidently say they had thoroughly christened their new home- there was a certain lightness and passion and effervescence that came with the freedom their new home embodied.

His little jail run in had meant a little less partying and a little less partying meant a clearer head and a clearer head meant more presence to enjoy sex. His older work friends had given him sound advice to enjoy as much adult time before their baby came along.

Plus, there was something particularly fun about eating breakfast and then fucking on the kitchen counter.

As Cassie's pregnancy neared its end, sex had gotten a little more awkward to navigate, between her large belly and sore back it was hard to find a position that felt comfortable for her. They needed to get a little creative and Nate had learned to be a little gentler, still a bit spooked from the time she spotted a little after a particularly passionate encounter.

For as much as she liked playing sleeping beauty, Cassie had soon pushed him on his back before sinking herself on him. Her mouth formed a little o as her body adjusted to him.

There was something about the way she looked in that moment he wished he could immortalise forever. The way her blonde hair fell down in soft waves, the way her cheeks had rosey tinge to them, the way her head rolled back when he hit that perfect little spot within her, the way her belly rested heavily on his abs.

Nate was truly enamoured with her pregnancy, with the mere idea of her carrying their child. A baby he had created with her, a gift bestowed from his body to her's to keep safe and deliver in due time.

As he let his hand come to rest on her stretched stomach, as he let his lips trace the curve of her belly, as he let his eyes run over the faint little stretch marks she spent hours frantically moisturising, as his fingers grasped her swelling breasts, Nate truly felt there was nothing more fulfilling than being witness to Cassie's pregnancy.

Earlier in their relationship he had found himself fantasising of this moment, but at the time the thought of her swollen abdomen was a brief image in a larger fantasy of their future. He had been more focused on fantasising about their fictional family, of recreating in his mind that picture perfect love he yearned for in his own home, rather than fixating on the thought of Cassie pregnant. He was picturing the end goal, not the journey.

This was a whole different ball game.

What was it about her pregnancy that had him so fascinated?

In some ways, the idea of procreating in itself made him feel strong, powerful, a Man. His body had done that. It had given Cassie's body the necessary seed to plant the gift of life in her womb. He had done that.

Fertility to motherhood, virility to fatherhood.

Then there was Cassie.

Her body changing to house, nurture and grow their baby was mesmerising to Nate. She walked with a glow that made her look ethereal, a glowing angel. Sure, Cassie had always been gorgeous in his eyes, but she looked particularly beautiful now.

He liked looking at her, at the way her hand would slowly rub along her belly without her even realising. They would be talking and she would just stand with one hand resting on her back and the other caressing her stomach.

He had watched her body change forever, he had witnessed the awful nausea, he had heard of her sleepless nights, he had massaged her swollen ankles, he helped her into her shoes.

He thought without a doubt that pregnancy was truly the ultimate sacrifice a woman could make.

There was no better way of showcasing her love, her devotion, her commitment to him and their future than putting her body through all of this to have his baby.

That awful Paul Anka song had become the leitmotif of his life.

But it was true, it was the loveliest way of saying that she loved him.

Cassie lamenting the pain in her back prompted him to switch up their positions, flipping them so that he was now behind her and she was on all fours. As he dipped into her again, the small wince from Cassie made him slow down his movements.

"Too deep?" He asked, placing a soft kiss on her naked back.

"I'm just a bit sensitive." She responded, eliciting a soft apology from Nate before he resumed.

He loved the visual of her in this position just as well, but his hand still found its way to rest on her stomach. He could feel the fluttery movement of their son's little kicks, which used to freak him out a little, until their doctor reassured them it was completely normal.

He waited for the tell-tale signs of Cassie's own orgasm- the arched back, the flushed skin, the strangled moan- to allow himself to fully give in to his pleasure.

"Your son is a perv." Cassie would say, as they lay side by side catching their breath. "He is kicking so much right now."

"Sorry we woke you, buddy." Nate whispered softly to her belly, a small smile on his face. "Not long to go until you're here to cockblock me."

"Ugh don't remind me." Cassie's hands moved to cover her eyes as she groaned. As much as she was excited to meet their son, the idea of giving birth terrified her. "He's going to be huge, I'm going to split in half pushing him out."

The last few weeks had seen them put in a little more effort in going to birthing classes. Nate had committed to going with her and had done a pretty good job at being there. They were treated to a wonderful birthing video which had freaked the hell out of Cassie and made her seriously consider a c-section.

It was a weird limbo of anticipation of finally meeting their son, mixed with fear of how life as they knew it would change forever.

His emails had also alerted him to another issue he had been avoiding.

College.

He was two weeks away from starting classes, a time he was dreading. This meant that by the time their baby came along, Nate would be juggling work, school and fatherhood.

This also meant he was stuck in crossfire with the admissions office to approve his off-Campus living request. It was ludicrous to expect him to live in a dorm room, but the most they had been willing to compromise was the three of them moving into family accommodation.

Which was a big hell no for Nate, who had just left his family home and had not intention of living under anyone's supervision.

As his eyes drifted to Cassie's bare hands, his mind replayed his last conversation with the school.

"We only provide full exemptions for married students."

Truthfully, Marsha's ring had been burning a hole in his pocket for months now.

He loved Cassie, he knew that much. So what was stopping him from asking her to be his wife. Sure, it was soon. But they had already skipped so many phases, what was one more? Why delay the inevitable?

He could see himself as Cassie's husband, a devoted father, a successful businessman. A family guy.

Maybe the underlying fear of becoming what he dreaded the most - his father - was holding him back from this step in their lives.

Whether he liked it or not, he had replicated the journey of Cal's life to a tee. Teenage pregnancy, check. Family business, check. Business degree, underway. So, could they truly be different enough from his own parents to make things work? Or were they doomed from the start?

"What's got you so quiet?" Cassie whispered against his neck, her lips placing a soft kiss under his chin.

"Have you ever thought about us getting married?" He asked her, her face looking up at him in surprise, her lips stuttering the word what. "Us, getting married? I mean we're living together, we're about to have a baby…I don't know…"

"I mean, yeah, obviously I've thought about it. I just didn't think it was something you wanted…" Her eyes turned downcast, her face flushed.

"So it's something you would want? Getting married and stuff?" He pressed again, his fingers twirling her blonde locks.

"Nate, where is this going?" She huffed, her head now resting on his chest and her eyes looking back up at him trying to read his emotions. "I mean, sure, what girl hasn't thought of her wedding? But I would only want it if you wanted it too."

He allowed her words to float in the air while he pondered on her last statement. It was clear, like in many other aspects of their relationship, that Cassie would be ready at the word Go. The decision making power lay with him.

"Okay, well let's do it then." He suddenly said in a calm voice. Cassie's reaction was anything but calm as she sat up abruptly in their bed.

"What?"

"I'm asking you to marry me, Cass." He responded with a hint of amusement and a hint of annoyance, because getting the words out as they should in a proposal felt a little weird to him. He didn't want to make a fuss, he didn't want to say anything corny or overly romantic. He just didn't feel comfortable enough to share his emotions so openly.

But Cassie's loud and excited shriek told a different story altogether.

And my arms need someone to enfold, to keep me warm when Mondays and Tuesdays grow cold.

Love for all my life, to have and to hold.

Oh, and I want a Sunday kind of love.