Chapter 40

                                    

                                          
Lisa – 2 years later
"I know, I know. I'm late." I shouted.
Jennie was glaring at me with arms crossed over her chest as she stood by the car.
"You are late." She hissed, but I couldn't even take her seriously.
My woman is beautiful but when she is angry, she was even more fucking breath-taking. Her fiery red hair was let down, and it felt in waves down her back. those dangerous blue eyes of her were icy, but she'd melt soon enough.
"I know, thī̀rạk. I know." I kissed her cheek and she unclenched slightly. "I was dealing with some stuff."
"Are you okay?" She asked, her icy exterior long gone and she gave me a serious look.
"It's all good, thī̀rạk. Now, come on."
I grabbed her hand and we walked in towards the building together. I opened the doors for her and let her in first. We sauntered to where the woman that held the appointments was sitting, and she smiled at us. She scanned the screen in front of her and then pointed us towards the room. I helped take off Jennie's coat and my hand spanned across her barely-there stomach.
"Did you have any morning sickness this morning after I left?" I asked.
She frowned. "Yes. I'm pretty sure our baby hates me."
"Not possible." I chuckled. I cupped her cheek and kissed her lips. "Are you excited to find out what we're having together?"
"Yes, but remember you can't tell anyone. I promised our parents we'd tell them together, tonight after dinner."
"I remember."
I kissed her lips once more, and then pulled away when a nurse walked in with a gown for Jennie to change into. She stepped out and I helped her take off her clothes and dressed her in the gown. I couldn't even help myself as I carried her onto the chair. She giggled and shook her head. "I can walk."
"Yes, but what if you get dizzy like last time?"
"I was only dizzy because I was sore, and I wonder whose fault that was." She said accusingly as she glared playfully at me. I chuckled sheepishly. "You told me you wanted to be sore!" I yelled, and she smacked my chest. "They can hear you from the outside." She whispered.
There was a knock on the door and Jennie gave me a look as she sat up. Her doctor walked in, with her clipboard in her hand.
"How is mommy doing today?"
"I'm good, Dr. Youn."
Doctor Youn peered up at us from her clipboard with her big brown eyes that were covered with black reading glasses. Her black and slightly greyish hair was in a tight bun, out of her way. She set her pen down on the clipboard and walked over to where we were sitting. She turned on the machine and Jennie adjusted as she laid back down.
"Any complaints?"
"Morning sickness comes and goes in waves. Her breasts are a little tender. She has some back pain, migraines, and..."
"I'm asking mommy." Dr. Youn interrupted me with a light laugh.
"She's very in tuned with my pregnancy symptoms, as you can see." Jennie said, her cheeks a little flushed.
"As I've explained to you before, morning sickness is very common and some mothers say it lasts a few months, while others experience it their entire pregnancy. Every mommy is different. Tender breasts are also very common as they're getting fuller and ready to nurse your little one. Fatigue and migraines are common, and some new mothers talk about feeling their blood pressure drop or spike throughout. Do you check your blood pressure normally?"
"Yes, we bought the device. Lisa checks it for me twice a day. Morning and night. She keeps a log. It doesn't spike, but sometimes it's low."
"Try not to stand too much on your feet. As soon as you feel dizzy, sit down and rest by lying down on your left side. Doing some breathing exercises might help centre you and bring it back down."
She put on her gloves and grabbed the device part of the ultrasound machine. "You ready to see your little one?"
"Yes." I was quick to answer. "Could we also find out the gender as well?"
"You're around sixteen weeks, correct?"
"Yes." I answered again, and Jennie laughed.
"Can I at least answer one question, Lisa?"
I gave her a sheepish grin. "I'm excited, thī̀rạk."
"I know, baby. Me too." She reached for my hand and knitted our fingers together.
The doctor placed some gel on her little bump and my heart was pounding in my chest as she placed the scanning device over her stomach. It was loud as she moved it all over until the familiar sound of heartbeat echoed in the room.
Jennie cried like she always did every time she heard it and I held our hands to my chest as we listened together. It was the most beautiful sound I've ever heard. A baby's heartbeat was loud and fast, it didn't matter how many times we heard it. Each time felt like the first time. I looked to see her eyes closed as she basked in the sound.
"Everything looks healthy." The doctor spoke in the background. "Usually, it's a little early to find out the gender, but your little one is in a position where it's not hard to tell. It looks like you're having a..." She paused as she took one more proper look at the screen. "A little girl."
Jennie cried harder and I swear I could have cried with her. "A girl?" I repeated. I never imagined I would be here, that I would ever one day be a parent to a little child. Especially with another woman, yet here I was. With Jennie, with the love of my life, and she was pregnant with a baby. A little girl.
I couldn't even begin to tell you the joy and happiness that I was feeling at this moment. It wasn't just that Jennie was pregnant, it was the fact that we went through it all, and I was so happy that we made it to the other side. Together. Strong. Happy.
"A healthy little girl."
Dr. Youn pointed to the screen and the both of us looked as she explained and showed us her head and little toes and fingers. She paused the screen and put away the device, and then helped wipe the gel off Jennie's stomach. She asked Jennie some more questions and she answered her through happy tears, then left us alone as she gave us some privacy.
"We're having a baby girl." She announced, her blue eyes shining through her tears.
"This is the happiest moment of my entire life," I claimed. I held her jaw and brought her forehead against mine. I kissed her trembling lips softly. I lingered there softly as I felt myself bask in the vulnerability of this moment with Jennie.
"A baby." My other hand went to her belly, and she placed her own over mine. "Thank you for making me the happiest person to walk this Earth. Thank you for putting up with my shit. For understanding me. For loving me."
"I've never been this happy until I met you." She choked out. "I love you. I love you so much. Thank you for being mine."
"I love you more, thī̀rạk. Thank you for being mine." I repeated. We shared one last kiss and then stared back at the screen of our baby girl together.
Love isn't easy. Love is difficult, painful, and full of trials and heartbreak. I used to think that no one would ever be able to own my heart, but not only was I wrong, but I was really fucking stupid.
Jennie not only owned my heart, but she fucking lived there. It was as if she had claimed it so long ago, branded it with her name and touch, but it took me a while to remember her.
Our love story wasn't a fairy tale nor was it a romantic retelling of some princesses and knights. We fought for our love, and we still fight for each other to this day. I promised her forever that night two years ago, and it was now as I held her in my arms as we looked at our baby that I realised, forever wasn't enough for me to love Jennie.
Not even infinity was enough to love this woman, and live my life with her and our little baby girl.
My pretty savage woman. My Ruby Jane. My love.
Forever, just us against the world.