Quickening
An hour and a half later, you woke cuddled up to Chris's side as he was on his back now. Your head was on his chest, his cheek resting on the top of your head. He had the arm that was under your neck curled around your shoulders. Your arms were tucked in against your chest, but you had a leg draped over one of his. He was only half covered by the blanket.
You openened your eyes and blinked a few times, taking a slow, deep breath. You smiled a little, not moving and just wanting to stay in Chris's arms a bit longer.
You felt a tapping sensation deep in your belly...
Is that gas? You put your hand on your little bump. No, that felt different that gas, didn't it? You waited to see if it would happen again...
TAP, tap.
That one was stronger. Your eyes widened. You patted Chris's chest twice gently, but urgently, "Chris."
He mumbled out a couple syllables, but didn't wake.
Flutter... tap.
You spoke louder and gripped his jaw with one hand, turning his face to yours, "Chris, I think the baby's moving."
Your actions woke him, his eyes fluttering open gently, then widening once he realized what you had said. He sat up quickly and shifted so he could sit on his heels next to you as you rolled to you back. He bent over placed both his hands on your belly and laid his cheek against it as well, his face bright with anticipation looking up at you. You placed a hand on his shoulder as you beamed down at him. He waited patiently, his eyes now traveling around.
TAP.
"Oh!", you squeaked. "That feels sooo weird.", you giggled.
His brows furrowed, "I can't feel anything." He frowned slightly, but still waited.
You felt another tap, but said nothing. Chris didn't indicate he had felt anything that time either.
"Is the baby still moving?", he asked.
You nodded, trying not to tear up at him missing out on sharing this amazing experience with you.
He sat up and sighed heavily.
"Honey.", you put your hand over his own resting on his thigh. "The baby's still pretty tiny. I'm sure you'll feel it kick in another month or two.
He sneered playfully, then whined, slouching and lolling his head, "That's too looooong." He then threw himself back against the pillows, flopping down, bouncing the matress a bit. You huffed out a laugh and he carried on, "Waiting, waiting, waiting. I'm always waiting for things with you."
Your gaze went downward, toward your body. That hurt. You felt guilty. You were actually starting to tear up now.
He smiled slightly and turned his head to see you with tears in your eyes, one rolling down your temple as you bit your lip and his face fell immediately, realizing how that must've sounded to you. He got up on an elbow quickly to look down at you, "Oh, baby girl. I didn't mean it like that." He stroked your arm resting on your ribs and you looked at him as he continued, "I just meant that I love you so much that waiting is hard for me, especially when I'm so excited... And I've been excited about everything since I got to be with you." He kissed your forehead gently, pulling back again, "I'm so sorry, little love. Do you forgive me?"
You sighed, your face softening. You nodded, "I do." You giggled.
He smiled softly, "And I can't wait to hear you say that in front of all our loved ones." He leaned over and nuzzled your nose. "I love you more than you realize, (Y/N). And I don't blame you at all for all the bumps we had to go through to get here. I'd put myself through it all over again, as many times as needed... As long as I got to be with you in the end. Well, and probably even if I didn't get to be with you... Because I love you enough to be there for you no matter what. I'm just so glad I get to be with you now... And always." He kissed your lips softly, you smiling up at him. He started again, "Now, Let's go get fish faced. I'm starving."
You chortled, "Are you ever gonna stop making that joke?"
He rolled to his back, taking you with him to be on top of him, "Nope." He sat up and scooted to the edge of the bed with you on his lap as he kissed you again before standing, holding you wrapped around him while he headed out of the room, "It's gonna be the first in the collection of awful Dad jokes that I need to build up before the baby's born."
The next morning, after breakfast, you both went to Shirley's to visit. You had visited her since you told Chris you were pregnant and told her the news of that and being engaged. She was thrilled of course.
Once you were all seated in the living room she started, "I'm so excited for you both! I hope it doesn't bother either of you for me to say this. But, I kinda feel like I'm getting another grandchild; you kids mean so much to me now."
Chris brows pulled up in the center, "Aww. Thank you, Shirley. We'd be happy to have you as an honorary Grandma."
You nodded at Chris, smiling, then addressed Shirley, "Absolutely!" Your brows furrowed, "Shirley?..."
"Yes, sugar?", she smiled.
"Did you know I was pregnant before we told you? We know you have a way of knowing everything."
She grinned, "Baby, I knew before you even knew."
Chris asked her, "Why didn't you say anything?"
"Not my place, dear.", she smiled.
The next Saturday Nat and Pepper threw you a bridal shower which was just all the girls going to lunch and then going back to Tony and Pepper's for cake and gift opening. Shirley had shown up for gifts.
Everyone gave the usual household stuff... Then you opened Nat's. You opened the flat box and found something white and lacy. Your eyes widened as you pulled it out and upward, "Oh my God, Nat."
She nodded. "Don't you love it?! You can wear it on your wedding night!", she beamed.
It was a lingerie top with a satin pushup bra covered in lace. Under the bra, it extended downward with more lace over sheer fabric that was split in the center. The split and bottom hem were trimmed in tiny ruffles. A satin and lace thong hung on a tiny hanger at the back of the top garment.
"Wow, Nat.", you blushed. "My belly and my ass are gonna hang out in this..."
You turned it to look it over as Shirley spoke up, "He's gonna love it! Nothing turns a guy on more than hiked up boobies, ass cheeks and confirmation of his verility in the form of your pregnant belly!"
There were chuckles all around and Nat nearly shouted at Shirley, who was sitting next to her, "Shirley, you're my new best friend!" She hugged her tight.
You protested, "Hey!"
"Okay, okay, we can be twins.", she winked at you and then smiled.
"We could totally be twins.", Shirley replied. "I'm the cute one, though."
Nat scoffed, then smiled at you, "I love her!"
Four weeks later, you and Chris went to get a 18 week ultrasound and see if the gender of the baby could be determined yet. Normally, one would wait until 20 weeks, but Chris was impatient... And as he has stated, he's "loaded", so the cost didn't matter to him, even if they couldn't tell what the baby was just for you to come back in two more weeks to do it again. Though, you were getting married in two weeks and you both hoped to know before then. You humored his impatience also because he was already being a wonderfully attentive father and soon to be husband. He took care of you and the baby so well; emotionally and physically.
Chris drove to the OB's office downtown and pulled the car into a space in the parking structure near the building. When he turned off the car, he sighed heavily and looked at you, squeezing your hand, "You ready for this, sweetness?"
You chuckled, "Are you?"
He pressed his lips together and nodded, "Yeah." He grinned and let go of your hand to rub your bump affectionately as he looked down at it, "Okay, baby bean, let's go see if we can tell that you're a boy yet."
You laughed, "You're incorrigible."
"Hey, if I wish for it enough it might come true.", he stroked your cheek with a closed hand. "It did with you."
Your stomach fluttered as he leaned over and kissed you. When he pulled back, you smiled brightly at him.
He opened his door and stuck a leg out as you spoke, "Chris?"
He turned back to you and raised his eyebrows expectantly.
"If it is a girl, will you still be just as happy?", you asked a little concerned.
He blinked slowly at you as he took your hand, interlacing your fingers with his, "I think a girl would be more challenging for me, but I'd be just as happy. Baby, I'd love a little you running around." He kissed the back of your hand still in his. "Now, let's go see our boy." He turned to get out of the car and you laughed and rolled your eyes.
He helped you out of the car and you both headed in. You filled out the required paperwork and waited.
One mother got finished a few minutes after you came in and then another was in the ultrasound room ahead of you.
They told you to come in with a full bladder so they could see through it to your uterus and you already felt like you were going to explode. And it didn't help that Chris was so antsy that he was bouncing his knee rapidly and rubbing his palms up and down on his thighs anxiously. You were biting both of your lips into your mouth and taking deep breaths to try to deal with your discomfort and the annoyance you felt at his actions.
You eventually just reached over and pressed a hand to his leg to ask him to halt his bouncing leg, giving him a tight lipped half smile.
"Sorry.", he said, "You okay, sweetheart?"
You took another breath. "I really need to piss.", you muttered under your breath.
"Anything I can do?"
You're discomfort was making you a bit irritable. "Yeah, sure. You can carry the baby and want to pee yourself.", you said sarcastically.
He cocked an eyebrow at you and pursed his lips, coolly. He said nothing, there was no hurt, anger, contempt, but his face said that he didn't appreciate you speaking to him that way.
You sighed again, but in regret this time, "I'm sorry, honey."
"It's alright. Would standing help?"
"Actually, when I'm laying in bed, tucking my knees up helps."
He nodded, pulled the corners of his mouth down and shrugged lightheartedly, "I say do it."
You wrinkled your forehead up, "That would look silly."
"You wanna look silly or pee your pants?", he countered.
"Valid rebuttal, darling."
He just chuckled and nodded.
You pulled your feet and knees up as best as you could despite your belly and the small space of your chair seat. It wasn't working so well, so you lifted your butt and scooted your feet back to squat on the chair.
"Baby, you're making me nervous.", Chris grabbed your hand to steady you. "I don't want you to fall. C'mere.", he hitched his head in his direction.
You stood as he held your hand. He then pulled you down onto his lap, turned you, lifted your legs by lifting at the back of your knees, his arm settling around your back. "Put your feet on the chair arm.", he commanded.
You started doing so as another mother looking about as far along as you came into the empty waiting room, less you and Chris. Her face was surprised, then confused.
You grinned hesitantly, shrugging, "I really gotta pee and this helps."
She nodded deeply, "Oh. Yeah, I get it."
Thank God most people there would understand your strange behavior.
Just then the ultrasound room opened and the lady called your name. Yours and Chris faces both lit up and he beamed, "Finally! I'm so fucking excited!", he said to you quietly.
He turned you in his lap and you stood as his hands were on your hips. He guided you through the door with a hand at the small of your back, he then helped you onto the table.
The technician asked, "So, what are you hoping for?" She pulled your shirt up off your stomach as you laid back and Chris took a seat in the chair next to the table, holding your hand. He was smiling so big, you thought his face might break.
You replied, "I'd be happy with either, but he's hoping for a boy." You looked towards Chris.
He was smiling, but spoke to you right after your finished with your thought, "Baby, I'd be really happy with either too." He gave your hand a little squeeze.
You had done this once before, so you knew the procedure. Though, you didn't have to pee quite so bad last time, as there was no baby pressing on your bladder. You also had only seen an embryo.
She squirted the lubricant on your belly; thank God they warm it. She started moving the transducer wand around on your stomach, you both staring at the screen expectantly... And there it was; your baby. It looked a little strange as black and white lines and what looked like visual static, making up a two dimensional image. But that didn't make it any less a wonder to behold.
"There we go. There's your baby.", the technician smiled. It looked like a little, teeny, tiny, complete person; a product of the love between you and Chris.
Your free hand went to your mouth as you started to tear up a little. Chris squeezed your hand, you looked at him, dropping the hand from your mouth and he was staring at the screen in awe, his brows pulled up in the center, tears quickly filling his eyes. He glanced at you for a moment and hitched half his closed mouth up in a small smile, his chest heaving with a deep breath. He looked back at the screen as the technician spoke again.
"Okay, let's see if we can tell what you're gonna have here...", she moved the wand around again, then stopped. "Okay, right here is what we're looking at.", she highlighted the area with the computer mouse. "Congratulations; it's a boy.", she smiled.
Chris stood quickly, shoving his fists in the air and shouting, "YES!" You and the technician both laughed and he leaned over you, taking your face in his hands and kissing you, "I love you so much, baby."
"I love you, honey."
He kissed you once more and put his forehead to yours as one of your hands went to the back of his neck, the other splayed on his bicep.
You were both tearing up now, eyes closed as he whispered, "Our son."