Chapter 10
"Well? Tell me about married life!" Monica asked in the car, tapping Heather's knee with her hand. Heather smiled.
"I love it! Brian and I have gotten even closer in the past week than in our whole relationship," Heather gushed, smiling out the window.
"Is that possible?" Monica joked. "You guys have been through a lot together."
Heather nodded and her eyes widened.
"What's wrong?" Monica asked. Heather placed a hand on her stomach.
"Omigod! Monica, the baby just kicked!" Heather cried happily. Happy tears seemed to stream down her face.
"Oh wow! What did it feel like?"
"I don't know how to describe it! It felt like a flutter, or a bubbly feeling in my stomach. Heather rested both hands on her stomach and waited. Nothing came when Monica pulled into Baby Express.
"What are we doing here?" Heather asked.
"No reason," Monica said sarcastically. "Let's get some clothes for this baby of yours!" Monica said, dragging Heather into the store.
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"What about this?" Monica asked, holding up a little pink sleeper for newborns.
"Aw! It's adorable! Is there one in there for a boy?" Heather asked, looking through the rack.
"You are in luck! One left. Look at it! It has little basketballs on it!" Monica laughed. Heather looked at the size.
"It's a small. Perfect!" Heather exclaimed. She tossed the sleeper into the cart.
"How do you know a small will fit?" Monica asked.
"Well, look at Brian's height now and look at mine. I was a tiny baby and so was Brian," explained Heather.
"Good reasoning. Have you guys thought of a name yet?"
"Oh, no. We have plenty of time for that," Heather said as the girls entered the toy section.
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Brian placed his head in his hands and sighed. He sat next to Nick outside the meeting room on a couch.
"Brian, it's only 2 and a half months. And you can bring Heather on the road with us anyway!" Nick suggested.
"Nick, I got married one week ago. I not only have to leave my wife in three weeks to embark on a 2 and a half month tour, but I also have to miss my wife's pregnancy," Brian interjected.
"And why can't she come?" Nick asked. He was confused.
"Because the baby is due January 4th. We get back on December 20th, just in time for Christmas. She can't travel in her third trimester.
"Oh."
"Yeah, 'oh'. And how am I going to tell the fans that I am going to be a father?" Brian hissed, his voice raising a few notches.
"Don't worry. The management team says that they will announce it publicly later in the week," Nick told him.
"Yeah, I know. I just can't break it to Heather," Brian said sadly. Nick nodded annd patted his friends back.
"Don't worry. I have to leave Monica here, too."
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"Look at that!" Monica gushed. She pointed over to the stroller section.
"Should we wait for Brian to buy this stuff? I mean, it is his baby too, after all," Heather said.
"It's up to you. But look at these! They are so cute!" Heather laughed.
"I know," Heather said. She walked over towards a bouncer. "I guess it won't hurt to buy some stuff...."
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"So tell me Heather." Monica said as her and Heather ate yogurt in the car.
"Tell you what?"
"Are you excited?"
"Of course! In the car when the baby, I felt myself mature right then and there. I mean, I can actually feel this baby living inside of me."
"Yeah, I bet. I can't wait to have a baby. I've always wanted to be a Mommy." Monica admitted.
"What about Nick?" asked Heather.
"What about him? I've given him clues about marriage and family life but he doesn't seem to notice it.
"You guys have to start talking about it. I mean, you guys are having sex and I know you are using protection. But when you are in the heat of the moment, something could happen," Heather said, looking down at her stomach.
"You mean, your pregnancy wasn't planned?" Monica asked incredulously. Heather shook her head slowly.
"It was on our anniversary. We were so happy about the engagement that we forgot to protect ourselves."
"Yeah, but you two are so happy. You will make the best parents."
"I can't wait. Brian's happy. I mean, I can tell by the way he always to the baby, rubs it. He's -" Heather stopped.
"What?" Monica asked nervously.
"The baby. It kicked again!"
"Oh, let me feel!" Monica placed a hand on Heather's hard stomach. After about ten minutes of waiting, the girls gave up and started the car and drove home.
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"Well, it looks like Nick isn't here," Monica noticed as they pulled into Heather's driveway. "He's probably over my place," she laughed.
"Most likely. Call me tomorrow, ok?" Heather asked. Monica nodded.
"You betcha!" Monica said as she waited for Heather to walk into the house safely.
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"Brian? Hello!" Heather called. The house was pitch black, illuminating the shadows of the trees that outlined their yard. She walked up the stairs, leaning on the wall for support as she peered into their bedroom. She saw him lying on his back, staring at the plain white ceiling in the dark.
"Brian, what are you doing?" she asked him. He turned his head to look at her. Heather could see tears glistening on his face.
"Honey, what's wrong!?" Heather said, walking over to her husband. She sat next to him on the bed.
"Everything, Heather!" he cried, rolling over onto his stomach, facing the other direction.
"Come on, baby. Tell me," she pleaded. She gently scratched his back. Up and Down, up and down went the sound of Heather's fingernails until Brian slowly rolled over onto his side, sliding over so she could lay beside him. She snuggled next to him, burying her head in the nape of his neck as he gently ran his hands threw her hair. Brian sighed.
"I have to go on tour soon," Brian whispered.
"W..What?" Heather stammered.
"I leave in three weeks. I should be back on December 20th."
"W..Wh...When did you find this out?" Heather asked, close to tears.
"Today at the meeting. Heather, baby. I don't want to go! I want to stay here with you! I want to raise our baby together!" Brian whimpered, his fresh tears falling onto Heather's shoulder.
"Brian, we both knew that you have a hectic job. I knew you had to go on tour, sweetie." Heather soothed.
"Yeah, so did I. But I don't want to leave you! We just got married and I don't want to leave you alone." Heather reached over and hugged him. He buried his head on her shoulder, holding her tight, not wanting to let go in fear he would collapse without her. She rubbed his back as he sobbed, trying to hide the few tears that had escaped from her eyes and fell down her cheeks. She closed her eyes just as she felt a flutter that she had felt for third time that day. Brian pulled away from her.
"What the hell was that?" Brian asked. Heather smiled.
"That was our baby."
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