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She heard her cell phone beep from the other end of the house and glanced at the time. Her hubby was on a fishing trip at the beach with a friend. She had planned on driving up in his truck and overnighting with them before returning home the next day. He had packed the truck up for her before he had left several days earlier, and she had taken a nap to recharge before making the trip. She had a serious drive ahead of her and wanted to have her wits well and truly about her.
She sat upright in bed, throwing an arm out to steady herself as nausea consumed her. She had been feeling this way for a couple of months, but hadn’t said anything to her hubby – she needed to be sure. She knew he was aware, but had avoided a conversation about it; not an easy thing to do these days. He didn’t miss a thing.
Nausea past, she quickly changed, checked all the windows and walked through to the kitchen for her phone. She checked her phone and replied that she would see him in a couple of hours. Putting her phone into her bag, she picked up the picture that she had placed on the kitchen counter the day before. She couldn’t quite believe it, but there it was in all its glory. She traced the tiny outline with her forefinger, her vision misting as she placed it carefully inside the pages of her diary and tucked it into her overnight bag. Lastly keys in hand, she set the alarm and closed the door quietly behind her.
Hitting the highway, her iPod serenading her, she headed west to the coast. An hour later, she reached the forest turn off and stopped to change the hubs over so she could complete the rest of the journey up the beach. She sent him a quick text to let him know where she was, knowing he would start making his way down the beach to meet her.
Ahead in the haze she saw another vehicle approaching and recognised her husband perched in the passenger seat, a broad smile spreading across his face. They pulled to a stop beside her and he hopped out, opening her driver’s door and lifting her down into his arms. She looped her arms around his neck, pressing herself against him.
"Missed you, hon," he said as he nuzzled his several day-old whiskers against her neck.
She took a deep breath and said, "We missed you too, hon."
She felt him stiffen momentarily before holding her at arm’s length before him.
Raising an eyebrow he repeated, "We?"
"Yes, we missed you," she replied, beaming from ear to ear as she placed one of his large hands over her belly.
He looked down to his hand, moving the other to the small of her back, pressing his fingertips into the curve of her bottom, pulling her closer.
"Are you okay? Are you sure?" he asked hesitantly.
She had anticipated he would be anxious and worried. She cradled his jaw between her hands, her eyes sparkling and radiating joy as she said, "I am more than okay and yes, I am absolutely certain."
"And baby? Have you seen the Doc?"
"Baby is more than okay – Doc says so and is happy. Baby is sixteen weeks and in the right place, I needed to be sure first."
He took his hand from her tummy and reached for hers from his jaw. He covered her small hand completely with his own and held it to his chest, their forearms entwined. He kissed her deeply then and she felt herself melting into him, both focused only on reclaiming and reassuring one another.