Worth Waiting For

By the next week, Dad was out of the hospital and back home. The doctors said he really had to take it easy. I was still worried about him but… I knew Mom had everything taken care of. Now it’s mid-June and we’re getting ready for Lana. She’s set to leave Texas today and will arrive two days from now so Lauren and I have been busy getting her room ready. Joe and Kevin took care of registering her in the local high school and talking to the DMV about registering her car in California and all of that.

“Laur can you just fix that corner of the bed… right there?” I asked, pointing towards the bed as I hung some clothes we bought for Lana up in the closet.

“This one?”

“Yeah just tighten it up a little.”

“There… how’s that?”

“Perfect. Laur I’m so excited to have Lana here soon!” I exclaimed, turning to smile at her.

“Me too. Now that Joe’s got you on this major health kick for the baby I don’t have anyone to pig out with.”

“I would if I could. I want to so bad. I have these insane cravings for pretzel rods with marshmallows on the ends dipped in peanut butter and melted chocolate. I had these crazy cravings earlier so before Joe and Kevin went to the grocery store I gave Joe a list so we’ll see what happens when he comes back.”

“We’re home!” Kevin shouted up the stairs.

“Right on cue!” Lauren exclaimed, bounding out of the room and down the staircase while I slowly walked over. It was growing increasingly difficult to walk at a normal pace now.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Kevin asked, his face coming into view as I made my way downstairs.

“We were just talking about you two.” I said.

“Oh really?” Joe asked, walking out of the kitchen and wrapping his arms around me. “Dirty?”

“Absolutely,” I said sarcastically. “So is that my food?” I asked, pointing at the bag in Kevin’s arms.

“Yes.” Joe said. “We got turkey sausage extra spicy like you wanted…”

“Yuck,” I said, making a face.

“And uh… grapefruit juice.” Kevin said.

“Oof.”

“Rapini?” Joe asked.

“Puke.”

“You’re not craving things anymore, are you?” Joe stated.

“I’m sorry,” I sighed. “I mean, I’m so frigging impossible. You’re so good to me, and you go to all this trouble and you get me everything I want, then I don’t want it anymore. I’m sorry that you have to be in love with a crazy person.”

“Come here,” he said, pulling me into him. “I’ll tell you what. I’ll deal with as much moodiness and food weirdness as you can dish out as long as you do the actual ’squeezing a human being out of your body’ part.”

“Deal,” I said laughing.

“Gross,” Lauren said.

“Milk chocolate and artichoke hearts!” I exclaimed.

“What?” Kevin asked giving me a disgusted look.

“That’s what I want and I’m not going to change my mind. Milk chocolate, bell peppers. Now I’m not going to change my mind. Joe, I figured it out! Oh, dark chocolate! Taffy. Taffy and walnuts. Taffy. Pistachios! Oh, hearts of palm!”

“Whoa, okay, okay calm down. We also got a few alternate items instead.” Joe said, laughing at my sudden outburst.

“Like?”

“Well… I’ve been pushing the health stuff on you and I know you don’t so much love it so I got you some chocolate.”

“Really?” I asked excitedly.

“Yes ma’am.”

“Aw, I love you!” I said, reaching up and kissing him.

****

Fourth Lamaze Session
Mid-June 2010

“Hi Mom, Denise,” I said, hugging them as they came into the house. “Joe will be right down; he just got out of the shower.”

“That’s fine; we have a few things to set up.” Mom said, walking into the extra room.

“So what time is Lana supposed to get here today?” Denise asked, walking beside me.

“She just called half an hour ago and said it would be another two hours from then at the most so soon!” I said excitedly.

“This is a wonderful opportunity you’re giving her.” Mom said. “Now, when was it you wanted to go dress shopping again?”

“This Saturday. I could go for anything at this point.” I said placing my hands on my rather large stomach.

“You know,” Denise said, looking at my hands on my stomach. “You and Joseph should do a few fun things while you’re still pregnant.”

“Like what?” Joe asked, coming up behind me, his hair still slightly damp.

“Well, since Melissa is getting larger, something fun to do together would be for you, Joseph, to paint something on Melissa’s stomach and take a photo of it. It can be anything you want. What’s most important is that it will be something special.” Denise said.

“Something else to do when Melissa is in her eighth month would be to create a belly cast.” Mom said.

“A belly cast?” I asked.

“A plaster cast of your torso. You can paint it or keep it white and hang it on the wall and when the baby is older you can show them and say, ’that’s what Mommy looked like before you were born’.”

“That sounds fun.” Joe said.

“I would love to do that,” I agreed, leaning into Joe who had his arms wrapped around me, his hands resting on my stomach. “So what are we doing today?”

“Learning how to dress a baby, clean a baby, and change a diaper.” Mom said.

****

About two hours later, Joe and I had successfully dressed a baby doll each and changed a diaper. Now we were in the process of washing a baby doll. I was applying a small amount of soap to a washcloth when I heard a car horn in the driveway.

“That’s Lana!” I exclaimed, struggling to stand up. Joe put down what he was doing to help me stand.

“Yo, Lana’s here!” he called up the stairs.

In an instant Nick was dashing up the basement stairs where he and Frankie had been hanging out and Kevin and Lauren were coming down. Nick had the door opened and was out on the front lawn before Joe and I could even turn around. I walked out onto the porch and watched as they embraced for the first time since February. He picked her up and twirled her around while kissing her. Finally he set her down and let her go where she ran over to me. She gave me a hug and then bent down so her face was level with my stomach.

“Hello,” she cooed, placing her hand on my stomach, “I’m your Auntie Lana.”

“Don’t give Nick any ideas,” Joe said laughing and the rest of us joined in. Frankie and Kevin went to help Nick get the stuff out of Lana’s car.

“Come on Lana,” Lauren said, grabbing Lana’s hand and leading her inside.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“Your room of course.”

“Mel, I’m so excited!” she exclaimed looking back at me as she climbed the stairs.

“So am I Lana, so am I.” I said stepping aside with Joe while the other three brought Lana’s things upstairs and Mom and Denise went to pack away the baby dolls and all the materials.

****

Week 20
Mid-June 2010

“Hi Dr. Lockhart,” I said, smiling at my obstetrician as she walked into the room, closing the door behind her.

“Hello Melissa, Joseph. How are you today?”

“Wonderful,” I answered. “Nick’s girlfriend, Lana, moved in a few days ago and I’m so excited for the baby to come now.”

“Well that is exciting,” she said, laughing as she sat down. “Have you felt any movement yet?” she asked.

“I don’t think so,” I said, furrowing my brows.

“She has been peeing a lot more though.” Joe said.

“Yes, that is common. The baby has grown more and has changed position placing more pressure on your bladder area. In the next few weeks it would be a good idea to test out different sleeping positions because you will be growing larger and it will start to grow uncomfortable to sleep normally. As a suggestion, buy a body pillow for support.”

“Will do,” Joe said, pulling out his phone and writing a note for himself.

“Alright, are we ready to begin?”

“Yes,” I said excitedly as she turned the monitor on and pulled out the probe.

“Well the baby is growing at a normal rate and everything looks just fine. Now… do you want to know the sex?”

“Yes!” I shouted.

“No!” Joe exclaimed at the same time.

“Oh get out of here sour puss,” I said, shoving his arm with my hand. He laughed and stood up, giving me a kiss before leaving.

“I’ll be right outside,” he said, closing the door behind me.

“Okay what is it?” I asked.

“Well, congratulations Melissa, it’s a…”

****

I left the examination room completely elated. I found Joe sitting in a chair waiting for me. As soon as I got out there he stood up and walked me to the car, opening and closing the door for me.

“So are you happy?” he asked.

“I’d be happy either way,” I said, rolling my eyes.

“Well I know that, I will be too. But, are you?”

“Yeah. I’m really happy.” I said, grinning madly. I looked out the window and saw that we weren’t heading home. “Where are we going?”

“Somewhere.”

“Joseph now is not the time to taunt me. I’m twenty weeks pregnant, with your child… and I’m supposed to go dress shopping with your mother and my mother and Lauren and Lana in three hours.”

“I’m taking you to lunch.”

“Why?”

“Um, because you’re my almost wife and I love you and you’re half-way through your pregnancy. We’re celebrating.”

“Aw, honey. That’s so sweet. Thank you,” I said, placing my hand on his arm as he took a right turn.

****

“Forget it! This is not working. I’ll just walk down the aisle in my bathrobe!” I exclaimed from the dressing room as I took off yet another dress. They were either too big, too small; they fit my stomach fine but were tight on my bust. Nothing was working.

“Don’t worry Mel, we’ll find you one,” Lauren said.

“Oh sure. Says the girl who found the perfect dress in the first one she tried on.” I said angrily.

“Melissa calm down.” Mom said. “Lana is searching for a dress now. I’m sure this one will be it.”

“Alright, I think I’ve found it,” I heard Lana say.

“Fine,” I sighed. “Let me have it.”

I opened the door a bit and grabbed the dress from Lana. I hung it up and stared at it. God, I hope this is the one. I thought as I slowly unzipped it. I took it off the rack and stepped into it, pulling it up my body. I zipped it up as far as I could.

“Mom, can you come and finish zipping?” I asked, not daring to look in the mirror yet.

“Oh!” she gasped upon opening the door.

“No noises, just… zip,” I said, turning my back towards her and closing my eyes so I couldn’t see in the mirror.” It was silent for what felt like a long time.

“Okay, open your eyes.” She said softly. Slowly my eyelids lifted and I looked in the mirror at my reflection. Mom was standing behind me, her hands on my shoulders, looking at me through the mirror. “I think this is the one,” she whispered.

“Come on! I want to see!” Lauren exclaimed. I nodded my head and Mom opened the door and stepped out ahead of me. There was an audible gasp from the other three women standing before me.

“Melissa,” Denise said.

“It’s…” said Lana.

“Perfect,” Lauren finished.