Beyond the Sun

((Heather’s POV))

Two days later, things were no different. I would wake up, feel the nausea, run to the bathroom, vomit helplessly, and then come back to bed to find Brian’s worried eyes gazing back into mine. It was horrible. I knew he didn’t like it, and I certainly didn’t like it, so after returning to bed, I let him wrap me in his arms, and I considered the possibilities.

One, I had a severe case of food poisoning that was only affecting me once o twice a day.

Two, I’d come down with a nasty flu and was going to have to be like this for another week.

Option three involved a redecorated room and an addition to our family. My heart pounded as I considered it- it was highly possible, and of the three options I’d come up with, it was the most likely, but it was also the most horrible timed- I still had months left of school, and even though we’d agreed to try, I hadn’t realized that something like that could happen so easily, so quickly.

But it was plausible.

So I sent Brian to the store, and he knew what it was for. When he returned, he handed me the box with a wary look in his eyes and a small smile, and I retreated to the bathroom, closing the door behind me and following the directions on the box, which involved five minutes of intense confusion as I stared at a screen that didn’t want to seem to make a decision, a screen that seemed to make time pass more slowly.

And when those five minutes passed, I concentrated a bit more on the one word that had just changed everything about my life.

“Brian,” I said softly, and the bathroom door opened. I’d known he would be waiting outside. “You might want to have a look at this.” He walked to my side, sliding his arm around my waist, and I looked up at him, his eyes staring down into mine for a long time before he gave me a gentle kiss, before he turned his attention to the tiny little screen on the test I’d set on the sink.

His hand slid from my waist, and his hand found mine, his thumb running over my wedding ring, before he looked over at me again, his lips slowly spreading into a smile.

I watched him curiously, and he touched my face with his free hand before pressing his lips intensely to mine, catching me by surprise. I blinked a couple of times before closing my eyes, sliding my arms around his neck once he’d released my hand, and returned his kiss, parting my lips ever so slightly against his.

His arms wrapped tightly around my waist, and I could feel his smile, even as he kissed me. He was beaming, and even though we’d been trying for this, his elated reaction was still catching me off balance a little.

This meant that he was going to have to buy me new clothes anyway.

I pulled back first, smiling breathlessly, staring up into his eyes, studying them, trying to understand the excitement behind them, and then he kissed me again. I could have cried, I was so relieved. He just kept kissing me and kissing me, and when he finally pulled away, loosening his hold on me a bit, there was a ridiculously warm smile on his lips as he gazed down at me, hopelessly in love.

“Well?” I questioned.

His smile grew. “Thank god it’s not food poisoning.”

I let out an awkward laugh, and then we were entangled into this heartfelt hug, my head on his shoulder and his head lying on top of mine, his arms tight around me once more, and I clung to him as tightly as I could. “I love you, Brian,” I murmured, and I felt his lips touch the top of my head, kissing my tangled hair. “So much. I love you so much.”

“I love you too, baby,” he whispered, and one of his hands moved from my back to my hair, lightly stroking it before pressing lightly against the back of my head, holding me close. “I just can’t…wow. We’re actually doing this.”

I looked up at him. “Are you sure you’re excited, Brian?”

“Of course I am, honey.” He let me pull out of his arms, and he touched my chin. “I’m nearly thirty years old. It’s about time I reproduced.” I wrinkled my nose, and he flashed a smile, running his hand gently along my cheek. “Are you sure you’re excited?” I nodded. “Alright then. That’s all that matters to me.”

I sighed, glancing toward the phone. “I’m just not looking forward to telling Gina, though.” He raised an eyebrow. “Cuz then she’ll go on about how she and Vengeance can’t procreate yet, and…you know how she is.”

“You can do it. I promise.”

“Thanks.” I sighed, venturing toward the phone. “Well, I am kind of obligated to tell my mom first, so if you want to be in the room, go for it, but…”

He took my hand. “I’m your husband, love. I’m not going anywhere.” I smiled at him. “Besides. This kind of goes along with that ‘for better or worse’ bit, you know? With finding out we’re going to be parents being the good but dealing with your crazy mother the worse…” I gave his chest a playful smack, picking up the phone. “I’m here. That’s all I’m trying to say.”

“Aw thanks, honig, you’re so darn amazing.” I picked up the phone, and then I dialed my mother’s number. “Remember. Say nothing about gondolas.” He nodded, and then my mother’s voice could be heard, giving a rather raspy greeting. I felt the nerves knot up in my gut. “H-hey mom. How are you?”

“Oh, Heather. What a pleasant surprise…”

“Okay, mom, look, I know you’re not ridiculously thrilled to hear from me, but I kind of…well. Brian and I have something we want to tell you, and other than us, you’re the first to know.” I bit my lip, and Brian squeezed my hand while the first few silent moments ensued. My heart pounded in my chest, and the knot grew tighter. “It’s actually kind of big.”

“Go on,” she finally said, and I heard glass meeting wood. I knew what that meant- she was having something to drink so that she wouldn’t freak out.

“Erm, well, I’ve just found out today that…well. Brian and I are going to be having a baby.”

And as utterly delighted as I was to hear a cry of excitement from her, I wasn’t so thrilled to hear my father’s voice in the background asking my mother what was going on. I glanced over at Brian, and he gave me a supportive smile. There was some static on the line, and then my father’s gruff voice greeted me. “Hello?” he said, his voice sounding wary. There was only reason daughters called home so soon after their honeymoon, and he knew it.

“H-hey Dad. Um…I just took a test, and…I’m pregnant.” He was silent, confused, shocked…and possibly mortified. “Brian and I are going to be parents.” Silence once more. “Dad?” I was beginning to get worried. “Are you…are you okay?” I had a feeling that Brian had just lost all respect he’d gained from my father. “Breathe, Dad, come on…can you just answer?”

“Are you sure?”

“Ninety-five percent sure.”

“Well then. Congratulations, I suppose.” I grinned, and Brian kissed my cheek. “Did you just find out today?”

“Yeah…I…we…we wanted you guys to be the first to know.”

“Thank you, child. I suppose you’ll want to tell his parents now, yes?” I replied with a quiet affirmative, shocked that he’d taken it so well, and I could hear my father’s soft chuckle. “Congratulations, child. Your mother’s had a bit to drink, so she can’t speak at the moment. I speak for her. Good luck with his parents, and come over whenever you like.”

“Bye, Dad.”

“Goodbye, Heather.”

His end of the line went dead, and I set the phone in its cradle, blinking in surprise. Beside me, Brian chuckled, and his hand released mine, his arm sliding around my waist, holding me close to his side. He picked up the phone, switching it over to the hand that wasn’t holding me, and he calmly dialed his parents’ home number. I watched him, wide-eyed, as he held the phone to his ear, staring at the wall, and he only looked down at me when his mother answered the phone.

“Hey Mom.” “Yeah, I know, long time no see.” “That’s great to hear. Good to know Dad’s always getting new hats.” “Erm, well, there’s kind of a reason I called.” He was silent, and he nodded a couple of times, letting his hand slide along my side. “We just got back a couple of days ago…and okay. This is going to sound stereotypical beyond belief, but…” “Yeah, it was great. Weather was nice, but Mom. Keep focused, kay?” “Um, I’d rather not talk about that…can I just…yes. Thank you.” He paused, looking down at me once more, and there was a loving smile on his lips. “Heather took a test…yes one of those…and it was a positive. Mom, I’m…I’m gonna be a dad.”

I rested against him as he said those words, and all of a sudden, it felt so much more real. I let my hand rest on his chest, sliding along his abs, and he pulled me closer, kissing my temple as he let his mother babble on for a few moments, laughing a little and smiling down at me a lot. There was a new light in his eyes, and the shine in them was so much brighter than it had been in a while.

“Well we’ve only just found out today, so…don’t tell anyone, okay?” “Yes, you can tell Dad, but Mom…” He sighed. “Thank you.” “Yep. Okay. Talk to you later.” “Love you too, Mom. Bye.” He hung up, and then he set the phone aside. “Are you ready for anyone else to know?” I shook my head. “Okay then. Well. Now that I know that you’re not deathly ill and we can relax a little, let’s go downstairs and watch some movies, okay?”

I nodded. “Yeah, okay. Sounds good to me.”

We walked downstairs together, and he pulled me into his lap once we reached the couch, grinning and pressing his lips to my cheek. I let my left hand drift down to my torso, mystified by what would be growing there, and I glanced down at that hand for a few moments before my eyes met Brian’s for the millionth time. He smiled at me, and then I settled against him like always, one hand in his and the other around his neck, holding myself close to him.

I knew it was a challenge for him to turn on the TV and the DVD player with the hand that was technically holding me in his lap, but he managed, and he briefly touched his lips to mine as we both adjusted for comfort and then rested our attention on the screen- we’d left some movie called The War in the DVD player, and neither of us was too bothered by it, so neither of us got up to take it out and change movies.

It was a good movie anyway, and in a few places, there were excellent opportunities to touch my hand to my torso, simply thinking about what I had to look forward to, and in those times, Brian would place his hand over mine, smiling warmly at me, a loving gleam in his eye, before we would return to how we’d been before and return to watching the movie.
I just couldn’t believe it. I was going to be a parent. And Brian Haner, Jr.- Synyster Gates…my husband- was the man that had made it all possible.