My Number One Fan

~The next morning~
I groaned as I woke up, lifting my head to realize I was in my childhood bedroom. I turned and saw Jeff was sleeping next to me, his mouth hanging open slightly and allowing his snores to come out a little louder. I looked at the clock that I would beat senseless and realized it was nearly noon. When I sat up, I felt my stomach roil.
“Riley’s finally awake,” Uncle Paul’s voice said as I slammed the door shut.
“Bite me Uncle Paul!” I called when I was able to talk. I heard him laugh as I walked out of the bathroom.
“How much longer of this?” I asked when I walked into the living room and collapsed.
“From what we here, not too much longer.” Aunt Mary said, walking into the living room from the kitchen. She handed me a bowl of broth, which always helped settle my stomach.
“Thank you,” I said, taking a small sip of it.
“What in the hell happened last night?” Jeff’s voice asked suddenly.
“The two of you passed out halfway through the party.” Uncle Paul replied. “You both sat down, leaned against each other, and you were gone to the world. Your brother even dumped water on your britches, you didn’t move a muscle.”
“Well, I’m probably going to end up taking a nap with how tired I am right now,” Jeff grumbled, sitting next to me on the couch. “Happy birthday honey.”
“Thank you,” I said, smiling up at him.
“So, when do you go back on the road Jeff?” Marylyn asked suddenly. Jeff sighed and grabbed my hand.
“Tomorrow.” he replied. “I’m staying here tonight and flying out to a meet and greet in the morning.” I took another sip of the golden liquid in my bowl, not wanting to say anything. I knew if I did, it would have been me begging him to stay, and I couldn’t do that to him. We were all silent for a long while, none of us knowing what to say. I finished off the broth and stood up to take the bowl into the kitchen. After placing the bowl in the sink, I leaned my arms against the counter and rested my head on my arms. I felt my throat clog, and tears trail down my cheeks.
“Okay Riley, no need to cry,” I muttered out loud, trying to blink the tears back. “You knew this was going to happen, no need to be so damn emotional about it. Just settle your ass.” Suddenly arms wrapped around my waist and a head leaned against my back.
“You know I would stay if I could,” Jeff said, placing a kiss in between my shoulder blades.
“I’m just being selfish,” I replied, wiping at the tears still on my cheeks.
“Never in your life are you selfish,” Jeff said, rubbing his hand up and down my back.
“No I am, I don’t want you to go because I missed you too much, and I don’t want to miss you like that anymore.”
“Believe me honey you have no idea how much I’ve missed you.” Jeff said, turning me around to face him. “But I have to go, either that or get a job somewhere else.”
“Never in your life,” I repeated one of his previous comments. “You live to do this, you won’t be able to just give it up.”
“If it comes to my family, I’ll do whatever I have to.” he said.
“I know,” I said, resting my head on his chest. “I’m sorry I’m just so…”
“Hormonal?” he asked, using his finger to lift my chin. “It’s fine sweetie, I know your not yourself right now.”
“My emotions were always out of whack,” I said. “And now that I have the hormones, I’m going to be a hundred times worse.”
“And we’ll all understand, no matter what you do.” Jeff replied. “Hey cheer up, you get to see the girls and everyone else again tonight.”
“I do don’t I?” I asked, clapping my hands excitedly. “Oh, I get to show them the sonograms! How long until we leave?”
“We can go to their hotel if you want to.” Jeff said.
“Let’s go!” I exclaimed.
“Do you want to go shower and change first?” Jeff asked. I shook my head and grabbed his hand.
“No, must see people,” I said, trying to drag him out of the kitchen. He laughed and allowed me to drag him out.
“Leaving?” Uncle Paul asked.
“We’re going to go see people I guess,” Jeff replied.
“Let’s go!” I shouted, tugging on his hand more.
“Go before she gets a hernia,” Marylyn said, smiling. Jeff let himself get dragged out the house and to my car. The trip to the hotel was uneventful, besides my hopping around and excited chatter. We reached the hotel and Jeff informed me that he was told the floor most of the people would be staying on, and even some of the rooms. He remembered that Paul was in a room himself, so we went to go see him first.
“398,” Jeff said, reading the numbers on the door. He knocked on the door while I stood a little ways down the hall, so Paul wouldn’t see me. I heard the door open, and Paul’s voice exclaim Jeff’s name in surprise.
“What are you doing here? I thought you’d be spending some time with Riley while you had the chance, especially on her birthday.”
“Yeah, well I’m working on a surprise for her,” Jeff said. “Speaking of surprises, I have one for you as well.” I walked up to him, and Jeff grabbed my hand.
“Hi Paul!” I shouted, jumping up to hug him.
“Riley, jeez girl it’s been too long,” Paul said, wrapping his arms, very gently, around my waist. “You don’t even look like you have a kid growing in there.”
“I’m only 10 weeks pregnant Paul, I won’t start showing for a while.”
“10 weeks is just barely the start of month three,” Paul pointed out. “I know this is different in every woman, but when Stephanie was pregnant, both times she got her bumps when she was around 13 weeks.”
“I don’t know how my mom was, but Sara when she was having my siblings didn’t start showing until she was 16 weeks.”
“Women normally take after their mothers,” Paul pointed out. “And it depends on the size of the father as well.”
“Okay that made no sense,” Jeff said.
“How?” Paul asked, stepping back to let us into the room finally. I sat down on the bed as Jeff sat beside me. Paul walked up to my and forced me to stand up and to sit in a chair.
“I don’t need back support yet,” I said as he sat next to Jeff.
“I want to hear more about why Jeff thinks I didn’t make sense.” Paul replied with.
“Think about it Paul, Sara didn’t get her bump until she was 16 weeks. You said Steph got hers at 13, that’s only a three week difference first off, and second, Mark is bigger than you!” Jeff said.
“Length wise, mass wise, I have him.” Paul pointed out.
“Are we really discussing when I’ll get my baby bump?” I asked, looking between my husband and friend.
“With Paul it’s hard to tell,” Stephanie’s voice said. “And you can see physical changes caused by the pregnancy Paul, her breasts for one thing are stretching her shirt out.”
“Uhm, Stephanie, she’s Mark’s daughter, Jeff’s wife, and a really good friend of mine, I’m not about to be looking at that particular area.” Paul pointed out. I just shrugged.
“Please, I’ve had strangers actually ask me about my boobs before, I don’t care about that Paul, and I know Jeff doesn’t really have a problem with it either.”
“As long as it’s looking and not touching, I’m fine with it.” he confirmed. “Well, no touching unless you’re helping her find out something, but if I see it as inappropriate, you better run for your life.” Stephanie shook her head as I reached up to smack Jeff’s head. He dodged my hand, but ended up with his head in Paul lap.
“Don’t go that way dude, didn’t I tell you that before?” Paul said, trying to lift Jeff’s head up. Jeff let his head remain heavy and limp, causing Paul to struggle. I took the chance to stand up and smack my hand against Jeff’s head. A knock sounded on the door, making Paul stand up and open it.
“What the hell is going on in here?” the person at the door said.
“Just some visitors,” Paul replied, letting the person in.
“Well well, I wasn’t expecting to see you,” Randy Orton said, looking me up and down.
“Good to see you too,” I said, standing up and walking up to him.
“You know I’m always happy to see you,” Orton replied, wrapping his arm around my head. “We’ve all heard about the little one, congrats.”
“Thank you,” I said, hugging him more fully. “Oh we got pictures,” I suddenly remembered, pulling grabbing my purse. I pulled out the black and white sonograms and showing them to Orton, Stephanie and Paul.
“Doesn’t it amaze you that that tiny white dot is a baby inside of you?” Stephanie asked, looking over the picture.”
“Absolutely,” I said. “I can’t wait to be able to feel him or her moving inside me.”
“The first time we felt our daughters move, it was the best feeling.” Paul said.
“I can vouch for that.” Randy spoke up smiling. “When Alanna was born, it was the proudest day of my life. Jeff, I know you’re completely different then most of us, but believe me when I say you’ll probably be an even bigger sap than I was when that baby’s born.”
“I already know I’m going to be wrapped from day one,” Jeff admitted. “We’ve been waiting for this for a long ass time.”
“We know,” Steph said, handing the pictures back. “Are you going to be at the arena tonight?” she asked me.
“Absolutely,” I replied.
“Well, see you then, I have errands to run,” she kissed Paul’s cheek and left the room.
“You know you have to go see Melina before the show,” Jeff said to me.
“I know,” I said, standing up. “I’ll see you guys later,” I said to Paul and Randy. They both nodded as we left the room. I followed Jeff to the next room and he knocked, not stopping until he heard the knob turn.
“Jeff, do you know how annoying that is?” Melina asked as she opened the door.
“About as annoying as you’re screaming?” Jeff asked in reply. I couldn’t suppress the giggle if I tried.
“Was that who I think it was?” Melina asked, looking around the door frame. She squealed, causing Jeff to plug his finger into his ear, and nearly pounced on me.
“Oh my gosh girl, you’re glowing!” Melina exclaimed, squeezing me a little harder. “So, officially, how far?”
“Ten weeks,” I answered.
“This is amazing,” Melina said, dragging me into the hotel room. “How’s things going with your grandfather, Jeff told us about him.”
“He’s going to live to see the first great-grandchild being born, and possibly the second one,” I answered, smiling.
“That’s great, so you’re 10 weeks, another 10 and you’ll be halfway there,” Melina pointed out.
“I never thought of that, we’re halfway to the halfway point,” I said, looking over at Jeff.
“Let’s just get to the halfway point,” Jeff said, shaking his head at us. “Are you going to show her?” he asked me.
“I was getting to it,” I said, reaching for the sonogram pictures. I handed them to Melina, and covered my ears as she looked. I heard her shriek through my hands. I removed my hands and looked back up at her.
“It’s so developed already,” Melina said, running her fingernail over the baby’s tiny arm bud.
“I know,” I said, looking it over as well.
“This is the best thing I’ve seen, congrats.” Melina said, hugging me again. Hugged her back and looked up at Jeff. He smiled at me and mouthed “I love you.”
“I love you,” I mouthed back to him.