Promise Me Forever

Morning sickness was going to get old real fast. It wasn’t exactly fun to throw up knowing that millions of people were going to watch it, or at least have the opportunity to watch it once the show aired. In fact, the whole being pregnant on TV only made matters worse. I wondered if they could get out of our contract before I got huge. We only had half a year, if that, left. I didn’t see the big deal.

After puking my empty guts up I tried to go back to sleep, but life was not on my side. I rolled over hearing my alarm and groaned. Who made doctor appointments so early in the morning? Wasn’t I supposed to be getting extra sleep? I needed to prepare for a damn kid! But, with a sigh, I woke up and started to make my way towards a shower. It was so weird to think that in a few weeks, well months, I’d have a round beach ball underneath my skin.

I walked through the house picking a few things up before grabbing a bottle of water and heading out. I knew I should’ve eaten but I was actually terrified of throwing it back up. It would be much better for me to just walk away from the food for a few hours. Backing out the door I locked it and turned around.

“J-John?” I was skeptical about what I was seeing. After all, he was supposed to be in Florida playing a show within a few hours. He wasn’t supposed to be standing in our driveway waiting for me to come out. He wasn’t supposed to be holding flowers and he certainly wasn’t supposed to look as though he’d been up all night just to get here. But, once it clicked in my brain that he was really there I took off and ran into him wrapping my arms around his neck.

“Hope you don’t mind if I tag along for the appointment,” he said against my skin. His arms were a good fit around my waist as he hugged me back.

“How did you get here? When did you get here? What are you doing here?”

He laughed, “a plane and a long taxi ride. I got here probably an hour ago and I’m here to take you to the doctors,” he explained. I smiled, I couldn’t help but smile, he was so…good right then. I didn’t understand how anyone could be so amazing. “Babe, don’t cry.”

“I’m…I’m just happy,” I told him. He kissed my forehead and then my lips before turning to head to the car. “I told Kim I’d pick her up on the way,” he said.

The ride over was probably the happiest part of my week just knowing that he was going to get to see the ultrasound in person and that he was going to be there the first time I went in and met my doctor. It was comforting.

“What do you want, John?” Kim asked as soon as she got in. “A little boy to take the Gomez family name or a little girl to be your princess?”

“You know, I’m kind of leaning towards a healthy baby,” he said. I shook my head and looked back at Kim.

“What do you want Kim?”

“Well, I clearly want a little girl so I can spoil her with cute clothes but I kind of want you to have a little boy because he would look so cute in a sweater vest.” She shrugged and looked towards the window. “You should have one of each,” she said looking back with a grin. “One now, and then one later,” she continued.

“Let’s just focus on this one. I’m not in the mood to think about more,” I said with a shake of my head. “John, can we get ice cream after this?”

“Sure,” he said pulling into the parking lot.

Walking in was weird. I laced my fingers through John’s and tried not to make eye contact. I really wanted to disappear. It was like everyone knew exactly what I was there for. Or, at least, it felt that way. It might have just been the camera’s behind us that made everyone stared. Once you got used to having cameras around every day it was easy to forget they were behind you. Oh God, did I look like a Sixteen and pregnant girl? I hoped not.

“Hi, I have an appointment with Dr. Chandler,” I said as we approached the receptionist. She looked up and smiled sliding me a sheet of paper for me to sign in. “Thanks,” I said before taking a seat. “I feel like I’m on display right now,” I said with a frown.

“How is it going to feel being pregnant and then being on camera all the time?”

“I’m going to be on fucking sixteen and pregnant and I’m not even sixteen. I really don’t want to do this,” I whined resting my head against John’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry, Anna,” he said softly.

“Anna Gomez?”

I sighed and got up taking John’s hand before following the nurse back.

&&

“May I just say,” he said looking at the lists and lists of things not to do that the doctor had given me, “that you’re going to live in a bubble before this is all over.”

“Yea, well, at least baby will be happy. Squirt is a healthy zygote right now and I intend to keep him or her that way.”

John laughed as I sat on his lap. Now back in the comforts of our home I could just snuggle with him and not worry about what the world would think. My head rested against his shoulder as he scratched my back.

“When do you have to go back?”

“Well they’re in Florida tonight and then tomorrow is an off day. I’ll fly out early the next day and meet them in Missouri.”

“I’m glad you came home,” I admitted. I wanted to be strong and go it on my own but I knew I couldn’t. Yea, I had Kim right there beside me but she wasn’t the father and this wasn’t her child. This first appointment was special in a way. It was the first time when we were officially together in a cause. Yes we were married but it was “only for a show”. Once this baby was born we’d forever be parents.

“I am too. And just think, I’ll be home in two months, not even. And then I’m all yours.”

“Yea,” I nodded, “you’re all mine.”

He smiled, and in a swift move, scooped me up and laid me down on the couch before leaning over me. He pressed his lips against my stomach moving my shirt up a little so he could touch the skin. “Hello Squirt, this is daddy. You’re not here yet, but I love you.” He said it so quietly I almost missed it, but there it was plain as day.

We were parents.