Fall Out Girl

“Emmy, wake up. You need to get to bed,” Brian said gruffly, gently shaking me awake. Apparently, I had fallen asleep over one of my many books again.

Groaning, I stood up with his aide and made me way back into the bedroom. We had been married eighteen months now and I was four months pregnant. He helped me down on the bed and tucked me in.

“Keep going on like you are, and you’ll lose him.”

“Nah, he’ll just learn how to handle stress earlier than most kids.”

“Emmy,” Brian said in a warning tone. “I don’t want to lose either of you.”

I reached up and touched his cheek. “And you won’t. Don’t worry, my mom was running around until the day Pat and I were born. He has Stump blood in him, he’ll be fine. A fighter to the end as mom puts it.”

He crawled in the bed next to me and pressed a kiss to my forehead. “I still want you to slow down and sleep. You are the one who went to Med School after all.”

“Yea, yea, I’ll try. But if I don’t find that enzyme soon, then they’ll pull my grant.”

“You’ll find it, besides, you have your muse growing inside of you,” he whispered, rubbing my bump gently.

“…growing inside of me,” I repeated before shooting up. “That’s it!” I exclaimed, running into my study. I rifled through my books until I found the one that I wanted.

“Emmy, what are you doing?” Brian asked behind me.

“I figured it out. Thanks to you, Honey.” I reached back and kissed him. I then reached over and grabbed the phone. “Hey, Jules, can I get an order of squids?”

“Squids, Emmy? It’s eleven o’clock at night.”

“Yea, squids. You know, the big ones from the pacific?”

“I’m compelled to ask why.”

“It’s for my research study. Squids have the largest neurons known to man.”

“Ok, ok. I believe you. When do you need them by?”

“As soon as we can get them.”

“Live, I assume?”

“Yupp.”

“Ok, you’ll get them by the end of the week. Can you get by with the rats in the lab?”

“Yupp, they should be fine.”

“Ok, is that it?”

“Yea, and Jules? Thanks.”

“No problem. I’m used to your crazy requests. I’ll put the order in as soon as we hang up.”

“Well, then. I’ll see you in the morning then. Night.” I hung up the phone and twirled into my husband’s arms. “I love you, Honey.”

“I love you, too. What did I do.”

“You inspired me. When you said that my muse was growing inside of me, it reminded me off stem-cells, and how 1% of neurons are stem cells, ergo, find the enzyme that activates them, and I can get so many new neurons, then I can hopefully awaken any coma patient.”

“That will take years.”

“I know, but it’s my dream.”

“So long as you know what you’re getting yourself into, then I support you 110%.”

“I know you will. Now we can go to bed.”

“You’re not going to suddenly jump up in the middle of the night with another burst of inspiration?”

“Haha. Very funny. But, no. Your son is telling me that I better go to bed.”

“Really?” his hand went immediately to my stomach. He rubbed it a little before bending down to kiss it. “Good boy. Hopefully Mommy will learn to listen.”

“Hey, not fair. I can’t have both of you ganging up on me! He’s already taking after your bossy side.”

He scooped me up. “That’s a good thing. As long as he’s in there, I know you’ll listen to one of us.” He smiled, placing me back on the bed and re-tucking me in. He laid over me, making sure that he wasn’t squishing me or the baby.

“What are you doing?”

“Are you going to stay put this time?”

“What would happen if I don’t?”

He leaned down further on me and began kissing my neck.

“I don’t see how this is a punishment.”

He abruptly stopped and put all of his dead weight on me. Groaning, I put my hands on his shoulders and somehow managed to flip us over.

“You’re mean.”

“I still don’t see how you do that,” he mumbled, opening up one eye.

I smiled down at him and kissed him. “Sometimes, you’re just too much.”

“I could say the same to you.” He replied with a smile. He wrapped his arms around me as I nestled my head into his chest. “Bedtime.”

“I concur.” I yawned, leaning over to turn off the lamp.