Explosions

Charlie touched her swollen belly as she felt another kick against her tight skin. She smiled and continued to flip through the parenting magazine in her hands. She and Ryan had been married eight months now, just under a year after she and J.J. had called it quits. A few short months later, she had broken the news that she was pregnant.

Olivia traveled to London, sending plenty of pictures and posting daily on a blog she had started. She spent a week in Paris as well. When she returned, she was hired by social services. She began working with at-risk teens and kids from the homes of drug addicts. She often helped Charlie and Amir with Amir’s charity work.

Charlie hadn’t seen Ryan in three weeks. He had been at training camp and was unable to come home during that time. She visited him the first couple days there, but travel was difficult for her at seven months pregnant. He called her every day, sometimes early in the morning, sometimes late at night. She watched the pre-season games from her couch, and she always turned the television up loud enough so their growing child could hear.

Being away from Ryan meant Charlie had to do everything for herself. She had to get up an hour earlier than usual since it took extra long to get ready around her round belly. People were always there to help her when she got to work, but she insisted that if she’d made it that far, she could make it to her desk. They helped her anyway.

Charlie’s phone rang, and she looked up from the magazine. She sighed and hoisted herself up off the couch. She groaned, holding her stomach for a second, and she made her way over to the kitchen.

“Hello?” she said, picking up the phone.

“Charlie, how’s my baby doing?” said Ryan, his voice floating welcomingly to her ears.

Charlie smiled and said, “He’s doing wonderful.”

“I meant you, but it’s great to hear about my future child as well,” Ryan chuckled.

She glanced over at the clock and said, “It’s afternoon. It’s a little early for your to be calling, isn’t it?”

“Had a small break,” he replied. “I couldn’t stand not hearing your voice.”

“We miss you,” said Charlie.

“I know, Char,” he said. “Training camp will be over before you know it, okay? Only another week, and then I’ll be back in Boston with you and baby Fitz.”

“Weston,” said Charlie. “We agreed on Weston.”

“You agreed to it,” he replied. “I agreed to nothing.”

“He’s kicking again,” she said, ignoring him.

“Man, I wish I was there,” groaned Ryan.

“I do, too,” she said. “Then you could bring me some Cheetos.”

Ryan laughed and said, “You and those damn Cheetos, Charlie.”

“I don’t want them,” said Charlie. “The baby wants them. I just have to eat them to give them to the baby.”

“Well, it’s a good thing I bought some Cheetos then, huh?” he said.

“What are you talking about?” she asked.

She heard the door open behind her, and she turned around. Ryan stepped through the door, holding a grocery bag in one hand and his phone in the other. Charlie tossed her phone onto the table and hobbled over to him as he shut the door. He set the grocery bag on the table, and he put his arms around her.

“Ryan, I can’t believe you’re here!” she said.

“Coach Bowles let everyone have the next couple of days off,” Ryan explained. “I have to head back to Jersey on Thursday.”

He let go of her and kissed her cheek. He put his hands on her belly, and he knelt down to kiss their little boy. She ran her fingers through his hair and down the side of his face to his beard. He looked up at her, and he stood up again.

“How’s work been?” he asked.

“Slow for right now,” said Charlie. “It’s always slow in the offseason, though. Chuck let me go home early today because he’s terrified I’m going to pop, or something like that. I keep telling him I have two more months left.”

“Two more wonderful months,” said Ryan.

“Wonderful?” snorted Charlie. “You think eating Cheetos all the time is wonderful? My feet are starting to swell up now, not that I can see them.”

Ryan smiled at her. He put one hand on her stomach and the other on her cheek. He kissed her nose.

“I brought you Cheetos,” he said. “I’m here to make you as comfortable as possible, okay? Put your feet up, honey. I’ll rub them for you if you want.”

Charlie’s eyes filled with tears, and she said, “I would love that. I love you so much.”

Ryan attempted to calm her by wiping away a few tears that had formed on her cheek. He led her back to the couch and helped her sit down. He sat down on the other end of the couch and held her swelling feet in his hands. She closed her eyes as he began to massage them slowly, and the corner of his mouth turned up.

“You have never been more beautiful than you are right now,” he said.

She snorted and shook her head, and she threw her arms over her eyes.

“I’m serious,” Ryan said. “You get more beautiful every time I see you. Today is no exception.”

“Stop, you’re gonna make me cry,” said Charlie.

“Okay, okay,” chuckled Ryan. “Just don’t cry. Whatever you do.”

“Any news from the outside that I haven’t heard?” asked Charlie.

“Well, Deck’s little girl is due in January,” he said. “I told him our kids are going to be in love with each other. We can set a play date up as soon as both of them are old enough.”

She rolled her eyes and said, “Don’t turn him into a little heartbreaker.”

“Oh, come on,” he laughed. “Anyway, I guess Brandon’s wife is pregnant now too, so she’ll be due next year.”

“What did you start?” replied Charlie. “We’re going to be able to run our own little Jets Daycare soon.”

“At least they’ll all be around the same age. They’ll have people to play with.”

Charlie moaned as Ryan’s thumb found the perfect spot on her foot. He chuckled and pressed a little bit harder against her skin. She smiled. Ryan cleared his throat.

“Um, did you hear J.J.’s engaged now?” he said.

Charlie looked up and shook her head.

“Her name’s Gianna,” Ryan continued. “She’s a cheerleader for the Texans.”

“Oh, I think I know her,” said Charlie. “She started the year after you left, if it’s the girl I’m thinking of.” She paused and nodded, and she said, “Good for him.”

Ryan stared into her beautiful green eyes for a second before he said, “You sure you’re okay?”

“Ryan,” said Charlie, propping herself up on her elbows. “Ryan Fitzpatrick, what is my name?”

“Charlie,” replied Ryan.

“My full name.”

“Charlotte Elizabeth Fitzpatrick.”

“Exactly,” said Charlie. “We are married. We live together. We have a child on the way. I think I’m perfectly okay.”

She smiled at him, and he rested his head against the back of the couch. He readjusted so he could kiss her belly again. He skimmed his hands gently over her skin.

“And in two short months, we’ll have our little Brady Joseph Fitzpatrick,” he said.

Charlie raised her eyebrows and said, “So…now you like the name Brady?”

“Look, I’m not crazy about naming our child after the Patriots quarterback,” said Ryan, “but I’ve warmed up to the name itself.”

“You like it then?” she asked.

“Yes,” he said. “I like it better than Weston.”

“What’s wrong with Weston?” she replied, feigning hurt.

“Well, for starters, it sounds like a hotel.”

Charlie giggled, “It does, doesn’t it?”

Charlie watched him kiss her belly for a second then third time, and he took her hand. She gave his beard a gentle tug. He scrunched his nose and touched her cheek with his other hand.

“Okay, so I think it’s decided then?” he said.

Charlie nodded and said, “I think it was a pretty easy decision.”

Ryan stood up off the couch and knelt next to her. He helped her sit up, and he put his hands on either side of her body. She felt her cheeks grow warm. He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers, softly at first. She touched his face and brought him closer, though, and he grinned against the kiss.

“Charlie,” said Ryan, pulling away for a second. “Every day I fall more in love with you.”

Her heart swelled as she felt their baby boy kick again, and her eyes filled with tears again. He ran his fingers through her long, dark hair, and he rested his forehead against hers. She squeezed his hand.

“I love you so much,” said Charlie.