She arched her back and allowed him to enter her. In one swift motion, he was deep inside of her. A moan escaped her as he moved with purpose. He clenched his jaw as he thrusted himself. He slowed the rhythm and allowed both of them to catch their breath. He cupped her breasts with his hands and wrapped his warm lips around one nipple at a time. He teased her with his mouth and guided himself inside of her. He quickened his rhythm and she arched her back. She dug her nails into his back upon her release and allowed him to finish.
He collapsed on top of her. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he laid on top of her. Their breathing calmed to a minimal effort and their hearts slowed the beats against their chests.
“That was amazing,” he whispered into her ear.
She smiled. “I would expect nothing else coming from you.”
She reached over the edge of the bed and grabbed her clothes. Zach had piled the clothes there the night before in their love making fest.
“I’m going to get a shower,” Amelia stated. “Would you like to hop in with me?”
“I better not,” Zach said. “If I did, we wouldn’t technically be taking a shower.”
He winked and slapped her bottom as she crawled out of bed. She smiled and winked at him as she walked naked to the bathroom.
They arrived at the doctor’s office ten minutes before their appointment. Amelia sat down in an oversized chair and grabbed a parenting magazine. Zach sat in the chair next to her and watched her intently as she read the magazine.
“Amelia Edwards,” the nurse called from the front desk.
Amelia stood up with Zach’s help. She wobbled to the area where the nurse stood. “Hi, Amelia, how are you doing?”
“I’m here,” Amelia said with a chuckle. “Doesn’t get any better than this.”
“That’s right,” the nurse said. She guided Amelia to the scale and wrote down her weight. “Have any unusual cravings lately?”
Amelia shook her head. “Not really unusual, but I love to eat ice cream. A lot of ice cream.”
“That’s a pretty common thing among pregnant women,” the nurse stated. The nurse guided Amelia and Zach to an exam room and allowed them to enter it.
Zach sat in a chair by the doctor’s desk. Amelia sat on the edge of the exam table.
“Is there anything you are concerned about?” the nurse asked while she looked at both of them.
Zach shook his head and exchanged a look with Amelia. Amelia smiled and said, “My breasts are more sensitive than normal. And they’ve almost doubled in size.”
Amelia looked at Zach who was bright red in the chair.
“Okay, that’s very common for your breasts to do that once it gets closer to your due date,” the nurse explained. “Let’s check when your due date is.”
The nurse flipped open the chart and glanced at it. “It says here you’re due October twenty eighth?”
Amelia nodded. The nurse looked at the calendar. “So that’s about a month and two weeks or so away,” the nurse stated. “Which is the time the baby starts to drop and you begin to experience new symptoms associated with that.”
Amelia’s eyes widened. The nurse smiled and shook her head. She patted Amelia on the shoulder. “Nothing serious or too painful. Sometimes women say the pressure is a bit much when the baby starts dropping. But you won’t have to worry about that until the end of this month or so.”
Amelia nodded. “Okay.”
The nurse grabbed a tape measure and leaned Amelia backwards until she laid flat on the table. “I’m going to measure the fundal height. Just go ahead and relax for me. Take a few deep breaths.”
Amelia laid still while the nurse measured her stomach. Once the nurse was done, she helped Amelia sit up. The nurse grabbed the stethoscope and blood pressure cuff and wrapped it around Amelia’s arm. She pumped it tight against her arm and released it. “Good, your blood pressure is close to what it was the last time you were here.”
Amelia smiled. She was glad she had a normal pregnancy. They had been worried ever since the miscarriage they almost had at the beginning.
“The doctor will be here in a minute to exam you,” the nurse said as she walked to the door. “Do you have any questions for me?”
Amelia and Zach shook their heads no. The nurse smiled as she walked out of the room and closed the door behind her.
Amelia raised her eyebrows and smiled at Zach. “I can’t believe we’re a month away from having this little girl!”
A knock on the door interrupted Zach’s response.
“Come in,” Amelia said.
The door swung open and Dr. Bohage entered the room as his nurse trailed behind him. Dr. Bohage walked over to Amelia and placed a hand on her shoulder. “How are you feeling lately?”
The nurse sat on the stool and wrote notes as Dr. Bohage asked questions.
“I’ve felt great for the last few weeks,” Amelia explained. “I’ve been experiencing some sharp pains here and there, but other than that, I’ve felt excellent.”
Dr. Bohage examined Amelia. While he listened to her chest with a stethoscope, he asked, “When you had those sharp pains, did you call my nurse?”
The nurse nodded and smiled at Amelia. “She did, Dr. Bohage. I had told her Braxton Hicks contractions were common in pregnancies,” the nurse explained. “I also told her if the contractions became closer and lasted longer, to get a hold of us and go to the hospital right away.”
Dr. Bohage nodded. “Very well.”
He helped Amelia lay down on the exam table. He pulled her shirt up and examined her stomach. He pressed firmly around her stomach. Amelia felt the baby kick. She laughed. “I’d say she doesn’t like when I press on her,” Dr. Bohage said. He pulled Amelia’s shirt down and asked, “Have you been resting a lot lately?”
Amelia nodded. The doctor looked at Zach to confirm her answer. Zach said, “As much as she can rest, doc. I’ve been keeping a close eye on her to make sure she isn’t overdoing anything.”
“That’s good to hear,” Dr. Bohage said. “I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about. This pregnancy has been a fair one, but I want to make sure she gets enough rest each day.”
Amelia nodded. She smiled at the doctor when he looked at her. She was tired of hearing everyone say she needed rest. She was well rested and slept too much as it was. She did not think she needed more rest than what she was already doing.
“When do you think we’ll have this baby?” Zach asked. He attempted to change the subject in fear of Amelia’s irritation. Amelia smiled at him. “Do you think we’ll still be having her in October?”
Dr. Bohage reached for the chart in the nurse’s hands. She handed it to him and smiled. He glanced through the pages of notes and said, “According to the measurements, tests, etcetera – she’ll be coming any time between now and October twenty eighth.”
Amelia’s eyes widened. She exchanged an anxious glance with Zach. She swallowed hard and asked, “Did you say she could come now?”
Dr. Bohage patted Amelia’s knee and smiled a shit-eating grin. “Yes, I did say any time between now and the due date,” he replied. “But, in most cases, babies seem to be delivered closer to their due date rather than before.”
Amelia wiped the back of her hand across her forehead in an exaggerated way and said, “Whew.”
Zach sat straight up in his chair. “Doc, you don’t think we’ll have this baby early, do you?”
Dr. Bohage smiled and said, “We’ll have to wait and see. It depends. Each pregnancy is different.”
Amelia nodded. She was worried she would have the baby too early and she had read several different magazines with the risks caused from having the baby too early. She twisted her engagement ring around her finger. The nurse stood up and walked to Amelia’s side. She placed a hand on Amelia’s shoulder. She whispered, “You have nothing to worry about. Your little one will be fine.”
Amelia turned her head and looked at the nurse. “Even if we have her a month early?”
“Your little girl has been healthy all along,” the nurse explained.
“We’ll have you come back every week for a checkup until she’s born,” Dr. Bohage stated. “That way, we’ll be able to monitor and keep an eye on both you and the baby.”
Amelia looked at Zach who fidgeted in his chair. She could tell he was a bit nervous, but she knew he had to be more excited than anything. She was told last time by the nurse that fear and anxiety were common emotions felt during the last month of pregnancy.
“So, we’ll see you back in a week,” the nurse told Amelia and Zach as she guided them out of the doctor’s office.
“Amelia, take it easy and do not stress over anything,” the doctor stated. “Everything will be just fine. See you next week.”
Amelia smiled and grabbed onto Zach’s hand. His palms were sweaty and he walked slowly beside her. They stopped at the receptionist desk and scheduled an appointment for the following week.
“How about next Wednesday at this time?” the receptionist asked.
“Sounds good,” Amelia said.
The receptionist handed her an appointment reminder card and said, “See you next week. Take it easy and stay away from the bumps in the road. Don’t want to have that baby in the car.”
Amelia smiled and the receptionist winked at her. Amelia stuffed the reminder card into her purse and walked outside with Zach.
“You feeling okay?” she asked Zach as they walked to the car. “You look nervous.”
“Me?” Zach asked as he pointed a finger at himself. “I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine.”
Zach opened the passenger side door and helped her sit in the seat. He walked around to the driver’s side and plopped into the driver’s seat. “Do you have anywhere you want to go before we go home?”
Amelia shook her head. “Nope, unless you want to go somewhere, I’m fine.”
“Okay, home it is,” Zach said and shifted the car into drive and drove out of the parking lot.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Amelia asked for the second time.
Zach looked over at her and smirked. “Yes, I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?”
Amelia looked out the window and back at Zach. “You just seem out of it. Are you nervous? What are you thinking?”
Zach chuckled. “Enough with the twenty questions. I’m fine. If I wasn’t, I’d tell you,” he stated. He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “Okay?”
“Okay,” Amelia said.
She looked out the passenger side window as they drove by Anna’s Deli. She had not been there for a while, but she knew Courtney and Tony were okay. Zach had made sure they were doing good and had told them they would get vacation time as soon as the baby was born and things settled down for them. Amelia had called Courtney to tell her she would take over sooner than later. Courtney had told her not to rush back to work – her and Tony had managed it this far, they could manage it a while longer. Amelia was relieved they could count on Courtney and Tony to run it while they were busy.
“What are you thinking?” Zach asked. He must have noticed Amelia’s gaze held far too long on the Deli as they passed by. “They’re fine. I went in there the other day and talked to both of them. I hired extra help for the weekends.”
Amelia turned to look at Zach. “You did?”
Zach nodded. “I thought I needed to. Tony and Courtney have worked a lot of hours in the last few months. I can’t always pick up extra hours, so I hired a few more people to help out around there.”
Amelia nodded. “Is that so I won’t have anything to do there and will have to stay home?”
Zach raised an eyebrow. “What? When did I say that?”
She wrinkled her nose and shrugged her shoulders. “You didn’t.”
“Okay, then why would you say such a thing?” Zach was upset. Amelia could tell by the tone in his voice.
“I just have a feeling that you won’t allow me to go back to work once the baby is born,” Amelia stated. “But I’m not really sure I’m going to want to go back to work either.”
Zach reached across the console for her hand. She looked away from him. She gazed out the window at nothing in particular. He squeezed her hand. “Hey, look at me,” he demanded.
She tried to ignore him as tears streamed down her cheeks. The random tears was one thing she hated throughout this pregnancy. She hated that she had no control over her emotions. She hated that fears had plagued her throughout the entire pregnancy and she had no control over them. She had experienced a different fear each month of the pregnancy. She was overwhelmed by the fear of not being prepared for this baby. The fear had announced itself at the time of her first fake contraction.
When she did not look at Zach, he spoke anyways, “Amelia, I want this to work out for us. I want our baby to have everything I never had and more.”
Tears fell like raindrops down her cheeks. She wiped at them with the back of her hands. She hated how she felt at that exact moment. The fear had taken its toll on her today and she hated how it made her feel. She hated the way she felt out of control.
“I want you to be happy,” Zach said. “If that means that you’ll stay home with the baby and take care of her, then that’s fine with me. If you want to work, that’s fine with me. I want whatever you want. I promise everything will be okay.”
Silence echoed inside the car as Zach continued to drive around Fairshore while he waited for her to talk to him. She had no idea how to explain her fears to him. She was relaxed and was comforted by his words as he spoke to her. She looked over at him and watched him drive without saying a word. He looked over at her. She realized he must have understood what was on her mind, because he smiled and nodded in agreement with whatever she might have been thinking. “I love you, Amelia,” he said. “You have to tell me what you’re so afraid of. But most of all, you have to trust me when I say everything will be okay.”
Amelia smiled through her tears and said, “I love you, too.”
She leaned over and kissed him as he parked the car in their driveway. “I trust you. And for this moment, right now, I’m not afraid of anything.”
Maybe that was all she had needed – for him to tell her what was going to happen – to remind her everything was going to be okay.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Balloons and gifts were lined on a table on the front porch. Streamers with It’s a Girl lined the front porch. Decorations in pink and purple stood out as Amelia walked into her house.
“What do you think?” Bailey asked. She wrapped her arms around Amelia and kissed her cheek. “Do you like it?”
“Yes, you and my mom did an amazing job with the decorations,” Amelia said.
The living room floor was full of confetti and glitter. She hoped her mother and her best friend had hired a maid to clean up after the party was over. She smiled when Bailey nudged her and said, “I know what you’re thinking. You have nothing to worry about. We’ll have this place back to normal as soon as the guests leave.”
Amelia walked into the kitchen. It’s a Girl plates and napkins covered her table. Streamers and other cute decorations filled the kitchen walls.
“I’m so happy for you guys,” Susie walked into the kitchen and announced to Amelia. She grabbed a pickle wrap and shoved it in her mouth. “The food tastes absolutely delicious!”
Amelia held out her arms and approached Susie. “I’ve missed you!”
Susie wiped her mouth with a napkin and said, “You have no idea how much I have missed you!”
“How’s the diner?” Amelia asked.
Susie smirked. “Well, to be honest, I’m selling it.”
Amelia raised her eyebrows. “What? Why?”
Susie held up her left hand and flashed an engagement ring. Amelia shrieked and bounced on the balls of her feet. S
he grabbed Susie and embraced her tightly. “Congrats! That’s awesome!” Amelia shrieked. “Who’re you marrying?”
Susie’s smile widened and she said, “Greg Hestler.”
Amelia’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped open. “You’re kidding?” Amelia asked. When Susie shook her head, Amelia hugged her and said, “Oh my gosh! That’s amazing! I’m so happy for you!”
Susie stepped back and wiped the tears from her eyes. She fanned her face. Amelia chuckled as she watched her. Susie grabbed Amelia’s left hand and held it up. “I’m happy for you, too! Look at the size of this thing!”
Amelia blushed.
“You two are perfect for each other,” Susie said. “I’m so happy for the both of you!”
Susie rubbed a hand over Amelia’s stomach and whispered to it, “You’re one lucky baby to have parents like yours.”
Amelia wiped a tear as it fell down her cheek. “Aww, Susie, you’re going to make me cry.”
Susie wiped a few tears from Amelia’s eyes and said, “Too late, I already have.”
Susie kissed Amelia on the cheek and said, “I better let you get back to your other guests.”
Amelia nodded and smiled. “Thank you for coming today.”
A bell rung from the living room and Amelia heard her mother say, “Game time.”
Everyone made their way into the living room and crowded the furniture. Amelia made her way over to a chair, clearly marked with a banner that said Mommy to Be. She carefully sat down and tried not to rip the banner. She smiled at her mother who announced the game they were going to play. “We’ll be playing a few games starting now,” her mother announced at the front of the living room. “The first game we will play involves a blind fold and a diaper.”
Amelia chuckled at the thought of what game they could possibly play with a blind fold and a diaper.
Her mother continued to explain, “Each of you will divide into two teams. Each person on the team will place a blindfold over their eyes. Every person will race to put a diaper on a baby.” Her mother held up a tub of baby dolls. “The first team to get a diaper on every baby wins!”
Fair Chances (Fairshore Series Book 3) Page 15