Between The Spreadsheets

by Nicky Fox

  Cindy is ecstatic and can’t wait for me to start working for the P. Revere accounting firm. Dylan takes me to the new office which is just a couple of blocks away from his place. Things move fast after that. I set up my new desk and organize my space. Dylan is over the moon and working hard to make this new location work for all of us. Birdie even has her own space next to my desk. She still prefers messing around in Dylan’s office though.

  Before we can say Swingline stapler, we’re all settled in our roles and new routine. Cindy helps Dylan with the smaller accounts and I handle the office. Dylan and I are still able to get away for lunch occasionally. We go back to his loft and hump like bunnies. Cindy is probably on to us. She smirks every time we arrive back from one of our romps. I like being naughty with Dylan.

  Soon, it’s a month until I’m due. Cindy has been giving me great advice over the past few weeks. She even bought a few gifts for the baby. Dylan and I have gotten all the staples like bottles, bibs, burp cloths, onesies, a carrier, and a stroller. I’ve pinked out Dylan’s loft with all things baby. He hasn’t even batted an eye at the pink overload. He’s officially joined the pink side. Another point for Team Pink!

  We decided it was best to let my lease up on my small studio apartment. We’ve officially moved in together. Which is good because when this baby comes she’ll be waking him up too. It’s just like any other Friday in our small office, when Dylan asks me out to lunch. I’m giddy because between the move, the new office, and our baby growing inside me, I’ve been completely exhausted. I’ve been passing out on Dylan frequently, which means there hasn’t been much hanky panky. My lady bits are in great need of Dylan’s family jewels.

  “Bye, Cindy. We’re off.” She winks at me while she speaks on the phone. Dylan leads me out. We’re not two seconds out the door before I’m kissing him.

  “Andy.” Dylan seems surprised. I stick my tongue in his mouth to shut him up. My hand moves down to his crotch and just like that he’s hard. I smile in our kiss.

  “I knew you were hard for me. I can’t wait to get to your place.” Dylan moves my hand from his crotch.

  “Princess, I wanted to take you out today.” He holds both my hands in his and brings them to his lips. I’ve just been cock blocked by my own cock. This is different. Maybe we’re going to do it after lunch. Well, at least I’m getting food. We get into Dylan’s car which is odd. Normally we walk to a place or eat something at his loft.

  “Where are we going?” I ask while we’re driving on Lake Shore Drive. It’s May in Chicago and I’m enjoying the sun.

  “You’ll see. We should be there soon.” He’s been really quiet, but it’s nice to just be together alone enjoying this wonderful day. Lake Michigan is on our left as we head south. I have no idea where we are going. We haven’t traveled this far for lunch before. Soon we turn onto East Grand Avenue.

  “Here we are. I’ve never taken you to Navy Pier and I figured since you’re from Alabama you probably didn’t venture here yet.” I gawk at the massive entrance to the Pier. It’s one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. I feel like a little kid. There’s a massive Ferris wheel, restaurants, and yachts parked in the new transient docks. We are lucky enough to get a parking spot. He grabs my hand like he’s antsy to get someplace. Dylan must be hungrier than I am. I just can’t get over the magnitude of this place.

  We sit down at a seafood place that’s known for their crabs apparently. I order a hot dog there. Dylan laughs at my order. It’s a pretty expensive place too. We eat until we’re both stuffed.

  “This was so nice to get out. I guess we better head back before Cindy wonders if we left her to do all the work.”

  Dylan smiles at me and looks up at the Centennial wheel in front of us. “How about we go for a spin?”

  My nose crinkles up as I grin at the monstrosity. “Really?” My tattooed hipster bearded boyfriend wants to take me on a Ferris wheel ride? Dylan grabs my hand and leads me to it.

  “Yeah, why not?” I shrug my shoulders and follow his lead. This should be a lot of fun. We’ll have a great view of Downtown and Lake Michigan.

  The wait’s not too long since it’s lunchtime and soon we are rising up in the air, two hundred feet in the air to be exact. Good thing I’m not afraid of heights. I feel like I’m in high school again and I’m on an afternoon date with my boyfriend, which I guess I am. That thought makes me happy.

  We’re living our own life together and soon we’ll be celebrating a birth. Just one more month. I can’t wait to hold this little girl in my arms. Dylan will totally be one of those sexy dads. I bite my lip thinking about him with a baby carrier. Yup. Total hottie.

  “What are you thinking about, sweetie?” Dylan brushes my bangs away from my eyes and leans in for a kiss. He’s being so romantic, a wonderful drive to a nice lunch and then a ride on the Centennial wheel.

  “I’m thinking about what a nice day it is. What are you thinking about?” I turn away from the marvelous view and gaze at my gorgeous boyfriend. He holds my hand and looks into my eyes.

  “I’m thinking how I could hold a girl like you. How lucky I am that you’re having my baby and I want to wake up with you next to me every morning. I’m my best self when I’m with you. I want to be a better man because of you. You’re like this light in my life I can’t help but gravitate toward. I just want to bask in your glow forever.” I blink a couple of times.

  “You were thinking about a lot.” I don’t know what else to say. He chuckles and reaches in his pocket. I don’t see what he pulls out because his other hand pulls up his shirt. His tight abs greet me and I sigh. I look around and try and pull his shirt back down. No one but me needs to see that. He laughs but pulls his shirt up to show me his pecs. That’s when I notice a new tattoo I haven’t seen before.

  “I got it this morning during that meeting I told you I had to go to.” He laughs. “It should be bandaged but I couldn’t wait to show you.”

  I reach my hand out. “Is it still tender?” I want to touch it so bad.

  “No. Touch me, baby.” I smile and gingerly caress the new mark. Where once there was a small gap of untouched skin, now the name Andy sits just above his heart. The script is beautiful and a bit of a contrast to the other tattoos on his chest. Most are images. Mine is the only name.

  “Dylan.” I grab his face and kiss him hard. “I can’t believe you did that.” I feel like we’re on top of the world here and nothing can touch us. I mean, my boyfriend tattooed my name across his chest. Now, that’s commitment.

  Dylan brings my face close to his and whispers, “Will you marry me, Andy?” That’s when he opens his hand and I see a black velvet box. My mouth hangs open. He opens the small box and I see a pink princess cut stone in a gold band. I gasp. It’s absolutely gorgeous. “You’ll always be my princess.”

  I can’t speak. I just nod my answer as he slides the ring on my shaky hand.

  When I’m finally able to form words, I say, “I love you. Yes, of course I’ll marry you.” Dylan just laughs at me and wipes my tears and holds me like he’s never going to let go.

  “I love you, princess.”

  20

  Dylan expected me to want a big ceremony, but I just wanted us to be together. I may like pink pretty things, but I really don’t need much. When the man of my dreams asks me to marry him I want to get on with it.

  We had a civil ceremony at the courthouse downtown two weeks later with Cindy and Dylan’s phone buddy Sam in attendance. I wore a pink empire waist dress that stopped at my knees. I couldn’t help myself. It had to be pink. I looked like a pink balloon, but I was happy. Dylan was handsome in one of his tailored suits. Sadly, Birdie couldn’t be there.

  We had an amazing reception though. We all went back to the Navy Pier and rode some rides. Cindy brought her kids and even Sam came along. He’s a bit of a workaholic, but we’re working on loosening him up. He needs to let go every once in a while.

  Now, I’m happily married and overdue for a baby girl by
three days. “Come out!”

  Dylan chuckles at my outburst. “She’ll come anytime now. We’re on her clock.” He rubs my aching feet and I fall even more for this man. He’s so sweet and considerate. Who knew that the man who drove me insane at work a year ago would be my husband and the father of my child today.

  “Let’s have sex. The doctor said that could help.” I smile devilishly.

  Dylan gives me a grimace. “You know I want you, but the baby is right there . . . it’s a little weird, sweetie.”

  “Ugh!” I throw my hands up in the air. “I can’t even get sex!” And then my water breaks!

  “See!” Dylan motions to my current condition. “I knew it.” He laughs. “I guess you were ready to pop.”

  I give him a look that makes him slither into the bedroom to get my hospital bag without another word. I call Cindy in the meantime to see if she can care for Birdie while I’m gone. I leave a key for her under the mat and then we’re on our way to the hospital. As Dylan exits the elevator the strap to my hospital bag trips him up and he face-plants on the lobby floor. I cringe as he just lies there.

  “Oh, are you okay?” I try to reach down to comfort him but a contraction comes and I let out a wail across the lobby. Dylan turns over onto his back.

  “I think I might have broken my ankle.” I look down and see his right ankle is starting to swell. I bend down to help him up after my contraction eases.

  “Well, good thing we’re going to the hospital, right?” I try and laugh it off. I hope he didn’t really break it. That would be horrible right now. I need my husband at my side for this birth.

  “Uh, Andy?” I wrap his arm around my shoulder as we hobble out to the car.

  “This is my right foot. You know the one I have to drive with.” I look down again and sure enough, he’s right. Shit.

  “No problem, I’ll drive.” I smile triumphantly.

  “No. No, Andy. Just . . . no. You’re in labor right now. You don’t need to be driving a large machine. That’s not very smart. We’ll just call a taxi or get an Uber.” Dylan shakes his head emphatically.

  “Baby, by the time an Uber or taxi got here, we’d already be at the hospital.” Another contraction comes and I squeeze Dylan’s wrist hard. I take deep breathes to concentrate on relaxing. Although I don’t feel like this breathing is doing shit. If anything, it’s making me angrier. Those liars at the Lamaze class! After the contraction decreases, I begin to move out of the lobby.

  “Oh my God, woman! You’re impossible. What happens if you have a contraction on the road?”

  I bat my eyelashes at him. “Then I’ll just pull over. It’s really not that big of a deal. I read once where a woman was driving on the freeway and delivered her own baby. I can at least drive to a hospital that’s like ten minutes away. If it gets too intense then I’ll pull over. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.”

  Dylan groans and tries to step down on his hurt ankle. “Fuck. There’s no way I can drive with this pain.”

  This guy wants to talk about pain right now, really? I feel like smacking him. Okay, let’s do this.

  We argue a few more minutes outside of the car until I go almost exorcist on him and then he complies and gets into the passenger side. I wait until I have another contraction to drive, so I’ll have a good break to drive in. Dylan looks helpless in the passenger seat. I’m feeling like Wonder Woman right now. I’m in labor driving myself and my injured husband to the hospital.

  Everything is smooth sailing until we get about halfway there and a contraction hits me. It causes me to gun the car a little and speed. Dylan freaks out and flails his hands in the air while I try and concentrate on slowing down on the accelerator.

  “It’s okay, I got this.” I breathe and it helps to focus on driving instead of the pain. I think if Dylan wasn’t sitting he might faint. I giggle at that thought and soon the pain ebbs. “Almost there,” I say.

  “Fuck, we almost died there for a minute, Andy,” Dylan yells at me. “I can’t believe you convinced me to let you drive.” His hands still grip the dashboard and I have to steel myself from giggling. It was just a little push on the peddle. Geez. You’d think I gunned it.

  “We did not. I totally had the situation handled. I just sped up a bit that’s all. Stop being so dramatic.” He opens his mouth to argue with me, but then thinks better of it. I pull up to the front of the hospital and get out. We’ll worry about the car later. Right now, we need some assistance because the way these contractions are rolling through me, I think this baby is going to be popping out soon. “UGH!”

  I lean against the car as Dylan gets out and hobbles to me and begins rubbing my back. “It’s okay, baby. I’ve got you.”

  I breathe and breathe and breathe some more. It’s not really helping. I wail out the pain. That seems to help. It puts Dylan in a tizzy though.

  “Nurse!”

  An older round nurse walks out with a wheelchair like this is a walk in the park. She spins the chair around like a pro and helps lower me into it.

  “I think my husband might need one too. His ankle might be broken.” The nurse looks at my husband and then down to his swollen ankle that now looks pretty hideous with its black and blue color. She whistles and a young nurse pops out of the automatic doors and then my husband and I are wheeled into the hospital.

  They bring Dylan into x-ray while I move to the maternity floor. They promise he’ll be here soon after I tell them this baby isn’t coming out without her father. “You got it, sweetie,” the nurse replies.

  21

  Dylan’s x-rays don’t take long at all. He just has a sprain, so they put his ankle in a boot and pull up a seat for him next to my bed. I’m wearing one of those hideous gowns that hospitals provide. I mean someone who died must’ve worn this at some point, right? I should’ve been like one of those moms that brings her own hospital gown. I just couldn’t be bothered, but now I’m regretting my decision for fashionable hospital wear.

  The contractions are stacking up and I’m feeling the urge to push. This girl feels like she’s coming out whether we’re ready or not. “Oh, we haven’t decided on a name, Dylan!” We’ve been in a disagreement on what to call her since we knew she existed. We’ve also both changed our mind so many times, it’s hard to keep up.

  “It’s okay, princess. Maybe, once we meet her we’ll know.”

  I sigh in relief. That makes total sense. I mean what if we decided on Gertrude and she comes out and looks more like an Emily or something. I smile at him. My husband is so thoughtful. Another contraction comes and I bear down and squeeze his hand.

  “Shit.”

  I let go of his hand and see it now resembles a lobster claw.

  “Sorry.”

  He just shakes his head and kisses mine. “It’s okay, baby. You’re in a lot of pain. Give me some too.” He laughs.

  The doctor flitters in light as a fairy and snaps on her gloves and before I know it, she has my legs spread and is telling me to push. I wail and scream through every one of them. Dylan’s face is priceless. He looks terrified. I wish I had my phone so I could take a picture. Then, I’m pushing again. Five more pushes and she’s out.

  “Welcome to the world, little one,” my doctor says.

  I smile at the little blob of goo, blood, and hair. She’s so precious. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Dylan crying. I pretend not to see. The delivery nurse rubs her down, weighs her, checks her vitals and makes a little foot print on paper with ink. Then she’s bundled in my arms with her eyes closed.

  “She’s so beautiful,” Dylan says as he looks down into my arms. I nod and look at her small little face, trying to think of a name fit for this little girl.

  “What should we name her?” I look up to Dylan. He shakes his head.

  “I just keep thinking of the word beautiful,” he replies.

  I smile and look down at my girl. Her eyes are open a little. I tilt my head and think of the perfect name for her.

  “How about Rose?”r />
  Dylan gives me a huge grin.

  “You’re naming our baby girl Pink?” He laughs.

  I nod my head completely serious. “I love it.”

  Dylan kisses me on the lips. “Well done, Mama.”

  “How are you doing, Daddy?”

  Dylan kisses me again and grins. “I like that.”

  “I’m sure you do.” I giggle. He leans his head against mine and we stare down at this little human we made together.

  Rose Petal Ryder came into our lives and made it so much better. Birdie adores her. She like to sleep next to her on the couch. Any kind of coo that Rose makes, Birdie comes running, as does her father. The next day he went out and got a tattoo with her name and a beautiful pink rose on his chest. Yup, Dylan Ryder has a pink tattoo. Three points for Team Pink!

  Dylan rocks our sweet Rose to sleep every night. I love watching them together, my husband and my child, our little family. We’ve been talking about getting a bigger place for our growing family. I’d love to decorate a place that belongs to both of us, and of course there will be pink.

  Our parents never ended up marrying, thank God. Shortly after our confrontation, they broke up. I guess they saw the error in their ways. My dad calls me sometimes to check on baby Rose. He hasn’t made a visit yet, but I told him he’s always welcome.

  Dylan’s mother on the other hand, hasn’t contacted us at all. That’s how we like it. She’s probably out on the ocean on a cruise. Maybe she’s more of an Ursula? If only an iceberg would come around and bump her off the ship. I feel bad for her really. She didn’t know how good she had it. Elizabeth probably still doesn’t realize what she lost. Dylan’s wonderful. I couldn’t imagine having this baby without him. He’s been so supportive and caring.