His Change of Heart: Unexpected Pregnancy Romance (16 page)

Seventeen

  
“
I
can’t believe we are having a boy—a son.” Will couldn’t contain his excitement as he came up behind Avery in the kitchen and wrapped his arms smugly around her body, swaying her lightly. “I can’t wait to meet our baby, Ave. I’m going to be a father—this little guy’s Dad.” He ran his hands slowly over the length of her bulging stomach. “And I have you to thank for that. You are having my baby! You are giving me the family I’ve always longed for, Ave. Thank  you.” He pulled back her hair and nuzzled the side of the neck, planning light kisses there.

   And Avery, standing at the kitchen sink doing the dishes, turned her head around and kissed him quickly on the lips. “I love you,” she whispered to him, and turned back to the pot she was washing, surprised that Will hadn’t said anything to her about doing the dishes. She guessed he was distracted, and didn’t notice that she was actually doing something.

   Will had left the kitchen minutes before to take an important phone call from a client, and Avery had used the opportunity to clear the table and tackle the dishes, something, along with the cooking and cleaning Will had been happily doing since he got there. He had taken issue with her doing any chores around the house, and Avery was more than happy to sit back and grade papers when she arrived home from work in the evening, and watched him take over the house work.

    She had protested at first, telling Will that she was more than capable of doing her own laundry, the cooking and cleaning, but he had insisted that she left everything up to him, until he could hire someone to help. And Avery had secretly welcomed the chance to put her feet up and relax. She had taken leisure naps while Will made dinner, or went grocery shopping. She didn’t have classes at the college today, and she had insisted on helping him with dinner. And he had begrudgingly let her make the garden salad and set the table, while he prepared the pasta dish he was making for dinner.

    Ever since they had come back from her doctor’s appointment, Will had been overly protective of her, constantly hovering and fussing over her, as if he thought that being pregnant meant that she was incapable of doing anything or that she would fall apart at any given moment. And when she had protested, Will had told her that he didn’t want anything to happen to her and the baby.

    He had asked her not to do the laundry—because he was afraid that she might slip on the stairs with the laundry basket and hurt herself. She wasn’t allowed to vacuum the house, because he said the vacuum cleaner was heavy and lifting it might harm the baby, and she might even trip on the cord. And he had offered to do the cooking, because standing in front of a hot stove and oven wasn’t safe for her and the baby, and neither was carrying heavy grocery bags. It was all good with her!

   In the end, she had no little choice than to give in and allow Will to do those things for her. But when he had insisted on driving her to and from work, she had stood her grounds and told him absolutely not. She thought he was being plain ridiculous, and told him that she didn’t need him chaffering her around town—she could drive herself to work. And after some protests, Will had backed off, but only after he had decided to buy her a new car.

    That way, he said, he wouldn’t have to worry about her running out of gas or getting stranded at the side of the road with car troubles. And, Avery, seeing no point in arguing with him further had agreed to let him get her a new vehicle. She had gone to the dealership with him one evening and chosen a hybrid, instead of the Mercedes Benz he had picked out for her. She didn’t see the sense or the need for such a luxury car.

   And, although Avery was happy to have Will there with her, he was becoming a bit overbearing—a nuisance, always fussing over her, even for the littlest things, like making sure she ate , took her vitamins, drank at least a glass of milk a day, and that she wore a sweater outside, even when it wasn’t cool. And he was always asking if she and the baby were alright. She didn’t mind the frequent back rubs or the foot massages that he was gave her. And he would call her constantly when she left the house, especially if she was out doing errands. She guessed he was experiencing the anxiety of being a first time father—she had heard of it.

    And she found it a bit too much. She also thought that he was bored out of his mind. And had asked him about his job in Chicago, about the amount of time he had been away from the firm one evening over dinner.

    “I have taken some personal time off. When I found out about the baby my thought was to come here and be with you. I want to be here, Ave,” he had told her. “Besides, the firm has my contact info—I’m only a phone call away if they need me to consult on a case. They can reach me anytime they want. Why are you asking?”

   “I just thought that maybe you mightn’t find life here that interesting.”             

   “Are you crazy! There’s never a dull moment with you and your cousins—and I mean that in the best way possible. I love being here with you. I’ve been working continuously since I got to Chicago. I’m entitled to some time off, especially after the millions I’ve secured for the firm in the last months. Don’t tell me you are getting tired of my company.”

    “No, that’s not it. I know there’s not much for you to do here.”

   “Taking care of you is more than enough for me. Besides, I don’t sit around here all day waiting for you to come home. I do get out. I get things done.”

   She knew he had leased a car, and he had gone out and purchased a number of things for the house, including a new washing machine and dryer, and he had replaced the old central air-conditioning system, so that she could be comfortable, especially at nights. He had also bought himself a new laptop—because he had forgotten the one he had in Chicago, a new fax machine, and a cell phone. So, yes, he was keeping himself busy. She just didn’t want him to think that he had to be here with her, instead of back in Chicago doing what he liked to do.

  “Okay, I just didn’t want you to neglect your cases because you felt you had to be here with me. The baby isn’t going to be here for another few months.”

   “Don’t ever feel that way.” He took her empty plate. “I have learnt my lesson. I will never put my job or anything else before you and our son.” He gave her a quick peck on the cheek and glanced down at her growing stomach. “Besides, I don’t want to miss out on anything. I want to be there with you every step of the way. I love you.”

    “And I love you, too.” Avery reached up and kissed him full on the mouth, giggling as he almost dropped the plates and glasses he was balancing on his arms.

    “I better get these done,” he said, looking at the stack of dishes and dirty pots. “Then I can get to spend a quiet evening with you, my love, and our son.”

    “I can help you. It will be faster.” She tried to get up from the table.

     “Absolutely not! Sit and finish your grapes.” He popped one of the red grapes into her mouth, and another into his own, and turned to go tackle the dishes.

     “Fine, I will sit and watched you.” Avery told him with a smile.

     “I will like that.” He grinned at her. “It will make my chores even more enjoyable.” He opened the dish washer and began stacking the dishes and pots.

     And Will was right—he hadn’t entirely neglected his work. He did the occasional business call in the small room she had set up for him off the kitchen to use as a home office. He made his calls mostly early in the morning when he was certain she was still asleep, though most of the times, she pretended to be, or after dinner and when she was at work. He didn’t want his work to cut in on his time with her.

  He had accompanied her to the doctor’s appointment, and he had watched in awe as images of the baby appeared on the sonogram. He had reached for her hand and kissed her repeatedly on the forehead and cheek when they had heard the baby’s heart beats on the monitor. And Avery had cried with joy that they had created something so amazing and beautiful between them.

   And when Dr. Olsen had told them that they were having a son, Will had choked up with emotions and squeezed her hands as he gazed into her eyes. She could have sworn that he was about to cry, but he hadn’t, instead he had whispered, thank you and I love you to her, more than a few times. The joy on his face had been unmistakably visible.

  After, Will had made certain he asked Dr. Olsen questions about her health, especially about her weight. And Dr. Olsen had reiterated what Avery had been telling him all along—that she was healthy, and her slim frame had nothing to do with the baby’s development—she was just naturally slender. In fact, she had even gained a few pounds since her last appointment.

   Then Will had brought up the inevitable intimacy question. And Dr. Olsen had told them that it was fine for them to make love. In fact, he had encouraged it, telling them as long as it wasn’t anything too risqué that would put Avery and the baby at risk. Dr. Olsen had even gone further and told Will that contrary to what many people believe, he would be more than happy if more couples were intimate with their partners during that time. He had clearly gotten the point across to Will.

   Avery had held her head low with embarrassment, as Will assured Dr. Olsen that they would be extremely careful. Then he had shook hands with Dr. Olsen and thanked him. And in the car on their way home Avery had punched him playfully on the arm and told him that he had humiliated her with questions about their sex life. And Will had informed her, with a very huge grin on his face that it was better they knew all the facts and were safe, than to leave anything to chance.

   “What are you doing?” Will asked her in a very tense voice, suddenly noticing that she was doing the dishes. He reached around her and turned off the tap. Then he took her hands and dried them in a dish towel he grabbed from the counter top. “I don’t want you doing the dishes. That’s what you have a dish washer for. In fact, I don’t want you doing anything at all. I want you off your feet.”

   “It’s only a pot, Will. The dishes are in the dishwasher,” Avery said to him, trying to finish what she was doing.

   “I will do that.” He took her by the arm and led her away from the sink.

   “You are being ridiculous. I think I can wash a couple pots and clean the counters if I want to.” Avery tried to shrug him off.

   “Not as long as I’m here, you are not. And speaking of—I have hired someone to help with the cleaning and laundry, and other housework. She starts tomorrow. I’m serious, Ave—I don’t want you lifting a finger around the house.”

   “Fine! Fine!” Avery threw up her hands in submission, and headed to the bedroom to finish rearranging her closets and drawers. She had finally bought some maternity outfits. “I guess you would be asking me to give up my job too.”

   “Speaking of, that wouldn’t be such a bad idea either. You hardly make enough money to cover the bills. I can take care of you and the baby—you don’t have to work.”

Avery laughed as she looked at him in astonishment. “I’m not quitting my job, Will—so don’t even think of asking me to. And for your information, I spend most of the time either sitting or standing. I’m not lifting anything heavy or doing strenuous work. And it’s part time work, anyway. I’m only there for the summer semester. And I also happen to like my job.”

  Will smiled. “Fine, don’t quit your job on my behalf. Now for that standing on your feet part...”

  Avery shrieked as Will swept her off her feet and carried her up the stairs. He sat her down carefully on the sofa next to the window in her bedroom. And Avery watched curiously, as he got down on his knees before her. And a small velvet case appeared in his right hand.

   “Avery Marie,” he said to her, looking up at her with a very earnest look on his face. “Will you make me the happiest man, and marry me?” he asked, gazing deeply into her eyes.

   Avery looked at him, and burst into tears. “Will,” she whispered looking at him, and then at the ring he held in his hand, smiling and wiping her tears away. “Oh, Will,” she said again, smiling at him.

   “Avery, will you be my wife—the woman I’m planning on spending the rest of my life with?” he asked again, looking up at her with a very expectant look on his eager face.

   Avery wiped the tears away from her eyes, and smiling, whispered, “Yes! Yes! I will be more than happy to be your wife, Will. I love you. I will marry you.”

    Avery threw her arms around his neck and kissed him quickly on the lips. 

   Will got up off his knees, and taking Avery into his arms, he hugged her excitedly. “You have made me the happiest man in the world. I love you, so, so much.”

    He kissed her again, before slipping the antique 10-carat diamond on her finger.

   Avery looked at the ring and still smiling, said; “It’s exquisitely beautiful.” She reached in and pecked him on the lips.

    “It was Grandma Irene’s. It belonged to her mother before that. She gave it to me with strict instruction to give it only to the woman I fall in love with and was going to spend the rest of my life with. And that woman happens to be you, Ave, honey. Grandma Irene didn’t believe in divorce. She thought people gave up on each other too easily. She believed in fighting for the person you love.”