3.0 The Chronicles of Us - Choas & Clarity

Chapter thirty-six

*♡ Ellie ♡*

The sun sits high in the January sky. It's a beautiful, cloudless day, but a little brisk. Definitely sweater weather. I rest my head against the headrest and stare out the window. Seemingly small boats sail across the glimmering ocean; groups of day-trippers are scattered over the beach. The temperature is too cold for a swim, yet perfect for a stroll.

I've been feeling so exceptionally good lately. Okay, the back pains and swollen ankles are unfortunate, but nowhere near enough to bring down my stellar mood. Tex and I are doing better than ever.

Yesterday, I realized something. Even after our wedding, that sneaky fear of it all ending one day lurked in the back of my head. It was almost nonexistent but present nonetheless. Now, though, it's completely gone. Maybe I knew that the topic of children would challenge our marriage. Thankfully, we prevailed with flying colors.

I roll my head to the left and swoon over the most gorgeous view. With his eyes on the road, Tex rhythmically taps his fingers on the steering wheel while humming along to a classic rock song. He's wearing a plain dark-gray hoodie and a pair of indigo-colored slim jeans. There's nothing special about his appearance but, boy, does it make my heart thump. What a wonderfully crazy thing to be carrying that man's child. I really hope our baby will bear his looks. That would be a dream come true. Just like him.

He glances my way for a second. "What are you doing? You got that dopey smile."

I kiss his shoulder. "Nothing, I was just being consciously happy."

After changing lanes, he places his hand on my belly and circles his thumb. "Do we have everything we need for when the kid arrives?"

"I think so. I double-checked the list. But we still have to make a plan for when it's due date."

"A plan? I mean, it's simple, right? I just open the window to let the stork in. Maybe toss him a fishy for his hard work."

I shove his shoulder with my hand. "God, you're awful."

"Lucky for me you have awful taste." He steals a quick boob-squeeze before placing his hand back on the wheel, grinning like a happy fool.

That makes two of us.

"All joking aside, we should talk it through. I don't want to end up at some dirt field because you thought babies were pulled from the clay."

"The fucking clay!" He laughs so loud, the car sways a little. I stifle my own laughter for the sake of road safety. The last thing we need is for him to get into a real fit and lose focus. It takes another minute before he blows out a last chuckle. "All right. What do you need me to do?"

"You grab my bags and drive us to the hospital. Most importantly—" I hold up my finger to be extra convincing. "—be nice and don't push my buttons."

He sighs loudly. "I don't know if I can do that. You're asking a lot of me."

"Tex!" I slap his chest with the back of hand. "If I have to squeeze a watermelon out of my hoo-ha, the least you can do is be extremely nice to me."

"Birdie! You ruined melon jokes for me." The terribly fake pout he sports disappears when I giggle at his silliness. A little more seriously, he strokes my cheek with his knuckles. "Don't worry, I'll be on my best behavior. I won't complain when you crush my hand and curse the day I laid eyes on you."

Not a change that will ever happen.

Satisfied with his answer, I give him a little pat on the knee. We've been on the road for a while now. The ocean gave way to trees when we left the highway. When he told me to get in the car because we were running late, I simply followed order. I had no idea what we were running late for, but I assumed I had forgotten our plans for the day. That happens a lot lately. I always have the feeling I'm forgetting something important. The fact that I can't find my planner doesn't help either. I tried to retrace my steps, but I can't even remember what I had for breakfast. Besides, that planner could be anywhere. Literally. I already checked the fridge, the dryer and that dusty spot underneath the couch. No luck so far.