A beautiful photographer

Chapter 44 - A year

*Tom pov*

Charlotte is currently laying on the bed looking at her little belly, I watch her from the door frame and after a bit she notices me.
"Are you spying on me?"
"No..." I say smiling
"Come over here"
I sit near her on our bed and put a hand on her belly.
This is the most amazing thing I have ever witnessed: the growing of a baby...well actually two.
It just amazes me how a woman body can transform so much externally and internally during pregnancy.
"Hello there, is your daddy talking" I say leaning my face as close as possible to her stomach "I love you both so much!" And then I kiss her belly.
Charlotte puts a hand on my head and plays with my hair
"You're cute" she says softly
"Mmm"
As we continue to stay like that I look over at my watch and realize that we have to get ready to go to the doctor
"We better dress and go or else we will be late" I say kissing the baby bump and her once more.
I just throw on a polo and a pair of jeans while Charlotte goes for a dress.

Once there the nurse calls us immediately and we meet with doctor Shay again.
"How are you?" She asks Charlotte
"Good, morning sickness almost is disappearing but I'm starting to crave a few strange things"
"I'm glad you feel better, ok on the bed please, let's take a look at the Hiddleston babies"
She pours some gel on her stomach and starts the ultrasound.
We ask her not to tell us the genders but to write them down in a closed envelope so we can give it to our friends in charge of the gender reveal.
She then prints us a few pictures and we are good to go home after scheduling another appointment in two weeks.

We reach Ben's house for a quick to give him the envelope with the genders.
"Hello! Come in"
"Hi Ben" Charlotte says and hugs him
"Hey man! So here you have it!" I say giving him the envelope
"Very good, now I just need Leah number so I can share the news with her and start organize"
"Yes, I'll send you her number. Thank you!" Charlotte says.
We leave and go pick up the kids from school.

"Hi!" Alex says getting in the car
"Ehy buddy!"
"How was school?" Charlotte asks
"All good!"
After five minutes Ellie join us
"Hello family!"
"Hi sweetie"
"So...how did it go to the doctor?" She asks
"Great, babies are good and she found out the genders. We gave it to Benedict so he and Leah can plan a gender reveal in the next few weeks"
"Cool!" Alex says "how big are the babies this week?"
"They are as big as an apple!"
"I love apples!" He says
"And the doctor said that if we are lucky next week mummy can start feeling little movements" I say starting the car to go back home.
Useless to say the kids are pretty excited and can't wait to welcome their siblings, they also don't care about the genders they said 'the most important thing is that they are healthy', and I agree to that!

After helping them with some homework Charlotte and I get ready for our date...after all today is a year since we got together!
My mum comes over in a few minutes to watch the kids until we will be back.

I wear a shirt and blue suit pants and a matching jacket with a darker blue tie.
When I enter the bathroom to fix my hair I see Charlotte in front of the sink mirror, in just her underwear.
"Love what are you doing? I thought you said it was time to get dressed" I say standing behind her
"I know...I was just looking at my body" she says in a kind of sad tone
"Ok...do you want to tell me what's bothering you?"
"I just keep thinking that in a few weeks I'm going to start to show a lot more and my body is going to change a lot too...probably stretch marks are going to show and I'm going to weigh more..."
I wrap my arms around her and put my head between the crock of her neck and her shoulder
"Darling, you are still going to be the most beautiful woman in the world to me even if that happens. I want you to know that I won't change the way I look at you. You are always going to be my beautiful photographer with 20 more pounds or wrinkles or grey hair...I don't care!"
"I love you so much!" She says turning in my arms and snuggling closer to me.
I kiss her forehead softly, then I style my hair and leave her to get dressed.

I go downstairs where I find my mum in the kitchen starting dinner with the help of the kids.
"Hi mum!" I say hugging her and giving her a kiss on the cheek
"Hi! Where is Charlotte? Isn't it time for you to go?"
"Yes, but we had uhm...a little problem"
She takes me aside and looks me straight in the eyes
"Have the two of you fought?"
"No no! She was just thinking of how her body is going to change in a few short weeks and I guess asking herself if I would still look at her the same with a bit more weight and stretch marks...I think it's something her ex brought her to think and it stuck with her, like other couple of things..."
"Oh my sweet girl, and what did you tell her?"
"I gave her a little speech and basically told her that she will always be the most beautiful woman"
"Good, that's how I raised you!" She says and kisses me on the cheek before going back in the kitchen with the kids.

After ten more minutes Charlotte comes down and we say goodbye and drive to the restaurant.
We enjoy our little dinner and make small talk.
"You know...a year ago when I asked you to go on a date with me I was so nervous because I thought 'how in the world is she going to tell me yes'"
"Oh really?! Ahahah...I was thinking about the fact that Mr. Hiddleston for sure wasn't interested in someone like me, especially after finding out I was a single mom of two!"
"But here we are...a year later with two beautiful kids, married and twins on the way!"
"I wouldn't have it any other way Tom" she says taking my hand
"Me neither love" I say kissing her hand.