Grace Under Pressure

Chapter Eighteen

Arriving in Kent, I was in a foul mood. Morning sickness while on a transatlantic flight was no picnic. When we landed, I quickly discovered that my husband-to-be couldn't drive in the U.K. Perry couldn't get the hang of driving on the left side of the road. I'd be the one driving the rental car for the duration of our stay, which was scheduled to be one weeklong. We had a lot of legal hoops that we were going to have to jump through to bring Nathan home with us. First, we had to take care of the custody paperwork. Nathan already had a British passport, but it wasn't going to be simple bring him to America. I wasn't a citizen of the United States. I was allowed to live in the country because I had a work visa. It was agreed that Perry's name would go on all of the custody paperwork. This paperwork would then be used to obtain an adoption visa from the American embassy in London. Once we were back in the states, we would jointly file to adopt Nathan. When the adoption was made final, my little brother would be granted American citizenship through Perry. After we married, I planned on filing for citizenship myself but, first things first.

We arrived in my hometown of Deal in Kent and checked into the Waterfront Hotel just as the sun was setting. We were both exhausted, but also starving. Neither one of us wanting to get dressed up to eat in the hotel's kinda ritzy restaurant, we got back in the car and headed for my favorite restaurant in town, the Deal Pier Kitchen on Beach Street. It was a jeans and jumper sort of place that was built into a pier over the sea. It also happened to be the restaurant that served the fish finger sandwich with a side of chips that I had been craving pretty much from the moment I found out I was expecting.

"Gracie-face," Perry got my attention from behind his menu. "What on this menu will both taste good and not look weird to me when it's served?"

That got a giggle out of me. Even on my worst days, Perry could make me smile. "Order the spicy beef burger," I advised. "I'd also order a glass of milk to go with it."

After we placed our orders and once, we fell into conversation, I finally started to relax. We were also two of the only people in the restaurant and that probably went a long way towards putting me at ease.

"Have you given any thought towards names for the baby?" Perry asked as our meals were delivered to us at the table.

"A little," I nodded and popped a chip into my mouth. "I know I want a name that starts with a J, like Jack and Jennifer. I'm really fond of Josie for a girl."

"I like that." Perry smiled and picked up his burger. "What about a boy's name?" He asked before taking a huge bite of his dinner.

"Haven't thought of one yet." I noticed that Perry's face was turning redder than when he was angry, and he was starting to heavily perspire. "Love, are you alright?" I was badly trying not to laugh as he chugged his water. The man was a doctor. He should have known better than to do that.

"My mouth feels hotter than the flames of hell," Perry gasped out.

"I told you to order a glass of milk." I got the waitress' attention and motioned to my suffering git of a fiancé. She got the message and reappeared a few minutes later with a large glass of milk.