New Beginnings Karl Hoffmeister

Marry Me

It's been almost four and a half months since you and Karl found out about the baby. You told Otto and Elizabeth and of course they were both overjoyed to find out you were expecting an addition to your family. Everyone was hoping for a girl. Otto wanted a baby sister to hold, Karl wanted a little girl to spoil, Elizabeth wanted a little girl to tell stories to like she used to do with her daughter Rose. You didn't care either way you just wanted you and Karl to have a healthy happy baby no matter what the gender. Of course Karl didn't actually care what the gender was, he would love your child either way but longed to have a girl. He wanted to buy her little dresses and dolls and tea sets, little things like that.

Your stomach had grown quite a bit in only 4 months, even the doctor was surprised by how big you were. It wasn't like you were huge but it was very noticeable that you were pregnant. At first it worried you when the doctor said you were rather big already but he assured you that it was nothing for you to worry about.

Karl was getting ready for work, Elizabeth had already taken Otto to school and was back packing a lunch for Karl to take with him. Karl insisted that you stay home and work from home three days a week. He didn't want you around a lot of people constantly, he felt the stress wasn't good for you or the baby. So on Monday, Wednesdays, and Fridays you worked from home filling out paperwork. Today it was friday so you were sitting in you and Karl's shared bedroom in one of the loose comfortable dresses Karl had bought for you the moment your bump started showing.

You had been staring in the mirror for about fifteen minutes, completely ignoring Karl speaking to you from the bathroom only a few feet away. Not on purpose but you were so deep in thought that you hadn't heard him start talking to you.

"Dove?" He kneeled in front of you, placing his hand on your knee.

"Hm?" You hummed, finally meeting his gaze.

"What's going on in that pretty little head of yours." He pointed to your temple.

"Just deep in thought." You sighed. He stopped fixing his cufflinks and put both hands on your knees.

"What's on your mind darling? Is it the baby?" He rubs little circles on your knee in a soothing manner. "Listen, the doctor said the baby is fine. A little big for its...Age? But healthy nonetheless and that's all that matters. All this stress and worry isn't doing you any good so take a breath and relax." He tried to encourage you.

"I know, it's not the baby..."

"Tell me what has you so deep in though?"

"...Marry me."

"Um, what? Dove we're engaged, we'll be married."

"I mean soon, like this weekend. I don't want my stomach to be any bigger for our wedding. I want to look like this in our wedding photos. And, and, the later we start to plan things the more stress I'll be under and." You stuttered through the whole explanation until Karl grabbed both your hands.

"Okay, okay take a breath." He took a breath with you. "What were you thinking? Going to the courthouse this weekend and having a judge wed us?"

"Yes. We can take Otto and Elizabeth as witnesses and maybe get our wedding photos taken afterwards at the gardens."

"What about our honeymoon? You typically go on those after the wedding." His lips tugged into a smirk.

"When do you want to go? Do you want to take Otto with us?"

"No, I think Otto will be fine spending a week with Elizabeth. We'll call him everyday in the morning and before bed. I would rather us go now before our little one is born." He placed his hand gently on your belly. You placed your hand over his, rubbing his knuckles with your palm.