Cut Off

Chapter 22

Emily did end up getting her baby shower. I made her do it at an early week, so I wasn't huge. Still was, but not as much as I am now. I'm about 26 weeks now and it's Christmas Eve.

My mom couldn't get off work this year, so my family is still in Seattle. It will be my first Christmas without them. I know I'm supposed to be growing up and all, but I still miss my family at Christmastime. I have my new family though. I have Zach. He's all I need. I also have my girls. They don't get a choice of being here, but it doesn't matter. They're here with me always.

After Christmas Eve dinner, I decide to go to bed early. Emily and Josh had come over but they left a little while ago.

Once I'm in bed and reading, Zach comes in a little bit later. He gets in bed as well and then closes my book and puts it on the bedside table. I glare at him because I'm going to lose my place. Then he pulls out a box.

"WHAT'S THIS?" I ask him.

"A PRESENT. OPEN IT."

So I do. I pull the ribbon off of the box and open it. Inside is a gold necklace with the sign for 'I love you on it. I smile. It's so pretty.

"THANK YOU" I sign to him. "DO YOU WANT YOURS NOW TOO?"

"SURE."

So I go and grab it from the closet. I never ended up wrapping it.

I hand it to Zach and he looks at it with awe. I ended up making his present. It is a drawing of us both touching my pregnant belly and smiling. I also put a quote along the bottom that reads 'Happily ever after is not a fairy tale. It's a choice.' I put the drawing in a gold frame so it wouldn't get ruined.

"IT'S NOT MUCH, BUT I DON'T LIKE SHOPPING" I sign to Zach after he still hasn't done anything but stare at the drawing for a few minutes.

"IT'S PERFECT" he signs back immediately. "YOU'RE PERFECT. I LOVE IT. I LOVE YOU."

I smile.

"I LOVE YOU TOO."

Then he kisses me. It doesn't last long though, because then I get a pain in my stomach. Another kick, but harder this time.

Zach must notice my discomfort because he pulls back looking worried.

"WHAT'S WRONG?"

"NOTHING. JUST A KICK. I'M FINE. CALM DOWN."

"YOU SURE?"

He doesn't look like he believes me. I decide to convince him.

"YES, I'M SURE. HERE. SEE FOR YOURSELF."

I grab his hand and put it on my stomach. At his touch, there is another kick. Just letting him know that they're there. This one isn't as painful. I can see him relax a little at the feeling. He also smiles a little.

"HOW OFTEN DOES THAT HAPPEN?" he asks me after a minute of just leaving his hand there.

"A LOT. TWICE AS MUCH AS A PREGNANCY WITH ONE BABY. I THINK THEY KICK EACH OTHER."

"DOESN'T THAT GET ANNOYING?"

"KIND OF. MY VOICE USUALLY SOOTHES THEM SOME. OR WHEN I PLAY MUSIC."

He just nods. He looks kind of sad at my answer. Then I realize why. They hear my voice. They don't hear his. They also hear. I don't really know what to say to cheer him up.

Just as I'm about to sign something to him, he beats me to the punch.

"YOU LOOK EXHAUSTED. GO TO SLEEP."

I nod because he's right. I am exhausted.

"OKAY. GOOD NIGHT. MERRY CHRISTMAS, ZACH."

"MERRY CHRISTMAS, SKYLAR."