Happy Little Accidents

the high road

Bob's apartment was small and cozy. Decorated in soft grays and blues with black and white accents. The perfect size for one. But barely big enough for a couple and definitely not big enough for two adults and a baby. For even as light as Zak initially packed, she needed to get maternity clothes. She didn't want to spend her whole pregnancy in leggings and oversized shirts or sweaters.

And there was an endless list of baby items they'd need as well.

The little Juliette balcony quickly became her favorite spot in the apartment. Late fall in San Diego was chilly; the air cold and clear. And since Bob left so early for work - never without kissing her goodbye - Zak would take her laptop or tablet and her breakfast and sit at the tiny little round table on the patio. Sometimes she would work. But most mornings she spent looking at bigger apartments or houses.

According to her most recent ultrasound, the baby was growing steadily and on track. And she was due sometime in early June. But due to the accident and damage to her uterus, Dr. Callisto - her OB - classified her as high risk and wanted to see her every week instead of every two.

Bob went with her to every appointment as promised. He looked close to tears when they first heard the whub-whump of the baby's heartbeat on the doppler. And when he squeezed her hand, looking down at her with a wide grin and watery eyes, her heart fluttered in her chest and she squeezed back.

She couldn't think of a sweeter man to have a baby with. Even if it was by accident.

It took some time, but they settled into a routine of sorts. Bob worked Monday to Friday and occasionally on Saturdays if the aviators required extra training. With Amari finishing up the renovation job they'd started back in Mississippi, Zak looked for work in San Diego and the surrounding areas. While Dr. Callisto encouraged her to take it easy, she knew she'd go stir crazy without something to focus what energy she did have on.

When Bob returned from base in the late afternoon, he'd take a quick shower, and then - if she was up for it - take Zak around the city. Showing her all of his favorite places.

A coffee shop here. A park there. A used book and records store.

If she wasn't feeling up to going out, one of them would cook or order in and they would watch a movie or listen to a record or Bob would read to her. Zak would sit on the couch with her feet up on the ottoman and Bob would lay across the couch with his head in her lap while he read.

Zak made it clear she didn't want to keep him from his friends and insisted he still join them at the Hard Deck after work on Fridays. He always invited her along. But she thought it would be weird to go to a bar while pregnant.

Especially once she started showing.

But when they had board game nights or a cookout on the beach, she'd tag along for a while. First trimester fatigue was no joke and she usually only made it an hour or two into the night before bidding good night to everyone.

She found a mommy-to-be group that met once a week at one of the mom's houses in a small suburb twenty minutes from Bob's apartment. They welcomed her with open arms. Helping her make a list of all the things she would need to have ready. Sharing tips for morning sickness and other symptom relief. And one of them signed her up for a baby basket subscription that tracked the baby's growth when she didn't have an appointment and sent little gifts once a month.

She hadn't spent long enough in one place to make friends since leaving D.C.. It was weird and different. But she couldn't honestly say she didn't enjoy having friends close by.

Jenny lived in Arizona with her husband and Zak's family were all on the other side of the country.

She'd gone back to Mississippi for Thanksgiving. Her mother was surprised but elated to see her.