Love doesn't have to be hard

Chapter 26: Welcome to the World

Two weeks later:

Tess is two weeks away from our due date. She is miserable. Her back hurts, and her ankles are swollen. We were at the hospital last night to ensure she doesn't have preeclampsia.

They kept us there for over three hours and said all the tests came back fine. She is fine; she is just retaining fluid in her legs, ankles, and feet.

So, I have her lying down on the couch, pillows under her legs to keep them propped up to try and help. 

The last time we made love was after our baby shower. She has been too uncomfortable to make love, and that's fine. I have two hands and trust me; they have been put to good use over the last three weeks.

The doctor said she had lost her mucus plug, whatever that is, and that she was one and a half centimeters dilated three days ago. We go back to him in four days if she hasn't gone into labor. He has dropped, so now we just wait.

I don't know if I want her to go through this three or four times. I hate that she is so uncomfortable. If she still wants three or four kids, of course, I will give them to her, but if she says she doesn't want to do this again, then I will be fine with that as well. 

We both dreamed of having a big family, but after seeing her so miserable and swollen, I don't want her to have to go through this.

No matter what, she is still absolutely breathtaking and gorgeous. My boss gave me paternity leave with pay for the next ten weeks. 

Christian put her on maternity leave as well, but he still has been sending her manuscripts, so she has something to do.

I am making her breakfast some eggs, bacon, and pancakes. She has been craving pancakes. She hasn't been one to crave weird stuff. She did crave peanut butter and banana sandwiches with a dab of honey. That was her weirdest craving. She craved icee's, and I would bring her one every day on my way home. 

For the last two weeks Kimberly had been on baby watch while I was at work. We both started doing online classes, but I decided to wait until two weeks before her due date for my leave from work. 

Kim would stay with her when I went to work and then leave when I got home and showered. Her mom has been coming down for the last few weeks to check on her. 

Carol doesn't care to let us know that she isn't happy about the baby. My parents are flying in tomorrow to be here when she goes into labor.   

Landon calls her every day to check on her and talk to her. He is living in New York and has a new girlfriend.  

Hardin has even been nice. After the fight at the baby shower, he texted me and asked if he could come by and see our apartment. Plus, he didn't really know anyone down here. Tessa agreed as long as he behaved. 

Since then, he has been bringing dinner over for us. He will text and ask what Tessa is in the mood for. I am buying dinner tonight. He would pick it up and eat with us, and then he would leave. 

He even had dinner delivered to us a few times. He told me this is his way of making it up to us for the hell he has put us through. 

Three days later:

Tess is sitting on the couch with her feet propped up on the ottoman. My parents are here so I am cooking dinner. They wired me money to buy the crib, changing table, bassinet, and rocking chair for the nursery a few months back. 

Carol bought the pictures, bedding, and other stuff to fix up his nursery. Kimberly bought us a video monitor for the nursery. 

We got plenty of diapers, wipes, clothes, and blankets at the baby shower. She has his little crochet outfit for him to wear home. She thought it was the cutest thing when we saw it in the store.