Passion's Instinct

Sixteen

Hayden

"Please, baby? It's adorable!" Natalie begged, holding up yet another "onesie" that had, "Daddy's Hot Rod," plastered all over the front.

"No! Do you know how ridiculous that sounds? 'Daddy's Hot Rod?!' I mean, really?"

Natalie slumped and put it back on the rack, following me into the next aisle as I pushed the cart. "I can't wait for Sawyer James," she said, rubbing her stomach.

"Me neither."

She smiled at me, and as she reached her hand out to grab something else on the shelf, we heard squealing behind us.

"Oh. My. Force. Look, Mel!" a teenage girl told her friend, who was standing next to her. The girl I supposed to be "Mel" screamed.

"Hayden Chr...Nata..." Mel started to scream again. All I did was smile, and she almost fainted.

"Can we please get a picture with you guys?!" the other girl squealed.

"Uh, sure," I said. The girl summoned a nearby retail assistant and ordered her to take her cell phone to snap a few pictures with us. After we took the pictures, the girls stepped away.

"Thank you!" they kept telling us, and we both nodded, smiling.

"Of course," Natalie said.

"OMG what's your guys' baby's name supposed to be?"

"Sawyer," Natalie answered, and the girls cooed.

"Listen, it was amazing running into you guys, so thanks! I really have to drag her away, she loves you, Hayden," the girl explained, gesturing to her hyperventilating friend. "See you around!" They ran off, squealing.

Natalie smiled at me and went back to browsing. "I love fans like that. They're so cute."

***********************************

"Why would a stupid crib be this hard to put up?" I groaned.

Natalie laid down beside me on the floor. She started to laugh.

"What?" I asked.

"Just look." She ran her hand over her stomach. "It's like a mountain."

We laughed together. "It is."

She faced me, staring into my eyes. I kissed her and turned my head back to face the ceiling. "How hard is it going to be for you to get up?" I asked.

She laughed. "Maybe not so hard..."

I stood up, locking my fingers around hers to pull her gently off of the lush carpet. I actually struggled to do so. She said herself she had gained weight over the past eight and a half months.

"Only a few weeks left, Hayden! We get to meet our baby very soon!" she squealed, kissing me.

I could barely respond before my phone vibrated against my leg where it sat in my pocket. I lifted it to see a text from George which read, Are you not coming in today?

"Aw, man!"

"What is it?" Natalie asked.

"We're late! I completely forgot about work today! How does this even happen?" I ran my hands through my hair and sprinted to the closet, pulling out the Jedi robes I wore everyday to work. I pulled them on as Natalie changed into her costume. I had to help her with some of it, since she couldn't get around as well at the moment. Every simple task was a challenge for her these days, and to say the least, I felt bad for her.

"Let's go," I said once we were ready. It was easier for Natalie to take the elevator. It was faster than taking the spiral steps four levels down.

We were off in a few minutes to film some more of the Revenge of the Sith, which we would be finishing soon. In a matter of a few months, we would attend the premiere, and it would be finished. I knew everyone was going to love it.