Seven months ago, when Harry asked me to be his girlfriend, I couldn't have been happier. He was everything I wanted-loyal, caring, funny, and incredibly handsome. It felt like nothing could come between us.
But then our lives changed forever from j...
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London, 2 PM.
Naomi leaned back in the ultrasound room, her hand gripping Harry's tightly. They were just two weeks shy of the halfway point, and Naomi's baby bump was now more prominent, making everything feel so much more real. The soft hum of the monitor filled the air as the sonographer carefully moved the wand across her stomach. In moments, the grainy black-and-white image of their baby flickered onto the screen.
"Everything looks great," the sonographer said with a smile. "Baby is measuring perfectly for 18 weeks."
Naomi exhaled slowly, relief flooding her body as she looked at the little figure on the screen. Beside her, Harry squeezed her hand, his gaze fixed intently on the image. His usually playful demeanor was replaced with awe, and the subtle tension in his grip betrayed how momentous this moment felt for him too.
"And... do you want to know the gender today?" the sonographer asked, fingers hovering over the keyboard.
Naomi glanced at Harry, raising her eyebrows slightly. They had gone over this many times, but being in the moment brought on a new rush of emotions. Harry met her eyes, his own filled with a mixture of excitement and uncertainty.
"It's your call, Nomes," he said softly, giving her hand another gentle squeeze.
Naomi smiled, her heart swelling with warmth at how much he trusted her with these decisions. "We actually want to keep it a surprise," she finally said, her voice steady. "But could you write it down and seal it in an envelope? Just in case..."
The sonographer nodded, clearly accustomed to such requests. "Absolutely." She printed off a few ultrasound images before typing quietly onto the screen. A few minutes later, she sealed a small envelope and handed it to Harry, who accepted it with an almost reverent air, quickly tucking it into the inner pocket of his jacket as if it were something precious.
Naomi smiled, her fingers gently tracing the ultrasound image now printed and in her hands. It felt surreal, holding a picture of the little life growing inside her. She was going to be a mum. The weight of that thought rested gently on her as they left the clinic, the quiet between them filled with shared joy and a bit of the unknown.
Later that afternoon, they found themselves standing at the entrance of a baby store. Naomi's hand was wrapped snugly in Harry's as they stepped inside. The smell of freshly washed fabrics and the sight of pastel hues and miniature clothing racks greeted them. Naomi felt an overwhelming wave of emotions—excitement, nervousness, a little bit of confusion about where to even begin.
"I don't even know where to start," she admitted with a slight laugh, tugging Harry toward the nearest aisle, which was packed with tiny baby clothes.
"Just grab whatever looks good?" Harry suggested with a cheeky grin, pulling a pair of neutral-colored overalls off the rack. Naomi laughed at his enthusiasm and shook her head.
"Harry, we're supposed to be practical," she reminded him. "We need to get things for the nursery too, remember?"
"Alright, alright," he relented, but not without tossing the overalls into the cart anyway. Naomi rolled her eyes, but her heart fluttered at how eager he was. Shopping for their baby felt like an adventure—both exciting and a little overwhelming.
As they moved down the aisles, they paused over soft baby blankets, plush animals, and racks of tiny onesies in shades of cream, grey, and pastel yellows. Naomi found herself drawn to the neutral colors, especially since they had no plans to peek into that sealed envelope.
"These are cute," Naomi said, holding up a set of crib sheets covered in soft woodland animals. "Do you think they'll match the theme?"
"Uh... what's the theme again?" Harry asked, rubbing the back of his neck in mock confusion.
Naomi nudged him playfully. "Come on, we talked about this. Woodland creatures? Foxes, owls, you know... nature stuff."
"Oh! Yeah, yeah, those are perfect, love," Harry said with a grin, tossing the sheets into the cart like he was scoring a goal.
Naomi rolled her eyes and they continued strolling through the store, and with each new item added to the cart—plush toys, wooden mobiles, soft blankets—Naomi's excitement grew. It was as if each item they chose brought them a step closer to the reality that their little one would be here soon.
Finally, they reached the furniture section, and Naomi stopped in front of a crib she had been eyeing for weeks. It was simple yet beautiful—natural wood with clean lines and a soft rocking motion. She pointed it out to Harry, who bent down, inspecting it closely as if he were assessing something far more mechanical.
"Seems solid enough," he remarked, pushing it gently to see how it moved.
Naomi couldn't help but laugh. "You say that like it's a car or something."
"Well, we've got to make sure it's up to standard!" Harry shot back, his grin wide. "And you know... I've got to make sure it holds up for when they start jumping around in there."
Naomi raised an eyebrow, trying to stifle her laughter. "Harry, babies don't jump."
"They might if they're like me," Harry countered, his face lighting up with that mischievous twinkle she loved.
She shook her head, laughing harder now. It was moments like these that reminded her how much she adored him—his playful attitude, his ability to bring lightness to everything, even when things felt overwhelming.
As they neared the checkout, Naomi glanced at Harry again. He was gently tossing a small, fox-shaped toy into the cart, his expression focused but content. The sight of him, so immersed in picking out things for their baby, made her heart swell.
"You've really gone full dad mode already, huh?" Naomi teased lightly.
Harry looked up at her, his signature grin spreading across his face. "Oi, I'm just making sure this kid's got all the coolest stuff, yeah?"
Naomi smiled warmly, shaking her head. "It's starting to feel real now, isn't it?"
Harry's playful grin softened into something more sincere. He stepped closer to her, his hand reaching out to gently rest on her growing belly. "Yeah, it is," he said, his voice quieter now. "It's happening, Nomes. And I think we're gonna do alright."
Naomi's heart fluttered again, and she leaned into him, resting her head against his shoulder. They stood there for a moment, the cart full of baby items waiting nearby, but neither of them rushed to move. In that quiet, shared space, everything felt just right.
With Harry's arm now draped protectively around her shoulders, they slowly made their way toward the checkout. As they walked, the weight of their future—still wrapped in mystery and excitement—felt closer than ever. And somehow, Naomi knew that whatever came next, they were ready for it.
AUTHORS NOTE
Chapter 7 completed ✔️ thank you guys for all the reads and stars, I appreciate it a lot!
As of yesterday, I've uploaded this fic to ao3 under the same username in case you would prefer to read over there.
Hate isn't welcomed, but constructive criticism is.
