Cheeks Pink

Sweet Nothings

* Sorry for any wrong typos

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That afternoon, Taylor curls up on their oversized sofa in the middle of the living room, her legs tucked under her. A pregnancy book she's been immersed in for weeks rests in her lap, the pages dog-eared from frequent reading. Her hair falls in soft waves over her shoulder, and one hand absentmindedly cradles her growing bump. She's the picture of serene beauty, lost in her thoughts about the little life growing inside her.

The sound of hurried footsteps draws her attention. She looks up just in time to see Travis dart out of his studio, his expression alive with purpose. He barely pauses, grabbing his keys and disappearing out the door before she can say a word.

"Travis?" she calls after him, but he's already gone.

Minutes later, the door swings open, and Travis steps back into the living room, a package tucked under his arm. His face lights up with excitement as he sits beside her, quickly tearing into the Amazon box.

"Travis?" Taylor asks, setting her book aside and raising a curious eyebrow. "What's going on?"

"Hold on," he says, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "I just want to try something."

She tilts her head, intrigued but amused by his boyish energy. As he pulls out a small device, complete with a monitor and what looks like a tiny microphone, she picks up the packaging. "'Listen to the Sound of Life—Portable Heartbeat Monitor,'" she reads aloud. Her eyes widen as realization dawns.

"You didn't," she says, half-laughing.

"Oh, I did," he replies, already flipping through the instruction manual. He checks the batteries, powers on the device, and then looks at her with a hopeful gleam in his eyes.

"Come on," he says, motioning for her to lean back.

Taylor hesitates for a second, sitting up straighter and leaning against the armrest. "Is this even going to work?"

"Only one way to find out," he says. "Trust me."

With a mixture of skepticism and curiosity, she shifts slightly, allowing him to position the sensor on her belly. At first, there's only static, and her eyebrows knit together in doubt. But then, a faint, rhythmic sound emerges from the monitor, growing stronger and steadier with each passing second.

Thump-thump... thump-thump...

Taylor gasps, her hand flying to cover her mouth. Her wide eyes meet Travis's, and for a moment, neither of them speaks.

"That's..." she whispers, her voice trembling with emotion.

"Our baby," Travis finishes, his voice low and filled with awe.

They both freeze, mesmerized by the sound. The steady heartbeat fills the room, grounding them in a moment they'll never forget. Taylor's eyes glisten as tears spill over, unbidden but welcome.

"It's so beautiful," she murmurs, placing her hand on Travis's cheek.

Travis leans in, kissing her softly, his own eyes shining. "Don't cry, baby," he says, brushing away her tears with one hand while carefully holding the monitor in the other.

"These are happy tears," she says with a soft laugh.

He grins, his dimples deepening. "Well, I guess we don't have to wait for hospital appointments anymore to hear this."

Taylor quickly grabs her phone, fumbling slightly in her eagerness to start recording. "We have to save this," she says, her voice shaky with excitement.