the IT girl

A Day of Errands and Excitement

he morning sun streamed through the windows as Lily and Lando prepared for their day out. Gemma was at school, and the house was unusually quiet, allowing them a rare moment of calm. Lando grabbed the car keys while Lily checked her list of things to buy.

"You ready?" Lando asked, leaning against the kitchen counter with a casual smile.

"Just making sure I've got everything," Lily replied, tucking her phone into her bag. She glanced at him with a playful look. "You're not going to complain about shopping, are you?"

"Me? Never," he said with a mock-serious tone, earning a laugh from Lily.

The two headed to the car, the crisp air of the late morning refreshing. The drive to the mall was filled with light chatter and music, the kind of moments that felt mundane but precious to them.

Walking into the mall, they were greeted by a bustling crowd. Lily immediately steered them toward the baby section, her eyes lighting up as they passed rows of tiny clothes and toys.

"Look at this," she said, holding up a soft yellow onesie. "Isn't it adorable?"

Lando smiled, stepping closer. "It is. Do you think it's a boy or a girl this time?"

"I don't know," Lily admitted, placing the onesie in their cart. "But I've got a feeling it's a boy. What about you?"

"Hmm," Lando mused, rubbing his chin dramatically. 

They continued browsing, picking out essentials and a few indulgent items. Lando, ever the joker, tried on a baby-sized hat at one point, making Lily laugh so hard she had to wipe tears from her eyes.

"You're ridiculous," she said, shaking her head.

"Ridiculously charming," he corrected, earning a playful shove from her.

After their shopping spree, they made their way to the doctor's office for Lily's checkup. Sitting in the waiting room, Lando held her hand, his thumb gently brushing over hers.

"You nervous?" he asked softly.

"A little," she admitted. "I just want to make sure everything's okay."

"It will be," he assured her, squeezing her hand.

When their name was called, they followed the nurse into the examination room. Lily lay on the reclined chair, and the doctor began the ultrasound, spreading the cool gel over her stomach.

"There's your baby," the doctor said, turning the screen toward them.

Lily's and Lando's faces lit up as they saw the tiny figure on the monitor. The sound of a strong, steady heartbeat filled the room, and Lando's grip on Lily's hand tightened.

"That's amazing," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"It looks like everything's progressing perfectly," the doctor said with a reassuring smile. "You're about 14 weeks along now."

Lily exhaled in relief, and Lando leaned down to kiss her forehead. "Told you everything would be fine," he murmured.

As they left the office, ultrasound pictures in hand, they couldn't stop smiling.

"Gemma's going to be so excited," Lily said, tracing the outline of the baby in the photo.

"She's been asking for a sibling for months," Lando added with a chuckle. "I can already hear her telling everyone at school."

Lily laughed, resting her head on his shoulder. "I love this," she said softly. "Our little family."

"Me too," Lando replied, wrapping an arm around her. "And it's only going to get better."