Falling for the Rockstar

Chapter 35 - Grace

"It all looks excellent, Miss Turner," the doctor says as she gently moves the ultrasound probe over my belly. The dark shadows and bright contours on the monitor still resemble abstract art to me, but by now, I can make out our little miracle more clearly. It's no longer just a dot-it's a real baby with a head, arms, and legs.

My mum sits beside me, holding my hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. "There it is," she whispers, her eyes glistening with emotion.

"The development is perfect," the doctor continues. "Exactly as it should be. And, if you'd like, we could determine the baby's gender now."

I feel my heart beat a little faster. Finding out the baby's gender would be an exciting step, but at the same time, it feels wrong to do it without Louis. This is something we should experience together.

"No, thank you," I say with a small smile. "I'd like to wait until my boyfriend is here next week. We should do this together."

The doctor nods in understanding. "That's a lovely decision. It'll be a special moment for you both." She wipes the gel from my stomach, sets the towel aside, and prints out the ultrasound images. "Here are the latest pictures. I think both you and your boyfriend will love these."

"Thank you," I murmur, taking the pictures in my hands. It's hard to tear my eyes away from them. Every little change, every detail in these photos, is proof that our baby is real-a tiny life growing inside me.

As we leave the examination room, I can feel my mum's loving gaze on me. On the way to the car, she puts an arm around my shoulders. "I'm so proud of you."

I smile at her, even as a lump forms in my throat. "Thank you, Mum. I couldn't do any of this without you and Dad."

"Yes, you could," she says firmly, pulling me into a brief hug. "But we're glad to be here for you."

The drive home is peaceful, interrupted only by my mum's occasional comments as she sneaks glances at the ultrasound pictures, which I hold like a treasure in my hands.

"It's so fascinating, Grace," she finally says, almost reverently. "That's your baby. Our grandchild."

Her words make me pause. I glance at the picture again, at the tiny contours that look like a miniature version of a person. "I know," I whisper, overwhelmed by the thought.

When we arrive home, my dad is already waiting at the door. "Well? How did it go?" he asks as he helps me out of the car, his skeptical expression softening. "And before you protest-yes, I want to see the pictures."

"I figured as much," I say with a grin, handing him the photos. He sits down at the kitchen table, studying every detail, his face unusually thoughtful.

"It's truly a miracle," he murmurs at last, looking up at me. "You're doing amazing, sweetheart."

His words catch me off guard. My dad is rarely so openly emotional, and I feel tears prick at my eyes. "Thanks, Dad."

"Alright, enough of the mushy stuff," he suddenly says, handing the photos back. "Go lie down and rest. Your mum and I will handle everything."

I nod as my mum guides me back to the couch. She tucks a blanket around me and makes sure I have everything I need before retreating to the kitchen.

Left alone, I pull out my phone. Louis needs to see this.

I lift my shirt slightly and take a picture of my now-noticeable baby bump. Then I snap a photo of one of the ultrasound images and type out a message:

"A little update for you: our baby is doing great. I wish you were here to see this in person. We both miss you so much."

I send the message, and within a minute, my phone vibrates. A video call from Louis.

"Hey," I greet him, smiling as his face lights up on the screen.

"Hey, love," he replies, his voice warm and familiar. "Show me!"

I turn the camera around, pointing it at my bump. "There it is," I say with a smile.

His expression softens, almost reverently. "That's... amazing. You look so beautiful."

"It's becoming more real, isn't it?" I murmur.

"Yeah," he agrees, running a hand through his hair. "How was the appointment?"

I tell him everything-the doctor's reassuring words, the baby's progress.

"The doctor said we could already find out if it's a boy or a girl."

"Really?" His eyes widen with excitement. "And? Do you know?"

I shake my head. "No, I wanted to wait for you," I explain with a small smile. "We should find out together."

Louis' expression softens even more, almost reverent. "I can't wait."

For a moment, a comfortable silence settles between us. I watch him on the screen as he runs a hand through his hair, searching for the right words.

"I wish I could be there with you," he finally murmurs. "I hate that I'm experiencing all of this from so far away."

"You will be," I say gently. "Next week, you'll be here. We'll find out the gender, you'll see the ultrasound for yourself-and we'll finally have some time together."

His smile widens. "That sounds perfect. I'm counting down the days."

"Me too," I whisper, my voice barely audible.

He leans closer to the camera as if trying to close the distance between us. "How are you feeling otherwise? You look tired."

I sigh, leaning back against the cushions. "I'm fine... as fine as someone can be when they're stuck lying around all day doing nothing." I pout, knowing full well that Louis sees through me.

"Oh, you poor thing!" he says dramatically, clutching his chest. "Do you want me to feel sorry for you because you're allowed to watch Netflix and snack guilt-free?"

I laugh and roll my eyes. "It might sound nice, but it's so boring. I'm not used to being this... passive. Usually, I'm always doing something. Now I'm just lying here, feeling useless."

"Useless?" he repeats, incredulous. "Darling, you're literally building a baby. That's probably the most important thing a person can do. You're far from useless."

I laugh softly, but the lump in my throat grows. As tears sting my eyes, I quickly wipe them away, but Louis notices.

"Hey, hey, what's wrong?" he asks, his voice warm and soothing.

I shake my head and force a weak smile. "It's nothing, really. I'm just tired, and everything feels a bit overwhelming sometimes."

"Come on, love," he says gently. "Don't tell me it's nothing. I can tell when something's on your mind. What is it?"

I hesitate, pressing my lips together. "I don't want you to worry, okay? It's really nothing."

"Love, you can tell me anything. I mean it. If something's bothering you, I want to know."

His voice is so calm and sincere that I feel the lump in my throat return. "I just miss you so much," I finally whisper. "And I hate that you're so far away. I want you here. This baby, the responsibility, everything... it just feels like a lot sometimes."

He stares at me for a moment, his eyes warm and filled with emotion. "I'm so sorry," he says softly. "I want nothing more than to be with you. I think about it every single day, how unfair it is that I can't be there. But you know what?"

"What?" I ask quietly.

"I wasn't going to tell you this yet, but I'll be staying. When I come next week, I'm not leaving again. Not until our little one is here."

I blink at him, confused. "You're staying?"

Louis nods, a soft smile lighting up his face. "Yeah, I'm staying. I've sorted everything out. The rest of the tour dates are being rescheduled, and the boys are on board with it. Starting next week, I'm all yours. Yours and the baby's."