Sketchpads and Guitars

Chapter 14

"Francis"

"Francis" Mary said, her voice still thick with sleep

"hmm?" Francis answered, letting out a muffled sound but barely moving. His face buried in the pillow

"you're crushing me"

"Francis seriously, I can't breathe" Mary said while trying to escape from Francis' embrace, their limbs got entangled throughout the night, Francis' body almost atop her, putting them in an awkward sleeping position

"...and I'm pretty sure you're squashing the baby too" Mary jokingly said but it made Francis return to his side of the bed just as quickly

"oh god, sorry" Francis muttered, suddenly realizing what Mary just said, his hands instinctively reaching for Mary's belly and caressing it lovingly

"you alright in there?" he said to their baby, making Mary let out a muffled giggle. She's just 14 weeks pregnant but a small baby bump is already trying to make itself visible on Mary's lower abdomen. It's been almost 3 weeks since the accident and her bruises have completely healed, it's almost as if they weren't there in the first place.

"he's alright, don't worry I was just joking" Mary said as she lovingly caressed Francis' cheeks

"you scared me" Francis said as he tries to scoot closer again to Mary, they now lie face to face, sharing one pillow, their foreheads nearly touching

"can you feel her move yet?" Francis said, not removing his hand on Mary's belly, as if letting the babe know his presence

"not yet but-why do you always insist that our baby's a girl?" Mary said, smiling

"because you always refer to him as a boy, it only seems fair.... Also, I really do think that we're having a girl"

"and if we have a boy?"

"then it'll mean I'm wrong but we'll have a cute bouncing baby boy, and I'll be still delighted about it because he's ours... ours Mary, a life we created together" Francis said, his eyes seem to glow when he talks about the baby-their baby-it's as if he's the proudest father in the world

"yeah a life we unknowingly created together" Mary pointed out while giggling but agreeing with Francis all the same

"hey our baby might be unplanned but it's not unwanted, right?" Francis said as he returns her loving touches and tucked a few strands of hair behind Mary's ear

"of course, our baby is the greatest gift we could ever receive, and I don't regret any second of it"

"well then I guess, since we're having a baby and all... we're gonna be together for the rest our lives, right? Just you and me against the world" Francis said with a serious tone

"well... that is, if you want to-I mean, do you? Do you want this? I know we don't have any choice anyway but-"

"actually, I've been meaning to ask you this question.... And I uh-I-wow I actually thought it's going to be easy but-uh... you know what? I'm just gonna say it, I'm just gonna-"Francis stuttered as he struggles to get his words out

"Francis?"

"yeah?"

"just say it"

"oh yeah. Here it goes-uhm, I'm just gonna have to say sorry in advance... because you probably didn't dream of it happening this way but-I mean I know for a fact that girls have dreamt of this since they were young-like Claude and Elizabeth for example-"