Never Knew We Needed You

8

"Oh my god, hi! I can't believe it's you!"

Mark and I are out grocery shopping when I turn around to see a girl around twelve years old waving spastically at Mark. Mark puts the box of cereal he was holding into our cart and walks over to her.

"Oh my gosh, this is so..wow, um," she nervously tucks a strand of hair behind her ear and stutters. He just smiles.

"No, no, it's completely fine. Picture?"
She nods furiously and pulls out her phone. She then notices me.
"Oh, Paige, picture!" Mark says, waving me over. She pulls up short.

"Oh, uh, no...if it's fine, I don't want her in the picture," she says quietly, but still shoots me a nasty look. A look of frustration passes over Mark's face, but he just smiles brightly, takes the picture, shakes her head and quickly walks away. I look at her and almost annoyingly run my hand over our child.
Then I realize, it's her. The obnoxious kid who kept sending me hate messages.
"Mark, it's her," I whisper. Mark looks over, and recognition lights up. Suddenly anger waves over. Actual anger. I've seen him rage over games, but I've never seen actual frustration, he's always so calm and understanding.

"Excuse me?" He calls back, continuing to walk. Jackie turns around happily.
"Yeah Mark?"
I grab his arm.
"Mark, she's a kid, I'm begging you, don't."
He wipes his face clear of any irritation he had before and walks over. Suddenly he's talking in a low, gentle, easing tone.
Jackie puts her hand over her mouth, and I see tears. She starts to whisper something in Mark's ear, and he hugs her, and kisses her cheek. Jackie simply looks at me and a whole apology passes over her face.
"Jacqueline! Where did you go sweetie?" She goes back to her mother.

Mark puts his arms around my middle from behind, caressing my swollen middle.
"It's ok now, I explained everything."
I sigh. "Mark, you are going to be the best dad in the world, you know that right?"
I turn around and murmur,
"You can get whatever junk food you want, cravings are getting to me."
He laughs and pecks my lips. "You're the best, sweetie."

Mark ends up loading our cart with things I never even thought he'd want to eat, but who am I to criticize? I feel like eating everything in sight. I get irritated at my cravings a lot, but that doesn't mean they're going away.

"Hey, are you going to tell them what we're naming her before she's born?" I ask as we load our groceries into the car. Mark shrugs.
"We can if you want to. I saw us making a vlog a day or two after she was born and posting a picture of her on Instagram the day she was born. Everyone is speculating online, it's really cute and funny."
I smile. I never imagined my unborn child going viral.
"Yeah, that sounds like fun!" Mark walks over to me and rests his hand on my belly.
"I just want to know how you're handling all of this. This isn't what people would call a normal pregnancy."
I give a rueful laugh. "Yeah, I don't care. It's not fame, it's just some really obsessed fans!"
Mark cocks his head at me.
"Paige. I'm serious."
I hold his hand. "Mark. I'm fine. After she's born, I think things will settle down. Most of them are just in shock. Once they get over that shock of you being a parent, they'll love it. They'll love Copeland. Trust me."

It's shorter than usual, but it's all I got for now. See you next time!