What Now? (Liam Payne) [BWWM] 2016

Toya (6 months)

"Deep breaths. Inhale and feel your lungs sucking in all the air around you hold it. Good. Exhale on my count. One, two,-"

Click.

Eyes flying open, I don't even try to hide my glare at the person who snuck their phone in to take pictures. Deciding that prenatal yoga wasn't going to find me very zen today, I lean on my security to get up, Liam's mum shooting a disapproving look at the woman with her phone still out. Adjusting my yoga pants comfortably under my bump, security helps me into my sneakers before holding the door for us to leave the otherwise quiet studio.

"It's the same thing everywhere I go." I gripe, "Always someone with a phone out, ready to take a picture of my belly. One woman was so bold to try and touch me, if not blocked by good old bodyguard here." I joke, patting the bear of a mans arm. He laughs gruffly, earning a chuckle from mum Payne.

"People here are incredibly forward, I've noticed." She muses, eyes watching everything going on around us.

"I'm not the one to be that forward with. The way I was raised, there are two things you have to be wary of: hands in your hair and hands on your pregnant belly."

Her gaze falls on me, eyebrows knit in confusion.

Explaining, I rub soothing circles into an achy part of my back. "It's all about intent and energy. Bad energy in your hair will break it out and bad energy on your stomach, the closest thing to your child... it's not a good thing. Maybe it's a Caribbean superstition, but we don't let just anyone touch our stomachs or hair. You don't know their intent and its like bringing bad luck on yourself."

She nods, "I'd never heard anything like that before, I could see how that makes sense though."

Walking out of the lobby area of the yoga studio, we merge into pedestrians walking on the sidewalk and a slew of photogs. Liam's mum links arms with me and we walk carefully behind my bodyguard, pausing when he barks at a man to remove himself from our path. Pulling my jacket closer to my body, I duck my head down, grateful for Liam's hoodie being slightly bigger on me. We're almost through the crowd when something acrid hits my nose and my face contorts in disgust.

Cigarette smoke.

I've already made Liam quit the habit, citing protection of mine and our unborn child's lungs, much to his mum's delight. She hated his smoking habit just as much as I did. Holding my breath, trying to make it through the last of the crowd, I start to feel a bit faint and release, gasping in a huge gulp of fresher air. Mum looks over at me, as if aware to the fact I was holding my breath and she scolds me for it.

Watching my bodyguard struggling not to laugh at my repentant posture, he opts to drive to the Cupcake ATM and gets me two red velvet cupcakes. Beaming, I tear into the treats as we listen to the radio.

"Hey it's Angel Yu and I've got your daily gossip report. Liam Payne's baby mama has been spotted out and about and the baby bump is pokin y'all. Wonder when she's due. Speaking of Liam Payne, he's going to be in the studio tomorrow morning visiting The Brunch Club, you don't want to miss it."

I'm massaging my temples when a male voice cuts in, "The Brunch Club- most dangerous radio talk show on the waves. We get all in your business."

I groan and rest my head on my to-be mother in laws lap. She strokes my hair while wondering aloud what this interview is going to be like. I recall their interview with Ed and cringe. If Ed wasn't such a cool dude and avid appreciator of things alcohol and urban, that interview could've gone left real quick.

"It can't be that bad."

I look up at her and security glances at her through the rear view mirror.

"It can." We answer simultaneously.

"Oh dear."

Getting out of the car, I burrow further into Liam's hoodie, and quickly enter the elevator to take us up to our apartment. On opening the door, the Great Dane bounds up to me, sniffing around me in a circle before licking my hand and trotting back to his bed. Removing my coat and kicking off my sneakers, I sigh in relief at my socked feet and walk into the kitchen to wash my hands and make something to eat.

Deciding to bake some chicken and roast potatoes, I prep the food and set them to cook while washing and chopping vegetables all the while throwing together a salad with homemade Asian dressing and a bell pepper garnish. Wiping my forehead with my sleeve, I grab a bottle of water from the fridge when a pair of arms snake around my waist.

"Here's my pregnant lady." Liam coos, kissing my temple.

Grumbling, I turn to check on our dinner. "This baby has an affinity for resting on my bladder. I've peed more times than I care to count today and its getting more and more intense." He bends down to speak to my stomach, "Hey little one, cut mommy some slack will you? She's grumpy and Daddy just wants to spend some time with her." Grinning, he presses a kiss to my stomach and one on my lips.

"Hey, hey! That's what started the first one!" His mum calls out in good-natured jest. Liam laughs and washes his hands to help me finish dinner and soon, the four of us are eating and talking animatedly.

Taking a bite of his chicken, Liam chews for a bit before his gaze meets mine. "I want you to come with me tomorrow for my Brunch Club interview." Choking on a piece of chicken, my eyes water as he taps my back, alternating between rubbing circles and watching my face before he hands me water.

"Why?"

"You're my lady, you're having my baby. Why not?"

I study him, his eyes searching, pleading almost. "I'd really feel better if you were there with me." Grabbing my hand, he laces our fingers together, his eyes stopping on the beautiful engagement ring. "You should wear your ring too. You're not my baby mama, you're my fiance and our child's mother."

His mother is quiet, watching the exchange.

"Are you sure you want to share that much of us though? I don't want them to think you're marrying me because I got pregnant."

"Now Toya, I've told you that's not why I'm marrying you."

"I know that, but they won't see it like that and they keep record of things like these to pull up at later times. Are you sure is what I'm asking."

He grows quiet, his thumb flicking over the back of my hand as he thinks about it.

"I still want you to come with me," he starts quietly. "I doubt they'll ask you anything with my manager and people there, but if it makes you more comfortable, wear the decoy ring. They don't need to know all our business."

Nodding, we finish dinner and I go to wash my hair and style it for the early morning interview. After the last twist is pinned and my edges smoothed with hair product, I tie my head tie and drop asleep. A little while later, I feel Liam crawl into bed and wrap his arms around me.