the photographer [c.h.]

twenty-six

"Sophie, c'mon!" I called up the stairs and soon enough, footsteps came bounding down.

Sophie sat down at the table and dug into her breakfast while I fixed myself a cup of coffee. I heard heavier footsteps and soon enough, a kiss was pressed to my cheek. I turned my head and Calum gave me an actual kiss before sitting down with Sophie.

"You ready?" I asked after she pushed her cereal bowl away from her.

"Yepp." Sophie followed me outside and I sat down on the sidewalk with her, waiting for the school bus.

Soon, the bus rounded the corner so I stood up, handing Sophie her lunch. She hugged me goodbye and climbed up the steps to her seat, waving at me through the window. I went back inside and found Calum eating cereal, milk dripping down his chin. I stifled a laugh and he smiled, his mouth full, before wiping his mouth with the back of his sleeve.

"I took the paint upstairs if you wanna start taping." Calum said and I nodded, making my way upstairs and to our bedroom.

I grabbed the blue tape and began lining the bottom of the walls, seeing as I couldn't reach the top. I put on music and hummed to myself, moving around the room quickly. I smiled, content with my work, and waited on Calum to do the top. I opened one of the cans of light grey paint and started to paint the outline.

"And now I just sit in silence!" I jumped, hearing Calum scream the lyrics, coming into the room.

"Don't do that." I laughed, swatting his arm.

Calum started taping the top of the room so I went along with my painting, laughing when he sang every song off-pitch. He finished taping and started doing the trim. I laid down a dirty sheet so that I wouldn't ruin the floors and poured some paint into the tray. I opened a new rolling pin and dipped it in the paint. I put it on the wall and suddenly an idea popped into my head.

I grabbed a smaller brush and dipped it into the paint, walking back over to the wall. I painted out the words 'i'm pregnant' and smiled to myself. Ever since the first night Calum and I didn't use a condom, we both have gotten more excited about the idea of a baby. I literally felt like we were rabbits because of the amount of sex we were having.

"Cal?" I asked and he hummed, focusing on the painting he was doing. "Turn around."

Calum finished a paint stroke before turning around. He looked at the wall behind me and his eyes widened, his mouth falling open. His eyes flickered from me to the wall and suddenly he ran over and pulled me into his arms. I smiled as he spun me around and Calum leaned back, looking down at my stomach.

"Please tell me that this isn't a joke." He said quietly and I shook my head, a smile forming on my face.

"I went to the doctor a couple of days ago." I said and he smiled. "I'm three weeks along."

"No way." Calum whispered, almost to himself, and ran his fingers over my stomach.

"Are you happy?" I wondered after he hadn't said anything for a while and Calum nodded.

"You have no idea." He mumbled and I smiled a little, standing on my tip toes to kiss him. "Have I told you how much I love you?"

"Hmm, just a few times." I joked and Calum laughed, burying his face in my neck.

He gave me one last kiss before we both went back to painting and I swear, he did not stop smiling once. I went on with my wall and stood on my tip toes to reach as high as I could. Curse you shortness. I heard Calum laugh and I flicked him off as he easily reached the top of his wall. I saw a flash in my peripheral vision and I turned around to see Calum with his phone out.

"Did you just take a picture of me?" I asked and his eyes widened.

"No." Calum stuttered and I laughed a little. "I was getting the wall with you in it." He pointed to my painted words and I smiled. "Can I post it?"

"Just be ready for Leah to yell at us." I laughed a little and Calum frowned, walking over to me.

"I think I can handle Leah." Calum said and I cocked an eyebrow, making his face fall. "Okay, you might want to call her first."

"Well, we didn't tell anyone we got married so might as well keep our streak." I joked and set my paint brush down, letting Calum intertwine our fingers.

"We are pretty unorthodox." Calum laughed and I smiled, nodding in agreement. "Lunch break?"

"You just had breakfast like an hour ago." I pointed out with a small laugh and Calum ignored me, tugging me towards the stairs.

Calum made me sit down at the table and he went to the pantry, looking around. I stifled a laugh as he cocked his head to the side, trying to figure out what to cook. He finally pulled out a box of macaroni and cheese, going over to the stove. Calum started boiling some water and he came to sit down next to me.

I couldn't help but laugh when he tugged me into his chair, on his lap. Calum smiled and I held onto his shoulders when his large fingers brushed my flat stomach. It won't be so flat soon. He stared down and I smiled, slipping my fingers through the dark hair on the nape of his neck that had recently been shaved short again.

"Calum," I said quietly and he looked at my face, his eyes flickering to my lips. "Post the picture."

Calum pulled his phone out with a smile and opened Twitter, posting the picture with the caption 'whoops.' I laughed and he posted it, laughing at all of the comments coming through. I felt my phone buzz in my back pocket so I pulled it out to see Leah calling me. Calum laughed, resting his head on my collar bones, and I answered her call.

"You bitch." Leah said before I could say anything and Calum bust out laughing as I put her on speaker. "You two suck so much." She laughed a little and I giggled. "When did this happen?"

"I found out a few days ago." I explained and Leah sighed, loudly.

"Well, you two must have had some fun, lately." I gasped at her words and Calum just laughed, burying his face in my neck.

"Leah!" I exclaimed and she laughed. "Like you could say anything."

"Okay, well. I better be the godmother or else." She threatened and I laughed. Soon enough Leah hung up and Calum looked up at me with a smile.

"Told you she would yell at us." I giggled. Suddenly his phone buzzed and he held it up with a scared look on his face.

"It's my mom."