Surprise!

Chapter twenty three

Narvel recovered quickly, Reba had been cleared of bed rest and they were awaiting the arrival of their baby. The gender had yet to be revealed, wanting to keep it a surprise. Reba was now in her eighth month and it was getting harder and harder to move around. Of course, that did not agree at all with her energetic nature!

"Baby," Reba called from the couch, that seemed to be the only place she stayed these days besides the bathroom or kitchen! Narvel came trotting in, always within ears reach of her, "Yea?"

"I want to go on a walk, doesn't that sound nice?" She suggested, grabbing his hand in her smaller one. "I don't know," Narvel scratched the back of his head, "do you feel up to it?"

"Well I wouldn't suggest it if I didn't," Reba sassed, typical red head.
"I'll help you put your shoes on," he went to fetch them, slipping them on her swollen feet and tying them.
"You do realize that you are going to have to help me up as well?" She held out her hands as he then heaved her off of the couch.
"Light as a feather," he kissed her softly and went to out on his own shoes.

"It's pretty chilly out today so I am going to go grab our coats, alright?" Narvel walked into their bedroom. "Thank you, baby," Reba smiled as he returned with them and helped her put it on. "Sorry to tell you, but it isn't going to zip," he winced, she had been highly emotional lately...
"That's alright," she stated simply, catching him totally off guard, he was expecting a melt down from her.

"Let's get going," he took her hand in his and locked the door behind him, "we aren't going to go too far, okay?"

"Okay," Reba nodded, cradling her large belly with her free hand.

"Are they kicking?" Narvel asked, seeing her run a particular spot. "No, I'm just try to think of some names," she shrugged, so far they had come up with nothing.

"Well I like Lillie for a girl," Narvel suggested, catching Reba's attention. "I love it! It's simple yet beautiful!" She gushed, agreeing profusely with him. "What about a boy's name?"

"Shelby, Definitely Shelby," Reba stated, leaving no room for argument. "I guess this fresh air really did do us some good!" Narvel joked, they hadn't been able to work out a name for the life of them!

"It feels so good to be outside and feel human! I think that I'm an animal in a cage from being stuck in that house!" Reba complained.

"Well I'll take you for a walk everyday if that will make you happy! Plus, I read that walking helps induce labor," speaking of the pregnancy books that he had bought her as a gift.

"Well I am definitely ready to get this baby out!" She chuckled, the baby giving her a good kick in the ribs.

"Ouch!" Reba chuckled, "they're already like their father!"

"Sorry baby, that is all you," he disagreed. "Oh jeez, that is the last thing we need," Reba grumbled, starting to feel tired. "Let's go back home!"

"Red, we are barely out of the front yard," Narvel commented, literally staring at their house from where they stood.

"You aren't the one who is eight months pregnant! It's difficult!"

"Back to the house we go," Narvel huffed, it was nice to have some time outdoors. "Don't complain, you got me into this mess," Reba sassed him.

"Yes, I know, I am reminded of it every time I see your father," He said, literally having nightmares about Reba's father trying to kill him. "He just loves me," Reba defended, finding it hilarious how scared Narvel was of Clark.

"Hey, your father is intimidating, you can't deny that."

"Yet he is the biggest softy for his little girls," Reba batted her eyelashes innocently. "I'm not one of his little girls, I'm the one who got one of his little girls pregnant!" Narvel commented, earning a giggle out of her. "Now I have to pee," she whined, waddling toward the house.

Once inside, Narvel started a fire in the fireplace to warm them up, it was probably a little too cold to go walking that morning. "We ought to be nice and thawed soon," He rubbed his hands together.  "I hope so! I'm freezing and we don't have heat!" Reba kicked her feet up on the coffee table.

"Sorry about that baby, it was either no hear or no electricity and hot water. Money was tight this month with all the baby shopping," Narvel kneeled in front of her to rub her feet.

"Don't worry about it, we spent way too much while shopping, I know you just want the best for us," she rubbed her belly soothingly. "I think they're going to sleep," feeling them nestle onto one side of her stomach.

"You can see where one side of your belly sticks out more, that's where they're sleeping," Narvel smiled brightly, fascinated by his observation.

"I have a question and feel free to say no," Reba spoke up after a moment of silence between them. "What is it?" He seemed concerned

"I was thinking about doing a home birth..." She looked away, fearing what he might say.

"What-like have the baby here? Why?"

"I just feel more comfortable here. I won't have doctors and nurses crowding around me and feeling unsafe in a place that I do not know," Reba explained, it was her choice either way.

"I get where you are coming from here, but aren't those midwife people expensive?"

"They are, but I was thinking that we could maybe sell one of the cars or something," she bit her lip nervously.

"If that's what you want then we will figure something out," Narvel told her, wanting her to do whatever she felt comfortable with no matter the cost.

"Thank you, Narv! That means so much to me!" Reba pulled him to her and hugged him tightly.

"Now we just have to wait for this little one to arrive," he rubbed her lower stomach.

"I don't think that it will be long now."

Authors Note: Sorry for it being so short! I am planning on wrapping it up in the next two or three chapters!