The Teacher // Josh Dun

.:thirty:..

honestly who even likes this story anymore I'm such a lousy author.

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Devon jolted awake from a pain she felt in her stomach. She was worried until she realized what it was.

The baby was moving, even kicking a bit.

She sat up as much as she could with her growing belly, then she shook Josh.

"J," she called. "The baby."

"What?" Josh immediately sat up. "Is everything okay?"

Devon grabbed his hand and placed it on the left side of her stomach where she had felt the tiny kicks.

"Is it moving?" Josh asked.

"Yeah," Devon nodded as a smile spread across her lips. "Josh, I can feel it."

Josh was quiet as he concentrated on the sensations on his hand, then grinned when he felt a small kick against his hand.

"Did you feel that one?"

"Mhm," Josh nodded. "It's really in there. That's our baby."

Devon went to her next ultrasound appointment with Josh. That certain appointment was probably the most important - Devon was going into her 21st week, and she was finding out the gender.

They both waited anxiously with Josh shaking his leg up and down. Devon was more than ready, her shirt already up for the physician.

"Do both of you want to know?"

"No." Devon said at the same time that Josh said 'yes'.

"No," Devon shook her head. "I'm the mother and I don't want him to know yet."

On the ride home, Josh only complained.

"So you're not gonna tell me whether my own child is a boy or girl?"

"No," Devon replied. "Not yet. Maybe we'll throw an announcement party."

Everything was fine, but they both knew that wouldn't last.

"Fix my tie?" Josh asked Devon as he was getting ready in the morning.

"Mhm." Devon was quiet as she fumbled with his tie, tightening it around his collar.

"You okay?" Josh asked as he grabbed her shoulders.

Devon shrugged. "Just a bad baby day."

"That's it?"

"I just, um," Devon was hesitant. "I've been kind of doubting myself a lot lately."

"Why?"

"I just," Devon sighed. "I don't want him or her to grow up the way I did. I didn't really have it bad, but I know it could've been so much better."

"And that's not your fault," Josh told her. "And we're both gonna try our hardest to raise it, okay?"

"I know," Devon nodded. "But I just feel like I'm not gonna be a good mother to it. What if I really mess up somewhere down the road?"