The Experiment 2: The Journey

Kicks

Dei touched her tummy as she listened to Mark talking during their executive meeting that morning. RJ was sitting right beside her and glanced when he saw her hand flying to her belly.

"Are you okay?" he murmured, touching her thigh underneath the table.

"Yes," she whispered back. "Just felt a slight cramp. I think one of the babies just moved." She was already on her 4th month and was starting to feel a bit of movement from the babies from time to time.

RJ nodded and turned his attention back to Mark who was discussing the executive team's trip to TrendBuzz California for their annual symposium and leadership training in two weeks.

Once the meeting had wrapped up, RJ helped Dei up from her chair.

"I'm fine, babe," Dei told him.

"Just making sure you're not straining yourself too much," he said, touching her tummy.

"I'm not, babe, don't worry. This isn't like before. Dr. Shelton said everything is fine, and I'm already past the scary first trimester. Please don't worry too much," she told him with a small laugh.

"Hi, Dei! How's my favorite girl?" Matt asked as he walked beside them once they'd stepped out of the conference room.

"I'm good!"

"I'm talking about Athena, dah-ling," Matt said, grinning, "but you know you're a close second."

Dei laughed. "Well she's okay. Still as lively as ever."

"And the babies? Jay said you're having twin boys."

Dei looked at RJ reproachfully and he scratched his head.

"Well, we have yet to confirm it since the doctor only saw it on their 13th week. She just saw the nubs and apparently they were big enough for her to say they're boys, but we're waiting for my 6th month to confirm the gender," Dei explained to Matt.

"Well, Mr. Faulkerson here seemed really excited about finding out they're boys," Matt smirked.

"Well yea," Dei said, looking at RJ again who was smiling sheepishly. "He wanted to see if his research worked."

"What research?" Matt asked curiously.

"Ummm... nothing. Forget it," she replied, blushing.

Matt smirked again and waived his hand dismissively. "Anyway, I already talked to Mark about your request to be excused from that leadership training in So Cal. He approved it at once, so you don't have to go."

"Wait, what?" Dei asked, stopping in her tracks.

"Babe, I asked Matt to have you excused from the training," RJ said at once.

"I don't remember this being discussed with me," she said, her breathing starting to become heavy from annoyance. "You didn't discuss this with me, RJ, and neither did you, Matt."

"Well, I thought--" Matt began.

"I'm fine. I'm five months pregnant with healthy babies. I can go. This is my first leadership training and I'm not gonna miss it. I'm not invalid, guys! I wish you would stop deciding for me, you know how much I hate it!" she snapped before walking away from the two.

RJ sighed deeply as he watched her walk away.

"You told me you already talked!" Matt hissed at him.

"I was just about to discuss it with her," RJ replied with another sigh.

"You know Dei doesn't like that. God, RJ, when will you ever learn?"