Infinity and Beyond

44 - Looking for the Baby

Ashton

"Why is everyone touching me?"

After I'd gotten back from buying paint with Luke, Calum and Michael, Emily had fallen asleep on me and I'd stayed where I was the whole time, still stroking her hair and resting my other hand on hers on top of the bump. An hour later the other three appeared downstairs to get dinner, not seeming to pay much attention to Emily asleep on the sofa so I told them to be quiet. The baby then started kicking, though, and they quickly crowded round to feel it for themselves. Emily chose this point to wake up.

"The baby's kicking!" Michael told her excitedly, as if that was all the explanation needed, but she just looked at them all blankly, clearly unimpressed at having been woken up in such a way. When they saw her expression, the three of them pulled their hands away in a split second, as if they were going to get cut off had they been on her any longer.

"How long was I asleep for? And how long have you all been standing around me feeling the baby?" Emily asked me.

"An hour, and only about a minute," I answered with an amused grin. She turned her head to lie it back down on my chest, this time wrapping her arms all the way round me. "The baby's kicking again..."

"Fine," she gave in with a sigh, taking the hint. I called the others back in straight away and within seconds they were huddled around, each with a hand on the bump.

"I can't feel anything," Luke said in disappointment. Emily picked up his hand and moved it further down from where it was, then his face broke into a smile when he felt a kick.

"Does it hurt you?" Michael asked and Emily shook her head.

"It tickles sometimes, but it doesn't hurt," she answered. We watched them with smiles, and I tried not to find it too funny how they were like little kids. The baby wouldn't be short of play mates, that was certain.

The next few days were like this, with all three of them getting excited whenever they got to feel the baby moving around, only Emily managed to sleep actually during the night instead of in the daytime. As a result of her being less tired, she was a lot happier and in much better spirits than she had been all week. When we went out for a walk around the neighbourhood we would stay outside for a lot longer, too, and she didn't feel the need to nap as soon as we got back. Seeing her happy made me happy, too, and it all of a sudden felt like we'd really hit a milestone in the pregnancy. It made me realise quite quickly just how soon the baby would be there.

Emily must have felt the same, because whilst she had been doing everything she could to make sure both she and the baby were healthy, she seemed a lot more serious about it now. Most mornings I'd wake up to find she was already downstairs either exercising or doing yoga. One morning a couple of weeks later, I saw her outside on the grass at eight o'clock, sipping on a glass of water in between moments where she had concentration written all over her face.

"Em...what are you doing?" I asked her as I walked out, my hand in front of my eyes to shield my face from the bright morning sun.

"Kegels," she replied.

"Kegels? What is that? Is it some peace of mind thing, like reaching enlightenment or something like that?"

"No, but unless you want me to pee myself after I've given birth I suggest you let me focus anyway."

"Right. Sorry I asked." I took a seat on the bench by the door, sitting peacefully while she carried on. People always make comments about how someone 'glows' during their pregnancy, and I kind of always thought it was some cliche, or your typical compliment that you say to a woman just because you can. But with the sun bouncing off her hair and her eyes closed to match the relaxed aura the rest of her face gave off, I could honestly say that Emily really was glowing. She looked beautiful, and the baby bump that was growing bigger each day completed it.