A Love Like Ours || m.f.

55 (Epilogue)

I stood outside, sweat beading on my forehead. I had almost successfully pulled up all of the fake grass and replaced it with real sod. I liked it so much better already. I waddled over to our outside bench and lowered myself down. I opened a bottle of water and sipped on it while scanning the yard of all my hard work. Spring was finally settling in for good in Los Angeles and I was loving all the gorgeous warm weather.

Chica wagged her tail happily and looked into my eyes for a pat or maybe just some attention, I couldn't tell, so I gave her both. The backyard was a mess of pulled up plastic greenery and fresh brown earth from the new sod. I took another drink and a deep breath. Chica, my sole companion for the past few days retrieved a toy and waited anxiously for me to play with her. Mark was out of town for Youtube stuff and wasn't due home for another two days. While he was gone, I was doing as much as I could around the house. I seemed to get more stuff done without him around. He made me want to sit and cuddle or watch shows or talk. No doubt, I missed him, but I was a working machine. Rather, a nesting machine.

It kept some extra weight off me anyways, with the baby and all, I was beginning to look like a balloon. All this work gave me an excuse to eat the midnight cravings I had. And like the companion Chica was, she followed me down to the kitchen at night to accompany me. The days were quiet, but I liked it. I had time to myself, to be happy, and to hold this baby with all the love in my heart.

I stood up and beamed up at the shining sun. All of the days I lived were mine now. They weren't Spencer's or Abel's they were purely mine. I had all of my heart to give to the family we were growing -rather I was growing. Mark was constant with the text messages and calls when he could. He was so worried I was going to go into labor without him even though the due date was still 2 weeks away. He called me every night before bed to make sure I wasn't feeling sick or ready to give birth or anything drastic like that.

This trip took some convincing on my end for him to take. He was so adamant on not going with all that happened the previous time I was with child. I assured him that I was way past the time stamp for anything crazy to happen and that all of our recent check-ups were cleared and that the baby was extremely healthy. I was healthy myself and had gained a decent amount of weight. Mark didn't seem to mind, saying "the more of you and that baby- the better" He always made me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world although I had changed tremendously since becoming pregnant.

The nursery was blooming with daily sunshine and flowers. Every week Mark put a fresh bouquet of flowers in the baby's room. His reasoning behind this was to first: "honor the sweet angel we lost." and secondly "to spoil my beautiful lady and the little lady in her belly." The baby was a girl, healthy and about the size of a cantaloupe. And boy, was I ready to get her out. My lower back was killing me daily and I was constantly swollen. My calves, my feet all the time. Especially now, As I lay the the last piece of sod to finish the yard. Chica pranced happily bedside me as I walked back to the house to grab the hose. I fiddled with the spray settings a bit before turning the water on and feeding the new grass. Chica bounced around in front of me trying to eat the water coming from the hose. I chuckled and continued to finish my yard work.

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It was about 4:42 am when I woke up with my first contraction. Mark was back from his trip and sleeping soundly next to me. I was tangled with my pregnancy pillow, sweating as I woke. The pressure in my abdomen was consistent for about a few minutes. They weren't bad yet, but I knew they'd get much worse. Air traveled evenly throughout my lungs and out my mouth in patterns like I was taught by doctors. I finally decided to sit up in the bed and take a drink of water. Mark turned over in his sleep and continued to snooze like nothing was happening. I smirked at his sweet sleeping face and braced myself for another contraction.

It didn't come for quite some time, about fifteen minutes from the first one. I continued to go back and forth from laying down to sitting up. It was an uncomfortable process, but it meant I was going to meet my baby soon and I was more than excited. After about 2 hours of half-dozing off, I decided to stand up to get more water. As soon as I mustered up the strength to push my giant belly out of bed, the sudden feeling of warm wet water trickled down my leg.

I thought I was just peeing myself, and as embarrassing as it sounds I had done that way too often. The baby was taking up all my bladder room, so I had the perfect excuse. It was just annoying. I waddled my way over to the bathroom to clean myself up and grab a towel when I realized it wasn't pee, and it just. kept. coming.

"Uh, Mark?" I called quietly from the bathroom.

I heard him turn in the bed and groan, but otherwise I had no response.

"Mark wake up." I called out again, this time slightly louder.

"Babe what it's like 4am what-" he stumbled over his words pulling himself out of his dream state.

"I think my water just broke." I said calmly, working on cleaning myself up and putting on new clothes.

"huh? why are you talking so quietly?" he responded. I saw now that he was upright in the bed clearing the sleep from his eyes.

"Mark. Baby. Water. Broke." I giggled

"wh- WHAT!?" He gasped, leaping from the bed and running into the bathroom.

I laughed, holding my belly as it constricted once again. My breath went slowly through my nose and out my mouth in order to mask the pain, and to remember to breathe.

"I'll get the bag!!! and the car seat!! and the car! and - let's go! - babe let's go!!!" He freaked, sprinting from one direction to the next gathering all the stuff we needed for the hospital.

"Mark, calm down you're making me anxious."

I let out my last breath and sighed as the contraction pain went away. There was an immense amount of pressure in my lower abdomen that was causing me to waddle more than usual.

"Right. Calm." He said between short breaths, stopping to walk over to me.

"How do you feel? Do you need water? Cold washcloth?"

Before I could answer he was already wetting a washcloth in our master bathroom sink.

I laughed and sat down on the bed. "Sure Mark, Thank you."

And as he prepared the car for the hospital I sat on the bed, packing extra clothes for me and the baby (and Mark) just in case. Contractions came and went, getting closer together and the time flew by. Before I knew it I was unable to walk from the pain of contractions and Mark had me scooped in his arms to place me in the car.

"Alright love, let's have a baby." He said calmly, placing his hand on my enlarged stomach and smiling.

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Had to give anyone who still reads this book an epilogue. Happy little Mark family. The END.