The Adventures of Harry and Grace (H.S.)

A Thousand Years

"Harry? I thought you bought mint chocolate chip ice cream? Did you eat it all?" You yell from the kitchen as you search for the container of your current favorite flavor of ice cream.

"I jus' bought some, love. Jus' gotta look." He comes into the kitchen, chuckling at you trying to bend over your small pregnat belly to search the freezer. "Let me look." He slides his arms around you to move you to the side. Squatting down, he reaches his long arm into the fridge and pulls out the tub of your favorite cold treat.

Harry closes the freezer, setting the container on the counter. You pull a bowl down from the cupboard. Harry runs the ice cream scoop under warm water before he begins to scoop the creamy treat.

"How many scoops, my love?" Harry looks at you, a small crinkle forming between his eyebrows.

"Three please!" You rub your hand over the front of your bump. "This little girl is cravin' something sweet."

Harry smiles at your comment about your 'little girl.' "Comin' right up!"

You and Harry went to your 16 week check up 3 days ago. During the ultrasound, the technician was able to let you and your husband know the gender of the baby. Harry's eyes filled with tears when she said it's a girl; he was crying, and not in a cool way. He had snot running down his face as he let out the sobs; he laid his head on the exam table while he cried with happiness. You ran your fingers through his hair in an attempt to calm him down, but seeing your husband get emotional brought tears to your eyes as well. You could not be more excited to bring a baby girl into this little family. Especially with Harry as her father.

"Bring it upstairs?" You ask as you watch Harry add in two more scoops to the white glass bowl.

"I'll be up in a minute!" Harry puts the ice cream scoop into the sink. Lifting the lid to the container off the counter he puts it back in place. He sets the ice cream back in the fridge, except this time he places it on a higher shelf so you don't have to bend over your pregnant belly the next time you want a treat.

Picking up the bowl with one hand, Harry takes the ice cream upstairs to your bedroom. You are sitting on your bed with a soft brown blanket wrapped around your legs. Harry walks into your bedroom, kisses your head, and hands you the bowl of ice cream.

"I love you." He sincerely says. "Gotta change the bandage on my new tattoo. Wan' to check it out?"

"Oh yes please!!" You smile, watching your husband's cute bum as he walks into the bathroom. Dipping the spoon into the light green treat you take a bite, closing your eyes as it melts on your tongue, satisfying the craving you have had all day.

You hear him get out the supplies he needs to change the dressing. Harry lifts his shirt over his head, dropping it to the floor. Peeling the dressing away from his skin he looks down at the fresh black ink on the skin above his heart.

The day you told Harry you were pregnant, he went out and got the date inked permanently on his skin. So after your appointment three days ago, Harry decided to add to the tattoo. He had a small crown placed above the date to represent his little princess growing in her mum's stomach.

Harry walks into the bedroom shirtless; he watches the smile sneak onto his beautiful wife's face.

"The crown fits in well with the others." You state looking at your husbands chest, covered in all kinds of ink. Harry lays down on the bed, stomach down.

"Bite please!" Harry opens his mouth for you to feed him some of your cold treat.

Swallowing the rest of the ice cream that has melted on his tongue, he scoots his body close to your tummy and begins to talk to the baby inside her safe little bubble.

"Hello beautiful." He kisses the side of your stomach. "How's my baby today? Daddy got a tattoo for yeh the other day. It's healin' really nice." He looks down at the tattoo again, tilting his chest towards the bump as if he is showing the baby her special drawing on his skin.

You rub your hand up and down your bump watching the tender interaction taking place. Lifting up your shirt you lay back on your pillow, exposing your small smooth bump. Harry slides closer, wrapping his arms around your tummy. "Think I need to sing to yeh. Don' think I have today." He smiles at the thought of doing one of his favorite things in his life right now.

His voice is low and raspy, deep and soft as he begins to sing to his baby.

'Heart beats fast

Colors and promises

How to be brave

How can I love when I'm afraid to fall

But watching you stand alone

All of my doubt, suddenly goes away somehow"

Setting the ice cream down on the nightstand, you turn your entire focus to Harry. Your heart smiles as Harry sings Christina Perri's song "A Thousand Years". He is always so thoughtful when he picks a song to sing to his sweet baby.

"One step closer

I have died everyday, waiting for you

Darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years

I'll love you for a thousand more"

Just as harry finishes the chorus, you feel the strongest kick you have ever felt. You have felt small movements but nothing Harry has ever been able to feel, despite the begging and pleading he has done with the little one.

"Did I just feel what I think I felt?" Harry's eyes are the size of the moon and his smile is the brightest you have seen since your wedding day.

"Keep singing! Maybe she will kick again." You say, beaming with joy as you experience this life changing moment.

"Time stands still

Beauty in all she is

I will be brave

I will not let anything, take away

What's standing in front of me

Every breath, every hour has come to this

One step closer

I have died everyday, waiting for you

Darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years

I'll love you for a thousand more"

Your daughter kicks a couple more times in the same spot. Harry's eyes well up with tears, this time he is crying in a very cool way. He continues the song.

'"And all along I believed, I would find you

Time has brought your heart to me, I have loved you for a thousand years

I'll love you for a thousand more

One step closer

One step closer

I have died everyday, waiting for you

Darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years

I'll love you for a thousand more

And all along I believed, I would find you

Time has brought your heart to me, I have loved you for a thousand years

I'll love you for a thousand more"

'Did you see that love? She was gracefully dancing to the song." He says, describing the way the baby moved her foot elegantly across your stomach as if she was dancing along to his voice.

"Grace, I like that name." You say thoughtfully, rolling the name over in your head.

"She is very graceful, a quality she didn't get from me." Harry chuckles to himself, knowing full well he is like Bambi learning to walk on ice most days. "How does Grace sound to yeh, little one?" The baby moves inside your belly, confirming to Harry that Grace is what she wants to be called. "I guess she likes her name."

"I guess she does!" You laugh as your husband decides it's concert time. He sings, while your ice cream is left to melt. Grace dances along to his voice until she falls asleep inside her warm little home surrounded by love.