I'm...Pregnant? (Sequel to The New Girl)

The Proposal

Unlike the previous year, I was aloud to sleep in on Christmas day till 9:00, then I was gently awoken by my amazing mother, who softly shook me and said, "Wake up Marcia" in her soothing motherly voice.

When I finally woke up, she gave me a wide smile.

"Merry Christmas, honey," she said. "Mike has been up for a while. He keeps asking me to wake you up so you can open presents. Kevin is here, too."

"Merry Christmas mom," I said in reply. "You go on down. I'll be down in a minute."

"Everything okay?" mom asked. "Morning sickness?"

"I'm fine mom," I replied. "I just wanna text Ryder and Blaine and Kurt and wish them a Merry Christmas and then I'll be down, okay?"

"Okay honey."

Mom gave me a kiss on the forehead and left. Despite the whole disappointment about the pregnancy and all, my mom had actually been very supportive and very loving about the whole thing. I guess one big reason is the fact that she had to go through it twice so she knows how pregnancy is, but she wasn't a teenager like I was. My mom was roughly 21 when she had me and 23 when she had Mike. None the less, I was glad she was helping me and Ryder through this. I don't know how I'd do it without her.

I got up and sent Ryder and Blaine and Kurt a quick text saying Merry Christmas before pulling on my slippers and heading downstairs.

"Morning sleepy head," Kevin said as I descended the steps. "You're glowing this morning."

"She's been standing in front of the microwave too much," Mike said before laughing.

"Mike, you're so unoriginal. Stop stealing jokes from Will Smith and make up your own," I said and sat down. "Has anyone opened any presents yet?"

"Not yet. Mom wants you to open the first one," Mike replied.

I turned to my mom, who was holding a small, red gift bag in her hand. She passed it to me. On the bag, it read: "To: Marcia. Love: Mommy".

I smiled and opened the present. Inside was a little, round bulb for the Christmas tree that read "Baby's First Christmas". It was exactly like dad's Christmas ornament that was hanging on the tree at that moment.

"Wow," I said. "Mom, I love it. It's beautiful."

"Put it on the tree," mom urged.

I stood up and placed my new Christmas ornament on the tree right next to dad's. I smiled at it. I wished dad could be here to celebrate Christmas with us. I could just imagine how he'd react to hear that I was pregnant. I chuckled to myself at the thought of dad and Ryder meeting for the first time.

I sat back down next to Mike, who opened his first present which was from me. I had gotten him a piano song book full of his favorite songs and some other great ones for him to play on the piano.

We went around, opening presents and such. As I passed mom her presents from under the tree, I noticed there wasn't one there from Kevin. I guessed it was something like a vacation for New Years Eve or a fancy dinner at her favorite restaurant or something like that.

Mom didn't seem to notice an absent present from her boyfriend. She just continued opening presents and thanking Mike or I or commenting about how sweet it was or stuff like that. Mom was just a nice person in general and she was thankful for the smallest things. That's one thing I loved about her.

Once we finished opening presents, I decided to ask Kevin, "Where's mom's present?"

"Marcia!" mom scolded.

"What? I was generally wondering," I shrugged.

"Actually," Kevin said. "I do have a present for you. I was just waiting for everyone else to open their presents so that I could make this moment special."

Oh my, God. No way. Was he about to do what I think he was about to do.

Kevin took mom's hand and helped her to her feet. He looked into her eyes as I covered my mouth and tried to hold back my happy tears. My baby hormons were through the roof at this moment.

"What's going on?" mom questioned, although by the look on her face, she knew exactly what was going on.

"Maria Hales," Kevin began. "I know we've only been dating for a little less than a year, but I love you so much. You and you're two little jokersters over there have changed my life so much. There was always something missing from my life and now I know what it was. The perfect girl and the perfect family and you three are both of those things for me. I know it's only been a year since your first husband passed away and I'm not trying to take his place in your heart, but I'd like to make my own place and I'll occupy it as long as I can."

Kevin got down on one knee and pulled a ring out of his back pocket. Mom covered her mouth with her free hand, tears falling down her face.

"Maria Hales, will you do me the tremendous honor of becoming my wife?"

Mike and I looked at each other in happiness, then back at mom. She hadn't answered yet. She looked at us over her shoulder. Mike and I nodded our heads quickly, indicating that she should say yes.

"Yes," she said. "Yes, I will marry you."

Mike and I cheered as Kevin hugged mom and gave her her engagement ring. It was a Christmas to remember, I can tell you that much.