Baby Steps

The Little Bell Pepper

Vanessa’s POV:

22 weeks 5 days…

Please fit…please fit…please fit…fuck. I try to get the sweats to stretch and sit comfortably across my middle but it doesn’t work. I’ve been so lucky, getting away with wearing leggings and sweats, until now. I let out a scream in frustration, and the next thing I know, I hear pounding footsteps as Brooke runs down the hallway.

“What?!” she says, bent over in the doorway out of breath.

“I’m fat.” I grumbled.

“How dare you??” Brooke said, in mock offense. I just rolled my eyes and glared. “Don’t you dare say that you’re fat when you are in fact, not fat, just pregnant, and not only are you pregnant, but you’re pregnant with my child, so knock it off.”

Brooke smiles. I know she’s just lightening the mood. I lean up and give her a quick kiss on the lips.

“I mean it, babe.” She says softly. “You’re not fat.”
“My clothes won’t fit.” I pout.

“Then we will get you new ones.” Brooke shrugs, and kisses the corner of my mouth softly.

“That’s not the point.” I whispered.

“I know.” Brooke Lynn paused, “you look beautiful.”

I roll my eyes in response, and there was a pause.

“Can we talk about names?” I asked, walking over to the bed and laying on my side.

“I’d love that.” Brook follows and lays with me, “my only request is the middle name Grace.”

Grace. “Your nana’s name?”

Brooke nods, “yeah. Without her this wouldn’t be possible.”

I nod in agreement. “Okay, Grace for the middle name.”

We spend the next half hour throwing out names like ‘Anna’, ‘Sarah’, ‘Katherine’, and ‘Emily’.

“No, I don’t like any of those.”

“Me neither.”

Back to the drawing board.

“Hayley?” Brook asked, eyebrows raised.

“Lily?” I said after a few seconds.

We both shook our heads.

“Emma.” I said. It wasn’t a question. Brooke’s face lit up.

“Emma?” she said. I nod. She leans close to my belly. "What do you think of, Emma, my little bell pepper?"
"Bell pepper? Really Brooke?"
"That's how big she is this week." Brooke shrugs, "Emma."
Brooke lays her hand on my belly, the baby lays a hard kick to that side of my stomach.
"I think she likes it." Brooke smiles, and then I smile.

“Emma Grace Mateo-Hytes.”

“Whoa, why’s your name first?” Brooke Lynn pressed her hand to her chest, more mock offense in her tone.

“Because, bitch, I’m the one pushin her out my lady parts.”

“Okay, rule number one, no cursing in front of the baby.” Brooke laughed.
"Well shit, Mary, does that have to start now?!" I shot back, "Surely the baby can't understand curse words in ute- in utem- in my belly."
"The word you're looking for is utero," Brooke was laughing so hard there are tears in her eyes, "I love you."
She kissed my forehead.
"Babe? Can we go shopping?" Brooke nods in response, "damnit, what am I going to wear shopping?"
I fell back on the bed, exasperated, with Brooke laughing as I tried, and failed, to sit back up.