Promises

Chapter 7

The change in Erik was evident after the doctor's appointment. Packages arrived the next week, taking up space in the living room but Ada ignored them in favor of retreating to her room. She was tired and hadn't been sleeping well. It might've had something to do with her baby father sleeping on her couch.
She didn't expect his presence to affect her so much but she'd forgotten how much Erik could occupy a space, not in a messy way, but in a "you're gonna remember I'm here" way. It was hard to ignore him when he was driving her to and from work, taking her to run errands, paying for shit. He was integrated himself back into her life at a pace age wasn't ready for. But she didn't mind it either. She wasn't used to him being around so long; by this time, Erik would be preparing to head out on another mission but it seemed that he was making himself comfortable. Except there was no way he was. Her couch was meant for sitting and napping, not for full on sleeping.

Ada thought about inviting him in the bed with her but didn't want to risk succumbing to her hormones. She'd forgotten how little clothes Erik wore on a regular basis. No shirt, muscles bulging, gray sweatpants hanging low on his hips, dick swinging freely. And when he was working, he'd pull out his gold rimmed glasses. Ada has to lock herself in her room before she threw herself across his lap presenting herself to him like a cat in heat.
But it's not like you could get pregnant, her inner voice pleaded for her to give in.

Shut up, hoe. Ada rubbed her temples as she sat on the bed. Her head hurt and she was hungry but she was hiding in her room from the sexual demon that was Erik. But this was her house. So fuck that.

She got up and opened the door. The scene in her living room was worst than she imagined and she stopped in her tracks. Erik was sprawled on her couch, no shirt, gray sweatpants, bulge visible through the fabric. Reading a baby book. She could see from her angle in the doorway that he was reading What to Expect When You're Expecting, Ada's one unopened copy calling to her from her nightstand. Every time she found the time to open it, she fell asleep before getting through the first page. Sitting on the end table behind him was another stack of books. She crossed the room to look at the titles.

Babywise: Giving your Infant the Gift of Nighttime Sleep; 100 Baby Names; The Expectant Father; Dad's Guide to Pregnancy for Dummies; and How Not to Fuck Them Up filled out the stack and Ada laughed at the last one. Typical Erik.

"Did you know she's probably in there sucking her thumb right now?" Erik's voice startled her. "We'll have to stop that shit immediately or else she'll be doing it until she's an adult."

Ada blinked at him. Where was the man who could barely look at her bump? "Where did you get all these books?"

Erik looked at her bashfully. "Amazon. Figured she's on her way. Might as well know how to take care of her."

Ada sat next to him. "Yeah I use this app to keep up with what she's doing but I haven't been able to read any books. I don't even have a name for her." Ada laughed sardonically. "I'm actually really scared."

Erik's hand snaked over hers. When she didn't pull away, he linked his fingers with hers. Well I'm here now and we gon figure this shit out together."
Her newfound independence wanted to fight at this but Ada was weary. She was glad he was here, glad she had someone to lean on. So she did, leaning into his side. He wrapped his arm around her, pressing a kiss to her hair.
—
Over the few days, Erik was on ten when Ada wanted him to be a solid three point five seven. If he wasn't spewing out random facts about the baby from his baby books, he was now taking an active roll in her pregnancy. He must've been looking at things on google about pregnancy; he started taking her on walks around the neighborhood after dinner.

"You been complaining about heartburn," he said, slapping her hands out the way and zipping up his her sweater himself. "You need to stop going to sleep right after you eat." He bent down to help her put her shoes on. "Plus walking is supposed to help with making birth easier." He tugged her good over her head, careful not to mess up her hair. "I need that shit to go smoothly so yo ass not breaking my hand all night."