the book shop > j.l < MID EDIT

NINETY EIGHT

december 26th 1962

penelope

"i swear to god john if you moan one more time about your legs hurting i'm going to kick your ass," she threatened holding a finger out in front of her giving him a stern look.

his eyes softened as he stopped complaining realising he sounded very stupid saying those things whilst standing next to a five month pregnant penelope who had been doing the same walking as him with a pregnant belly.

"sorry," he mumbled. she rolled her eyes at his almost childlike look and looked away quickly to hide her amused smile.

yes her feet were aching, yes her back was sore and yes it was boxing day but she always loved to stroll through the park near her old apartment with her mother when she was a child and she'd not stopped that tradition after she died. the past few years of course she'd done it with john and without fail he complained.

every. single. time.

he respected the tradition but penelope loved to really walk the whole perimeter of the park and feed the ducks etc etc.

she sighed, "c'mon let's go back now," she said holding her hand to him. instantly his eyes lit up - his favourite words.

they'd spent the christmas with caleb at his house and mimi came round for dinner alongside carly and belle because yes as a matter of fact caleb and belle had stayed in touch after the wedding and had gotten closer and closer through the months. they were taking things extremely slow and so they decided to step things up and spend the weekend together for christmas. belle would've been skeptical to stay in liverpool again except she'd gotten news off of Anne the gossiper herself that mr evans had been killed in a bar fight where he quite literally met his match a few months ago.

john intertwined their fingers until penelope stopped again and held her stomach.

"are you okay? is the baby okay?" he asked frantically. everytime she held her stomach john immediately switched to superhero mode and expected her to go into labour even though she was three months early.

she looked up to him and rolled her eyes again, "she's kicking," penelope smiled. they'd found out that actually they were having a daughter and the pair were over the moon.

"again?" he smiled happily putting his hands on her bump. she moved it to the side and up a little where he felt little thumps. their daughter was a fidgeter which penelope hated because of the extreme discomfort it put her in but she loved feeling her baby kick.

"i think she's excited," penelope giggled, "it is christmas," she said sarcastically.

john also loved feeling his little girl moving about, it made his mind ease and his happiness increase as the days neared to penelope's due date.

they carried on walking after the baby stopped kicking and made it back to caleb's house but before they stripped off their scarves, gloves and hats from being out in the snow belle bounded down the long hallway.

"you two!" she shouted, "where have you been?" she asked exasperatedly.

"we were at the park, we told you, what's wrong?" john answered. belle broke into a huge smile.