Chapter Twenty-Four

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I planned to fly out to California the next morning. Once the plane tickets were booked, and I had let Jay know that I would be gone until Saturday, I got myself up from the dining room table. I craved another cup of coffee, but I knew I didn't need one. Instead, I loaded my empty mug into the dishwasher and pulled a pre-made smoothie from the fridge. I had decided to keep one ready in case I didn't feel like physically chewing anything. This morning was one of those times. I wasn't about to barf, but I felt like anything might push me over the edge.
Jay had helped me do some shopping yesterday after the doctor's appointment. Now, the fridge and pantry were full of pregnancy-friendly foods, and I had a bottle of prenatal pills underneath the bathroom sink. With no errands to run outside of the house, I decided to do some laundry and tidying up around here. I was happy to see that Louis kept chemical-free cleaners. That made this all much easier.

By lunch time, most of the place was cleaned up, save for one load of clean laundry that needed to be put away and the load of clothes in the dryer at the moment. I decided to ignore them and grab a sandwich. I was exhausted. I ate my lunch quickly before slipping under the comforter to get some sleep.
I fell asleep thinking of ways to tell Louis that he was going to be a daddy. I was 5 weeks 4 days today.

 I was 5 weeks 4 days today

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The plane ride Thursday morning was absolute torture. By the time I sat down in the backseat of a cab, I was ready to barf everywhere. Luckily, I was able to keep it in until I got through the front door of my house. Barely. Before I had any time to be happy about being back in my own home, I was on my knees in the hall bathroom, barfing up whatever snacks American Airlines had given me between London and Malibu.
Once my mouth was rinsed out, I shuffled back into the entry hall, just long enough to grab my bags. I had brought more than I would need for a couple of nights, to make things easier when Louis and I came back for 'good' on Monday. I pulled my bags behind me and up the stairs to my bedroom. I was happy to see everything where I had left it, almost a year ago.
"Absolutely insane," I muttered to myself, thinking about all that had happened since the last time I had been here . . .
I started touring with One Direction and fooling around with Louis Tomlinson. I had my first injury, and Louis and I started publically dating. Zayn left, and the boys made the decision to take a huge break after recording and releasing a fifth and (for now) final album. I had filled in on the 1989 Tour with Taylor Swift and met Louis' amazing family. We celebrated his 24th birthday with all of his favorite people, and we took up in his apartment in London, where we made the sweet little baby that was growing inside of me right now.
What an absolute ride we had been on.
My 22nd birthday was about a month away, and before that, I would tell Louis that he was going to become a father, and I would teach a couple classes at The Playground. It was almost back to my typical Malibu life, but definitely still different. I was beyond excited for it all, regardless.
Until all of that, I was sore and exhausted from flying all morning. I decided to light a lavender candle and take a quick shower to relax and freshen up. I wasn't supposed to be taking hot baths or showers any longer, as my body temperature was vital to the baby's growth and development. I was trying not to nap my life away, either, so I was hoping the shower would relax and comfort me enough. Luckily enough, it did the trick.
When I stepped out of the shower, I sent Louis a quick text, letting him know that I had made it safely and was happy and comfortable. I was craving a snack, but of course, my kitchen was empty. I called out for several different things: pizza, Japanese Steakhouse, and Mexican. I wasn't sure which I wanted yet, but I loved them all and knew I could keep the rest in the fridge for later.
Within the next forty minutes, the pizza and the Mexican food had been delivered, but neither seemed all that yummy to me when I smelled them. I was anticipating the Japanese, now. Finally, after what felt like ages (but wasn't), I heard a knock on the door. Maybe it took them so long because they needed to really make sure the meat was cooked correctly. Regardless, I was happy it was here.
Opening the door, I was surprised to see Louis standing there, holding a takeout bag from my favorite Japanese Steakhouse. I could hear the delivery boy's car pulling out of my driveway, but I was too happy and speechless to notice anything else.
"Don't worry, I paid for it," He laughed, pulling me in for a kiss before I grabbed his hand and pulled him into the house.

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