My Old Friend

Chapter 32

Christmas Eve

FAITH POV: Tim lights the fire as the girls dance around the family room. I smile up from the book I'm reading at them, and set it down gently on my bump. 

"He's kicking." I say, smiling. I always get tears in my eyes when I feel them kick... Blame it on the hormones. 

The whole family gathers 'round, placing their hands on my belly. The girls search for it, while Tim finds it immediately. He guides their hands to the source, as the girls' eyes sparkle in awe. He leans over and gives me a kiss, as the girls lay their heads on my stomach, trying to hear him. Tim smiles at them, and rubs Addie's back as she peers up at him. He walks over to the kitchen, and begins to tend the dinner that's cooking. 

"How long till he's delivered?" Lily asks. I smile, and begin to rub my stomach also. 

"About a month." I say. "Are you going to be good to him once he's here?" I ask softly, to be met with quick nods. "Good." I blush. I look over towards Tim in the kitchen, to see him looking down at the counter, and smiling brightly. He peers up slowly at me, making me lose my mind. He knows when he does it, that I've never seen anyone so beautiful... 

"Have you picked out a name?" Addie asks, curling up beside me on the couch. I smile, and look back over towards Tim. 

"I was thinking Sam." I say, looking over at Tim. "You know, your Dad's real name is Sam. He just likes Tim better." I inform them, although I know that isn't really why he chooses to go by Tim. He always heard his stepfather's voice when someone would call him Sam. 

"So we can pick any name we want?" Lily asks curiously. Addie laughs and rolls her eyes slightly. 

"No silly. It's Dad's middle name." Addie answers. I look over to Tim, awaiting his smile, but a frown is present instead. I get up slowly, trying to balance myself, and I waddle over to the kitchen. 

"You okay, babe?" I ask quietly. He nods, and takes a small drink of wine. 

"Oh yeah." He says, sounding anything but. He looks out to the girls as they play by the tree. He doesn't attempt to hide how he feels. 

"It was just an idea." I say, rubbing his shoulder. He shuts his eyes, before sighing and opening them once more. 

"It's hard enough to --" He stops, seeming to catch on his words. 

"It's hard enough to what?" 

"I'm scared of having a son already, Faith. I don't want to tie those two experiences together." He says quietly. I nod, trying to push a smile on my face to hopefully make one miraculously appear onto Tim's. 

"You're not going to be like your stepfather, Tim." I whisper, wrapping my arms around him. He wraps his around me and takes a deep breath. "If you don't like the idea, then we don't have to name him that. I just thought that it might be an idea." I say, rubbing my hands on his back. He pulls away, now with a slight smile. 

"We'll figure it out when the time comes." He says, looking back to the girls. I smile and nod, as he heads over to them. I watch as they race around by the firelight. 

SIX MONTHS LATER

A baby's cries intrude on a night of flawless sleep as we begin to reconsider why we decided to do this... 

"Your turn." I groan to Tim, wiping the saliva off of my face. I look over to his side of the bed, to see he's already heading out the door to attend to the baby. I smile, and begin to drift off once more, until the cries become even louder. I sigh, and drag myself out of bed to see what's going on.