Convalescence

Afternoon Naps

Emily is mid-snack when Charlie stumbles through the door, eyes half-closed, body weighed down by exhaustion. He shrugs out of his jacket, hangs it in their coat closet, and kicks his shoes off before making his way to the kitchen, absently passing Emily eating a snack on the couch.

Wait.

Was that peanut butter and...pickles?

Charlie backpedals and eyes the peanut butter spooned onto half of one of those huge pickles from the jar she'd made him buy last week. He watches her eat it with a poorly hidden disgusted look on his face even with the obvious ecstasy that is clear on hers. "Are you eating peanut butter on pickles?"

Emily flushes bright red and holds up the non-peanut buttered half of the pickle she'd split lengthwise. "Want some?"

"No." Charlie shakes his head, continuing on his quest for something to drink before he heads to bed for an afternoon nap. But, her weird snack nags at him, and he can't help but ask. "So, why pickles and peanut butter?"

"Well, I was actually hoping we could talk about that." Emily drops her odd snack back onto the plate and reaches forward to set it on the coffee table before standing up to make her way into the kitchen where he's pulling a bottle of water from the fridge. "Charlie, I have something to tell you."

"Em?" he looks up from the fridge to find her standing before him, wringing her hands, and looking all sorts of nervous. "Hey, Em, what's wrong?"

"Charlie, I'm pregnant!"

His reaction is instantaneous. She's swept up in his arms and he disregards the taste of peanut butter and pickles that lingers in her mouth, in favor of kissing her. He's breathless but absolutely elated when they part and he finally says what he never thought he'd get the chance to say. "I'm gonna be a father!"

Emily giggles, wrapping her arms around his abdomen. She lets the elation settle before she nudges him with her hip. "And, I'm going to need more pickles!"

Charlie laughs, loud and happy, as he leans down to kiss her head. "I'll make sure you never run out!"

"Could you do that after we take a nap? Being pregnant is exhausting." Emily sags against him, hoping he'll get the hint sooner rather than later.

"Absolutely!"

When she wakes up a couple hours later to Charlie's hand under her t-shirt - his, technically - rubbing her stomach while he talks to the new life they've created, Emily decides that it's a moment she'll be keeping to herself.

She'll come to treasure these afternoon naps.