A Miracle Unexpected

Chapter 16 - Pregnancy books

Damon's P.O.V.

It had been a while since I spent time with Alaric, so I called him up and told him to meet me at the Grill for a couple of drinks.

"I have papers to grade, Damon," he said to me.

"The papers will be there tomorrow. Meet me or I'll stay at your place again."

That had gotten him out of the house quickly and now we were sitting side by side, drinking nice cold beers.

"How's Elena doing?" Alaric asked.

I took a sip from the beer bottle before placing it down on the bar. "She's doing alright, I guess. The vomiting stopped so she's relieved about that," I answered.

"The vomiting usually stops in the second trimester. That's what she's in. She's seventeen weeks along, right?"

"I think so. I don't count the weeks. I count the months. She's four months," I said.

Alaric chuckled randomly and I narrowed my eyes in confusion. I looked over at him with my elbow leaning on the bar while the bottle hung from my hands. "What's so funny, Ric?"

He shook his head, still chuckling. He leant his head back as he took a long sip from his bottle and put it down with a sigh. "Out of all of the things I imagined myself doing, sitting down at a bar drinking beers with you while talking about your baby."

I thought about if for a moment before I began to chuckle myself. It was a bit funny and I knew how he felt. Knowing that I was going to have a baby was still surprising to me.

"You know Jenna's starting to get excited about the baby," Alaric said. "She's already planning a baby shower."

"What the hell is a baby shower?" I asked.

"A baby shower is a party people throw for a pregnant woman. She basically gets pampered for a day and everyone gives her gifts for the baby."

"Sounds fun," I said sarcastically. "She wants to throw Elena one?"

"Yeah. It's all she can talk about," Alaric nodded his head. "It wouldn't be for a while though. It's only April and the baby isn't going to be born until September. She'll probably throw one in July."

"I'll talk to Jenna about that," I said. I already had plans for the baby shower in my head. Obviously it could be held at the Boarding House. All I would need to do is set things up with Jenna or Caroline, hoping that neither of them tried to kill me before then.

For the next couple of minutes, Alaric and I sat in silence while continuing to drink from our bottles. I could see Alaric looking over at me and soon he asked another question. "How are things between you and Stefan?"

I laughed loudly and finished off my beer, asking quickly for another one. "He hates me," I said.

"I'm sure he doesn't hate you, Damon."

"I'm sure he does," I shrugged my shoulders. Stefan could hate me if he wanted to and he had every right. I knew that and wouldn't say he didn't. "I haven't spoken to Stefan since I got back from Elena's appointment with the doctor. He wasn't happy with me."

"Why not?"

"He wasn't happy because I went to the appointment with her," I said before taking another sip from the bottle. "Ric, to be honest, I don't give a shit if he hates me or if he's mad. As long as he doesn't get mad at Elena over the appointment, I'm fine." I stood up from the bar stool, deciding that it was time to head back home. "I'm heading out. I'll talk to you later, Ric."

"Alright. Play nice with your brother," he grinned.

I gave him the finger before turning around and leaving the bar. I walked over to my car and got in, then started to drive. As I drove, I thought back to the argument Stefan and I had when I got back from the doctor's appointment. He said things like, "You shouldn't have gone," and, "Why didn't anyone tell me you were going?" I just rolled my eyes at him, saying that everyone didn't need to let him know what they were doing twenty-four seven, especially Elena or me. Mentioning that to him pissed him off even more and left him screaming at me while I just turned my back to him.

I pulled up to the house and parked my car in the garage. I stepped out and saw Stefan moving in and out of the house with heavy bags. "What the hell is he doing now?" I asked myself. I walked over to him while he put the bags in his car.

"Whatcha up to, little brother?" I asked.

"It's none of your business, Damon," he answered. He didn't look at me as he spoke and continued moving back and forth to put the bags away.

"Aw come on. You may be hiding something from me. I gotta watch out for you," I smirked. "So Stefan, what's in the bags?"

"Do you really want to know, Damon?"

I held my hands out by my side and gave him a bored look. "Am I standing here asking you about it?"

"Skip the sarcasm, asshole," Stefan rolled his eyes.

"That's impossible for me to do and you know that."

I watched as he opened up one of the bags and pulled a book out. He held it in his hand as he showed it to me so I could read the title. "The Mother of all Pregnancy Books," I read out loud. I moved over to look through the bags and saw more pregnancy books along with what I guess were maternity clothes. "What is all of this, Stefan?"

"Just a couple of things I picked up for my girlfriend," he said. I turned to him and saw him sliding his hands in his pockets while he looked at me with a small smirk. "I figured if Elena doesn't want me at the doctor's appointments, I could be there for her in other ways so I went out shopping for her."

I shook my head at him, "You really need to grow up, Stefan." I walked past him, brushing my shoulder against his aggressively.

"What's the matter, Damon? Mad that I thought of getting her the things she needs before you did?"

"Oh cut the crap, Stefan," I yelled at him. I turned back around to face him with a glare. "If you want to buy these things for Elena because you think that it'll make you more of a Father than me, go right ahead. Have a ball and don't let me get in your way."

Stefan rolled his eyes at me once more before getting into the car. He started it up and I walked over to the car, knocking on his window. "You didn't let me finish," I said as he rolled down his window.

"What, Damon?"

"You can buy her these things if it makes you feel better but remember this, Stefan. At the end of the day, I'll still be that baby's Father."

That was the killer line. Stefan glared at me and sped off without saying anything else. I shook my head and moved back into the house. I needed another drink.