Love in a Box

Little baby

Before going down to meet Danny, Jessica went online and ordered a few things to make the announcement.  They would be arriving the next morning, so for now she planned on telling him she had a stomach bug.

When she walked outside she looked over to her right and saw Evan.

"Evan!" She shouts with excitement.

"Hey Jess!"

"Evan Thomas Peters! Since when do you smoke?!" Jessica's excited little face quickly turned angry.

"Sorry, I'm just so stressed. It's a new thing I'm doing." He shrugs.

"Well quit it because now is when we all have to take care of our lungs more than ever!"

"I know, you're right. What are you doing here?"

"I had a doctors appointment in the building next door."

"Oh..  Are you pregnant?"

Jessica giggles. "No." She looks down.

"I was just playing.. Are you?!"

"Yes but don't say anything to Danny! I'm telling him tomorrow. Also, don't tell Sarah!"

"That's insane! Congratulations! I wish I could hug you right now." Evan chuckles.

"Aw I know! You're gonna be an uncle!" Jessica smiles.

"Haha, I am! Ah, Uncle Evan. I like the sound of that."

Jessica smiles.

"So how do you feel?"

"I'm so nervous. I already took a test but it came back negative. So I'm just in shock right now. I wasn't prepared for a baby."

"No one ever really is though."

"That's true. But the world is so different now.
  Having a baby in a pandemic scares me.... but I am happy!" She smiles.

"Last week the thought made me totally freak out.
Today I'm excited to meet my little baby. Mine and Danny's little baby!" Jessica laughs.

"That's so weird! I can't believe you two! You got knocked up during lockdown. Damn you whores!"

Jessica laughs. "It's crazy!"

Evan looks at his watch and says, "I need to head back. Please take care of yourself. Go straight home, mommy."

Jessica smiles and tears up a bit. "I will. Thanks, Evan."

"Love you.. Baby.  Holy crap, Baby is having a baby!  What the hell?!"

Jessica giggles. "It's crazy!
  And I love you too, Evie!  Stay safe!"

Jessica then walks over and sees Danny parked up front waiting for her. Jessica places her hand on her stomach and says, "There's your Daddy."

When Danny sees her he gets out of the car and opens her door for her.

"Thank you, baby!" She smiles.

"No problem, how'd it go?" Danny kisses her through her mask.

"Great! I have a stomach bug!" Jessica pulls her mask off and smiles big.

"You seem very happy about that." Danny chuckles softly.

"No! I'm not, I just.." Jessica laughs. "I'm just glad I don't have covid, silly!"

"Oh that's right! Yes, thank God!"

"Yeah." She smiles.

**

Later that evening Jessica turned the water on in her tub. She was going to take a nice warm bath to soothe her aching muscles.

When Jessica stripped down she looked in the mirror and gently ran her hand down her flat stomach.

"Wow.. Hi little baby." She giggles softly.

"I'm mommy!  I guess you know that..
  Listen, I'm really scared about all this.  I don't know what I'm doing.  I don't know what the world will be like in seven months when you arrive.  But I promise you I'll do everything I can to protect you.
I love you!  I'm sorry if in the beginning it's seemed as though I didn't want you but.. I was just scared!  You can understand, right?  Here we are in the middle of a pandemic and Jessica gets pregnant!
I've never been much of a planner.. things don't always go the way I imagine them in my head, so this is just perfectly fitting." Jessica smiles softly.

"I don't know if you're a boy or a girl yet, but I'll love you no matter what you are or who you choose to be."

Jessica tears up and cradles her stomach.

"Mommy loves you, little baby."