This is the fourth chapter in the story of Amy and Matthew. I apologize for this latest instalment taking so long, but I hope you will enjoy it, and I plan to get back on writing more regularly. I hope you enjoy.
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"Easy there!"
Amy felt a sharp kick and her words came out in a gasp as she did her best to stay standing in the well-lit room. The wooden walls were painted in a warm orange colour, and a small cardboard box rested at her feet, newspaper bundled up inside as packing material. She looked down at herself, the light-blue dress distending noticeably now that her belly had grown quite large. She brought a hand down to rub her stomach gently as she spoke with a soft voice.
"Don't hurt mommy, dear. I know you're eager to meet me, but there's months to go yet."
Amy straightened her back and went back to the task of attaching the mobile above the crib next to her. Small shapes somewhat resembling animals spun in erratic patterns while she went about her work. This would be one of the last things that they had to set up, and then it would all be ready. Amy couldn't help but smile as she imagined holding the baby in her arms, seeing the by all likelihood blue eyes looking back at her.
A little more than six months had passed since she had finally received confirmation about her pregnancy. She had feared she would burst with joy that day, and the bliss she was experiencing hadn't faded even a little bit. Even the mornings when she woke up sick and had to stumble to the nearby bathroom she didn't complain. It was all a part of the journey, a part of becoming a mother. She was glad to be on maternity leave since a few weeks back, letting her focus on preparing for the arrival of the child. The child that she shared with her father.
Matthew for his part had fallen into the role of soon-to-be father easily. Having grown up pampering his daughter as much as he could get away with, now that she was carrying his child it felt even more natural. He had done a lot of research when it came to dietary tips for pregnant women, and made sure that she ate healthily and often. As a chef, it was easy enough for him to accomplish these tasks, but the working hours did take a lot out of him. Having to get up so early in order to get to his job meant that he didn't have much time in order to ensure that his daughter was alright in the morning. However, this meant that he took every chance to be sweet with her the moment he came back home.
Amy stepped back from the crib and looked at the now spinning mobile that hung above. She imagined she could feel a kick at her insides as she admired her work, taking her breath away only slightly. When she heard the familiar sound of a key being inserted into the lock of their front door she nearly ran out of the nursery, making sure not to trip on her way downstairs. As expected, she came face to face with her handsome father, a big smile across his lips.
"Hey, sweetpea. How was your day?"
He was holding out a small bouquet of brightly coloured flowers as she almost jogged up to him, wrapping her arms around his body with a firm grip.
"Better now that you're home. How was work?"
Matthew leaned down and gave her a loving kiss, his moustache tickling her cheeks. When he released her he smiled warmly.
"Could've been a lot worse, but I kept looking at the clock constantly. I could barely wait to get back home to you, Amy."
Amy giggled and took a step backwards, grabbing the bouquet and lifting it up to her face. They smelled fresh, and sweet. "Thank you, they're lovely."
He chuckled and hung his jacket on the hanger while he kicked off his shoes. "Glad you like them. Now, how is our little champ doing today?"
Amy rolled her eyes and sighed. "Daddy, we don't even know if it's a boy or a girl yet. Isn't there a better word you can use than 'champ'?"
Her father walked up to her and placed his large hands on either side of her belly, caressing it through the fabric of her dress. She still felt slight shivers running through her body when he touched her, and she was overjoyed that it never ceased to excite her. He grinned and brought a hand in below her dress to touch her bare skin and she let out a soft moan as his fingers ran across her bloated belly.
"It's only a mystery because you want it to be. We could have found out weeks ago."
"Does it really matter though? It won't change how we feel about our angel baby."
He laughed and kept running his hands over her stomach, still smiling widely. God, that smile just melted her faint resolve every time she saw it.
"No, it won't. Why don't you go ahead and get the stove started, I need to bring some bags in from the car."
Amy smiled gently and gave him a loving kiss, taking a step back once the contact broke. Another sharp kick against her bladder forced her to reach out with a hand towards the wall, needing the support.
"Better hurry, our little darling is excited now that you're back home. I think you may have to do most of the cooking again today."
Matthew chuckled and opened the front door again. "As if there's any other option. Just get the heat going and then you can sit down. I'm making pan-fried salmon with sweet potato mash, and plenty of cream. You'll love it, I'm sure."
Amy gave a slight nod before stepping into the kitchen, one hand resting on her large belly. She walked over to the stove and pressed her finger against the glass plate, turning it on and setting the heat to high before sitting down. She looked down at her body and rubbed her stomach gently.
"Soon, darling. Another two months or so, then we'll be together. Just be patient."
A few minutes later her father appeared in the doorway, two large bags of groceries in his hands. He chuckled as he placed them on the kitchen counter and began to take out the pots and pans he would need for dinner.
"Anything else interesting happen today, sweetpea?"
Amy shook her head slightly. "Not really, I'm pretty much done in the nursery though. Other than that it's been calm, apart from when our baby chooses to terrorize me."
"Well, that's not going to change for a while yet. Just remember to sit down or go lay down in bed if you feel you need it."
Amy nodded, her gaze still focused on her belly. "Hey, Daddy? There's one last thing..."
Matthew kept rustling around behind her, but she heard an affirmative grunt, proving he was listening.
