Chapter 7
Our pregnancy was going great. Annie’s bump started to show and so did her pride. Both of us relaxed a little, believing we would actually have a baby at the end of all this.
Annie’s mom gave us plane tickets to New York so we could spend Christmas with her. We scoured the Internet and talked with her doctor to check if it was safe to fly while pregnant. We were given two thumbs up. As it was, I could only take off a couple of days from work, because I hadn’t accrued even a week’s vacation yet. So basically, we would be gone for a long weekend. It still seemed funny to have to juggle holidays and things between the two families. I had to get used to traditions that were so different from those I grew up with.
It wasn’t as cold in New York as Wisconsin, but it was still a little blustery. Of course, the pace of life in the big city differed greatly from back home. The sidewalks seemed to gyrate, full of people bustling around with packages and an urgency that comes with Christmas being only a couple of days away.
Colorful reminders of the season decorated the streetlights, and the stores all had a winter wonderland theme. As we came out of a coffee shop, I pulled the collar up on Annie’s jacket and took her hand just as snow flurries began to swirl. On our way back to Margo’s apartment, I smiled. “Perfect. It should be snowing this close to Christmas.” A pale darkness started settling in.
That morning, the three of us went shopping, another part of our Christmas presents from Margo. We hit a couple of Mother-to-Be shops, where Annie picked out several new outfits to get her through the remainder of the pregnancy. Then it was off to a men’s clothier, and I got a new sports jacket. With the two women fawning over me, it turned out to be quite an adventure.
My stomach loudly protested its lack of sustenance, and food was hours away. We had tickets for the seven o’clock performance of the Nutcracker ballet, courtesy of Margo. Ballet? I attended a few of Kellie’s little dance recitals last year. That was the closest I’d come to seeing an authentic production. Annie was super excited. Apparently, she and her mom used to do this every year. She modeled her new outfits for me, twirling around as we got ready. I helped her choose which one to wear.
The winner was a royal-blue top, with a deep V-neck, long sleeves, and crisscrossed design of fabric over the midsection. She wore black leggings under it with black heels and managed, yet, again, to steal my breath away. As she wiggled against me, I pressed her hips against mine.
“I don’t know, Mike. I think it’s probably been a while since New York experienced a couple as hot as we are. I just love that jacket on you. Fits you perfectly across the chest, shows off your pecs.”
I flexed for her, straining the buttons in the front, then chuckled.
“Your eyes match my dress. I can’t decide which of us is prettier.”
Grabbing her cheeks between my hands, my lips sought out hers. “I’ll let you have the title, undisputed. You’re gorgeous!”
The night turned out better than I expected. Annie reveled in the experience. Sitting between me and her mom, she’d lean into Margo to make a comment, then turn to me and try to explain what was going on. Her eyes danced along with the Sugar Plum Fairy. She stood and cheered at the end, thanking her mom twenty times for taking us. We had dinner reservations afterward. It was going on one in the morning when we finally returned to the apartment.
Kicking back in a T-shirt and pajama pants, I stretched out on the same bed Annie used in her late teens. I patted the place between my knees for her to sit once she was in her own pajamas. As she leaned into my chest, she let out a heavy sigh. “Oh, my gosh, Mike! It doesn’t get much better than tonight, does it?”
Rubbing my face against her hair, I shook my head. “I have to admit, I could maybe get used to this.” I chuckled, surprising even myself by saying that. It was so removed from my usual world. My hands were on her protruding belly, gently feeling my way around. “Oh my God! I think I just felt her move!”
Annie cranked her head around to look at me. “You did? Show me where.” Placing my hand over hers, I slid it to the side. We both concentrated on the sensation beneath our hands.
“There it was, again! Did you feel it?”
Annie smiled up at me. “I can feel like a butterfly fluttering in the inside, but I didn’t feel it on the outside—It’s exciting that you did, though!” Kissing the side of her head, I closed my eyes, keeping my hands sprawled across her abdomen. This new little life was making itself known, and it was nothing less than a miracle to me.
“It’s a girl,” I whispered, when I felt the tiny movement a third time. “Little Beanie is practicing her dancing.”
~ ~ ~
The days spilled into January. We started the class so Annie could become a member of my church. It took a total of four sessions, on Thursday evenings, from six to eight. Tonight, we’d be attending our second session.
We’d decided to go out for pizza beforehand. For whatever reason, both of us were in silly moods as we slid into the booth at the Pizza Portal. The waiter took our order without writing anything down. I made a bet with Annie about him not getting it right. When our pizza came, it was covered with veggies, including green peppers, which I’d had an aversion to since I was young.
After pointing it out, the waiter apologized and offered to make us the right pizza, but we could keep the other one, too.
“It’s okay,” I said, glancing at my watch. “We really don’t have time to wait for the next one.”
“It’s already in the oven.”
I didn’t say anything more. Just started picking off the green things so I could eat. A little later, he brought us garlic bread. Annie started laughing as she watched my face.
“We didn’t order that.”
The waiter glanced around. “Well, it’s on the house. I can’t take it back now.”
“Thanks,” I said, shaking my head. Once he left, I added, “I wonder what he’s been smoking?” Annie agreed.
Soon he was back with our “right” pizza, boxed up to take home. Lifting the cover, I dropped it back down. “It’s the same pizza that we have in front of us—still wrong!” Annie checked as well, and we both burst out laughing.
In order to make up for the mistakes, the kid brought us a huge, warm, pizza-sized chocolate chip cookie, also in a box. So we left the place with enough food to last a couple more meals, none of it what we’d wanted to begin with. We walked into the classroom at church, still joking about our dinner.
These classes were boring for me, a condensed version of what I’d been taught from preschool and onward. Annie enjoyed it, taking notes and asking questions. I’d let my mind wander sometimes.
The mood was light and informal. Tonight’s discussion involved loons—something I could relate to from past experiences at the cottage. The pastor talked about getting up early in the morning at a lake up north and quietly listening to the loons as they called out while the day was breaking. Every now and then, I would sneak a look at Annie and give her a little smirk or waggle my eyebrows. She’d smile and have to look away to avoid laughing.
The conversation shifted. We were still at the lake, now it was a night-time scenario. A big full moon shone over the still waters of the lake. The pastor tried to relate the moon to God, where the moonbeams were like God’s love encompassing us all.
The minister asked, “So, what do you see when the full moon is shining over the quiet waters of the lake?”
“A loon?” I blurted out. I wasn’t trying to be funny, but Annie clapped a hand over her mouth and lost it, shaking with peals of laughter.
“No, Mike! A reflection!” she managed, but to no avail. Observing her reaction broke me up, too. All the other members of the class just sat there, a little embarrassed, while Annie and I cracked up, totally out of control, awash in tears and ripples with no ability to curtail it.
“I’m sorry,” I croaked, trying desperately to stop, but I looked at Annie and lost it again.
Pastor Ken had this awkward smile on his face. “It’s nice to see a young couple who enjoy each other’s sense of humor.” I think he hoped this would encourage an end to it. It didn’t. He finally told the group to take a ten-minute break.
Standing just inside the doors that led to the parking lot, I had my hands on Annie’s shoulders. “Oh my God, what is wrong with us?” I said, and I pulled her into my shoulder with a final couple of chuckles.
“He’s going to kick us out before I even join!” she moaned, squeezing me around the waist. “You got us in so much trouble—”
“Me? You’re the one who started the whole thing.” I kissed the side of her head, running my hands up and down her arms.
“It felt so good to laugh like that!” she purred into my chest. Yes, it did!
We behaved ourselves for the rest of the class, though I admit I was on the edge for the remainder of the evening. Once we got home, we cuddled on the couch for a bit, then went to get ready for bed.
Still feeling playful, I told her, “I Googled positions for sex that are easier on you with the baby getting bigger.”
She giggled, again. “Oh, your thoughtfulness is admirable, Mike.”
“I try,” I said, smiling over my shoulder as I undressed. “Want to give it a go?” She stood next to the bed, as her nightgown slipped over her hips.
“I suppose we can’t let all your research go to waste.” She said it all sultry and sexy. I knew she wanted me. “Just tell me what you want me to do.”
All proud of myself, I instructed her to sit on the very end of the bed. I carefully helped her to slide right next to the edge, with my hands on her hips. Then I knelt down in front of her, between her spread knees, telling her how neither of us would be pressing our body weight against her tummy. I leaned in and kissed her belly as I helped her hike the nightgown up over her hips. I kissed both thighs, smiling up at her.
She had a twinkle in her eye and a half grin when she told me our bed was just too high for this method to work. Glancing down proved she was right. I was nowhere near where I needed to be.
“Babe, if you stand up—”
So I stood, but now I was too tall. Flexing at the knees, I could proceed, though it definitely wasn’t a good fit for either of us. When I finally got into a rhythm of thrusts, I glimpsed her face. She held her lip between her teeth and was fighting a grin. All at once, she grabbed my balls. I jumped back, no longer connected and—
“Oh, shit! Annie, oh shit. . .”
She busted out laughing as I buried my face in her chest. “Oh, geez, Annie.” The way the rest of the day went, why did I think this would be any different?
Reclining against the pillow behind her, Annie sat tucked under the covers up to her chest, her hands folded on her abdomen, when I came back into the bedroom wearing sweatpants.
I had gotten the mess cleaned up. My hands were full as I lifted a knee up on the bed and plunked down next to her, handing her a napkin with a warm slice of chocolate chip cookie. She eagerly took it with one hand, while her other one cupped the side of my face, and she kissed me.
“Sorry.” My face still felt a little toasty.
“I guess I shouldn’t have tried to give you an extra little thrill.” She chuckled at my grimace. “Mike—stuff happens. It’s not a big deal.”
“It’s embarrassing.”
“I thought it was funny! I’m really not laughing at you, babe—with you. I love you. You went out of your way to try to make me comfortable. You’re the best husband a girl could have. You brought me a warm cookie! Who does that? You’re super, Mike! Now—could you get me a glass of milk to go with this?”