Sweet Little Thing(29)

You couldn’t tell Mia was pregnant from behind—she still had a perfect little ass—but man, when she turned, watch out. Once she reached thirty weeks into the pregnancy, her belly stuck out at least two feet from her body.

“You’re not big, you’re beautiful.”

“I’m a cow. I’ll never be sexy again.”

“Turn around, Mia, so you can see just how sexy I think you are.”

Mia’s boobs and belly had gotten huge, but she was just as beautiful as before, if not more. Her skin was shiny and vibrant and pink and lush. As she turned, I quickly slipped out of my boxers and threw them aside.

She scanned my body up and down and then her face morphed into the pity-party face. “Are you thinking about someone else?” She actually started crying.

Fuck. “In the name of all that is good and holy, Mia, you are standing in front of me naked. I’m turned on because of you.”

“How can you want me like this?” She sniffled.

“Come on, stop that.” I motioned for her to get on top of me. “Climb aboard, baby, let’s have some fun.”

She brushed her hair out of her face and climbed up onto the bed. She straddled me and then bent to kiss me, but I could tell it was uncomfortable for her to bend over her belly. Leaning back with a sad look on her face, she took hold of me and then sat up on her knees to guide me inside her. I felt a tear hit my stomach. She was still crying.

“No, stop, baby. Don’t do that.” I pulled her onto the bed next to me. “Lie on your side so you’re comfortable, sweet thing.” I climbed over her and looked at her face. “You gonna be okay?”

She nodded unconvincingly, but I proceeded to kiss her all over anyway. I kissed her belly and sang to her and sang to my baby. Ray LaMontagne’s “Shelter” was blaring from the iPod dock. I sang along to it like I had written it just for her. After ten minutes, Mia started moving with me, kissing me and answering each touch.

I curled up behind her and pulled her leg back over mine and then I made love to her on her side. I kissed and sucked at her neck. She whimpered.

“Do you see how beautiful you are to me?” I said near her ear. Pushing her head back against my shoulder, I watched as she opened her mouth, closed her eyes, and found that happy place. I held her against my chest, one arm gripping her leg and the other holding her around the shoulders as I continued my slow and deliberate movements against her. The tension in her body was gone. We moved with ease and comfort until we were both sated, and then I kissed her shoulders and back as the rest of the album played out. We stayed like that, connected, with my face buried in her sweet-smelling hair until we were asleep.





“Good morning, handsome.” Mia, fully dressed and ready for the day, was leaning over me and smiling.

I squinted up at her. “Hi, pretty baby.”

“Do you want to come to my prenatal appointment with me?”

“Absolutely.”

Even though I generally despised being in any sort of medical building, I loved going to the prenatal visits. It was like Christmas when the doctor would put the fetal Doppler to Mia’s belly. The swooshing and thumping of our baby’s heartbeat was the most beautiful music Mia and I had made so far.

We got out of the loft early. Mia had on a gray baby-doll dress, black tights, boots, and a purple scarf. I wore my token hoodie and jeans. It was warming up in the city, and we both marveled at how clear and sunny the sky was.

When we got to Dr. Cho’s, Mia had to do all the initial business: pee test, blood pressure, temperature, and then we were directed into the exam room. Mia undressed from the waist down, hopped up on the table, and covered herself with one of those paper blankets.

The doctor came in, flashed me a cursory smile, and said, “Mr. Ryan.”

“Dr. Cho,” I shot back in a completely monotone voice. You know those people who show zero emotion—there’s no movement in their face or inflection in their voice? That was Dr. Cho. Saying she was robotic would be putting it mildly. She was like a robot from the eighties, completely one-dimensional and glitchy.

She lifted Mia’s shirt and wrapped the measuring tape around her belly. After measuring her, Dr. Cho pressed one hand at the base of Mia’s belly and the other on the top, just below her breasts.

“Hmm,” she said, but nothing changed on her face. She didn’t move for several moments. Ha, another glitch.

“Hello?” I said.

She didn’t look at me; her eyes stayed focused on Mia’s stomach. “Mia, I think we need to do an ultrasound.”

There was still no change in her facial expression, but I knew hidden behind her statement was worry, and I could see the worry spreading to Mia as well.

“I’ll be back in a minute.”

Once she was out of the room, Mia let out a huge breath and then her nose scrunched into the expression she makes right before she cries.

I got about five inches from her face and said, “What did she mean, Mia?” My voice was high.

“I don’t know,” she said, looking anxious. I stood and started pacing. The walls were closing in. I put my hand to my head; I was burning up. I walked to the counter and started fumbling frantically through all the medical devices.

“What are you doing, Will? You’re not supposed to touch that stuff.”