“You need to wear your jacket Em, I don’t want you to get sick.”
“I know, I just forgot. Now, let’s go before we are late.” She leaves me standing there and climbs in the car. I open the door and get inside, “Says the woman who spent over an hour getting ready! All I had to do was throw my boxers on.” I tell her, cranking the car.
“Well if someone wouldn’t have decided I needed to be “thoroughly fucked” then I would’ve been dressed a lot earlier.”
“Not my fault you look so damn sexy in those yoga pants,” I tell her, grinning.
We pull up at the doctor’s office and I quickly get out to open Embers door and take her hand.
“I’m nervous. I don’t know why but I’m just nervous.” She says as we’re about to walk in the door. I pull her into my arms and give her a kiss that leaves her breathless. “Now are you ready?” Smirking, I open her door as she stares at me, blinking. I laugh and guide her through the door. We check in with the nurse and take our seats, waiting to be called.
“What do you think it is?” I ask her.
“I think it’s a girl. I don’t know, I just have a feeling. Mothers intuition?”
“Ember Dubois?” The nurse calls from the doorway. Fuck, I can’t wait till she has my last name. She grabs my hand as she stands and together we walk through the doorway. Following the nurse, we’re placed in a large room with a TV on the wall. I feel like a kid at Christmas, I’m so anxious.
“Okay Ember, I need you to pull your waistband down so I can see what we’ve got!” The nurse tells her as she applies some of the clear jelly to the wand. I scoot my chair closer to hers while she pushes her yoga pants down to her panty line. Her hand finds mine and she squeezes tightly as the nurse applies the jelly to her stomach and uses the wand to spread it around. We all glance towards the screen as our tiny little peanut comes into view. Ember’s hand squeezes mine as the heartbeat sounds through the television screen. God that sound never gets old. It’s like a fucking lullaby to my ears.
“Okay, let’s see. We just have to hope little one will cooperate with us so we can get a peek!” She moves the wand around until she finally stops when she has a better picture.
“Well, it looks like it’s a girl!” She says as Ember begins sobbing big fat tears and I jump from the chair yelling, “YES! Wohooo!!!” I don’t care how much of a pussy I look like right now. Daddy’s having a princess. I can hear Ember giggling behind me as I wrench the door open and walk outside.
“Guess what everybody?! I’m having a GIRL! I’m getting a princess!” I tell everyone who will listen. Claps and cheers breakout through the office and I look back at Ember to see her laughing as the tears stream down her face.
I walk up to her and drag her to me, slamming my lips down on hers. My tongue tangles with hers and I kiss the breath right out of her.
“You will never understand the beauty of the gift you are giving me, Ember Ann Dubois. Never. I love you, so fucking much.”
I hear a sniffle and see the technician with tears in her eyes. I laugh and apologize to her.
“No, you two are so obviously in love it’s just a beautiful sight. I’m going to get this out of your way so you can make it down to her doctor’s appointment. Let me just print a few pictures for you. Congratulations, you two!” She quickly prints out the pictures of my princess and hands them to us, exiting the room.
“I’m so excited I don’t even know what the fuck to do, Ember. I feel like climbing to the top of the world and screaming it to everyone.” I help her down from the bed as she rights her clothing.
“I can’t believe it, Hale. A girl! I get to spoil her with clothes and pink everything.”
“Now we can paint her nursery and pick out all of her bedding. Want to go when we leave here?” I ask her.
She laughs, “Slow your roll big boy. We have an appointment after this and I’m exhausted. We will go this weekend.”
The appointment goes great and Ember’s gynecologist, Dr. Brown, tells us everything looks great and he estimates a due date in August for us.
My phone buzzes in my pocket as we pull up at the house and I tell Ember I’ll be in, in just a second. As soon as the door closes I answer, “Hey B. I’m sure she will be calling you in two seconds to tell you, so I’ll let her. But just makes sure you’re there by six. I want to have her there around six thirty. I appreciate all your help.”
“No problem. That’s her beeping in. I’ll have it done.”
I press end and head inside where I hear Ember screaming into the phone with Blayr. I can’t wait to show her what I have in store.
Ember
After all the excitement of the day I laid down for a nap and finally feel rested. Hale just woke me up and told me to get dressed he is taking me somewhere. A surprise. I hate surprises and he knows this, but he looks so excited I immediately get up and throw a pair of jeans and a sweater on. He leads me to the car and doesn’t give not one hint as to where we’re going. We pull up to an abandoned field in the middle of nowhere.
“Hale, what’s going on?” I ask him.
He gets out and comes around to open my door, reaching in and helping me out. We walk a short ways through the field until I see a small bonfire glowing in the distance. As we get closer I see that in the large oak trees behind it there are tons of lights strung throughout. There is a small path of white rose petals leading toward the tree and it suddenly hits me. This is the tree Hale and I carved our initials in when we were kids. It’s been so long since I’ve been here and it being dark I didn’t even realize it. I hear Hale trailing behind me as we approach the tree. I run my fingers over the carving that is still visible on the huge looming tree. I turn back to look at Hale and see him drop to his knee in front of me. My hand flies to my mouth as he grins, pulling the blue ring box from his pocket and opening it, presenting the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen in my life.
Hale
“Ember...” My voice shakes with emotion, nerves, overwhelming fucking love for this beautiful angel standing in front of me.
“I’ve lived my entire life looking for a place that I felt at home. Looking for somewhere that I felt safe, wanted, and loved. From the moment I laid eyes on you, you have been the center of my world. You have offered me unconditional love. You’re my best friend, Em. You make me laugh with all your bad jokes and clumsiness. Every morning when I wake up and feel you curled against me, I feel like I’ve got the world in my arms. There’s nothing else I could ask for. Our life has not gone at all as we once planned, not even close, but I wouldn’t change anything. Regardless of everything that we have been through, we have survived and we have come out stronger. Our love isn’t a love story, but our love is real. Our love is the type of love some people never get to experience. I want to spend every day of the rest of my life devoted unconditionally to you. I want to give you everything in life that you deserve and I promise to always put you first. I promise to always trust you, believe in you and support you. I want to be the best daddy I can be to our princess and the best husband I can be to you. There will never be anyone who loves you more than I do. It’s not possible, you’re a part of my soul. The other half that God has made just for me. Please marry me. Please tell me you’ll wake up every day in my arms. Give me forever Sweet girl.” As I finish, she drops to her knees in front of me sobbing, and pulls me to her. I almost drop the damn ring as she clings to me, blubbering. She presses kisses all over my face saying yes over and over again.