Page 17 of For Her
“Wow,” I husk out before leaning forward to plant a kiss on her belly. Yeah, I’m that guy. And I don’t care that I’m getting shaving cream on her stomach. In fact, I go into our bedroom and grab my phone off the nightstand. When I come back to the bathroom, I position Mayzie in front of me in the mirror.
“What are you doing?”
“We gotta document this, Baby,” I tell her, holding my phone up in front of the mirror.
“Jack, you realize you’re half-shaven and shirtless, right?” she points out, laughing up at me.
“Not giving a shit about anything but your adorable belly, Sweetheart. Now face the mirror and smile,” I playfully order. She obliges and I snap a couple of photos of me standing behind her with my arm around her waist and my hand resting on her bump. Once I’m satisfied, I start tapping some more on my phone.
“Now what are you doing?”
“Posting,” I answer, as I bring up Instagram.
“You hate social media,” she reminds me incredulously.
“I know, but what can I say? I’m excited as all fuck about this, and besides, it will make the paps lay off you if we post the first photo of your belly ourselves.”
“Okay, just do me a favor and message one to our family and friends so that they don’t think you’re forgetting about them again, okay?” she suggests, as she starts walking out of the bathroom.
“Good call. Hey, where are you going?”
“To make an omelet,” she calls over her shoulder.
“Okay, but lay off the hot sauce will you? You know it gives us indigestion,” I holler after her as I type in a caption for the baby bump photo.
It’s getting real! And may I say, no one rocks a baby bump better than this Rock Wife! #rockbaby #lovemywife
Mayzie, 20 Weeks
Jack has a new obsession: my belly. Ever since it popped out, he’s been patting it, rubbing it, caressing it. I began feeling him or her move at around seventeen weeks, and though it can’t be felt from the outside yet, Jack just loves touching the firm, round bump, knowing what’s inside.
Case in point, we’re currently in bed for the night and he’s sound asleep with his head on my shoulder and his arm wrapped around my middle. It’s like he’s keeping guard while he sleeps. He’s also taken to calling me nicknames that are associated with the bump. This week, I’m Poochy, no explanation needed.
Anyway, I don’t know how he can sleep when tomorrow we’re having an ultrasound to find out the sex of the baby. I’m too wired and excited and have been trying to read myself to sleep for the last hour. The funny thing is, I don’t even know which one I want more. I’m just excited to know.
“It’s a boy,”the ultrasound tech informs us with a beaming smile on his face.
“Yes!” Jack pumps the fist not holding mine and leans in to nuzzle the side of my face before giving it a kiss.
I’m beyond excited to find out we’re having a boy, and I don’t know why. I think I’m just happy to know, and that the baby has more of an identity now.
“Oh my God, I am so pumped, Baby!” Jack exclaims as he drives us home. He’s so happy and it makes me happy. I can’t help but sit back in my seat and watch that dimple. “We have to come up with a good name for him. I don’t want to go all crazy and weird like some people in the industry do, but it’s got to be something cool, somethingrock.”
“Well, what makes a namerock?” I ask, shrugging a shoulder and he chuckles.
“You know, I actually don’t know for sure. It seems like it would have to have a lesser used letter in there somewhere though, like an ‘X’ or a ‘Z’.”
“Like Zack?” I offer, giving him a hopeful look. I always kind of liked that name.
“Yes!” He says looking over at me. “Now you’re talking.JackandZack.
Aww, how cute. He’s rhyming their names, I think, and out of nowhere my chest tightens and my eyes begin to blur with moisture as the world’s stupidest thought enters my mind, and instead of leaving like stupid thoughts usually do, it sticks around and grabs ahold of my feelings.
I bite my bottom lip and will the tears pooling in my eyes not to fall. Jack takes a quick glance between me and the road.
“Baby? Are you okay?”
“Mm-hmm,” I nod, very unconvincingly.