Page 15 of New Year's Day
“Of course not.” She sounds insulted, and I can’t help but smile. “This child of ours is coming in January.”
This child is a Lancaster, which means he is impatient and eager to make his debut to the world. Maybe even right now. We waited a few years after we got married to try for a baby and the minute that we stopped using birth control, Daisy became pregant.
I’m grateful it was so easy. I can’t wait to meet this son of mine. And when Daisy’s ready, I want to try for another one.
And another one after that.
I carefully pull into the mostly cleared drive of the hotel, pleased to see a bellman running toward my wife’s car door when I put the vehicle in park. I climb out of the car in a hurry, thankful there’s a roof above us so we’re not getting pelted with heavy snow, and rush over to Daisy, taking her arm so both the bellman and I can assist her into the building.
“I’m not an invalid,” she gently chastises me with a smile. “I can walk on my own.”
“I don’t want you falling,” I say, tightening my hold on her arm.
“The ground is slippery, ma’am,” the bellman tacks on.
“Thank you,” Daisy breathes once we’re in the warm lobby. Gentle piano plays in the background and there’s no one inside save for a few employees behind the counter.
I arrange for a room while Daisy rests in an overstuffed chair. The bellman even brings her a glass of water, which she takes from him with a pleasant smile on her face. My wife is still sunshine on a cold, dark day and I love it when she shares that brightness with others.
But she saves most of it just for me.
“We’re on the ground floor,” I tell her once I’ve paid for everything and got our keys. I offer her my hand and she takes it so I can haul her to her feet. “They’re bringing our luggage to the room.”
“Make sure you give him a good tip.” She inclines her head toward the bellman who helped her. “He’s so nice.”
“Will do.” I keep her hand locked in mine and lead her to the corridor where our hotel room is.
“Why aren’t we on a higher floor?”
“I didn’t want to have to wait for an elevator in case you go into labor,” I admit, mentally reading off the room numbers as we walk past them. How far down this hall do we have to go anyway?
“Oh Arch. I already told you I’m not going into labor.”
I stop in front of room 188 and wave the key in front of the screen, the light turning green immediately. I open the door and step aside, letting Daisy enter first before I stride in after her, the door slamming behind us.
“It’s nice,” she says as she waddles around the room, wincing every couple of steps. “What will we do for dinner though? I’m already hungry.”
She’s been hungry this entire pregnancy and I knew she’d say that.
“They have room service. I asked.”
She frowns. “I’m sorry we didn’t get to go to your cousin’s house for New Year’s.”
“It’s okay. I didn’t want to party with a bunch of old people any way.” I go to the window and peek outside. The snow is coming down in endless white sheets. I’m glad we didn’t continue on. We could’ve got stuck out there.
Daisy laughs. “They’re not old.”
“They’re older than us.” I turn to study her. She’s got her hand on her belly again, another wince on her face and I rush toward her, running both of my hands on her belly. “You’re definitely going into labor.”
“No, I’m not. You need to stop panicking about it.” She offers me a reassuring smile. “It’s like you want me to go into labor and have your baby in the middle of a hotel room.”
“Better than the car.” I press my hand firmly against her tight belly, pleased to feel movement beneath my palm. “This guy never stops moving.”
“I know. It’s nonstop. Like his daddy.”
“I hope he looks like you.”
“I don’t.” She shakes her head. “I want him to be the spitting image of his father.”