***

Over the next couple of months, I watched Ellery’s belly grow. She was just as beautiful pregnant.

She was happy and had a glow about her that was felt every time she entered the room. I was lying in bed, checking my emails when she came from the bathroom and climbed in next to me. She looked at me and pouted. I cocked my head and raised my eyebrow.

“What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours?” I asked, already knowing the answer.

“I’m craving some rocky road ice cream, and we don’t have anymore,” she pouted.

“Ellery, it’s 11:00 pm. Do you really need it that badly?” I asked.

“I’m pregnant with your child, and our child wants rocky road ice cream. What do you want me to do, starve the baby to death?”

“So, what you’re saying is, if I don’t go and get you rocky road ice cream, our baby will starve?”

She nodded her head and pushed out her bottom lip. I nipped at it as she smiled. “I’ll be right back,” I said as I got out of bed and put on some clothes. I ran to the corner store and grabbed a gallon of rocky road ice cream. I arrived back at the penthouse, went to the kitchen to get a spoon, and walked to the bedroom only to find Ellery sound asleep. I stared at her and shook my head. I took the ice cream to the kitchen and put it in the freezer for tomorrow. I climbed into bed and snuggled against her back. I put my arm around her and softly stroked her belly.

***

The alarm went off, and I reached over and patted the empty side of the bed. I opened my eyes and looked around the room. I laid there for a minute and took in the aroma of something delicious baking.

It smelled like banana bread. I got up, put on my pajama bottoms, and walked down to the kitchen. I stopped in the doorway as Ellery was bent over, pulling something from the oven.

“Is that banana bread I smell?” I asked with a smile.

“Yes, I made it just for you, babe. I got the recipe from Claire.”

I walked over and cupped her face in my hands. “Thank you, sweetheart, and good morning,” I whispered as I kissed her.

“Don’t thank me yet until you taste it. I can’t promise that it’ll be any good.”

I put my forehead against hers. “It’ll be the best banana bread that I’ve ever tasted. Please don’t tell Claire I said that.”

I put my hands on Ellery’s belly, knelt down, and kissed our baby. “Good morning to you too little one,” I said. Ellery ran her fingers through my hair as I had my ear pressed against her belly.

Suddenly, I felt something kick against me. “Did you feel that, Connor?!” Ellery asked with excitement.

“I sure did!” I smiled as I stood up. To be able to feel our baby moving inside Ellery was the most amazing feeling. I took her in my arms and embraced her. “I love you, Ellery Black.”

“I love you more, and so does our baby,” she whispered as she buried her head into my neck.

I poured a cup of coffee as she sliced the bread and placed it on the table. “Are we going to the doctor’s office together or are you meeting me there?” she asked.

“I’ll have Denny pick you up first and then stop by the office to get me; we’ll go together. Are you sure you want to find out the sex of the baby?” I asked her.

“I thought we talked about this, Connor, and you said you wanted to find out, didn’t you?”

“I do, babe. I just want to make sure that you really want to find out,” I said as I took a bite of banana bread. It was delicious, just like Claire’s. “This is excellent, Elle; I love it.”

“You’re not just saying that, are you?” she asked tilting her head to the side.

“No, I swear; I love it.”

I finished my bread and coffee and looked at my watch. “Shit, I’m going to be late for my meeting,” I said just as Denny stepped into the kitchen. “Perfect timing, Denny; we have to roll or I’m going to be late.”

I walked over to Ellery and kissed her goodbye, making sure to bend down and kiss her growing belly. “I’ll see both of you in a few hours.”

“Bye, babe, I’ll see you later,” she smiled.

***

We sat in the room and waited for Dr. Keller to come in. Ellery sat on the table, and I sat in the chair beside her. I held her hand and looked around at the pictures on the wall of the development stages of a baby, growing inside a mother’s womb. It was a miracle to me. It was something that I’ve never thought of before, not even when Cassidy was pregnant with Camden. Dr. Keller walked into the room and told Ellery to lay herself down on the table. She pulled up her shirt to expose her baby belly as he squeezed some gel from a bottle onto her stomach. He turned the monitor on and started moving the wand around her stomach. I gasped when I saw our baby for the first time. Ellery looked at me, and a single tear fell from her eye. I squeezed her hand gently as I wiped her tear with my other hand. The doctor pointed out the baby’s heartbeat, fingers, and toes as he took measurements.

“Would you like to know the sex of your baby?” Dr. Keller asked.

“Yes, we would, doctor,” Ellery smiled.

“Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Black; you’re having a girl.”

Ellery looked at me and smiled. “We’re having a girl, Connor!” she said excitedly.

“I couldn’t be happier,” I said as I kissed her.

Dr. Keller handed Ellery a towel to wipe off the gel, congratulated us, and left the room. I helped her up off the table and hugged her.

“I can’t believe that I’m going to have a daughter,” I whispered.

We left the doctor’s office and walked down the street to a local deli for a late lunch. We sat the table and looked at the menus.

“I can’t decide what I want,” Ellery said.

“You love their chicken sandwiches.”

“I know, but I want something to go with it. I’m starving.”

The waitress came by to take our orders. Ellery told me to order first as she was still deciding. I ordered the turkey sandwich on wheat bread. The waitress looked over at Ellery.

“I’ll have the chicken sandwich, a bowl of French onion soup, and the chef’s salad with Italian dressing. Oh, and throw in an order of French fries,” she smiled.

I looked at her in horror. “Are you seriously going to eat all that?” I asked when the waitress walked away.

“Yes, I sure am. Why? Do you have a problem with what I ordered?” she asked with an attitude.

“No, I don’t have a problem with anything. It’s just…”

“Just what, Connor?!” she snapped.

“I just don’t want you to get sick from eating too much,” I whispered across the table.

She was sensitive these days, and I really needed to watch what I say. Cassidy already warned me about the hormones that come with the pregnancy. She wouldn’t look at me. I pissed her off with a simple question. I reached over the table and grabbed her hand.

“Baby, look at me,” I said. She was looking off to the side and refused to turn her head. “Ellery, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything by my question.”

“Bullshit, Connor! You were implying that I’m fat because of what I ordered,” she snapped as she stared at me.

“No, I wasn’t. I just don’t want you to overeat and get sick,” I said trying to diffuse the situation.

The waitress brought our food and set the feast in front of Ellery. I couldn’t look at her because I would’ve started laughing. I thanked the waitress and reached over to take a French fry from Ellery’s plate; she smacked my hand. She ate everything in front of her and then took a three hour nap when we got home.

***

I walked up the steps and stopped in the doorway of the bedroom that we were converting into a nursery. The room was empty as all the furniture had already been moved out. Ellery stood in the middle of the room, staring at the walls. “What are you doing, babe?” I asked.

“I’m deciding what mural to paint on the wall.”

I walked into the room and wrapped my arms around her waist. “Anything you paint will be beautiful.”

“I’ve given a lot of thought to this, and I want our daughter to have angels watching over her, like they’ve watched over me. I’m going to paint a mural on the ceiling of clouds and angels. That way she’ll be protected while she sleeps.”

“That sounds beautiful, Ellery. Are you sure you’re going to be able to paint the ceiling? Do you want me to hire someone to help you?”

“No, silly, you’re going to help me,” she said.

“Me? I don’t know the first thing about painting,” I told her.

“I’ll teach you. Think of how fun it’ll be; just the two of us painting our daughter’s bedroom together.”

She was so excited to have me help her that I couldn’t tell her otherwise. I smiled and told her that I couldn’t wait. She put her hands on my arms and started stroking them softly. “I’m horny,” she blurted out.

“What?” I laughed. I thought she was joking until she turned around and started unbuttoning my pants.

“Let’s have sex and then we have to go to the paint store,” she said.

“Ok, if that’s what you want to do, here in this room, where our baby is going to sleep.”

“Oh, stop it, Connor. Live a little, and make love to me,” she said as she pulled me to the floor.

After we made love, we got dressed and we drove to look at paint colors. I really didn’t know much about it because I always hired people to do the painting for me. Being that Ellery is an artist, she knows all about paint. It was fun watching her looking at the different colors and trying to decide which ones were better. She was so serious about it. She would ask me my input about the colors, and when I told her what I thought, she’d tell me to be quiet because I didn’t know what I was talking about. I rolled my eyes and walked away. She finally made a decision on what colors she wanted. I kissed her and told her they were beautiful. I asked the store to deliver the paint to the penthouse the next day.

Ellery was in bed, reading a book when I came from my office downstairs. I stood in the doorway and stared at her. All you saw was her huge belly and her book that was resting upon it. She looked up and smiled. “What are you doing just standing there?” she asked.

“I’m just admiring the most beautiful woman in the world,” I said as I took off my clothes and climbed in next to her. I leaned over and kissed her belly. “Hi, little one, it’s your daddy. I wanted to tell you that you’re one lucky girl to have the most beautiful mommy in the world.”

“Connor, stop; you’re making me cry,” she said as she ran her fingers through my hair.

“I’m only telling her the truth.”

“I can’t wait to see what she looks like,” Ellery said.

“I already know,” I said as I sat up and faced her. I ran one finger by her eye. “She’ll have your ice blue eyes and your cute little nose,” I said as I ran my finger down to her lips. “She’ll have your lips and your smile. I’ll have to keep her locked up in the house because all the boys will melt when she smiles at them.”