I smiled at Juliana as she stepped out of the closet. Her belly was rounded out now, and she looked stunning. At twenty-one weeks pregnant, she was positively glowing, and she was fucking beautiful.
“It’s so hot,” she huffed.
I laughed and stood up from the bed, walking towards her. “That’s your hormones, baby.” I pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Come on; we need to eat breakfast so we can go down to see Dr. Williams for your appointment.”
She sighed and rubbed her hand over her belly. She was still iffy about being pregnant, though she was definitely a lot more warmed up to the idea than she had been before.
It helped that I always took time to reinforce my bond with her daily. She’d been let down so much in her life, but I would never let her down nor would I ever turn my back on her.
I cupped her belly with my hands and pressed a kiss to her neck. “You’ve got to be the sexiest pregnant woman I’ve ever laid my eyes on,” I rumbled.
She giggled. “Stop trying to get me back in bed. We’re hungry.”
I grinned at her through the mirror. “We, huh?” I teased.
She laughed. “Yes, we – me and this baby you put in me.” I felt the baby lightly kick her belly. My grin widened before I pressed a kiss to her temple and grabbed her hand in mine, leading her from our room. Mrs. Judy already had her breakfast ready – toast with grape jelly, a single piece of bacon, one egg scrambled, and one pancake.
My woman was something else, but I wouldn’t change her for the world. She had her little quirks, and I loved each and every one of them.
Everything was still the same between us. I still fed her breakfast and ate mine while she chewed what I fed her. She was more open with Emmaline though, and they always chatted together during meals. And when I was out doing something for James, she and Emmaline stuck together like glue.
They were like sisters now, and I loved seeing my woman continue to grow and blossom into the beautiful goddess she was always meant to be.
After she finished eating, I took her to Dr. Williams. Today, we would be finding out if we were having a girl or a boy, and I was hoping like hell that this would finally bring Juliana around to the idea of a baby fully.
I hated seeing her happy about it one second and then miserable the next. I’d offered the abortion option numerous times, and I’d also continuously offered up adoption, but she always refused.
It tore me the fuck up inside to see her so conflicted about this baby, though.
“You ready?” I asked her, gently squeezing her hand as we drew closer to Dr. Williams.
She swallowed thickly but bravely nodded her head. I leaned over and pressed my lips to her temple. “That’s my brave girl,” I praised.
I led her into the room and helped her onto the cot. She laid back, her hands folded right above her belly. Dr. Williams smiled kindly at her. “Alright, hun, I just need you to pull your shirt up to right above your breasts and pull your leggings down from your stomach, okay?”
She did as he instructed and then folded her hands over her chest, her nervous eyes seeking out mine. I ran my hand over her hair. She drew in a deep breath before focusing her eyes on the large television screen in front of us as Dr. Williams put some gel on her belly and pushed his wand around, smearing the gel.
Our baby appeared on the screen.
“Well, that was fast,” Dr. Williams laughed. “You two are having a healthy, baby girl.”
Juliana burst into tears. My eyes widened in shock. I hadn’t expected this reaction out of her at all. She hadn’t gotten emotional at any of her other appointments.
I quickly knelt beside her and kissed her face, my heart pounding hard in my chest.
“It’s a mini-me,” she cried.
Oh, my fucking heart.
“Yes, baby girl,” I rasped. “It’s a mini-you.”
She sobbed. “I get to right all the wrongs that were done to me.” My heart squeezed in my chest for her as my soul roared for more vengeance. “I get to love her in the way I never got to be.”
“Oh, baby,” I rasped, pressing my lips to hers as my heart broke for her. “Yes, we’ll both love her in the way you should have been loved and taken care of,” I promised. “I will always protect her, just as Andres should have done for you.”
“Thank you,” she cried, looking up at me through her teary eyes. “I never knew I needed this.”
“Shit works out in mysterious ways,” I told her. A watery laugh spilled from her lips. I kissed her again. “You’re going to make an amazing mother, Juliana, and our baby girl is going to worship the ground you walk on. I know it with every fiber of my being.”
She wrapped her arms around my shoulders, more tears sliding down her cheeks. And I just let her hold me, giving her every bit of comfort that I could offer her.
I wasn’t a big believer in God, though I knew a deity existed. But at that moment, I knew someone bigger than me or Juliana was at work here.
She was being given something that could heal her in a way I fucking couldn’t.
Thank you, God, I silently thanked Him. You’re healing her in ways I can’t.
~*~*~