“Take my hand, River.” She outstretched her hand, guiding it to her growing belly. “Feel your child, they are wiggling a little. It’s like they come alive when they feel you or hear you.”
I cupped her face, brushing back her still growing hair, placing a kiss on her forehead. We constantly had music playing in the house, Melody would come over and sing little lullabies, I would read stories at night causing Amelia to also fall asleep.
“Hi, little one.” I felt the small flutter. “I wonder if you’re going to have mine or your mama’s temperament.”
“Lord, I hope mine.” Amelia chuckled.
She wasn’t wrong. Every day, I was working on my temper, trying not to allow club business and my work to lose my headwith my wife, with my family. Some days it was a struggle and I found myself more in the studio before coming to find my wife on the couch with some sort of unhealthy snack in a bowl on top of her belly watching some bad reality housewives show.
A rapid knock echoed on the exam room door. Her doctor stepped through. It was one of her colleagues she knew and felt like she could trust in the hospital.
“Amelia.” She nodded to her, washing her hands and then glanced in my direction, “Mr.… Brooks.”
She didn’t know whether to call me by my road name or given name, so we just settled on Mr. Brooks. It was easier.
“How are we feeling Amelia?” Her doctor sat down, grabbing the jelly.
As Amelia lifted her shirt, she sighed. “Tired as usual, trying to eat as much as I can, taking the vitamins. I have a good husband that likes togentlyremind me that I need to take care of myself.”
Gently was a loose term. I kept coming to the hospital trying to feed her, make sure she wasn't over doing herself. She also had concerned friends and a stern Dr. Andres wasn't afraid to send me a message.
“Tired is to be expected. But as I told you, I know you. You tend to push yourself. When you need a break, take a break. There is no shame in it,” her doctor warned her.
I liked this doctor, telling her exactly what a lot of us were thinking. I wished she stayed at home, I made plenty with the club and other businesses and sometimes my artwork to supply a growing family and then some. But my stubborn woman didn’t like to be bored.
Amelia simply nodded, wincing at the cold jelly slathered on her belly. Her doctor looked at us and said, “We’re finding out the gender today, yes?” We both nodded. I took Amelia’s hand, leaning on the bed and faced the ultrasound machine.
Her doctor smiled as she started to maneuver the scanner around her belly. “Any ideas or suspicions?”
I shook my head, because regardless this was my child and I would love them for who they wanted to be.
Amelia giggled. “I think boy. I have been getting some gas randomly, and Sarah tried to do a midwife’s trick and indicated a boy.”
After a moment of just watching the screen, finding our child nestled in Amelia’s body, the doctor smiled and clicked some buttons, taking some measurements. “Well, I don’t believe in the old wives’ tales to begin with, because y’all are having a little girl.”
Both Amelia and my eyes widened. A little girl. Tears started to well up in Amelia’s eyes. “A little girl?”
“Yep. Congratulations.” She pointed to the screen and revealed a beautiful baby girl growing perfectly.
“A little princess,” I mumbled. Amelia squeezed my hand tighter, overwhelmed with emotions.
“I’ll let you two have a moment, I’ll be back momentarily," her doctor said, leaving us to embrace one another.
I wrapped my arms around her, bringing her to sit up right. “You are doing an amazing job, my Amelia. Look at what you did.”
“A little girl. You’re going to be a girl dad.”
The instant picture of a little girl giggling, knowing that her future was bright and there was much to explore. I couldn’t help but imagine a little girl with my dark hair but soft beautiful face like her mother. I couldn’t wait to get our little girl in the art studio, picturing curious hands dipping into the paint, and splaying them on a canvas.
And all I wanted to do was count down the days until I get fuck another child in her. We wanted more. And thinking of Amelia with a constant round belly only made my cock harder.
Fear drained my face, “Fuck, Hound Dog better not have a boy. I don’t need to be chasing boys away that early.”
Amelia went quiet and I thought I fucked up. Amelia pulled away. “Melody is pregnant.”
Double fuck.
“Uh, yeah. I confirmed it for him last week. It’s still early.” And the man was planning to propose in a couple of weeks after finding out anyway.
Amelia bit her lip. “Oh the trouble that they’ll cause.” She rubbed her jelly smothered belly, “Allie Raine.”
I tilted my head. “Allie Raine?”
She shrugged, “I’ve been testing baby names while at work. Allie Raine Brooks. ‘A’ name for me. ‘R’ name for you.” Her face dropped, a small frown blooming on her face, “You hate it.”
I shook my head because it was perfect. I gathered her in my arms, kissing her head, and smiling as I rested my cheek on the top of her head.
“It’s beautiful,” I said, choking back the tears welling up in my soul.
It flowed. It was soothing, like my Amelia, my safe spot. My saving grace.
