Seer
Chapter 7

November 2001

Stefanie

Ugh. I sit back against the bathtub and wipe my face. I don’t remember this much morning sickness with Jonathan. I’m glad he’s not up yet. I’ve been feeling okay most mornings after an initial bout of queasiness, so hopefully by the time I have to get him ready for school this will have passed.

When I finally get out of the bathroom Brad is dressed, and he comes over and gives me a hug. “Poor sweet baby,” he says,“ rubbing my back. “Can I get you anything?”

“A time machine?”

He looks down at me, confused and amused. “Um….”

“To make the next seven months go by faster,” I explain.

“Ah.” He kisses the top of my head. “I’ll check to see if we have any at the store.”

I smile and go down the hall to Jonathan’s room.

As uncomfortable as this pregnancy has been so far, I am getting more and more excited about it. I’ll wait another month until after I’m out of the first trimester to tell anybody else. I especially want to make sure that everything is secure and fine before getting Jonathan’s hopes up about becoming a big brother.

Brad has been so wonderful. Before I told him, I kept having flashbacks about how miserable he seemed when I was pregnant with Jonathan, but it hasn’t been like that at all. He is even more excited about this than I am. He’s started talking about clearing out the office to make a nursery, and moving all that stuff out into the living room. Every time I turn around he’s asking me if I’m feeling all right, if there’s anything he can do for me. The extra hormones are making me extra emotional, and I find myself tearing up sometimes thinking about how wonderful it is going to be to see him holding our new little baby.

I was only half joking about the time machine. I can’t wait for this time to go by.

However, I have lots to do to keep busy. I’m going to be starting my final semester at San Diego State in January. My psychology degree comes with an internship requirement, and I have just finished making arrangements to intern at a child psychologist’s office starting after the holidays. I’m super excited about that. It’ll just be office work, I think, of course I can’t treat patients, but I know I’ll learn a lot.

But for now, the kid. One thing at a time. I go into his room to wake him up.

Stefanie’s

My beloved’s life continues to unfold beautifully, her soul glowing softly as her family grows. She thrives in her university classes, and is preparing to complete her education and enter the workforce. She is not clear on what job she will pursue, but the internship will provide an opportunity to further explore her options.

Now that she is expecting another baby, she does not know how her career will unfold. She is deeply grateful for the support of her husband, who earns enough money as a grocery store assistant manager that she has been able to focus on her education while working part time.

It will be interesting to observe how the new little life will impact their family dynamic. At the age of 8, their son has been accustomed to being the center of attention throughout his life. Jonathan is a unique child, very adept at arranging his family and social life to suit his own ends. His parents have not detected the darker side of his personality, as he is extremely aware of their perceptions of him, and is careful to keep anything they might dislike hidden from their view. It is unclear to me how having a sibling will impact his development.

I do know that my dearest soul is a loving mother, devoted to her husband and child. It is my fervent wish that the growth of her family will bring only joy.

Ron

I’ve figured out how I want to do it. Brenda and I used to go stargazing in Albuquerque, back when we were dating a long time ago. The night sky in New Mexico is stunning, when it is a cloudless night and you can get away from the city lights. We used to drive the car out into the hills, and get out and sit on the hood, leaning back against the windshield, and just watch the sky. It was incredibly romantic. Out there, the Milky Way slashes vibrantly across the sky, something that we almost never see here in San Diego County.

But if we go to the desert nearby, we can see it. And I know just the time to do it. This year’s Leonids meteor shower later this month is supposed to be extra intense. Astronomers predict that the Earth will be passing through a particularly heavy debris field from comet Tempel-Tuttle. That’s going to be happening overnight on November 17, which is a Saturday, so it being the weekend we should be able to fit it in to our schedules.

I’m going to ask our friends if the kids can stay overnight with them on Saturday. I’m sure that Jonathan’s folks will be happy to host Gabe, and I imagine Laura will be equally fine with having Natalie overnight.

Then I’m going to take Brenda out to the Anza-Borrego desert, to a remote campground. I’ll explain that I want to go stargazing again with her. I’m sure that she’ll be fine with that.

And while we’re there, laying down together while watching the beautiful night sky, I will ask her to marry me. Again.

I’m nervous and excited and terrified. I have to plan everything just right so that the night is absolutely perfect.

And all I can do is hope that this is what she is waiting for, that she wants to stay with me forever this time, that she has forgiven me and trusts me and loves me enough to take this leap. Again.

Jonathan

Mom wakes me up, and I think for a minute about what day it is. Friday. Good, that means Gabe’s family is probably coming back over here tonight. I see Gabe at school every day, but we aren’t in the same class since he’s in 5th grade and I’m in 3rd. So I like it when he’s staying here at his Dad’s house, and we can play. He’s the only other kid on our street close to my age. Other than his sister, I guess, but she never plays with us.

After breakfast Mom drops me off at school like usual. Gabe is already there, waiting for me on the monkey bars, our usual spot. He drops off and heads over when he sees me coming. He’s holding something in his hand.

“What’s that?” I ask him, when he reaches his hand out to me. He opens it up, and I see that he is holding a ladybug. “Cool!” I reach out to take it.

It starts crawling across my fingers, and we both watch it going up and down my hand. It’s funny. It goes across the back of my hand, then back down over into my palm, while I turn my hand back and forth to keep it on top. When it gets back inside my fingers, I squish it. I look up at Gabe, laughing. But he’s not laughing. He looks disgusted.

“What’d you do that for? Ladybugs are nice.”

“Oh, oops,” I say. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to, my hand just slipped.” I shake my hand so it falls off, and lands on the sand.

“Dude, be more careful next time,” Gabe says. It’s kind of annoying for him to scold me about it. It’s fun to squash bugs, I wish he’d realize that. Oh well, I need to make sure my friend isn’t mad at me.

“Yeah, I will, next time I’ll be more careful.” Next time Gabe is watching, that is.

Ron

After work I head back over to my house. Brenda is meeting me there with the kids, after we’d been at her house all week. I’ve been making my plans for the desert trip, and need to check with Jonathan’s folks about letting him spend the night next weekend. I’ve already cleared it with Laura, and she said she’s happy to have Natalie over Saturday night.

When I get home, Brenda and the kids have just arrived. I’ve picked up some burgers for dinner, so we settle in to eat pretty quickly.

Gabe wolfs his food like always, then asks “Can I go over to Jonathan’s?”

This is my chance. “Yeah, kid, hold on a second and I’ll walk down there with you.”

I push my chair back from the table and give Brenda a kiss on her cheek. “Be right back.” I pat Natalie’s head as I go.

Jonathan answers the door, and rather than just go straight home I ask him, “Can I come in and talk to your parents for a minute?” He shrugs and leaves the door open for me to come in, as he and Gabe run back to his room.

Brad pokes his head around the corner. “Hey Ron, how are you?”

“Good. I’m wondering if I can ask you guys a big favor?”

“Sure. Come on in.”

We head over to the kitchen, where Stefanie is still sitting with her dinner. “Hey Ron,” she says, picking at her food.

“Hi. So, I’m wondering if you guys could help me out with something. Next weekend I’m hoping to bring Brenda out on an overnight date, and I’m wondering if Gabe could stay the night here on Saturday? A week from tomorrow?”

Stefanie and Brad look at each other. Brad asks her, “Is that ok with you?” She shrugs, and says “Yeah, that’s ok.”

“Yeah, sure, Ron, that should be fine,” Brad says. “Where are you going?”

“Out to the desert. Do some stargazing. I haven’t told her yet, I want it to be a surprise.”

Stefanie smiles. “Stargazing eh? That sounds like fun.” I know they remember the times we’ve done that together with the kids, often using my telescope in the yard.

“Thanks so much,” I tell them. “Send Gabe home in an hour or so, or if he becomes a bother.”

Brad grins. “Gabe is never a bother. He’s good for Jonathan.”

Ok, I’ve got the kids squared away. Time for phase two.

Brenda

The kids are upstairs settled into bed. Ron and I are having a nightcap in the living room, just enjoying some peace and quiet together after our long week of working. I’m leaning against him, curled up into his side with his arm around me. My legs are tucked up on the couch. He leans down and kisses the top of my head.

“Mmmmm,” I murmur, then tilt my head up to get the kiss on my lips. He leans his face down further and we have a slow, gentle kiss.

We’ve both been holding our drinks in our other hands during this, but he takes mine and puts them both on the side table. Now that his hand is free he uses it to stroke the side of my neck, and weaves his fingers into my hair while he kisses me again. I reach up to him, rubbing his short hair with my fingers as I reciprocate.

After a time, he stops kissing and nuzzles the top of my head again. “Brenda?” he asks.

“Hmmm?” I say, thinking he’s about to suggest we take this upstairs.

“I’d like to take you someplace next weekend. Out to the desert to do some stargazing. There’ll be a meteor shower that’s supposed to be pretty good. Remember how we used to go watch the stars in Albuquerque?”

Oh! That’s not what I was expecting at all. But yeah, I do remember that very fondly. We used to go out to the middle of nowhere and lay up on the car and look at the beautiful night sky, between bouts of necking. “Yeah, I remember. I loved that. I think the kids will like it too.”

“Actually,” he says, “I want to bring just you. We can bring the kids another time. But I want this one to be just for us.”

Wow, that sounds so very nice. But…

He cuts me off. He knows what I’m thinking. “I’ve already arranged for the kids to stay with their friends. Gabe will stay overnight at Jonathan’s house, and Natalie will stay at Timothy’s. Everything is all set.”

I sit up and lean back to get a better look at him. “Really?” He looks hopeful and sheepish all at the same time, his blue eyes asking if I’ll agree to go.

He’s up to something. Something nice. It’s hard to get used to this again, to having him want to take care of me, surprise me. I’ve been very self-reliant for so long, and I still find it unexpected when something like this happens. I laugh a little. “Yes, of course, it sounds wonderful. I guess you’ve already gotten everything set up? What else can I help with? Packing? Shopping?”

He lifts my hand up to his lips, kissing my fingers. “Nothing. I’ll take care of everything. I just want to be together with you under the stars again.”

I feel the slow burn that has been developing all night flare to life. I want him. Now. I kiss him again, harder this time, pressing myself against him. We are breathless after a minute. “Let’s go upstairs,” I tell him. I hear the huskiness in my voice. He nods, panting slightly. We’re both ready. Good thing the kids are sound asleep.

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