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JT and Tally came over to take a small tour of Dani and Malcolm's new apartment. Since they were dating and having a baby together, it was logical that they should move in together. It was a pretty nice place overall with three bedrooms, two baths, and a spacious open kitchen/living area. However, coming back to the living room, JT spotted an unusual set up in the corner and blurted, "And what is that supposed to be?" Initially, he noticed the yoga mats and the stability ball and assumed it was a little fitness area, but now that he was closer, JT took in some other details. He observed a small shelf filled with child birthing and rearing texts, posters of birthing techniques and the formation of a fetus, and, on a table underneath them, a plastic doll with diapers and a blanket.
"That is our birthing zone. It has everything we need to prep for the big day." Malcolm said proudly. "You like it?"
"It's... something." JT answered vaguely, staring at the poster of the birthing process. It gave him flashbacks to the birth of his own child a year and a half ago, both amazing and disgusting. Feeling squeamish, he added, "I'm gonna need a beer." then headed off quickly to the kitchen.
Following behind, Malcolm joined JT in the kitchen. By the time they made it back to the living room, the women were out of the nursery and relaxing on the sofa. Sitting in the chairs perpendicular to the couch, the men passed over drinks to their significant others. JT and Tally enjoy a cold beer, while Malcolm and Dani stuck with some refreshing bottles of water.
"I love what you guys have done with the place." Tally chirped. "The birthing zone is a nice touch. I'm guessing you guys got inspired by the Lamaze class I recommended?"
Malcolm smirked as he flicked a glance to Dani and said, "Something like that."
Dani rolled her eyes and took a sip of her water to avoid answering.
JT, being the astute detective that he was, picked up on their nonverbal cues and smiled, "You got kicked out, didn't you?"
"Yep." Malcolm spilled.
"Malcolm!" Dani scolded, throwing a pillow at him. "You promised not to tell anyone."
"Technically, he figured it out." Malcolm tossed back."I just confirmed it."
"I'm sorry," Tally interrupted. "how exactly do you get kicked out of Lamaze?"
"Yeah," JT agreed. "This is a story I gotta here."
"We had a difference of opinion." Malcolm said lightly.
"Yeah, Instructor Shelly thought she was god's gift to child birthing, we thought she was a quack." Dani sassed.
"I actually thought she was insightful with her breathing techniques." Malcolm tried to defend.
"Seriously?" Dani challenged. "Go to your happy place? Pain is only a state on mind? That lady is whacked."
"So, you disagreed with Shelly, then what?" JT noted amusingly, waiting for her to continue.
"Yeah, she always seemed so sweet and understanding to me. I can't see her kicking you out of class over that." Tally commented thoughtfully.
"It wasn't just that." Malcolm asserted. "Dani also cussed her out in front of the entire class."
"The woman had a c-section. A C-SECTION!" Dani stated exasperatedly. "She is up in front of everyone, telling us that child birth is painless with the right tools when she's never even given birth naturally. What does she know?"
"I take it you told her that." JT chuckled.
"Along with where she could put her happy place." Malcolm remarked. "Then, we were promptly escorted out of the building by gym security.
"Wow." Tally stated with a laugh of her own. "That's quite the story."
"Yeah, it wasn't exactly my finest moment, but Shelly had it coming." Dani admitted, rubbing her stomach soothingly. She was a few days into her third trimester and was quite large already. The more she grew, the harder it was to get comfortable and keep control of her emotions, though it didn't stop her from trying. It's just too bad trying didn't always mean succeeding.
The couples talked for a while longer until the drinks were gone and the laughter subsided. Itching to get back to their bouncing baby boy and wanting to let Dani rest, JT and Tally called it an early night and headed home. Once they were gone, Malcolm cleaned up the bottles, disposing of them in the recycling bin under the kitchen sink, then returned to his girlfriend who was now stretched out across the sofa with hands cradling her protruding stomach. With a small smile, Malcolm walked over, picked up her legs, and sat down, placing her feet atop his lap where he began massaging them.
Dani's eyes were closed as she moaned, "That feels so good."
Malcolm didn't feel the need to respond. Instead, he kept working, kneading his thumbs into the balls of her foot. He didn't notice, but Dani started to watch him with an appreciative smile. After a couple minutes, he switched feet. That was when she spoke up and said, "I don't deserve you."
"What are you talking about?" He queried, meeting her eyes with a furrowed brow.
"You've been so great this entire pregnancy, literally waiting on me hand and foot, and I'll I've done is yell, complain, and make a grown woman cry." Dani explained then quickly added, "By the way, thanks for not telling JT about that part."
Pausing his massage, Malcolm sighed, "First of all, you don't have to thank me. Second of all, you are entitled to your emotions. You know why? Because you are creating a human being inside of you."
"I know, but I'd understand if you were angry or annoyed with me." She told him.
"Dani," He retorted. "you are carrying our child, and, as long as she is inside you, I could never be angry about anything you say or do."
"Fine, so I--wait... " Dani paused, moving her feet off of her boyfriend and onto the floor, so she could shift back to a sitting position, which was more difficult than anticipated with her belly, but she managed then finally finished, "did you just say she?"
Malcolm sputtered, "N-No... I said it. As long as it is inside you."
"No, you said she." Dani said certainly. "Did you call the doctor behind my back? Are we having a girl?"
Seeing the twinkle in her eye, Malcolm wasn't sure if it was from excitement or anger. Either way, the jig was up. He couldn't and wouldn't lie any longer, so he answered, "Yes. We are." but before she could say anything, Malcolm ranted on, "Listen, I know we agreed to wait and be surprised, but this entire pregnancy was a surprise. It through me for a complete loop and gave me anxiety like crazy. I don't know if you've noticed, but I don't do well in situations where I have no control. "
"No, stop it..." She trailed off sarcastically.
"Anyway," Malcolm pushed on, ignoring her teasing and the smile it evoked on his face. "knowing the gender was just a way of getting some control back and calming my nerves... just like with the books and posters. The more I know, the more I can prepare and the more confident I'll feel about all of this."
"It's a lot to take in. I get it." Dani said seriously, taking his hands in hers and giving them a loving squeeze.
"Good," He returned gratefully then went on. "because I really am sorry about lying to you and spoiling the surprise. "
"It's okay." She told him. "The truth is, when the doctor first asked if we wanted to know the gender, I only said no because I was scared."
"Really?" Malcolm asked, not expecting to hear that.
"Yeah," Dani nodded. "You said knowing the gender of the baby made you feel under control. Well, it just made me feel overwhelmed. It meant that this thing inside me was more than just a concept to wrap my head around, that it was an actual little person."
"Knowing the gender would make it real." He reiterated, understanding crossing his face.
"And I wasn't ready to admit that." She confessed. "Not then."
"And now?" He queried.
"And now," She repeated before adding, "My stomach is way too big to ignore, so..."
"Funny." He humored. "But in all serious, are you still feeling scared?"
"Not so much." She nodded then continued delightfully, "I'm too happy to be scared. We're having a daughter."
"We're having a daughter." Malcolm beamed back at her then raised a hand to cup her cheek and pull her in for a tender kiss. Pulling back after a moment, he moved his hand down to Dani's stomach. Splaying it across her belly button, Malcolm felt her warmth penetrate the oversized cotton t-shirt followed by a light kick then another and another. For the rest of the evening, they lied cuddled on the sofa, feeling the baby kick, and talking names for a baby girl. They quickly agreed for the middle name to be Jessica. The first name, however, was taking longer to decide. That was okay though. They had a few weeks left to decide. For now, it was enough to know that they had a daughter and that they weren't alone in their fear.
Having someone to lean on, to understand you, and to cuddle with was a powerful thing, and Dani was glad that Malcolm was that someone for her. She was also grateful to be that someone for him in return. And together, they would be that someone for their little girl.