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“Alright, so where do you want this?” Sam asked cheerfully, holding up an old oak chair. The wood had faded, the frame was battered, and it was missing a back leg. It’s a miracle it was still standing.
”Put it outside on the deck”, you say eyeing it with displeasure. “We can chop it up and store it in the wood shelter for later.”
”Yes ma’am!”, he said, holding the chair up high on his head and advancing for the door.
”Watch the-”, you say before being cut off by a loud thud.
”Oh crap!”, Sam cries as he hits the doorframe above, turning back anxiously to you to check your reaction.
”Don’t worry, you’re good”, you laugh at him, to which he relaxed his face. “Just hold it a little bit lower, okay?”
“Of course”, he said before moving the chair down to the front of his chest and walking out the door. “I’ll be back in a sec, don’t try move anything heavy while I’m gone!”, his voice echoed through the halls.
You smile and shake your head. Attempting to move anything right now would be a recipe for disaster, you thought to yourself as you looked down and gently rubbed your swollen stomach. “Just a few more weeks”, you told yourself hopefully.
Upon reaching your third trimester, your episodes of morning sickness only got worse and worse, combined with backaches and pelvic pain.
And to add to that struggle, Dr. Harvey insisted that you take it slow, and spend as much time off your feet as possible, restricting you from several activities, such as horse riding, fishing, even setting up your future babies nursery. But worst all; farming.
Managing the farm gave you a sense of purpose and motivation. It wasn't that you didn't trust Sam and the Junimos with running things, far from it actually, but the truth was that you loved seeing the fruits of hard labour, which in your case, was helping nourish the valley with fresh food, especially since the long anticipated closure of Joja Mart.
As for Sam, it was clear that he had absolutely no trouble with adjusting to this new dynamic, and it was so heartwarming to see. Just 2 years prior, at the beginning of your marriage, it was safe to say that he had fallen into a “regression”, since moving in with you on the farm.
It wasn’t that he was “lazy”, or “incompetent”, but it was that you were the exact opposite. Since he visited you on the farm for the first time, Sam understood that you had everything under control, from the crops and livestock, to the machines and silos.
He wanted to help, and did from time to time, yet since you were perfectly happy and capable of doing it on your own, he simply avoided getting in your way.
But now, with you off your feet, and a baby on the way, it’s given him this immediate, highly rewarding goal of helping someone he cares about who truly needs him, you.
The sweet sentimentality of it all brought a fuzzy feeling of butterflies to your stomach as you looked around the unfinished nursery. So much work and effort had been put into this room over the past few weeks, and it was coming together quite nicely.
”Aren’t you a lucky one?” You said softly, looking down as you caressed your stomach. “This big beautiful room, all for you”.
As if on cue, the baby gave a small kick of approval, or at least, that’s what you interpreted it as. “You’re welcome my love”, you said with a soft giggle.
This sweet moment of sappiness was interrupted by a loud noise down the hall.
“achoo!”, Sam’s sneeze echoed throughout the hall, indicating he was on his way back. It was usual to hear him before seeing him.
”Oh Yoba, my nose is killing me!”, he said sluggishly resting both hands on his knees. “It’s these pink flowers flying everywhere. They’re cute, yeah, but from a distance, not up my-”, he paused as you both braced yourselves for another earthquake.
”achoo!”, he sneezed again onto the floor. “Nose, I was gonna say nose.”
”You poor thing”, you chuckled warmly as you took out your handkerchief from the pocket of your long cotton dress, holding it out to him. Since you’ve been temporarily banned from any farm work, it’s been nice to put on something a bit more elevated for a change, instead of your trusty pair of overalls and boots.
”Thanks”, he said nasally, taking the handkerchief out of your hand, and aggressively blowing his nose with it. It’s such a shame that such an enjoyable season for some, could be such a death sentence for others, you thought to yourself.
”On my way to the library tomorrow, I’ll stop by the clinic and get you some hay fever pills hm?” You say in an attempt to lift his spirits.
“Really? Yeah, that would be awesome!”, he said, cheerfully. “I mean, if you’re sure you’re up to it..”
”Well I don’t want you sneezing around me and the baby all Spring, now do I?” You laughed.
”True, true”, he laughed in agreement before handing the used handkerchief back to you. Reluctantly taking it back, you’re reminded of the oak chair that was supposed to be outside.
“Did you put the chair out on the deck like I asked you?”, you asked, making sure he didn’t accidentally get distracted and simply went outside for the fun of it, leaving the chair in the kitchen or something.
”Chair…? What chair Rue?” He asked, furrowing his eyebrows in pure confusion. “Ohhhh, the old oak one right?”, he said, reminded of why he even went outside in the first place.
“Yeah, I chopped it up and put all the pieces into the wood shelter!”, He said, clearly proud of his handiwork.
”Aw, you didn’t have to chop it up you know”, you said appreciatively. “just put it outside…but thank you”.
“Of course”, he said happy that he could help you out even further. “Besides, it’s not like I could have you doing it anyways, remember what Uncle Doctor said?”, his playful grin causing you to roll your eyes.
”No over-working yourself”, you said in annoyance, resting your head deeper into the back cushions of the couch you were sitting on.
”Ding-Ding-Ding!”, Sam said playfully in retortion to your clear annoyance. “Now sit there while I finish…..building this dresser”, he said turning to a half finished birch dresser near the door.
“The dresser?” You ask in pure confusion. The dresser had remained unfinished in the same spot since the beginning of the year. Sam had an aptitude for procrastination.
”You were just declutterring, no?” You ask pointing towards the pile of miscellaneous furniture, decor, and boxes of old baby clothes in the corner of the room.
Sam looked over at the pile of stuff in the corner and quickly turned back to the dresser.
”Nah”, he said dismissively as he started opening up the tool box. “Besides, the dresser is more important. Considering all of Vince’s old stuff, and the clothes you’ve been sewing with that sewing machine of yours, we’re gonna need as much storage space possible”.
”I guess you’re right”, you say with a defeated smile. That was the truth in fact. Since you two announced to the family that you were expecting, Jodi has spent the past couple months scouring the house for some of Vincent’s old baby clothes, (much to his displeasure as a sentimental packrat) and dropping them off here.
And through the use of Emily’s sewing machine, you too have also contributed to the problem by making so many beanies, onesies, socks and trousers for the little bundle of joy.
You silently watch as Sam starts assembling the second drawer of the dresser. Completely ignoring the instruction manual, as it lay there face down behind him. Well he seems to be doing it right so far.
Turning your head over, you look towards the other corner of the room. A cozy reading nook consisting of a bookshelf, a plush chair, warm lamps, and plants, even plush toys. Such a warm, nostalgic space, yet you still felt like something was missing.
”I feel like something’s missing from that area there”, you say, snapping Sam out of his constructive trance, as he turned back to you.
”Over there”, you say nodding him in the correct direction.
”hmm”, he said quietly, formulating his own opinion on the area. “It looks quite alright to me”, was his initial opinion, however he understood that your lack of response meant that that wasn’t the response you were looking for.
“I mean, if you think it’s missing something, I’m sure we could find something else to go there”, he said with a smile, doing his best to appease you. “What were you thinking?”
”Um..”, you thought long and hard to yourself. “Perhaps a rug? Yeah, a nice, cozy, patchwork rug would go so well there, don’t you think?” You ask, looking for his approval.
”A patchwork rug?” He said as he slowly nodded, envisioning the idea for himself. “Yeah that’ll be nice. I’ll stop by the travelling cart this Sunday and get you one”.
He frantically started tapping down his pockets and looking around the room. “Need a pen?”, you ask with a soft chuckle before pulling one out of your pocket and holding it out to him.
With a smile of relief he walks over and leans down towards you. “You know me all too well”, he says before gently lifting your chin to kiss you.
“Get……rug….from….travellers…..cart”, he wrote as neatly as possible on his wrist, before returning back to the dresser.
Minutes pass as you watch your husband finish putting together the dresser as you ponder quietly to yourself.
It was clear that preparing for the role of fatherhood really had a positive impact on Sam. He clearly took pride in “stepping up”, to be there to care about you and the baby, and it was so sickeningly heartwarming to see.
You grew confused as you felt your throat begin to tighten, and your eyes began to sting with a prickly sensation. Suddenly, a single tear fell down your face.
Attempting to repress the tears only made it worse as your chest began to burn as more and more tears rolled down your face.
Maybe it was the pregnancy hormones, or maybe it was the pure confusion surrounding your current thoughts and emotions that caused you to start sobbing uncontrollably, burying your face into your hands.
Sam, upon hearing your cries quickly turned around and froze, his face a mixture of pure shock and confusion.
“Rue? Rue? Are you ok? Was it me? Did I do something wrong?” He bombarded you with questions before realising that he should probably be comforting you during a moment like this.
Comforting first, questions later, he thought to himself before rushing over to his sobbing wife on the couch.
“C’mere”, he almost whispered as he gently helped you stand from the couch, supporting your waist and shoulder.
”I’m…so…so…sorry”, you whimper in between sobs as you bury yourself into his chest, still keeping your hands up to cover your face.
He wrapped his arms around you and pulled you close, keeping mind of the baby in your stomach.
“You’re fine, alright?” He whispered softly despite not knowing what had you in such turmoil. Resting his chin on top of your head, he held you tight, gently rubbing and tracing his fingers across your back.
After what felt like an eternity of crying, you seem to bring yourself to a calm, sniffling any remaining tears away.
“I think I’m ok now..” you say with a hoarse voice, lifting your from Sam's chest and staring into his eyes.
Despite the reassurance that you were ok, Sam was unconvinced as he continued to hold you close.
“You wanna talk about it?” He asked, staring back concerningly into your eyes.
Nodding softly, Sam carefully guides you back to the couch and sits you down, before sitting down beside you. He gently takes your chin in his hand, using his thumb to wipe away any remaining tears.
“There’s that pretty face”, he said softly, clearly an attempt to brighten your spirits, as you flash a weak smile.
”I’m so sorry Sam”, you say as you gently push his hands down with yours. “I don’t know what’s been happening recently, I’ve just been so…so…emotional.
In Sam’s opinion this statement was true. It seemed that the deeper you got into your pregnancy, the more emotionally vulnerable you had become. Not to say that this was a bad thing, far from it actually, rather that it was something that he had to take to heart.
”I told you, you shouldn’t be apologising about that”, he said sympathetically. “It’s good to be open about how you feel ya know? Better out than in.”
“You’re right”, you say with a smile before inching closer to him, gently pulling his face down closer to yours. A rush of warmth and comfort ran through your body as you began slowly cupping his bottom lip, savouring the sensation.
Sam, not taking the moment for granted, gently shifted you onto his lap, arching his head back to deepen the kiss.
Gently pulling away, you both softly laugh together in between breaths, enjoying this moment of intimate silence.
”Better?” Sam asks with a smile, gently pushing a lock of your long hair behind your ear.
“Mhm”, you nod with a soft smile, appreciative of your loving husband. “Thank you”.
”Of course”, Sam responds with a gentle grin, before his face grew more serious.
”Now….you wanna tell me what’s going on?” He asks, snapping you back into reality.
Taking a deep breath, you slowly shift off of Sam’s lap and back onto the couch, laying back and resting your head deep into the cushions.
”If I’m being honest, I’m not too sure myself”, you say with a gentle chuckle.
”I guess it was just made me really happy seeing you so happy to take on so much responsibility these past couple months with such contentment, seeing you find such a spark, you know?”.
Sam smiled and slowly nodded his head. “Aw, thanks”, he said before pausing.
”You know I’ve noticed this change in myself aswell”, he said understandingly.
”Me being…”inconsiderate” , about the house and farm chores before, wasn’t me simply just leaving them all to you, you know?” He said with pure sincerity.
”You know the whole story with my mom never having me do any chores and stuff”, he said condescendingly.
“Maybe it was out of the desire to give me a joyous upbringing, or that she just felt like she could do everything better, I don’t know, but over time, I feel like I sorta developed this….mentality where if someone is happy with doing the work on their own, then I should let them be.” He said with a shrug.
”And let’s be honest, you’re so, so, much better at farm work than I’ll ever be, I’ll tell you that”, he said with a grin, earning a soft smile from you.
”We all have our strengths” you say gently rubbing his hand. “And clearly one of yours is the loving care you take of your loved ones”, you say as you place your hand on your stomach. “I’ve never felt more love and support during a time where I need it the most”
Hearing such words brought warmth to Sam’s heart as he bent down and gently kissed your stomach. “That makes me happy to hear” he said with a smile.
“You know I’ve noticed that, taking care of people, is something I’m good at, because well, it’s familiar to me”.
”With my father in and out of the military I guess I took it upon myself to ensure that Vincent always had a second father figure to lean on while he was away”. He said before taking your hands in his and looking into your eyes with the utmost sincerity.
“I may not be the best farmer, or cleaner Rue, but once there is something I know I can do, I’ll step in”.
Hearing Sam being able to put all of these separate thoughts into words brought clarity and warmth into your heart as you pulled him in for a hug.
”You’re going to make a great father Sam”, you whisper softly into his ear.
”And you a great mother Rue”, he replies warmly before both bringing yourselves to a stand. A loud grumble escaping from Sam’s stomach.
”Hungry?” You ask with a soft chuckle as you rested your arms on his shoulders, your faces inches below his.
”Yeah”, he responded with a chuckle as he held you close by your waist. “All of this sappiness has me starving”
”Well what were you thinking?” You asked, already knowing his answer.
“How about we……order some pizza?” He asked curiously raising his eyebrows, hoping you’d say yes.
“Sure, why not”, you giggle softly at his innocence.
“Aw yeah…Pizza time!” He exclaimed, mimicking a train horn with his hand.
“Oh Samson”, you laugh before pulling his face down close to yours for a passionate kiss.