“I’m pregnant.”
“I’m pregnant.” -- Rodelaide
It is Christmas holiday. Roy feels like this is not the time he should be sitting outside a locked door to the toilet trying to apologise for another misplaced comment. Yet here he’s sat on the cold hardwood floor of his flat, trying to get Addie to open up. Only half the tree in the front room is decorated and he’s about ready to stick a wad of tinsel in his mouth to stop himself from ever upsetting the woman again.
“Come on, Ads. I swear I meant nothing by it! I’m sorry, I’m bloody sorry and I’ll say it till my teeth fall out!” Roy knocks his head gently against the closed door as if he can knock some sense into himself by doing so.
He’d only said: Should you be wearing that while decorating a Christmas tree? And Roy will go to his death claiming he hadn’t meant to judge her attire, only to encourage Addie to wear a little less. The thought of skimpily enjoying tree decorating had crossed his mind and he’d been foolish enough to make a sideways comment without clarifying himself first.
Hearing a few sniffles and shuffling around from within, Roy tilts his head up to the door knob. Maybe Addie finally hears him and will come out to talk. Or just cuddle. Cuddling solves everything. That and a nice warm cuppa.
“You don’t even need to wear yourself out decorating. I’ll do the rest while you relax and watch me bullocks it all to hell just for your entertainment,” Roy cajoles. Not that he’d ever bullox up decorating for Christmas. It’s the only other holiday next to Halloween that he will never stop being excited to decorate and festoon his life with.
The door swings open without warning and Roy falls back onto the floor, unprepared for the sudden loss of his support. Blinking up at Addie who stands over him with an unreadable look in her expression, Roy frowns. “I really am sorry, Adelaide.”
The woman’s dark ringlets bob as she shakes her head, her eyes wet with unshed tears. Goodness, he hadn’t thought he’d done quite the damage with his words. With a scuffled hurry, Roy pulls himself to his feet and rests his hands on his girlfriend’s shoulders. Truly his partner now after weeks of debating and huffing. “Ad--”
“It’s not you--I’m just--” Adelaide quickly rubs at her eyes trying to dispel the threat of more tears. “Merlin, Roy! I’m pregnant.”
The man blinks. A second passes. Then another. “I think I should have just stayed lying on the floor for that.”
“Yeah, perhaps you should have,” Addie replies with a hiccuping watery laugh. “Are you--what are you thinking?”
With a slow-spreading smile, Roy answers, “I’m thinking we’re going to have Florence and Marcus beat for cutest baby. And that I need to watch my mouth a helluva lot more now.”
Addie looks ready to make a reply but Roy doesn’t give her the chance. Pulling her into him, the man captures her lips in a thrilling kiss that evokes all the messy excited and terrified feelings he has at the thought of having a child. A kiss to express his love for Addie that only grows by the day and will blossom tenfold for her and the little life she now carries.
