Taking Leaps
INVOLVED: Nova Taylor and Aaron Moore TIME FRAME: Sunday, March 15th, 2020 LOCATION: Buy-Buy Baby; Houston, Texas SUMMARY: Nova and Aaron go out to buy a few things for their son and Aaron finally breaks asking Nova for a favor to ensure their future.
Nova walked idly down the store, a shopping cart before her as they moved for the infant section. She had been itching to buy some things for their baby boy since Aaron completed his nursery, but they hadn’t gotten around to doing it until now. With Aaron working on campus a lot recently, their classes taking up much time, and her involving herself in her mother’s most recent project their time was divided thinly right now. She rested her hand on her lower back as she looked the electronics in relation to breast pumping “hm” she said looking at the pricey pump that was so modern and sleek.
Aaron walked alongside Nova slowly, his hands in his sweatpants pockets as he looked around. Nova had finally coaxed him into shopping, and he had finally felt like he had enough money to do so. He knew their parents were helping them and that Nova’s parents had money but as a man and as a father, he wanted to truly be able to provide for his child on his own. With his own hard-earned cash, though he didn’t think Nova fully understood that. He sighed softly, looking at just how expensive things were, and he began doubting his ability to really be able to splurge today. Looking at the pump Nova was looking at; he bit his lip. It was pricey. Very pricey, however he said nothing as he placed his hand on her lower back, rubbing a bit there.
Nova looked back at Aaron and said, “what do you think?” questionably as she picked up the displayed item. It looked so cool and futuristic and there were empty spots on the self, that meant it had to be good right? It was retailed for 219 but if it assisted her in the pumping process it would be so worth it. “This could be a really good buy” she said happily to him.
Aaron rubbed Nova’s back still as she asked her question and he sighed out. “It looks nice,” he said trying to be thoughtful and attentive to what she wanted and needed. She was going through the pregnancy, not him. “Will it help you?” he asked, trying to weigh the pros and the cons of buying it.
Nova looked up at him and she shrugged “it looks like it’s really good” she said reading the information tags on it. She sat the pump back down on its display before she shifted forward “it’s too pricey” she said knowingly as she looked at another, and then another.
Aaron nodded at her, reading the back of the box over her shoulder a bit until she put it down. He frowned. “Baby, if you want that one, get that one,” he said as he thought about how much he had remaining on his credit card limit. He could manage.
“Nah” Nova tried to laugh off as she looked at the other product before biting her lip as she read over the information. When she was too tired to weigh pros and cons, she moved on all together looking at something totally different now. She moved to the baby care things and she looked at those items quietly.
Aaron knew Nova really wanted the pump, so he kept it in his little storage locker in his mind to get for her later. He just wanted to make her happy, rather that meant going broke or not. He followed her over to the baby care items and he looked around curiously. He had read the books, but he set up the entire nursery without Nova’s input, so he was giving this to her. This was her lane; he was just a passenger.
She wanted to go shopping but for what she didn’t know anymore. She knew the child would be taken care of, but she also wanted to buy him things that she and he picked out for him as well. Nova licked her lips and she moved to the next section again, moving into the clothes and she looked at the boy things now, eyeing them all slowly.
Aaron trailed just behind Nova as she moved through the care section and into the clothes. He looked around slowly, taking in all of the items and the prices with a bite of his lip. He noticed some stuff for sale and on the clearance rack and he moved for those items, flipping through them.
Nova picked up an outfit and its matching hat and mittens, and she mused over them easily before she rested them in the cart. Looking back to see Aaron wasn’t behind her and she turned back to her task knowing he’d resurface eventually.
Aaron moved through the clothes thoughtfully, pulling a few items off the rack and holding them in his hands. He moved for the next rack, grabbing things from there as well. With 6 hangers in his hand, he moved back over to Nova, laying what he had picked out in the cart as he rested his hands on her hips.
Nova picked up another set and placed it in the cart as well before Aaron returned with clothes, she looked at them each and smiled. “How cute” she told him easily and she picked them up looking them over.
Aaron smiled softly ay Nova. “You think so?” he asked honestly. He knew Nova had expensive taste, because she could afford expensive things, so he was never really sure if she would like anything he would pick out for the baby.
“Yeah” Nova responded “it is a baby after all” she told him downplaying her real thoughts. Much like her friend stated in a YouTube video days ago, why would she live an expensive lifestyle and then not do the same for their kid? There was no logic behind it. She licked her lips resting them back in the cart before she said. “I know other people will spoil him and we haven’t had a baby shower yet…” she said as she pulled her bottom lip into her mouth looking back at the wall of things.
Aaron nodded slowly, shoving his hands into his pockets. Nova’s lips said one thing, but he knew she meant another. He sighed deeply, looking at the items in their cart, “yeah…” he said, rubbing his hand over his hair and down the back of his neck before shoving it back into his pocket. “I’m sure people will buy him nice and expensive things…” he said, a little dejected.
Nova looked at him at his words and she nodded “mhm” she told before she said. “Let’s pick up some socks” dancing over the topic. She really wanted to talk about this money thing they were dealing with, but she also knew Mia told her to let Aaron handle what he needed to and to not press him about it. That was easy for her to say, look at Tyler.
Aaron rubbed the back of his neck again. “Okay,” he said as he followed Nova over to the socks, his feet dragging a little. He had been working as much as he could, trying to save up to support Nova and their son but he really felt that Nova didn’t see or just didn’t appreciate all the effort he was putting forth.
Nova moved down a little further and she looked at the tiny socks and smirked. “They are so small” she said looking back at him, taking him in.
Aaron followed Nova to the socks, and he pulled his bottom lip into his mouth. “He’s so small,” he said resting his hand on her stomach gently. “Think we should get a couple of sizes?” he asked, knowing babies’ feet grew.
Nova rested her hand on top of his and she chuckled lightly “yeah they do come out small” so she heard. She moved his hand along her stomach with her own as their son actively moved about in her stomach. “If you want” she said picking up some newborn sized white socks.
Feeling their son moving, Aaron smiled, and he nodded as he reached for a few 2-3-month-old socks with his freehand. “Did we get skullies?” he asked.
Nova continued to hold Aaron’s hand there against her stomach as she picked up another pair of newborn pairs of socks and rested it in the cart. She looked at him and nodded “I picked up two of them” she said “they match the outfits I picked up” she said honestly.
Aaron nodded slowly at Nova, just feeling her stomach as their son kicked. He had to find another job. He had to find a way to fully give Nova everything that she wanted and needed for their child. Maybe he would talk to Tyler and see if he could hook him up with some art gigs.
Nova shifted finally releasing his hand and she said, “I think we got some good stuff for today, you ready to go?” she asked him. She wasn’t even going to look into strollers, car seats, or any more gadgets for the baby right now. There was no point.
“You don’t want to look around at anything else?” Aaron asked her softly. He just wanted to get an idea of how much some of this other stuff would cost.
“We can…” Nova said not convinced that they needed to at the end of the day. However, she moved to walk around towards some other areas of the store.
Aaron bit his lip. “Only if you want to, babe.” He moved with her to different areas of the store. He’d at the various prices, making mental notes in his head. “Uh, babe,” he said, stopping her now. He was setting his pride aside.
Nova continued to walk, hips twisting as she did and when the man called her name, she looked back at him. “Hm?” she asked.
“Uh… you think your dad could get me onto a few sets?” Aaron asked. “Like as a paid intern or something?”
At his question she smiled at him, finally a breakthrough, thank goodness. He was using his head for once and she loved that. “Of course, he could” Nova said with a smile as she rested her hand on her belly. “I’ll text him right now” she said turning to her purse in the cart and she pulled out her cell phone texting her dad quickly and pressing send before she tucked it away.
Nodding slowly, Aaron looked down at the floor as he said, “thanks, babe.” He had to do what he had to do. Her father could open a lot of doors for him. This he knew for a fact. It wasn’t the route that he wanted to take but it was the route he needed to take for his family.
Nova was giddy inside finally; he’d decided to steer himself in the right direction. He had no clue how long she was waiting for him to do what she already had devised in her head. She smiled and walked over to him wrapping him up in her arms tightly “this is going to open so many doors for you babe” she said happily.
As Nova wrapped him up, Aaron held her close, kissing her forehead. “I know,” he said softly, hugging her to him. “It’s not really what I want to do,” he admitted, “but it’s what I need to do for you and the bean,” he said with a hum. “So, I gotta step up,” he said knowingly. “It’ll be great in the long run.”
Nova looked up at him as he kissed her forehead and she scrunched her nose a bit. She nodded her head as he spoke “it will” she breathed out proudly. “I am so proud of you for even considering this” she told him, eyes filled with love as she gazed into his.
Aaron smiled softly, the love in Nova’s eyes making him feel better about the entire situation. “All for you and our little bean,” he said sweetly.
“And we love you for it, daddy” Nova said with a wiggle of her brows before she leaned up on her tippy toes meeting him for a kiss.
Aaron leaned in, kissing Nova’s lips lovingly. “You ready to get out of here?” he asked as he pulled away, looking down at their cart.
Nova nodded her head and said “yes, we can go” easily to him as she turned back to the cart, pushing it towards an open register.
Aaron smiled and he moved with Nova towards the registers. His hands rested on her hips and his chin on top of her head. He moved with her sweetly, his arms coiling around her small belly now. “I love you babe,” he said sweetly.
As they waited in line for the expectant parents before them to check out, Nova smirked at Aaron. She said “I love you too babe” easily before she said “I want french fries” with a hearty chuckle.
Aaron chuckled and he said, “we can get you some french fries.”