Pieces, page 13
She stirs a bit and opens her eyes. They land on mine as she smiles again. Her hand comes up and cups my cheek; I lean into her touch savoring it.
"I love you, Noah."
"I love you too, Katie. We should get to bed. I have an early morning tomorrow with Dr. Bob."
"Really? Already? That's good!" I nod my head in agreement. She starts to get up, but I scoop her up in my arms, making her squeal a bit, and carry her bridal style up to our room.
"You know you won't be able to do that to me much longer when I get too fat."
I give her a playful glare.
"You're pregnant Katie, not fat. And you will always be beautiful to me no matter what."
I kiss her gently on the lips, lay down next to her closing my eyes, as she cuddles next to me.
Noah
I wake up early, hoping I don't wake Katie, but to my dismay, she's already awake, throwing up the contents of her stomach.
I throw on my sweatpants and walk towards her. Sweat is covering her forehead, and her eyes are watery. She sees me and groans.
"Don't look at me, Noah! I'm disgusting."
I grab a washcloth and wet it, coming down to her level, I start to wipe at her forehead.
"Katie. You’re not disgusting. Baby, please, it's normal. Do you need some water? Do you feel like you're going to be sick again?"
"Please don't be a doctor, Noah. I just need you to be Noah, my boyfriend!" She whines, and I instantly know it's her hormones. She was very pushy with Alex, but I was patient and held my ground.
"I am Katie. Just let me help you. I didn't get to do any of this when you were pregnant with Alex. I just want you to be comfortable." She looks at me with tired eyes before sighing.
"Ok. I'm sorry. I just feel like garbage. It's worse this time; I wasn't this sick with Alex."
"You mean you've been sick this whole time, and I had no idea? How did you do it?"
"Guest bathroom," she simply says without looking at me. "You're a deep sleeper, so it wasn't that hard."
"Oh," is all I can say. I reach out my hand for her to grab, and she does, allowing me to pull her up.
"Let's get you back in bed to sleep a little more, and I'll get you some water." She nods as I lead her back to our bed. I grab a glass of water, and when she's done gulping it down, I place it on her bed stand.
"Go. I'll be fine. You're going to be late."
"Ok, babe." I kiss her on the forehead and jump in the shower. She's still sound asleep when I leave the room. I jump down the stairs, and my mom greets me—a warm smile on her face when she sees me come in.
"You look snazzy this morning. Where are you off to?"
"Starting my residency with Dr. Bob today, I’m not sure when I'll be home."
"Oh, that's wonderful! Let me pack your lunch!"
"Ma, you don't need to do that. I'm not twelve anymore."
"Oh, nonsense. You need to eat!" I shake my head and grab a cup of coffee as she empties half the contents of the fridge.
"So, how's Katie feeling this morning?"
"Not so good. She's got morning sickness already, and she's sleeping right now."
"Oh, that's good. Morning sickness means the baby is healthy. I'll keep an eye on her, don't worry."
"Thanks, mom. Just don't let her know it. She's feisty. She's very independent and if she wants to go to work, let her."
She simply waves her hand at me while making my sandwich.
"Morning, daddy," Alex chirps as he comes into the kitchen in his Paw Patrol pajamas.
"Morning, big man. How did you sleep?"
"Good. Where's mommy? Where are you going? What's for breakfast?" I start to laugh.
"Whoa, relax, buddy. Mommy isn't feeling well, she's still sleeping, and daddy has to go to work as a doctor."
"I'll make you some French toast, buddy," my mom says lovingly as she slides over my lunch bag.
"Thanks, mom."
"Thanks, grandma."
"You’re both welcome."
I can't believe how big Alex is getting. He's going to start first grade in a few months. He just keeps getting taller and taller before my eyes. I give my mom a kiss on her forehead and one for Alex before leaving.
When I pull up to the office that's soon to be mine, I see Dr. Bob waiting for me by the front door. He sees me and smiles. My clinical’s were much different, at least at first. It was strictly shadowing three days a week while the other two were hands-on but only with the basics. This time It will be all hands on deck with everything and everyone.
"Good morning Noah! You look very fitting for the part," he chuckles while unlocking the door. We walk in, and I make a mental note when he starts to flick on all the lights illuminating the office.
"So when does Glenda come in?"
Glenda is the office secretary, and we have two nurses as well, Juliet and Marylou.
"She comes in usually around this time, so any time now. Then Juliet will be here at nine-thirty, Marylou at ten. We close at seven, and since we are the only doctor’s office in town, we try to accommodate everyone, but that's up to you whether you would like to keep it that way. I know you already know that, but I just thought I'd remind you since you will be here the whole day every day." I nod and smile.
We walk down the hallway past the rooms I’ve noted need some updating, but all in all, aren’t too bad. I have lots of plans for this place when I take over two years from now. We enter into his small, quaint office, and I watch as he turns on the computer and unlocks the filing cabinet. He gives me a brief rundown of how he organizes things and how he begins his day. He hands me a white coat and a pair of stethoscopes that I wrap around my neck. The bell to the front door rings, signaling someone arriving. We head back to the front to see Glenda getting situated for the day.
"Hey, Glenda!" I give her a short wave as she recognizes who I am. A small smile graces her face.
"Noah! So nice to see you."
"Likewise, I'm ready to get my hands dirty," I rub my hands together as she chuckles and starts up her computer.
Another ring sounds from the front door.
"Alright, Noah, are you ready?"
I smile, unable to contain the excitement bubbling up in the pits of my stomach. "I'm ready."
Katie
Despite the rough morning I had, I felt much better after sleeping a couple of extra hours. I got dressed and managed to eat a bit to regain my strength. I had a few surprises in store for Noah, and I couldn't wait to see his reaction.
Everything is finally going well. I want to savor every moment. A small part of me feels as if it would drop at any moment, but I shake it off and focus on the happiness surrounding me. I had planned to see Noah today to confirm how far along I am and hear our baby’s first heartbeat, and I also wanted to tell him the good news about the house. It was finally ready. The finishing touches were being prepared, and we could start moving in within the next two weeks.
The excitement fills my stomach as I pull up to the doctor’s office, get out of the car, and walk into the small, quaint waiting room. Typically, I would see my OBGYN in the next town over, but I wanted to give Noah something that he missed out on with Alex because of my childish ways. Dr. Bob agreed when I had asked him a couple of days prior, saying it wouldn’t be a problem.
The same now faded green carpet brings back memories from being a kid. Little drawings from patients hang on the floral wallpaper, making me smile. Two people are already occupying some of the seats reading magazines.
"Good morning Glenda," I say as I sign my name on the clipboard on the front desk.
"Morning, Katie, how are you feeling?"
"Good. Mornings are rough for me, but afternoons seem much better."
"Well that's good, I'm glad. Dr. Peters doesn't know you're here, right?"
Dr. Peters. I smile at that name. It's got a nice ring to it. I nod my head at her, unable to contain the smile gracing my lips.
"Ok, dear, have a seat, and the nurse will call you back shortly."
"Thank you." I turn and grab a magazine, plopping down in the closest chair to the door, I begin to open it. The nurse calls back both people in the waiting area, making the adrenaline in my body increase. I can't even concentrate on what I'm reading.
"Katie." I hear my name called, and that's my cue to place the magazine down and stand up. Smiling at the nurse, I answer a little too enthusiastically . “That's me!"
"Ok great, follow me." We walk down the short narrow hallway, and as we pass one of the three rooms they have, I hear Noah's laugh, and I get even more excited. She opens up the last door as I follow her inside.
"Here you are, just have a seat on the table for me."
I do as told as she pulls the doppler machine out of a nearby drawer. It is so tiny it fits in the palm of her hand. She then takes my temperature and blood pressure and then asks me a few questions. I answer her with ease.
"Alright, Dr. Bob and Dr. Peters will be with you shortly." She smiles and then winks at me, making me laugh. I fidget with my fingers looking at all the posters on the wall. I remember coming here when I was pregnant with Alex. All alone. It was the scariest feeling in the world. Now I’m not scared because I get to do it with Noah, the love of my life, and that thought alone makes my heart sore.
A small knock on the door, followed by it opening, startles me as my heart hammers in my chest. Both men walk in, Noah stopping in his tracks as he stares at me. A worried look is coming over his face, causing me to smile at him. He then replaces his frown with a broad smile of his own.
"What a surprise Katie, how are you feeling today?" Dr. Bob asks nonchalantly.
"I'm fine!"
"Are you two ready to hear the first heartbeat of your baby?" He looks at Noah with a small smile. His eyes are warm and comforting, the same way he was when I visited with Alex.
"Yes, of course," Noah says excitedly. He places the clipboard down on the counter and comes over to me, kissing me on the forehead. I lean into his kiss, letting the gesture fill me up with strength before pulling away.
"Now, Noah, you must pay attention to how I use this because you will have more than one patient who might need this."
"Yes, sir."
"Ok, Katie, lay down for me and lift your shirt."
I do as I’m told and wait for the cold, blue jelly to hit my abdomen. I glance at Noah, who is transfixed on my stomach. Dr. Bob turns on the machine and starts to roll the device on my lower belly.
"Eyes on the machine, Noah. I need you to focus," he says with a smile. Noah's head snaps up towards the tiny machine as Dr.Bob explains how to use it and where the best place would be to place it. I can't help but giggle at the sight. There's something special about having the father of your baby being there with you in moments like these.
He turns to me and grabs my hand as Dr. Bob turns up the sound. The heartbeat resounds and bounces off the walls of the small room, making me tear up. It’s fast, but I know it’s healthy, and that's good enough for me.
"The baby is healthy; the heart sounds good.” He turns off the machine, and Noah wipes my stomach extra gently once again, staring down at it. His warm hand lays on the spot where Dr. Bob had the doppler, and I can almost see a tear escaping Noah’s eyes. I start to pull down my shirt, which seems to awaken Noah, and he looks me in the eyes.
"Thank you," he whispers before engulfing me in a hug.
"I'll give you two a minute," Dr. Bob says as he closes the door behind him.
"There's one more thing I wanted to tell you," I say, unwrapping myself from him.
"What's that?"
"I just got the phone call that our house is about done. They said we could move in, in about two weeks."
"Babe, that's great. I couldn't be happier. Thank you for doing this, I missed all these things with Alex, but I plan on being here every step of the way with this baby."
"I know, babe, I love you."
"I love you too. I should get back to work though, Dr.Bob is pretty tough," he says with a chuckle.
"Alright, go! Scoot, skedaddle," I playfully push him out the door. I give him a quick kiss and head home to start packing.
Noah
Best. Day. Ever. That's what keeps running through my mind making the blood pump through my veins. I can’t stop smiling for the rest of the day after seeing Katie and hearing my baby's heartbeat. It was magical. I can not put into words the emotions I felt at that moment.
Adding to my happiness was the news of Katie's house: our house, being finished. We can finally move on from all the bad things in the past and be a typical family together. After coming down from my high, an idea struck me, and I couldn't wait to put it into action.
"Great job today, Noah. You were made for this, and after what I witnessed, I feel very confident in handing over my practice to you."
I grab Dr. Bob’s hand and shake it. " Thank you so much, sir, that means a lot to me."
"I'll see you tomorrow, bright and early. I'll give you the weekend off, and then for the next month, it will be Monday through Saturday until you officially take over or as they like to call graduate. Can you handle that?"
"Yes, of course."
"Great. Have a good night Noah."
"Good night Dr. Bob."
I now know that this weekend, I need to put my plan into action before things start going crazy. I jump in my truck and begin to plan everything in my head.
I glance at the text message one last time as I stand in our new large open kitchen. I hope I didn't make Katie panic too much— that could be dangerous for the baby. I check that everything is set up the way I want, and I hear a car door slam.
The front door opens in a rush before I hear her panicked voice. "Noah?!"
"In here, babe!" I lean my sweaty palms on the cold marble counter and wait for her to enter. She appears suddenly with a look of sheer panic, which changes to confusion before her eyes grow wide, and she covers her mouth.
"Surprise," I smirk as I walk over to engulf her in a hug.
"Noah, what is this? I rushed over here for a plumbing issue but instead, I see this." She gestures at all the candles and flowers I had spent hours setting up.
"So, I told a little white lie," I laugh as I wrap my arms around her. "I figured since the new house is finished, we are having another baby, Alex is healthy, and Dr. Bob gave me his blessing, that it was time to celebrate extraordinarily."
Her mouth is slightly agape, her eyes still scanning everything in front of her.
"It's...it's beautiful, Noah."
"I'm glad you like it. Come on. I've prepared dinner for us."
She giggles. "You sound like one of those princes in those Disney movies."
I walk her to the new table I bought for the kitchen and pull out the chair. "Well then milady, the pleasure is all mine. Have a seat."
I place a plate of spaghetti down for her and grab my plate. I pour the sparkling juice into two wine glasses and clink my glass with hers. "Cheers to being together again, to health and happiness and especially to us. I love you, Katie."
"Aww, Noah. I love you too." She takes a sip and starts to eat the pasta. I can hardly contain myself as I try to eat my food. When she's just about finished, I stand up and announce dessert. I take both of our plates and pick up the small slices of cake I had bought earlier.
"Oh, yummy, my favorite! You have made the baby and me very happy." She smiles brightly, and I hope to make her smile that way for the rest of my life. As she bites into the cake, I pretend to drop my fork on the floor; getting off the chair, I crawl over to her and get up on one knee.
I pull the small velvet box from my pants pocket as she gasps and drops her fork.
"Noah!"
"Katie. I've known for a very long time that you were the one for me, the only one I ever wanted to be with for the rest of my life. And even though it took some convincing and a lot of patience, that never changed. Now more than ever, I want to grow old with you and have lots of kids to fill up this big house. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
I open up the box with shaky hands, revealing the small diamond I had bought for her a few months back. I had been waiting for the right time and place, and now that time was here.
She starts to cry and holds her face for a moment before replying. "Yes, Noah! Yes!"
Relief floods over me, and I jump up and kiss her lips. I place the ring on her finger and pull her up. I push the button on a small radio I had brought with me, and it plays a soft song. I grab her and twirl her around until she's in my chest. I truly am the luckiest guy, and I couldn't be happier.
Katie
I look down at my ring for the thousandth time after packing another box. We've been packing for a week now, or should I say mostly me. Noah has been working non-stop at the doctor’s office, up early, coming home late. I’m ok with it for the most part, but occasionally, I get sad, sometimes lonely. I blame it on my crazy hormones. I feel as though I’m on a roller coaster.
"Hey, Katie, or should I say future sister in law. Need any help?" Wendy asks, standing in my doorway. She's been spending a lot of time with Charlie, and I've barely seen her.
"Sure! I'm just finishing that box over there. Which needs to go in the downstairs pile."
"Got it."
"So, how are you? I feel like we barely see each other anymore." I give her a fake pouty face.
"I know. I've been occupied with getting my new classes together and Charlie."
"Is he treating you, alright?" I ask carefully.
"Yeah, of course," she exclaims but quickly looks away, busying herself with some trinkets.
"I hope so. You would tell me if something was amiss, right?" I feel something is wrong, but I don’t want to pry.
