Chapter 9

I closed up my laptop. “I’m glad I turned the day-to-day finances over to you,” I remarked. “For the past two months we’ve had nice surpluses at the end of the month and November is shaping up the same way.”

“Thanks,” she said.

I started undressing for bed. Andrea performed her nightly routine in the bathroom and stepped into the bedroom in her robe, which by now barely closed in front. She slipped it off and stood sidewise to me, nude, and ran her hand along her belly. “Look how huge I am,” she said. “I don’t look like I’m going to have a baby. I look like I’m going to deliver a Porsche.”

“Three weeks and counting,” I remarked. “What did Dr Lang say at your last visit?”

“She said I’m definitely getting ready to give birth. My cervix is already dilated almost a centimeter. Otherwise, all systems are go.”

“I have some finishing touches to make on the nursery.”

“And to think you wanted a one-bedroom apartment,” she said.

“I didn’t WANT one. I thought we could live in one. I am glad we signed a lease, since our house-hunting has been put on hold. I can’t imagine going through all that rigmarole with all this going on as well. We may want to renew our lease for another year.”

“Speaking of our lease -- I saw a moving van outside the house today. It looked like they were emptying out the unit next door.”

“Our landlords’?” I asked.

“That’s right.”

“That’s odd. You know, we’ve never met them. We’ve transacted all our business through Alpha Properties. I send the monthly rent to them, care of Alpha Properties. The checks always get deposited right away. I wonder if maybe they’re vacating the unit to turn it into another rental.”

“I like this unit,” she replied. “It’s really beginning to feel like home to me.”

“Yeah -- to me, too.”

“Your mom called me about Thanksgiving. She wants to hold a big family Thanksgiving dinner at their place.”

“She hasn’t done that in years,” I remarked.

“She wants to invite your Uncle Floyd and Aunt Martha, as well as Dustin and his wife and your cousin Corinne.”

“I haven’t seen Corinne in years. She’s Dustin’s older sister ... a sheriff’s deputy ... and a lesbian. Her partner was a city policewoman who was shot and killed in a drug shootout a couple years ago.”

“Oh, how awful. How terrible to lose a partner like that.”

“To my knowledge, she hasn’t started dating again.”

“How could she? Casey -- if I lost you, I don’t know what I would do. It would take me a long time before I would feel like starting a new relationship. It doesn’t matter your sexual orientation -- if you love someone and lose them -- it leaves a hole in your heart.”

“How would you feel about a big family Thanksgiving? It’s a week before your due date.”

“I think we should go. I’m willing to forgive Dustin for his persona non gratis remark ... in light of the holiday.”

“I’m sure my mom would not expect you to bring anything.”

“Which is why I would want to bring something. I thought I’d bring my black-and-white brownies. They’re easy to make.”

Andrea slid under the covers and cuddled against me. “Now I know why pregnancies last nine months,” she said. “After nine months of this, a woman will endure anything to have it over with.”

“It’s chilly in here,” I said. “I’m going to figure out how to up the heat a little.”

“I have a little furnace inside me. This feels really comfortable to me.”

The baby kicked me in the ribs. “That kid almost kicked me out of bed,” I remarked.

“He’s busy tonight.” She rolled to face away from me. “Rub my back?” I began stroking her shoulder blades. “That feels nice. It’ll help me sleep.”

I parked near the garage at my childhood home. Andrea stepped out of the car carrying a cake pan and we went inside.

“It smells heavenly in here,” I remarked. as we headed to the kitchen.

“Annette, here,” Andrea said and handed my mom the tin of brownies.

“Andie, you didn’t have to...” Mom lifted the foil covering the pan. “Oh, they look delicious. How are you feeling?”

“I’m feeling like I’m tired of this pregnancy business.”

“Just a few more days, dear.”

“My due date is the twenty-seventh. Dr Lang said if I don’t go into labor by then, she’ll have me come to the hospital and she’ll break my water. That should get things started.”

“You’re doing really well -- I’m so proud of you. Dinner will be a while yet. Walter is in the family room. I think he has the dog show on.”

“Oh, I love watching the dog show,” Andrea replied.

“Sit on the sofa,” Walter said, moving to a side char. “There’s an ottoman if you’d like to put your feet up.”

“I love seeing the dogs,” Andrea said. “Maybe we should get one.”

“Once we have our own house, maybe,” I replied.

The doorbell rang. “Can you get that, Walter?” my mom called from the kitchen.

My step-dad opened the door and my cousin Dustin and his wife stepped in. Justine was a large framed woman with a round face, red hair and freckles. “Come in,” Walter said. “We’re watching the dog show.”

“You know Dustin,” I said to Andrea. “This is Justine. Justine -- my wife Andrea.”

“Andrea Hagen?” Justine said.

“That’s my name,” Andrea replied.

“Whoa, things sure have changed since I last saw you,” Dustin remarked. “When’s it due?”

“Next week,” I replied.

“Cousin -- congratulations.” Dustin shook my hand and slapped my shoulder.

“Why is it the father who gets the congratulations?” Andrea asked.

“Beats me,” Justine replied. “Andrea -- I haven’t seen you around in ages. Where have you been?”

“Hiding in plain sight,” I replied.

The doorbell rang again. “I’ll get it,” Dustin said. “It’s probably Mom and Dad.” He opened the door and my cousin Corinne stepped inside.

She spotted me and we hugged. “Casey -- I haven’t seen you in a long time. What’s new?”

“Quite a bit. I have someone for you to meet. Andrea -- this is my cousin Corinne. Corinne -- my wife Andrea.”

“Oh, wow -- things have changed. What happened to Sarah?”

“We’re divorced.”

“You remarried and have a baby on the way. Congratulations -- both of you.”

“We are very happy together,” Andrea added.

“That’s what counts.”

“I think I see Uncle Floyd’s Suburban pulling up,” I remarked.

We all sat at the long dining table. Walter used an electric carving knife to carve the turkey and we passed side dishes family-style.

“I’m stuffed,” Dustin remarked.

“Me, too,” I added.

“It’s all that work,” Corinne said, “And then it’s like a pack of hyenas descend.”

“Annette,” Martha said, “We’ll help you start putting away leftovers.”

“Go ahead and claim anything you want to take home,” Mom replied.

Andrea stood and beckoned to me. I followed her into the kitchen. “Annette...”

“Andie, sweetheart,” my mom replied. “You don’t need to do anything here. We’ve got it covered.”

“I think Casey and I should be going. I think I need to lie down.”

“Is anything wrong? Are you going into labor?”

“No. Nothing like that. I’ve been having Braxton Hicks contractions and it helps to lie down.”

“Understood, dear. We’re really happy you could join us.”

“We’re happy we could, too,” I replied.

“Take some turkey with you. There’s plenty left over.” Mom wrapped some pieces in foil and handed them to Andrea. “Your brownies were a hit. I’ll get your pan back to you.”

“No rush,” Andrea replied.

“We’ll say our farewells and be on our way.”

My mom hugged Andrea and I headed to the car. “I don’t think I’m blocked in,” I remarked, backed out of the drive and headed toward the duplex. “I thought that went well,” I said.

“Yeah ... better than I imagined it would.”

“I told you -- if Mom accepts you and loves you, the rest of the family will fall in line.”

“I had a chance to talk with Corinne. I like her.”

“She’s a good person.” Andrea grimaced. “Is the cramping bad?”

“Bad enough.”

“You’re sure it’s not labor?”

“Pretty sure. If they don’t go away, I’ll put a call in to Dr Lang.”

“I imagine Dr Lang is no stranger to calls on holidays or the middle of the night,” I remarked.

“I’m sure she isn’t.

I parked by the duplex. Once inside, Andrea headed for the back bedroom. I followed her up and found her lying on her left side. “Are they going away?”

“Not yet.” I began stroking her back. She was wearing one of the jumpers with a white long-sleeved tee underneath and I was stroking her through two layers of fabric. “That feels nice,” she said. “That’s helping.”

“Helping make the cramps go away?”

“Helping me not mind them. They are going away. I wonder if all that food triggered it.”

“Who knows what’s happening in a woman’s body in the last days of her pregnancy.” I continued rubbing her back.

Andrea sat up and then stood. She lifted the jumper over her head and then her tee. She lay back down in her bra and briefs. “Touch more?” I resumed stroking her back, now my hand against her bare skin. “This feels really good, Casey. Mmm...” She rolled partway onto her belly and I caressed her back with both hands.

“You have a pretty back,” I said.

“Feels really good. Cramps are gone, now.”

“So they were just Braxton Hicks,” I remarked.

“Appears to be so.” She rolled to face me, hooked her arm around my neck and brought my face to hers. We kissed. “Having you here and with me makes all the difference.”

“Well ... Today’s a holiday and I have tomorrow off as a vacation day. Monday I start my one-month paternity leave, so I’ll be here and with you for the duration.”

“That makes me really happy.” She kissed my lips and then we kissed again, this time with some real passion. Andrea reached behind her back and unhooked her bra. She set it on the bed and reached for me.

We kissed again and I began kissing her now quite voluptuous breasts. Her areolas had expanded to half again their normal diameter and were now pigmented a deep reddish brown. A visible network of blue veins criss-crossed them.”Do you really want this?” I asked. “Is this a good idea?”

“I want it and I need it. What’s the worst that can happen? I go into labor. The sooner the better, in my opinion. This may be our last opportunity, Casey, before the baby comes. And after the baby comes, it’ll be weeks.”

We kissed again, open mouthed with tongues dancing in each other’s mouths. “I love you and I want you,” I said.

“I need to hear that, Casey. Especially I want you. Being pregnant makes me feel decidedly unsexy.”

“You are very sexy, even as a nine-month pregnant mom-to-be.”

She rolled partway onto her right side. “I can’t lie on my back for too long -- baby presses against a major artery and cuts off circulation to my legs.”

She began unbuttoning my shirt. I stripped it off and then down to my briefs. “I’m going to leave my socks on so I my feet won’t get cold,” I said. “You looked so sexy during our mini-honeymoon with nothing but those white stockings on. Do I look sexy with just my socks on?”

Andrea stroked my face, smiled and shook her head. “No -- not really.”

“I wonder why that is.” I resumed licking and kissing her right breast and using my tongue to stimulate her nipple. Then I drew it into my mouth and began slow, gentle nursing, massaging her nipple and areola against the roof of my mouth.

Andrea cradled my head in her hands as I nursed. “This feels so good,” she said softly. Her thighs twitched. “I’m feeling it in my womb ... which is the size of a watermelon, so it’s no wonder I feel it there. Switch sides?”

I began nursing her left nipple. Her breasts were full production of pre-milk and I could feel the warm fluid in the back of my mouth. I pinched and rolled her right nipple as I suckled her left.

Andrea’s legs and belly jerked. I ran my hand along her thigh and up to her pussy, caressing it through the fabric of her briefs. “Is that little clitty ready for some attention?” I asked.

“Mmm ... I think it is.” She lifted her hips and I slid her briefs off her legs.

“Since you can’t lie on your back...” I positioned her on her right side and rolled partway on her back, with her knees bent and her thighs open.

I traced her lips with my finger. She parted them and took my finger into her mouth, coating it with her saliva. I eased it between her labia. “Well -- you still sure do get wet down here...”

I dragged her slick juices up to coat her clit and began stroking it with my finger using gentle pressure and a moderate cadence. After every dozen or so strokes I dipped into her juices again to keep her tissues well lubricated.

Andrea caressed my face and guided my lips to her left breast. I began nursing again and could feel her heart starting to pound. “I need this, Casey,” she said. “I NEED it.” Her breathing became loud panting. “Other side, now.”

I shifted my position so I could mouth her right breast. Her heart was pounding hard enough I could still feel its beats her right side. “More,” she said and I sped up my stroking. “Just a little more ... almost ... coming, coming, coming...”

She lifted her face, drew in a breath and cried out. “Don’t stop keep going,” she panted and drew in another breath. “AHHH!” she gasped and panted more “Keep going!”

My forefinger was tiring so between strokes I switched to my middle finger. She kept coming, having a half dozen or more climaxes before crying, enough. I cupped my hand over her mons and stroked her pussy to ease her down.

“Can you be on your back for a little while?” I asked.

“For a little while,” she replied. “I’ll let you know if it’s too much.”

I had her lie athwart the bed with her buttocks on the edge of the mattress. After stripping off my briefs I lifted her knees to draw back her thighs. Adjusting my stance I pushed into her standing. This would’ve been impossible with the mattress on the floor, I thought.

Gazing down on her beautiful, nude pregnant body I put my hands on her huge belly and began rocking my hips for full-length in-out action. I increased the vigor of my thrusting as I drove myself toward orgasm. She was so wet I was making a squishing sound as I thrust -- one that reminded me of using a plumber’s helper.

My climax imminent I grasped her buttocks, pressed against her and ejaculated. I held her like that for a while as my arousal and erection faded. I pulled back and Andrea rolled under the sheets.

I joined her. We embraced and cuddled. “Now,” she said, “I am ready to give birth.”

“I wonder what the kid thought of that.”

“I dunno but it calmed him down. He’s been kicking my kidneys all day.”

“It’s pretty dark in there. I wonder if he could see anything.”

“I know what he’d see if he could,” she said.

“What?”

Andrea made a circle of her thumb and forefinger and then pressed it against the tip of her nose. I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “I think Mom is right,” I said. “You’re doing incredibly well. You’ve kept up your spirits and we’ve stayed connected. This has been a beautiful pregnancy. I can’t image it going any better.”

She caressed my hair. “You’ve been wonderful, too -- supportive, nurturing, trusting. I agree. It’s going better than I could have imagined.”

I started a phone call to my mom’s cell and she answered.

Hello?

“Mom -- it’s me. We’re at the hospital and we have all our paperwork completed, forms signed, insurance approved and we’re ready to go. Andie’s changing into a hospital gown. Dr Lang is due in about an hour and she’ll break Andie’s water.”

What kind of room do you have? Mom asked.

“It’s a traditional delivery room. We discussed birthing chairs and so on with Dr Lang and she thought the traditional way was better since it offers better access to emergency resources should we need them ... compared to the newer-age facilities. We discussed things like home and water births and Dr Lang was dead-set against them.”

I know Brigitte Lang, Mom replied. She is an excellent doctor, but very old-school. Well, keep me posted.

“I sure will.”

Good luck. Tell Andie she’s in my thoughts.

I cancelled the call and slipped my phone into my pocket. Andrea joined me and sat on the delivery table. “I wish Dr Lang had agreed to let us use one of the newer birthing rooms,” she said. “This looks so ... sterile.”

“It looks foreboding,” I replied, “with all the monitoring equipment. Well -- better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it I guess.”

A middle-aged nurse stepped in. “I’m Alice,” she said, “and I’ll be assisting Dr Lang with your delivery.” She regarded a clipboard of paperwork and Andrea’s ID bracelet. “Andrea Hagen ... pleased to meet you.”

Dr Lang stepped in wearing light green scrubs. “Good morning Andrea ... Casey. How are you feeling?”

“Like I want this over,” Andrea replied.

“Lie down, feet in the stirrups -- you know the drill. I want to check you over.” I stood by the head of the bed as the doctor examined Andrea. “You are definitely ready. Your cervix is good and ripe and it’s even dilated a bit more. It’s about two and a half centimeters.”

“About an inch,” I said and made the circle with my thumb and forefinger and pressed it to my nose. Andrea laughed.

The doctor picked up an instrument that resembled a crochet hook. “We’ll put this towel under your hips. I’ll use this to break your water. This won’t hurt a bit.” I watched her reach under Andrea’s gown and then withdraw the instrument. “Done. Alice will check you and let me know when my services are needed.”

The doctor left the room. “Now what?” I asked.

“I’m going to prep her. I need to shave her privates.” The nurse brought a basin and a disposable razor. She turned back the gown. “Wow -- a real natural blonde. We don’t see too many like you these days. Alice used the razor on Andrea’s pubes and then daubed her with a towel. “Don’t worry -- it’ll grow back. Have you felt any contractions?” Alice asked.

“No,” Andrea replied.

“Stay upright. The weight of the baby’s head should stimulate contractions. You also can try walking around.”

Andrea began pacing the room. “Nothing yet.”

“One thing that sometimes works is stimulating your nipples. The stimulation can release oxytocin and that can get cause contractions.”

“Shall we try that?” I asked.

“I’ll be happy to leave the room,” Alice said. I nodded. “I’ll be in the hallway.”

“Casey -- I don’t think...”

“It’s worth a try.” I stood behind her and began stroking her nipples through the fabric of the hospital gown.

“Casey -- I hope this is good for you because it is not good for me. I feel uncomfortable and violated.”

“It’s not good for either of us -- it’s good for the baby.”

“Casey ... PLEASE ... OH!” She put her hand on the small of her back. “I’m feeling something here.”