Racing Home

CHAPTER 75

You wake up early the next morning, Pierre's arm still around you holding you close as if he's scared to let go. You stay like that for a few minutes, enjoying the silence before you feel the baby pressing on your bladder. Feeling the need to pee you slowly wiggle out of bed and Pierre sits up looking at you, "is everything okay? Is it the baby?"

You smile softly, "everything's fine go back to sleep, I just have to pee." Pierre just nods slowly closing his eyes laying back down. You head to the bathroom splashing some water on your face when you're done looking at yourself in the mirror. It's going to be a long day. You crawl back into bed with Pierre, his arm instinctually going back to your belly. Just a few more minutes of sleep. You think as your eyes close again.

You're able to get a little bit more asleep before the baby is dancing on your bladder again making you need to pee yet again. You groan and slowly make your way to the edge of the bed, Pierre sitting up again worried.

"I just have to pee again, apparently our baby thinks my bladder is a trampoline." You say standing up and waddling back into the bathroom. You come out a few minutes later and see Pierre still sitting up in bed. You crawl back into bed, sitting up next to him. The two of you sit in silence for a few minutes, neither one of you wanting to start.

"How about some breakfast before we get into this?" Pierre asks.

"That would be great." You say sighing in relief.

"I'm just going to hop into the shower quickly, then I'll head downstairs to make breakfast." Pierre says getting out of bed. You smile softly and lean over grabbing your phone.

No words are said as Pierre steps out of the bathroom fully dressed and heads downstairs to start breakfast. You slowly get out of bed and head to the bathroom to shower, the warm water cascading down your swollen body feels comforting, and you don't want to leave. The water eventually starts to run cold, and you sigh turning the water off stepping out of the shower. You quickly blow dry your hair before throwing on a t-shirt and romper heading downstairs. You smile softly as you get to the top of the stairs seeing Pierre chopping up some fruit in the kitchen.

The way it should have been yesterday.

The thoughts of the girl in the kitchen come back and you feel tears start forming in your eyes. You quickly shake your head trying to get that image out of your mind before heading down the stairs. You walk over to the kitchen island standing as you're unable to climb onto one of the stools and Pierre passes you a cup of decaf coffee.

"Thank you," you say softly smiling at him and he half smiles back.

"The, uh, cinnamon rolls should be ready in a minute." Pierre says looking over at the timer on the oven.

"Cinnamon rolls twice in a week you're one lucky kid you know that." You say looking down and rubbing your belly. After your morning sickness passed around the 16-week mark, you tried to limit your cinnamon roll intake trying healthier alternatives for breakfast, but there was always something about cinnamon rolls that just made the baby, and you, feel happier.

Pierre just smiles passing you a plate of fruit to snack on while he takes the cinnamon rolls out to cool before icing them. The two of you eat breakfast in silence, preparing for what's to come. After you finish eating you clear the plates putting them in the dishwasher, washing the pan by hand. Once everything is away you stand leaning against the counter looking at Pierre.

"Come here," he says softly, and you walk around the counter to him. He pulls you in for a hug and you take a deep breath against his chest. He kisses the top of your head, and you look up at him moving his had to your belly feeling the baby kick against it.

"We'll get through this," you say softly and Pierre nods. You take a few steps back putting some distance between you.

"I honestly don't know if I'm madder that you walked out after our argument or that there was a strange girl half naked in our kitchen the next morning. Did you sleep with her?" You ask getting right to the point your blood starting to boil.

"What? No. How could you even think that?" Pierre says defensively.

"I don't know Pierre, maybe because there was a half naked girl in our kitchen wearing nothing but your sweater."

"Maddie, I can explain..." Pierre starts.

"Please do." You angrily spit out.

"I left to clear my head. I didn't want to say something I'd regret later on. I went for a drive down to the water and sat there for a little bit just thinking when Tina called me. Kate is her sister Maddie." Pierre says. You already know that, from when Tina called you, but you still need to hear it from Pierre.

"Tina was supposed to pick her up from the airport but her flight was delayed until the next morning so she asked if I could pick her up. I told her I would pick her up and that she could stay with us until Tina arrived, so she didn't have to stay in a hotel. My phone died on the way to the airport. Her flight kept getting delayed, so she didn't land until almost 2am. Her bag got lost so she didn't have any of her stuff, so we drove back here. I didn't want to wake you, and I didn't want to fight that early in the morning. So, I gave her one of my sweaters I had left in the game room, and I slept in the other guest room." Pierre says taking a few steps towards you.

"Please trust me Maddie. Nothing happened between us. You are the only person I want to be with. I could never cheat on you."

You bite your bottom lip trying not to cry. "I'm sorry... I know you wouldn't. I just saw her in our kitchen and panicked... I let the hormones get the best of me and I'm sorry... But how can I trust that the next argument we have you won't just walk out on us again?" You say stepping towards him.

"We're going to have a son, any day now, when we're sleep deprived and hungry and at each other's throats, how can I be sure you won't just take off again."

Pierre sighs and takes your hands in his. "I can't promise that it won't happen again, because as you said there will be times where we will be at each other's throats, and we need to take a breath. But I can promise that I will always come back. I will always fight to make this work, and I will always do everything that I can to be around for our son. But I also need to know that you just won't take him and disappear. I hated not knowing where the two of you were or if you were okay."

You let a tear fall down your cheek taking his words in. "Okay." You say softly. Pierre wipes the tear from your face with his thumb. "You're going to be such a great dad."

Pierre smiles, "you're going to be an amazing mom Maddie." You lean in putting your foreheads together, the baby kicking with excitement. You flinch as the baby kicks your ribs.

"What's wrong?" Pierre asks concerned.

"Nothing, just baby kicking my ribs that's all." You say putting a hand on the top of your stomach as if to push him down off your ribs. Pierre just chuckles and kneels down putting his hands on either side of your belly.

"Listen buddy, we can't be kicking mom in the ribs okay? We need her in one piece to take care of us, because God knows I can't do it alone." Pierre says chuckling and kissing your belly, surprisingly the kicking settles. You smile, "not even born yet and you're already the favourite parent."

"Just you wait, he'll be a momma's boy soon enough." Pierre says standing back up.

"Kiss me." You say taking Pierre's hand, and Pierre smiles leaning down putting his lips on yours. Even though it's been less than 48 hours since you last kissed it felt like a lifetime. You wrap your arms around his neck pulling him into the kiss. Pierre smiles as you pull apart leaning in, "what do you say we get that baby out of you?" he whispers into your ear, and you smirk grabbing his hand leading him back upstairs.