Chapter Thirty:
He tried not to hover but he found himself doing it. She had learned to ignore him. The first couples of months he had been unbearable but he seemed to settle down once they had taken a short trip to the farm for a couple of days. She seemed extra tired these days and pushed herself less and less.
Her attention was now focused on a different job and she caressed her bulging abdomen.
This is further than I've ever gotten…
He's so worried…
I'm not worried…
There had been a few scares but all in all it had been a relatively easy pregnancy. She now sighed as she plopped down on his couch in his office and tried to lie down. He hurried in and sat down.
"Am I late?" he said.
"No, I'm early," she said.
"Is he awake?" he asked.
"Yes …could you help me lie down?" she asked.
He grinned.
"Wipe that smirk off your face," she said.
"Have I told you how beautiful you look?" he asked.
She smiled followed by a yawn.
"Rest. You promised the doctor you would rest every couple of hours."
She sighed. "Grissom?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm not sure I can keep working…I'm too tired these days. I almost fell asleep in Judge Mathis's court."
He grinned. "I do that all the time."
She grinned.
"Sara, perhaps it would be good if you went on medical leave for the remainder of the pregnancy….you've got a few more weeks and then…"
"Don't say it. I've been counting down every day. If I go into premature labor, he has a good chance of survival in just a few more weeks."
He kissed her as he stood and began working on his paperwork.
"Ecklie has been happier now that I've designated time each day to do paperwork."
"You just want to be here when…"
"His gain is mine also."
He smiled when he noticed she had fallen asleep already.
She took his advice and went on early medical leave. She spent her days walking Bruno and decorating the nursery. Once it was completed she sat there and found herself restless. He wasn't prepared to find the bags packed when he arrived home. She sat there with leash on Bruno and bags lined up in a row.
"Going somewhere?" he asked.
"Home."
"Sara, you are home," he said.
Catherine warned me there would be days like this…
"I want to go to the farm," she said.
"No!"
Dog and Wife looked at him. He ignored the looks.
"Why?"
"Sara, you're eight months pregnant. I get nervous just going across town with you."
"I'm going."
"No, you're not."
"I miss it."
"We'll go after the baby is born. I promise," he said.
She sat there and sulked.
The dog whined.
"Not you too!" he said.
"Gil, please."
She used my first name…
Don't fall for it…
Don't fall for it…
She's pouting again…
Don't fall for it…
Don't fall for it…
She's sniffling now…
Don't fall for it…
Don't fall for it…
She's…
"Sara, please don't cry….stop…please….okay…I'll call into the office…"
"I already did," she said with a smile.
"I have to pack…"
"I did that too," she said patting the suitcase beside her.
Bruno wagged his tail.
She wiped her eyes.
He groaned.
He told himself to say no the entire drive up there. She pulled his hand over and placed it on her abdomen and he smiled when he felt the kick.
She had forgotten about the stairs. She noticed them the moment they walked through the door. He did too.
"I'm not sure this is a good idea," he said.
"We can sleep downstairs," she said as she headed to the guest room. She opened the door and stepped inside. It was a smaller room but the bed was comfortable. The porch swing was right outside the window.
She ignored his looks as she unpacked and then headed for the porch swing. They had dinner at the small diner and then a short walk around town. She fell asleep on the way back. Bruno pulled on the leash but Grissom refused to let him go.
"Don't think so," he said as he made him go inside the house before waking her.
She went immediately to bed as he sat in the swing and watched her sleep. He picked up a few things and then headed toward the bedroom. He stepped inside and found the bed empty. He checked the downstairs bathroom and then stepped outside on the porch. He then noticed Bruno was also missing. He walked up the stairs and found her curled up in their old bed.
He slid in beside her.
"Not supposed to be walking up the stairs," he chided.
"Just one night….I think this is where he was conceived," she whispered.
"Or the barn or the field by the lake or…"
He felt a jab and he grinned. "I enjoyed every moment of it."
"Me too."
"Sara?"
She turned to look at him.
"Are you scared?"
"No."
I am…
I'm afraid if we lose him….
I can't imagine getting this far….
I am…
"This place always makes me feel better…something about it."
"I know."
"Still regret that we came?" she asked.
"I'm still going to worry."
"Stop. Let's enjoy this time. We're together….we have a dog and a baby on the way…just feel him Grissom."
He placed his hand on her abdomen and smiled.
"I told you not to eat those onions. I don't think he liked them."
"He just knows where we are."
Grissom kissed her as he closed his eyes.
The week flew by and as they drove away, he pulled her hand up to his lips.
"I promise…after the baby is born we'll come back," he said.
He wasn't prepared when she went into labor. He was jerked awake by a tap on his shoulder telling him it was time to get up and go. He closed the bathroom and showered and then came out to find her sitting on the bed with arms folded.
"Finished?" she asked.
He looked baffled.
"Grissom, I need to go…I'm in labor!"
He panicked.
"I thought it was time for work…I'm sorry. I was getting ready for work."
He was rushing now pulling her up and grabbing a suitcase.
"Grissom!"
He stopped.
"That suitcase is empty. It's the other one."
"Right," he muttered as he switched the suitcases and then headed toward the door only to dance about trying to locate the keys.
"Grissom?"
He stared at her.
"You put them in your pocket right after you let Bruno out."
"Right," he muttered as he opened the door and then closed it leaving her to stand there in the foyer.
He slowly opened the door and she walked out without saying a word.
He started to drive away when she stopped him.
"You didn't set the alarm," she said.
"Oh for Pete's sake!" he muttered. "The hell with the alarm system."
"Grissom."
He got out and reset it.
He smiled when they made it there in record time. She stared at him in disbelief.
"What?"
"This is the doctor's office…I need the hospital….should I drive…you worked a double…you're tired."
"I'm fine!" he yelled.
She turned her head to hide the smirk.
He suddenly felt guilty.
"I'm sorry honey. I shouldn't have…"
She was twisting his hand now as she fought through the pain. He tried not to yell out but rather kept quiet and drove like hell.
He ignored the bruises on his hand as they entered the delivery room.
I'm prepared for this…
I've seen every video….
Read every book…
I'm prepared…
He wasn't prepared the moment he watched as they tried to give her the epidural. The first attempt failed and he watched as she closed her eyes and fought against the pain as the nurse inserted the needle once more. Her grip tightened and he wanted to switch hands but knew the other hand was already bruised from the encounter in the vehicle.
They told him it was an easy birth as he tried to imagine a difficult one. He watched his son exercise his lungs and felt like doing the same thing but he held it in as his son was placed in his arms and he felt her swipe at his cheeks.
He didn't care.
He was holding his son.
He was holding a part of Sara and himself.
He remembered the pain they had endured in order to get to his moment and the delivery.
He decided some things were best forgotten.
She smiled.
She felt the same.
"Remember your promise" she said.
He smiled.
The end.
Note from author:
Thanks so much for reading along and taking the time to give a review. They are the reason I write so be kind and leave one! I am still putting the finishing touches on the other story entitled "Learning to Breathe Again." Please be sure to put me on author alert so you will receive the first chapter when it begins. Remember I am not going to post it until it is done so when you get that alert be ready to read, read, read but don't forget to leave that review!
Thanks and take care!
Penny