Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
S ix weeks later, Steph was organising the army of removal men who were responsible for moving their belongings from Jon’s flat and her own that still held some possessions to their new house, despite Jon’s suggestion that they should just buy everything brand new. A lot of the larger items for their new home were brand new whilst most of the things from her flat would be coming over to this flat that they’d decided to keep as a town base.
“No,” she called rushing towards a young lad probably not out of his teenage years. “Sorry,” she said as she caught up with him. “That box is going with me.” Taking the box from him she balanced it in her arms and rested it on the belly that was undoubtedly a baby bump now and not a fat belly.
“What the bloody hell do you think you’re doing?” boomed Jon’s voice behind her.
“This is some of Jelly Bean’s stuff, so it should come with us in one of the cars.”
“Darling, I have no objection to that, I mean, what are you doing?” he asked pulling the box from her arms. “You are pregnant, so no carrying,” he said firmly.
“It’s not heavy,” she protested.
“I’ve warned you Stephanie, if you don’t start acting like a pregnant woman I will have no choice, but to . . .”
“Keep me locked in a spa until I chill. I remember, you say it often enough.” She smiled as Jon put the box in the corner with the other boxes that were being transported by them in their cars. “You know that’s a really lame threat,” she teased.
“For a normal woman, yes, but not my wife. It would drive you crazy if I had your access to the office removed and sent you off to a spa til Jelly Bean puts in an appearance,” he said, summing up his wife perfectly.
“Okay, you may have a point,” she agreed before the last couple of men left the flat, albeit temporarily.
“Are you alright?” he asked her seriously, watching her gazing around, her eyes looking a little misty.
“Mmm, it’s just weird to think that we’ve spent our last night here and that our baby won’t live here,” she said emotionally.
“Yeah, but we are keeping this place on. We just need to come back and sort the furniture here so we’ll still stay over when we’re in town for the weekend or as an overnighter and we will spend tonight in our new home, the home that our baby will live in, our family home that will be filled with laughter and love,” he told her as he pulled her towards him.
“This place has a lot of good memories,” she sighed. “Although I was quite shocked to think that you’d gone for such a relatively modest place rather than a penthouse apartment or something.”
“I have fairly simple tastes and I like the location here. I don’t need a penthouse to make me feel like a worthwhile human being,” he replied kissing the top of his wife’s head. “But this place does hold a lot of good memories, of you and me, so as I say, we still have this place and a real home to make the happiest place in the world for me, you and Jelly Bean, and all of the future Brooker offspring.”
“Jon,” she started making him smile down at her.
“Stephanie,” he replied with amusement in his eyes.
“Have I mentioned how much it turns me on when you say nice things about us and our baby, about our family and our home.”
“Hormonal visit required, Mrs Brooker?” he asked with laughter in his eyes now.
“Well if we weren’t moving house today I could be heading towards my second hormonal visit of the day at the office.”
“Yes you could, but with these removal men around it could be tricky.” And as if to prove his point four of them appeared.
“That’s all of the furniture loaded and the boxes and crates, so unless you want anything else loading,” one man said gesturing to the boxes nearby.
“No, we’ll take these, thanks.”
“We’ll see you at the other end then Mr and Mrs Brooker,” smiled the man, closing the door behind him and leaving Jon and Steph alone.
“It would seem the Gods are looking down on you favourably today Mrs Brooker and I suppose for old times’ sake we should say a proper goodbye to this place, so,” he said reaching towards her and pulling the t-shirt that was clinging to her belly up he dragged it off her revealing a very expensive maternity bra that despite it’s pretty lace still managed to look like an unattractive maternity bra.
“Don’t look,” she cried as Jon’s glance dropped to her breasts.
“If I don’t look I don’t get to see,” he objected.
“Jon,” she cried as he stared at her bra and chest now.
“Darling, you look beautiful, but if the bra bothers you that much, we’ll lose it,” he said reaching round and flicking the hook and eye open before pulling it from her revealing the huge globes of her breasts that were adorned with dark brown points, large, erect dark brown points that were even more sensitive than they had ever been. Pulling his own t-shirt off Jon suddenly realised the flat was empty. “We’re sorely lacking in furniture.”
“I don’t care.” She kicked her shoes off. “Anywhere, a wall, the floor,” she panted as she pushed her leggings down and kicked them off leaving her standing in a tiny pair of white lace knickers that barely covered her and sat beneath her belly. “Take your jeans off, quickly,” she implored as she removed her pants and reached out to pull Jon closer.
“What’s your hurry?” he asked as he slowly reached for his belt.
“Jon, I need this, I’m desperate,” she told him shamelessly making him laugh as he cast off his jeans. “You don’t have time to laugh, Brooker and if you don’t hurry up I may have to start without you,” she warned.
“Darling, that is something of a turn on, but not here and not now, so . . .” He grinned before lunging forward to spin her around so that she was facing the wall. “Put your hands flat against the wall.” Bringing her hands down the wall slightly, she had no choice but to step backwards, pushing her behind out where Jon’s hands cupped it gently and briefly.
She moaned. “Jon stop teasing!”
“I am not teasing.” He laughed.
“If you are not fucking me hard in the next twelve seconds you are teasing and you have done this to me,” she said in a snarl that turned to a moan as he guided his hands to her, preparing her before burying himself in her. “More.” She released a low groan. “Harder, please.”
“Jeez Steph, give me a second and don’t you ever forget that I did this to you,” he said as he adjusted her position and then his own to facilitate the hard fuck she was so desperate for. “Darling, let’s try and take this slightly easier in the absence of a bed or at least some pillows to protect you.”
“No, I don’t want easy, I want hard, I need it,” she told him firmly. “Oh yes, like that,” she mewled as he gripped her hips firmly and found a rhythm that suited them both; fast enough that Steph was satisfied but not so fast that Jon worried about hurting her or their unborn child.
Just over an hour later, Steph was coasting up the drive of her new home followed shortly after by Jon who looked quite angry as he got out of his car that had pulled up beside her.
“What the fuck are you playing at? Eighty-five on the dual carriageway I clocked you at!”
“It wasn’t my fault, it’s the Audi, it makes me drive fast.” Her lips became a pout as she hoped to calm her husband who wasn’t always opposed to driving beyond speed limits himself.
“I can soon sort that, Steph. Give me the keys,” he demanded.
“No, you said I could have the Audi when you got rid of my Golf.”
“And you promised to be careful, it’s a powerful car and you’re . . .” was as far as he got before she interrupted.
“A woman, and I’m a woman!” she snapped.
“No, you’re my wife and you’re pregnant with my baby so I have a vested interest in you remaining alive and well,” he shouted as he recalled agreeing to her using his Audi rather than a replacement Golf. “We agreed, you agreed,” he sighed as if to calm himself but it clearly wasn’t working as he continued. “You fucking promised not to take risks in the car and eighty-five on a sixty stretch is a huge risk.”
Staring across at Jon who was completely justified in his opinions and anger, Steph could feel the tears pricking the back of her eyes and despite fighting them they overpowered her and began to run down her face.
“No!” Jon said firmly. “Tears are not going to win here, Steph,” he told her, startling her by taking a step away. “I know I like to exceed expectations but having two wives spread across dual carriageways and two dead babies is too much, even for me.” His flat and low tone hurt her far more than the angry shouting voice that had made her cry.
Steph watched him walk away, towards their new home and hated herself, not necessarily for the speeding, although she acknowledged it had been dangerous, but for not considering his feelings, his worries and concerns for her and their baby. He still visited Penny regularly, sometimes alone and at other times they went together. She had actually visited alone on one occasion when Jon was away, which had felt strange initially, but as she began chatting, mainly about Jelly Bean it had been okay.
Watching her husband getting further and further away she sniffed back sad, guilty tears that she had hurt him with the risks she’d taken. While she moaned about getting fat, her life being out of control, even maternity bras and demanded sex at the drop of a hat and exactly how she wanted it he did nothing but fulfil her needs. Yes, he was bossy but since knowing him he had ultimately only ever encouraged and supported her, except where Simon was concerned and if she was honest with herself he had been right about the danger her ex had posed on more than one occasion. He had compromised with her on her workload and risk taking, only ever making her safety and that of their baby his priority. What had she done in return? She’d disregarded it all and put herself and their baby at risk on more than one occasion with no thought for the fact that Jon had already lost one wife and child. That hadn’t registered for her, not really. She’d almost cast him as a nagging spouse getting his knickers in a twist over nothing, but it wasn’t nothing. It was everything. They were everything to him and it wasn’t until he’d uttered the words about two wives spread across dual carriageways and two dead babies that she truly saw and heard his pain and worry.
“Jon,” she called, running the short distance to the house where he stood, waiting on the threshold, not crossing it without her.
He turned and descended the steps again, reducing the distance she needed to run. She smiled, realising that even running across their gravel drive worried him.
“I’m sorry,” she said, tears in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. “I’ve been selfish and irresponsible, but I get it, I really do.”
His arms were already wrapping her in his embrace. “You are not going to be able to put a foot out of place for the next four and a half months without me being there to prevent it,” he told her, but he wasn’t angry, not at her. He was still a little sad but relieved that she finally seemed to understand. “Come on, let’s go and start unpacking.”
“Stephanie Brooker,” called the woman’s voice that was heavily accented, possibly Spanish or Italian.
“Here,” called Steph leaping up and taking the hand Jon offered.
They followed the sonographer into the imaging suite and at her request she climbed up onto the couch where she pulled her blouse up and her trousers down to reveal her belly that was huge to her now.
“Ooh,” cried Steph startling Jon and the sonographer. “That was weird,” she gasped and then looking at her husband’s worried face she explained, “I had a weird sensation, like fluttering, butterflies, sorry, I think it’s just nerves.”
“You’re sure?” asked Jon but before she could reply the sensation she’d experienced happened again making her hold her belly.
“Mrs Brooker,” called the sonographer, “Describe this feeling for me please.”
“Butterflies fluttering inside my tummy but just it was like fizzy pop, when it’s just been opened and the bubbles pop in your mouth, but in my tummy,” she explained and then with worry asked, “Is there something wrong?”
The sonographer smiled and shook her head, “You’re just twenty weeks pregnant, yes?”
“Yes,” Steph and Jon said together.
“And your first baby?”
“Yes,” they confirmed again.
“Then I think you have just felt your baby move, that’s certainly what you’re describing and over the next few weeks the feelings will get stronger and become more definite movements that Daddy will get to feel too, so shall we take a look?” She held up the scanner.
Steph and Jon were still grinning at each other making the other woman laugh at them as she prepared to carry out the 4D scan they’d decided on.
It was amazing to see all of the features their child had, and with such clarity. They stared at Jelly Bean coming to life and becoming real to them.
“Would you like to know the gender?” asked the woman wielding the scanner.
“Well?” asked Jon, “I don’t mind whether we find out or not, or if it’s a girl or a boy, your call, darling,” he said holding her hand and stroking her fingers as she stared at the image on screen.
“Oh, look, Jelly Bean’s sucking his thumb again,” she said pointing at their baby.
“And now he’s jumping, has he got hiccups?” Jon turned to the woman still waiting for their answer.
“Yes,” she told them with a smile.
“Do you already know what it is?” asked Steph.
“No, I haven’t looked yet.”
“Shall we leave it, it would be a lovely surprise and between now and then he, or she will just be our Jelly Bean, unless you want to know and that’s fine too, but either we both know or neither of us do.”
“My wife has spoken,” Jon said with a beaming smile.
By the time Steph and Jon returned home, Charlie and Lindsay were waiting for them.
“Oh, I forgot,” cried Steph, “Lindsay was having her scan repeated today to find out what they’re having and we’ve invited them for dinner.”
“Then we will be going out or ordering a takeaway because we needed to go shopping,” Jon told her.
“Hello,” called Steph as she got out of the car, the Audi that Jon had driven today. “How did it go?” she asked her friends.
Before Charlie could say a word Lindsay was screaming across the driveway to them,
“A boy, we’re having a boy!”
Steph had closed the gap and hugged her friend warmly.
“What about you?” squealed Lindsay and before anyone could answer began to daydream as Jon did that back slapping thing with Charlie that men, and in particular, these men were so fond of. “Imagine if you have a boy, too, they could be best friends forever, like we were, or like Jon and Charlie or if you have a girl they could grow up and get married.”
“Charlie rein your wife and horny unborn son in because best friend or not I will remove vital pieces of your boy’s anatomy if my Jelly Bean is a girl and he looks at her the wrong way,” warned Jon with a serious looking smirk.
“Oh, didn’t you find out? Was baby not in the right position?” asked Lindsay sympathetically as they walked up the stone steps to the front door.
“No, it was in a good position I think, but we decided against it, we want a surprise. Oh, but I felt Jelly Bean move for the first time.” Steph’s joy rolled off her as Jon opened the door and they all piled in for dinner and an evening of baby talk.