by Bloom, Nikki
“I just…” Tears burned at the corners of my eyes as I slumped onto the toilet with my head between my hands. “I thought for sure this would be the time… I was so certain.”
“As I said, we just need to be patient.” Gently, he ran his fingers through my hair. “Stressing about it certainly isn’t going to help the situation.”
“I just want to start a family with you… is that too much to ask for?”
“Of course not, but sometimes things don’t always go as planned. We can’t force it.” He placed a finger underneath my chin and lifted my head so I was forced to look him in the eye. “So today wasn’t our lucky day, but that’s alright because we’ll keep trying.” He leaned down and kissed my lips. “And one day we’ll have a couple of little ones running around the house driving us absolutely bonkers.”
She laughed.
“And before you say anything, there’s nothing wrong with you. The doctor said so and he’s the best in his field. I trust his word and so should you. We’re both healthy and sooner rather than later, we’ll have this baby. I promise you that.”
I sniffled and dried away my tears. His words were comforting. I soaked them in as I rested my head on his chest.
“In the meantime, what do you say about a dog? I’ve been looking online and there’s this gorgeous husky that I think you would love to meet,” he said by way of cheering me up. “My cat isn’t going to like it very much but I reckon she’ll learn to deal with it.”
“You want to adopt a dog?” I asked with a look of bewilderment. “But isn’t that a lot of commitment, especially if we’re looking to have a baby?”
“Sure it is, but having a baby is even more of a commitment. I figure getting a dog together would be good practice for us.” He paused and ran a hot bath. “It’s just a suggestion – something to think about if you’re interested.”
“I’ll think about it,” I agreed as I slowly took off my clothes. Even after five years of marriage, Leo still looked at me like I was the most beautiful girl in the world, and it was still enough to send a shiver down my spine. With his eyes glued to my backside, I made my way to the tub and eased into the warm, relaxing water. I sighed as my muscles relaxed and I was able to forget about the stresses of trying to have a baby.
* * *
A month later.
“You know, I’m actually kind of nervous.” I was looking out the car window as Leo drove to the local shelter. “What if he doesn’t like us?”
“I would find it hard to believe if there was one living being in this world that didn’t like you.” He squeezed my hand. “There’s nothing to worry about. We’re just going in there for a visit. Maybe there’ll be another dog that speaks to us. I think we just need to go in there with an open mind.”
“You’re right,” I said.
Finally, we arrived at the shelter. The lot was empty save for a little Volkswagen Beetle painted with faded polka dots.
“Are you ready?” Leo asked as he took my hand and laced our fingers together.
“As ready as I’ll ever be, I guess,” I said.
Inside, we were met with a cheerful young woman. “Hello!” she said, waving in an enthusiastic manner. “You must be the couple I talked with on the phone. I’ve picked out a few dogs that I think you might be interested in. Why don’t you come out back and we can take a look?” She started for a rickety-looking door and disappeared.
Leo and I exchanged a look but nonetheless, we followed her.
Frolicking through the grass were three large dogs: a Husky, a German Shephard, and a Golden Retriever.
When we walked through the door, the Husky and German Shephard continued to play with one another, but the Golden Retriever walked right up to us and rested his head against my thigh.
“This dog has good taste,” Leo joked as he bent down to interact with the dog but he wasn’t very interested in my husband.
On the other hand, when I bent down, his tail started to wag at a mile a minute. He jumped up and placed his paws on my shoulders. I was taken by surprise and lost my balance. Before I knew what was happening, my face was covered in doggy kisses.
I laughed as his big tongue tickled me.
He stopped only to tug at my shirt.
The shelter worker chuckled. “I would say he has taken a liking to you. Here. He’s particular to this toy. See if he’ll play with you.” She handed it over to Leo.
All he had to do was wave it around and the dog lost his mind. He bounced from side to side, trying to snatch it from his hand. “Do you want it?” Leo asked, playfully holding it too high for him to reach.
The dog almost seemed to nod his head.
So, Leo threw it with all his might and the Golden rushed off to grab it. The other two dogs couldn’t give a care in the world.
A few seconds later, he returned and dropped the toy at Leo’s feet. “I think we have a winner.”
“I think so too,” I agreed as I tried to get to my feet but as soon as the dog saw me trying to move, he barreled right into me and attacked me once more with an arsenal of wet kisses. I tried to push him away, but he just laid down on top of me, refusing to budge.
“Great, in that case, let me get the adoption papers and we’ll see if you’re eligible to bring him home.”
But I already knew that we weren’t leaving without him.
* * *
Bailey was eager to explore his new home, much to the cat’s annoyance. She hissed and swatted at him every chance she got but honestly, Bailey didn’t seem to mind all that much. He was having way too much fun rolling around on the carpet and dragging his butt across the doormat.
“Do you think she’s ever going to learn to tolerate him?” I asked as I walked into the bathroom to change into some pajamas.
“Maybe sometime in the distant future,” Leo answered. “But she’ll get over it – eventually.” He popped his head into the bathroom. “Anyway, I was thinking we could watch a movie or something. What do you say?”
“I think that’s great. Why don’t you pick something out and I’ll join you in just a minute?”
“Perfect.” He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before rushing off to deal with Bailey climbing on the coffee table. He was going to be a handful but I didn’t mind all that much. Already, I loved that four-legged fiend.
When I was done slipping on my pajamas, I was about ready to leave but then I stopped at the doorway and turned back. I had one more pregnancy test tucked away in the medicine cabinet. On a whim, I decided to check. I was sure the result would come back negative but somehow, I held onto the hope that maybe, just maybe, tonight would be the night.
The seconds dragged on for an eternity as I waited for that telltale beep.
“Hey, is everything alright in here?” Leo knocked on the door before letting himself inside.
Beep!
I dropped the pregnancy test only to scramble to pick it up. I couldn’t believe it. There it was –that elusive little plus sign– the one I had been praying for all this time. “Leo!” I screamed, shoving the pregnancy test in his face. “We are going to have a baby!” I jumped for joy only to slip on the bath rug.
We both tumbled to the ground in a tangled heap. “Are you being serious?” he asked as soon as he was sure I was okay.
“Yes! Look at it. There’s the little pink plus sign. Right there!” I pointed frantically. “Tell me that you see it too.”
“I do.”
“Oh my God! We’re going to be parents!”
Bailey ducked his head into the bathroom and saw us on the floor. He must have thought we were playing because he joined in, tail wagging like a miniature propeller. “That’s right, Bailey, you’re going to have a little baby to take care of. Do you think you can do that?”
“Arf!”
Leo smiled and pulled me in for a kiss. “What did I tell you? Good things happen to those who wait.”
The End
About the Author
I’m a contemporary rom
ance writer who loves to write about billionaire bad boys! Join my mailing list here for freebies and promos regarding my upcoming releases!
A bit over a year ago, I took a leap of faith to pursue my dream of becoming a full-time writer. I love to get to know my readers personally so please connect with me for any feedback, questions, or even just to say hi!
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Nikki
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