Yuri and I kept our promise that we would meet up once a week and hang out. Mostly, we did baby shopping, because it turns out Yuri was great at that. By the end of November, we had managed to gather three onsies, a crib, a changing station, a rocking chair, a stroller, four outfits, three hats, and three pairs of shoes.

 I was lying on the floor, looking around at the strewn boxes of unopened baby supplies. Right now we were in the soon-to-be-nursery, which was a room with white walls and a hardwood floor that serve as a guest room at the moment, and would hopefully soon be a paradise for a happy baby boy. Yuri sat at my feet, and with one foot purple-painted toenails in his lap, he massaged my cankles that were filled with fluid from the pregnancy, I was just now 28 weeks pregnant, or exactly seven months (and one day to be exact). My belly had grown so huge I couldn't even see Yuri, even though he was less than six feet away. I could only feel him massaging my sore feet like there was no tomorrow, which pretty much felt like heaven on Earth.

"That is AMAZING," I sighed, "Thank you so much. My feet probably smell awful."

"They do," Yuri teased, laughing. "But it's okay. You just need to relax."

"I bet my ankles are huge." I said with a laugh. "Not that I've seen them in months."

I pushed a few strands of sweaty blonde hair off my face. I was burning up. Oh. God. :3

"Is it hot in here to you?" I asked Yuri. Without waiting for him to answer, I began to sit up. "I'll hit the AC."

"Nope," Yuri said, gently pushing me back down. "You need to rest. You told me yourself you haven't been getting enough sleep lately. I'll get the AC."

"Thanks Yul." I replied. "You're a lifesaver."

Yuri made his way across the room to the AC control panel. 

"What do you want me to turn it down to?" he asked when he reached it.

"Well what is it on now?"

"Sixty."

I laughed. Pre-pregnancy Jessica would have been freezing her of in a sixty-degree room, but right now it felt like it was hot I could barely breathe.

"Don't worry about it Yul," I said from my spot on the floor, " I don't want to freeze you to death. It almost winter."

Yuri rolled his eyes.

"Come on, Yul. You don't have to do that, you know."

"Don't worry about it Jess," he said. "I want to."

I sighed and pushed back my flyaway hairs for what felt like the fiftieth time today.

"So," Yuri began after a few more minutes of glorious foot-rubbing. "How do you feel - besides burning up and the cankles, that is?"

"I feel okay," I said. "I mean, my back's kinda been hurting a lot lately, and I haven't been sleeping too well. Mom and Jungsu claim I snore like cow."

Yuri laughed.

"But really." I continued. "More than anything else, I'm just stressed out, ya know?"

"Stressed? About what?"

"I just feel so unprepared. We only have eight weeks until this baby comes, and I haven't even started on the nursery, Sooyoung and I don't even have a name for the baby!"

"You know what?"Yuri said. "I'll help you decorate the nursery. After Christmas, you and I will get together and do some serious nursery prepping. Deal?"

I smiled. I loved having Yuri around. He was so sweet and helpful, and could take away any of my pre-baby fears in the blink of an eye."

"Deal."

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Three weeks later marked week number thirty one of my pregnancy. It also marked the arrival of Christmas.

Christmas was my absolute favorite time of year. I spent most of my time at home(since I had so much)doing whatever I was physically able to do to help out, making strands of hollie berries and popcorn and then hanging them throughout the house, dusting off and putting up Mom's collection of Santa Claus figurines, and hanging wreaths on the doors. What excited me most about this particular Christmas though was the fact I knew before long, Sooyoung would be getting out of school for break and coming home. Just the thought of seeing his face filled me with joy that made the days creep by even slower.

On December 15th, the night before Sooyoung was supposed to fly home from L.A. I got a call from him. I was sitting on a couch in my living room that was positioned in front of a roaring fireplace. Hanging from the mantle were four stocking: a red-and-white striped one for Jungsu, a green silk with gold tassels for mom, a white one with silver snowflakes for me, and a tiny blue one for the baby. "Have a Holly Jolly Christmas" played softly in the background, the cracking flames perfectly complimenting the upbeat melody. I could hear Mom and Jungsu in the kitchen, making dinner and flirting. I hoped that one day I could be that happy and in love after 10 years of marriage as them. I sipped apple cider John had made just for me. I also hoped that one day I could be as good of a parent as him, even though he wasn't my biological father.

I answered the phone. My heart fluttered. I imagined Sooyoung in a T-shirt and boxer in a tiny dorm room, packing his suitcase and thinkin about coming home to me. Words couldn't even describe how I was in love with him.

"Hello?"I said flirtatiously,wishing Sooyoung was there so I could kiss him.

"Hey babe.."

My heart caught in my throat. Something was wrong. What was wrong?

"Soo, baby? what is it? What's the matter?"

"Sica baby, I don't know how to tell you this..."

Tears pricked the back of my eyes.

"Go on, tell me. I'll be okay," I lied.

"I failed one of my midterms. If i want to pass that class, I'm going to have retake it over Christmas Break, and I have a lot of studying to do, which means..."

"You won't be able to make it home for christmas," I said blankly.

"Right, Baby.. I'm so sorry."

There was a long pause.

"Really, I understand." I lied, trying to swallow the lump in my throat.

"Sica, you aren't crying are you?"

"No," A tear slipped down on my face. "I'm okay."

"Alright, Merry Christmas baby.. I'll call you again as soon as I can, okay? I love you baby.."

"I love you too, Sooyoung. so much"

"Bye Sica.."

"Bye."

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Update...Hello Spheres..Thank you! Happy Reading ^^