It was the second month of the pregnancy, and she already felt more pregnant than ever. She began craving foods she never imagined eating in her life, and she cried at everything – books Gerald bought her, movies she spent her nights watching, music she listened to. She stepped onto the scale everyday and within the previous month, she gained at least eight to ten pounds.

In the middle of the afternoon, she was sick of spending most days cooped up in her house, and since Gerald wasn’t doing anything better, she ran down the stairs and found him in the kitchen. “Let’s go out.”

“What?” He asked, putting away the last of the dry dishes.

“I’m sick of staying inside. I forgot what traffic sounds like. Now can we please just take a walk somewhere?” She begged, already sinking her arm in the sleeves. He laughed at her persistent. “Fine. I just assumed you’d like to come with me, but I’ll go alone. I guess I’m no longer a flight risk. Maybe I should re-check my bags upstairs,” she turned her back.

Gerald wiped his hands dry and followed her. “Fine!”

“I guess in a couple more months, I won’t be able to do this at all. I’ll be too big to move around. I still can’t believe that a tiny baby is inside me,” she said meeting him stride-for-stride. “You know, I’ll be able to feel him or her move, kick inside me. It’s amazing when I really think about it. This baby’s mine,” she put her hand over her stomach.

He smiled at her growing admiration. “I can remember the first time ‘Riss felt Emma kick. It was the sixth month. Michael was away on a case down South and she ran across the hall, banging on my door at two o’clock in the morning. It was the most amazing, ridiculous I’ve ever felt. Like bubbles in her stomach,” he chuckled.

“So, were you ever romantically involved with Marissa? Because you seem to be very interested in her.”

Gerald laughed. “Marissa? God, no! She was my best friend in high school, and frankly, I was the one who introduced her to Michael. She’s like my little sister, and it helped because she was also friends with my little sister.”

“I didn’t know you had a sister.”

“You never asked,” he smiled. His smile immediately disappeared and he turned the opposite way, stringing Kim along.

“What, hello? Pregnant lady here,” she commented on his grip. “Gerald!”

He shushed her, “Don’t say my name!”

She got out of his grip and continued to follow him.

“Ge?!” A woman’s voice yelled. “I thought it was you.”

The two of them turned to meet the estranged woman. “Oh, hi, I’m Elizabeth.”

Kim looked over Gerald who stared down at his feet like death just appeared. “I’m Kim.” She held out her, and the woman shook it. “So, how do you know Gerald?”

“We go way back. It’s been awhile,” the second part was directed towards a silently humiliated Gerald. “How are you?”

“How’s David?” He asked instead, anger flaring out of aura. Elizabeth’s smile faded slowly. “Nice ring, he give you that? I guess I lost my invitation in the mail,” he remarked about the size of the rock on her finger.

“Yeah, we got married last summer.”

He feigned a smile, “Well it’s good to know you couldn’t wait at least a year. Anyways, Kim, I think the walk’s over.”

When they got back to the apartment, he went straight to his supposed dining room which possessed a pool table instead of a proper table. She took off her coat and got him a beer. “Ex-girlfriend?” She asked watching him play in silence. “What happened?”

“What do you think happened?” He asked, striking another ball into the hole. “Anyways, anything that happened was for the best.”

“So, is that why you dragged me out of a really nice walk? You needed to get away,” though the answers to her question were pretty much pointless, she needed him to open up if this would ever work. Again silence. “Do you enjoy annoying me with the lack of answers? Just tell me what happened with her…Look, obviously, she hurt you and you can’t admit it because it hurts to much to think about it. Who knew Gerald Anderson’s wall of steel would finally break down because of a girl!” She smiled, tormenting him. He gave her a warning look. “Are you always like this? When someone asks you a question that makes you feel uncomfortable, you avoid them at all costs?”

“I’m not uncomfortable,” he answered walking away from her to the other side.

She sighed, “Then admit you’re avoiding the question because you still feelings for her!”

“My feeling don’t matter,” he shot back. “Elizabeth and I are finished.”

Kim nodded, “But you loved each other,” she stated, rather than asked. “Loved each other enough that you wanted to spend the rest of your life with her?”

“You’re not going to let this go, are you?” Kim took a stick off the wall, and shot at the balls, sinking three. She stepped back and looked at him, her way of saying no and game on. “We met right after high school, and yes I fell in love with her. A year later, I caught her in bed with someone else.”

“David,” she clarified.

He sighed, letting her know he was getting the climactic part. “Four months later after the break up, she was rushed to the hospital and suffered a miscarriage. I didn’t know until then that she was pregnant with my baby. That was when I joined the military.”

“I’m sorry. That must’ve been really hard for you. To find put a part of you is gone after it happened.” Gerald put the stick down and went to go take a seat on the couch. She followed, “Well, if it makes you feel better I think she’s a total .” He let out a chuckle. “There it is, that smile. You know, I understand why you are the way you are. You know you got hurt,” she shifted in his seat, “something you don’t like to admit. But look how far along you came from that moment. You something breaks you apart, breaks your heart; but you still find a reason to live. That’s admirable.” She took a breath, “And for your information, I like the honest Gerald – the one who opens up – more than the strong-willed Gerald.” She slapped his leg. “It makes you appear more human.”

The next three months sped by quickly. She grew bigger every day, and Gerald was there the entire time. She hardly saw Michael, or Marissa and only left the apartment on specific occasions – grocery shopping, doctor appointments and evening walks she took with Gerald. Living with him became easier, and she became more comfortable with the morning run-ins in the bathroom.

On one of those run-ins, she spun around and smiled, “Are you going to come with me to the doctor’s today?”

He looked surprised, “That’s today?”

He didn’t go with her on all those other appointments, so him forgetting wasn’t a huge shock. “Yeah. It’s just, the baby’s gotten so big and I thought you’d like to be there. But I get it, you have to work and it may be awkward.” She continued on.

“Kim!” He called. “I can change my schedule, if you’d like. I actually would really like it if I went.”

She smiled, “Okay. Well, it’s an hour so…”

He nodded, and turned to his room.

Half an hour later, she could hear the sound of Emma’s voice talking to Gerald and stayed in the background to listen. “Mommy and Daddy had another fight last night. He didn’t come home and Mom was crying. I want you tell me the truth, Tito Gerald, are they getting a divorce?”

“Honey, you don’t have to worry about that. Parents fight all the time, and your Dad didn’t come home because he needed time to think about what he did. It’s kind of like the adult version of a time-out, he needed to leave because he needed to cool down.”

“But he’s not yet home,” Emma said, vulnerability taking over.

Gerald nodded, “Let me tell you something. Before you were born, I promised Mom that I wouldn’t let anything bad happen to your family or you; that I would keep you safe, and that I would love you no matter what. I made that promise for forever. When I wake up, the first thing I think about is what I need to do to make it right for you. And that means, I will never let anything bad happen to your family.” Emma smiled. “And what I need you to do is to stop worrying about your parents and just be a kid. Trust me, and have fun. Everything will turn out fine, I promise,” he pulled Emma in and hugged her, kissing her on the top of her head.

“Okay,” she agreed smiling.

Kim took that as her cue to try to spontaneously enter the room. “Hey Emma,” she said with her hands in her pocket.

“Hi, are you guys going out?” Emma asked. The two of them hadn’t really spoken to each other, but they stayed courteous towards each other because she was a kid.

“Yeah. I have a doctor’s appointment for the baby.”

Emma’s face turned to worry. “Is it alright?”

Gerald grabbed her and ticked her on her sides. “What did I just finish telling you, huh?” Her giggle made everyone in the room light up. “Stop worrying!”

“Okay, okay, okay!” She said gasping for air.

He stopped and carried her over his shoulder. “Now, we got to go, but we’ll drop you off next door.”

Kim led the way out was stopped when she saw Michael. “Hi,” he said at the .

Gerald let Emma down and she ran to her father’s arms. “Daddy! You’re back! Tito said you would be.”

Michael carried her, “What were you guys doing?”

“Tito Gerald and Kim were going to give the baby a check up.” Emma replied, resting her head on his shoulder.

“We were just making sure he got in alright,” Gerald said, pressing the down button on the elevator.

They arrived at the hospital, and Kim went to the receptionist like she has been doing for the past couple of months. The only think new was Gerald behind her. “Hello Mary,” Kim greeted. “Is Dr. Lee ready for me?”

Gerald was caught by surprise that they were on a first name basis after a short period of time. “Hi Kim. Yeah, in a minute. Anyways, I took your advice, and you were right! Worked like a charm,” the receptionist winked. “He couldn’t get enough!”

“I told you it would work!” Kim squealed. “Danny sounds so like a catch, so when are you seeing him again?” Gerald stood in the background as they continued to talk.

“Tonight. He asked me out to the new restaurant downtown and than back to his place. I also bought the lingerie you told me about.” She laughed.

“Well, I hope you have an amazing time tonight. Good luck,” she said, walking away.

Gerald followed her. “Who’s Danny?” He asked.

Kim smiled, “A hot nurse on the fifth floor. I came in two weeks ago and I saw her flirting with him, so I took it upon myself to walk on over and asked her how it was. I told her she should be the one to make the first one, be aggressive and she did and won a date.”

“And the lingerie part?”

She laughed nervously, “We went shopping yesterday if you’d like to know. She tried on some things, and I told her she should buy something special for herself and just-in-case type of thing.”

They walked into Dr. Lee’s office. “Hello Kim! Wow, you look bigger already!”

“I hope that was a compliment.” She said taking her place on the bed.

Just like with Mary, they had their own little conversation that would occur between best friends. “Okay, let’s see your baby.”

Gerald took a seat by Kim’s head, and was excited to watch the screen. Kim was definitely bigger and he knew that they’d be able to see much more than his first time he accompanied her.

“I can see the pregnancy is progressing normally. You and the baby are in good shape…” they could hear the strong heart beat of the baby and smiled. However, the doctor took a long pause which scared the two of them.

“What is it? Is something wrong?” Kim asked.

“On the contrary, your baby is trying to show itself. We actually have the perfect position to determine gender. Would you like to know?” Dr. Lee smiled.

Kim’s mouth opened in a surprise shock. She looked at Gerald for his opinion. A smile spread across his face and shrugged,  “It’s up to you.” He replied.

“I don’t know,” she laughed and looked back at the screen. “I mean, yeah,” she replied. “Who am I kidding? I’m dying to know.” She looked back at Gerald who had the same excitement as she did.

Dr. Lee nodded and pointed to the screen. “Well congratulations parent, you’re having a baby girl.”

Gerald grabbed hold of her hand and squeezed it. The doctor left them for awhile, and Kim stayed in the bed, while Gerald paced the room. “Are you disappointed?” Kim asked.

He turned to face her, “About what?”

“I don’t know, maybe you wanted a boy or something.” She answered him.

“No, no. I think you having a little girl suits you. I just, I don’t know about being a good Dad, you know.”

She smiled at him, “The way you were with Emma today is all you need to know about a Dad. And if I could just have an ounce of that, I think we’ll both be okay.”

When they arrived home, Kim couldn’t help but remember all the things she said in the beginning – how she was afraid of going to the ultrasounds alone and how she hated the idea of never having a read family for her little girl. But that was a joke now. She wasn’t alone in the ultrasound, and for the first time, she knew her little girl would have a family. And she couldn’t help but be thankful it would be Gerald.