Through Thick And Thin

Chapter 7

After Chad got his job, he seemed to changed, at least as far as Amelia was concerned. It was not until he began his new job at Harper Medical, Amelia realized he had been masking his depression during the four months he had been staying with her. She hated the fact that he never confided in her but at the same time, she was happy he had gone the extra mile just to make sure she was happy. Chad had brought up the idea of moving out but as quickly as he had brought it up, he realized just how strange his thought was.

“We are having a baby,” he’d said as he ran his fingers through his hair. “And we cannot raise him in separate households as if we are two divorced people.”

“I know but if you feel like you want to be away…” Amelia started before he shook his head. He looked into her eyes and sighed.

“I don’t want to be away from you,” he said. “I would never dream of being away from you. Especially not now.”

“Then what is it?” she asked in a soft voice.

He took a long deep breath.

“It’s just that when I moved in with you, I was kind of hoping for something…at the time, it seemed like the sensible thing to do because I had just lost my job.”

“It was the sensible thing to do.”

“I know but I would have wanted to be the one to support us,” he argued.

“Well you did.” She held the side of his face and smiled. “You took care of the bills and groceries for three out of the four months you were here.”

“I did that because I felt bad I was in your space and everything.”

The two were seated at the kitchen counter having breakfast as they spoke. She got off her chair and walked around to where Chad was.

“You are not invading my space. I love having you here,” she said as she put her hands on his shoulders. “I don’t think I have ever been comfortable with anyone the way I have been with you.”

“I would hope not,” he said forcing a smile.

“What can I do to make you feel better?”

“Nothing really,” he said in a soft voice. “Maybe just let me co-sign the lease.”

She raised an eyebrow at him.

“That’s it?”

“Well, for starters,” he said looking at her.

“So what? Does this settle the whole living together thing? Because if the issue is this place, we can always get another one.”

“No. I like this place. Maybe we can get another one in a few years but right now I am quite content with this apartment. I think I was just feeling a little cuckold.”

“Cuckold? Really?”

“Well, I used that word for lack of another one,” he said shrugging. “It is not that I am not appreciative of everything but the fact that…” he never got a chance to finish what he was saying. She pressed a finger to his lips and smiled at him.

“I know exactly what you mean,” she whispered.

“I love the way it is so easy to talk to you,” Chad said as he smiled at her. “And maybe later, to show you just how thankful I am, I can get you something nice and expensive just to thank you for being such a good spot.”

“You don’t need to buy me expensive gifts, Chad,” she said as she looked at him.

“I am now a top researcher at a leading pharmaceutical. Tell me to buy you a Bentley and I will do exactly that,” he said and her eyes grew wide.

“I wouldn’t mind a Bentley,” she said jokingly.

“It would take a few more months before getting a luxury car without completely denting my pocket but I can do it,” he said. He held one side of her face and kissed her. “Anything for the mother of my children,” he added as he pulled her to sit on his lap.

“Hey the mother of one child,” she said smiling. “I’m not ready to go through this whole being bloated on a daily basis thing.”

“Fine but maybe with any chance we might try for another one in the near future,” he said. Amelia got off his lap and took her plate to the sink.

“We were not trying this time around mister and bam! Bun in the oven, not that I am complaining.”

Chad got up and walked up to where she was. He put the plate in the sink and looked into her eyes.

“Don’t start anything you might not finish. We have to get to work,” she said when he kissed her cheek softly. He was slowly working his way up her neck in a way that made her feel a little tingle running down her spine.

“Well, Chad,” she started as he helped her to the couch. “I am pregnant, not sick.”

Chad smiled.