I hesitated, staring up at him, trying to make out any features. With the sun behind him, I couldn't see much but I thought that maybe he was smiling. I realized he was holding out his hand and making up my mind, I reached up to grab it. As soon as our hands touched he started pulling me upward, his other hand reaching out to touch my shoulder. He let me get steady on my feet before releasing my hand and taking a step back. Right side up once more I could see him clearly. My first thought was gorgeous. He was tall with thick, dark brown hair, that had a slight wave to it, a handsome face, it was narrow which suited his frame. His smile was warm and inviting making me feel at ease immediately though I had never met him before. He was thin but not in an underweight scrawny way, but thin in a way that seemed to suit him. Long arms with muscles clearly defined and visible since he was only wearing a thin sweater. He was a very attractive man. I realized he had been patiently waiting for me to speak while I evaluated him. I felt heat rise in my cheeks and hoped the cold from the day would cover it up.
"Thank you" I said, my voice cracking a bit, making me realize it had been a few days since I had last spoken out loud. Not since my doctors appointment four days ago. Frowning, that wasn't good, four days was too long. I vowed to do better, it was too easy to lose myself, while alone, maybe I could find a coffee shop near by to work from. Even one day a week would guarantee a little human interaction.
I had done it again, distracted by my thoughts. But there he was still staring at me in that unobtrusive way that said 'it's okay take your time, I'll be right here'.
"I apologize. My brain has been easily distracted lately. Thank you for helping me up. This belly is difficult to maneuver sometimes. And I probably shouldn't have lain down anyways, I know how hard it is to get off the couch, let alone another foot further down. Thanks." Starting out normal, my babbling grew until I forced myself to stop. He was still staring, now with a half smile that quirked up one side of his mouth. That smile was making my stomach do flip flops, it was so similar to His smile, all I could was stare.
"It was nothing," he said, still smiling, now his eyes had joined in. His eyes were warm and laughing, like he knew something I didn't, and green, the deepest green I had ever seen. Bright and dark and endless. I was lost looking at them, they seemed draw me in and hold me. So green. So familiar? I shook my head to clear it, glancing away from him, from his eyes. I felt shaken from just looking into a man's eyes, what was wrong we me?
"Alright?'" He spoke his tone low and cautious. His smile was gone from his face replaced with a look of concern and what I thought looked like fear.
"Yes, of course," I said, getting a hold of myself now, "just dizzy from standing up so quickly." It was a lie but there was no way I would admit to getting lost in this strangers eyes, especially to him.
He still seemed unsure, less confident now, he took a half step toward me, his hand out.
"Can I help you home," he asked.
"No, no. I am perfectly fine. Thank you for your help, I would have been there all day," i said, hoping to lighten the mood, that seemed tense for some reason.
"Really, let me walk you home, please? I don't mind. Your just back that way?" He gestured behind me, where my line of footprints stretched.
I was cautious, now he would know where I lived. Not that it would be hard for him to find it on his own if he wanted, I just wasn't so sure about walking up to the door with him.
"Just to your yard then, I wouldn't be able to stop worrying if I left you on your own out here. Anything could happen, what if you slipped and fell or lay down again and couldn't get up," this was said in all seriousness until the very end where both our mouths smiled slightly at the reminder, "I promise you no harm. On my honor," he spoke softly now, a whisper but his last three words were a stab in my heart. He had spoke those words to me over the years from our first date when he assured me we would take it slow, to the day I had told him I was pregnant.
I had been worried, anxious to tell him. We hadn't planned to have a baby for a few more years. We needed to get the house in order, still in the process of moving in and put more in our savings, since most of it had already been spent on the house. It was important to both him and me to do things at the right time. Neither of us good at winging it, some semblance of a plan was needed for any major life changes. Knowing this I had been nervous to tell him about the baby. I had cleaned the house and put on my green dress, his favorite. I made his favorite dinner, chicken parmesan and lit candles around the dining room. And then he had come in the door and seen my surprise and he had smiled that smile. That was it, I stopped worrying and knew it would be okay as long as he was by my side. We had eaten and talked like we did every other night. At the end I brought in the dessert I had made and placed the plate in front of him; two cupcakes, one with pink frosting and one with blue frosting, a question mark on the plate written in frosting. He stared at them a few seconds before realization of what I was telling him dawned. He had turned to me then, smothering me in a hug, smiling and laughing.
"Pregnant? We are really having a baby?!" He asked, pulling back to look at my face. I nodded and he hugged me tighter.
"You're happy? Not upset that it is sooner than planned?" I asked. He pulled back again with an incredulous expression, looking into my eyes,
"Happy? You crazy woman, I've never been happier! On my honor! Though the first time we met and our wedding day are close seconds."
I sighed audibly with relief at his promise, knowing we could conquer anything as long as we were together.
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