Page 56 of Soaring and Saucy

“We’ve got you, bro,” Tic-Tak said simply, grinning and standing up. He clapped Lance on the shoulder. “Now, pick up your tissues and your ‘man-gina’ off the floor because we’re gonna go have a beer to celebrate.”

“How about a Coke?” Lance said sheepishly. “I’m really done.”

“Coke for you,” Ohio chuckled and pointed his finger in his face before looking at the other guys. “Jack and Coke for us.”

“Fair enough – and I’m buying.”

“Woooohooo! Top shelf, baaaabeeee! I just called the Uber. Let’s goooo!”

“Oh mercy,” Lance laughed, following his friends down the hallway and off the carrier.

A little over a week later, Lance was landing in Louisville. There was such a sense of happiness, joy, and awareness that this was the second and last time he would be disembarking from an airplane here. He was taking his wife to their new home, and he couldn’t wait to see Stephanie. He was dressed for some serious work, wearing jeans and a T-shirt, ready to pack up her apartment so they could leave by Saturday morning. It was going to be a lot of hard, menial work, loading and unloading the truck, but the guys said they would help when he got back to Mayport, and his princess wasn’t touching a thing. He didn’t want her doing any of the lifting or moving stuff.

Rounding the corner to head toward baggage claim and the exit, he saw Stephanie immediately. She was standing there, looking nervous and in a baggy dress. A part of him wondered if it was because her stomach was starting to grow slightly, and just the thought of it made his heart pound as he met her dazzling smile. He jogged over, scooped her up into his arms, and swung her around, hugging her tightly. Tears stung his eyes because he could feel her close to him, breathe in her scent, and just missed her more than he could ever have imagined.

“Hey, Beautiful,” he whispered against her hair, meaning it with every ounce of his body and treasured her soft laugh. “Are you ready to do this?”

“I am,” she said excitedly and then leaned back from him before putting her hand on the back of his head, pulling him to her for a kiss.

Gosh, he loved how bold she was now that she was getting comfortable with him. There was nothing sexier than when your woman showed you that she wanted you – and for him, he knew it was more than just ‘desire.’ They actually had something so priceless and special that he would give up everything to make either of them happy – Stephanie or his precious Peanut. He pulled away slightly, touching her cheek tenderly as he pressed his forehead to hers.

“I missed you so much…”

“Same,” he chuckled softly. “I know it hasn’t been very long, but am I crazy to think that it felt like forever?”

“No, because I felt the same.”

“How’s our little Peanut?”

“Ready for you to get here,” she admitted, chuckling tearfully. “She’s really swishing right now, and it’s a strange feeling.”

Regardless of where they were, Lance dropped to his knees in a heartbeat and pressed his cheek to Stephanie’s stomach. He could feel the small gentle swell slightly and needed a second, or else he was gonna start bawling. This moment, this feeling of being accepted for who he was deep down inside was more wonderful and overwhelming than anything he had ever experienced. He hoped to feel the baby moving; he knew people were probably staring, but he didn’t care. His wife’s fingers touched his hair as he waited, whispering to the baby.

“Hey, my sweet Peanut… Daddy’s home,” he breathed tearfully, pressing a kiss against the fabric of her dress. “Can you hear me in there? Princess, is our boy still moving around right now?”

“Our girl is, yes,” she chuckled easily. “You are making me paranoid with all this he/she stuff. I hope you know that I really don’t care what sex the baby is, as long as it’s healthy and happy.”

“Same,” he admitted, pressing another kiss to her dress before standing up, avoiding her eyes. He was afraid she would think less of him by being such an emotional twerp when it came to them, but he couldn’t help it. “Are you happy?”

“To see you? Yes.”

“All of it,” he asked tentatively, looking at her, swallowing. “With me, the baby, the moving, all of it. I know it’s a lot, and I want you to be happy about these changes, but I don’t want to pressure…”

“Shhh,” she whispered, putting two fingers over his mouth and cutting him off, looking him directly in the eyes. Her dark eyes were sparkling with an inner fire that made his heart flutter wildly in his chest. “I’m happy – happier than I’ve ever been, and I’m ready. This isn’t the end, but we are turning the page to a new chapter— together.”

“Let’s get out of here,” he urged, wanting to be alone.

“Stephanie! What did you do?”

Thirty minutes later, Lance stood in the doorway of the apartment… stunned. He turned and glared at her impish expression just as she scooted past him, walking around the stacks of boxes and totes full of her things. She had obviously packed up almost – if not – the entire apartment by herself. There was a trash bag on the floor nearby that had a few fast food containers and paper plates inside, a telltale sign that the kitchen had been packed away already.

“I told you not to lift anything or strain yourself.”

“I’m pregnant, not incapable.”

“You need to rest.”

“I need to get home so I can unpack our things,” she countered deftly. “Now, while you can get away with so much more than any other person because I think you are incredibly hot and amazing, that doesn’t give you any leeway to start bossing me around. Got it, Mister?”

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