wrapped-in-shadows:

“I know,” he murmured against her neck as he nuzzled her. He’d dreamed about them having a child, but now that it was really happening, it was still so overwhelming. He was going to be a father. She was going to be a mother. And what would their child look like? They knew from the sonogram that it was a girl, and that her head was a normal size, but would she have blue skin, or peach? Would she have hair? Would she have his bright green eyes, or Katelynn’s soft brown ones? So many questions, so many hopes.

“I wish we didn’t have to wait so long. When she comes … no parents will ever have loved a child as much as we’re going to love her.”

“She can still hear us even now, love,” she commented softly, laying her hands over his as her fingers rubbed along his skin. “You just can’t really see or touch her but she’s here. She responds a lot your voice too. I’m not sure if you ever noticed?”

Katelynn loved talking to her belly, playing music for their child but it was when Jack talked that she really kicked and fussed around.

Jack’s eyes widened. He’d noticed how active the baby was (and secretly hoped it meant she’d be stronger and braver than her father), but he’d never noticed that it was because of him. “Really?” He pressed a hand over Katelynn’s belly now, pushing her shirt up a little, feeling the taut curve and the smoothness of her skin.

wrapped-in-shadows:

“Mm, I think we can find a way around it,” he said, smiling back. By sidling up to her at an angle, Jack was able to keep her belly out of the way and wrap his arms around her. His chin rested on her shoulder as he cuddled her close. “And sure, I can do that. They make some nice waterproof paints, so we could even wash it, when we had to.”

She snuggled up into him, taking in his warmth. “That’s important so I can put it in the washer.” Her hands gripped his shirt, body slowly swaying to some unheard music. “I can’t believe we’re going to be parent’s soon…just a bit more and we can both hold her and show her all the love in the world..”

“I know,” he murmured against her neck as he nuzzled her. He’d dreamed about them having a child, but now that it was really happening, it was still so overwhelming. He was going to be a father. She was going to be a mother. And what would their child look like? They knew from the sonogram that it was a girl, and that her head was a normal size, but would she have blue skin, or peach? Would she have hair? Would she have his bright green eyes, or Katelynn’s soft brown ones? So many questions, so many hopes.

“I wish we didn’t have to wait so long. When she comes … no parents will ever have loved a child as much as we’re going to love her."

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“I think that sounds wonderful.” Jack looked around the cozy, warmly-lit nursery. They’d agreed that the baby would sleep in their room for the first month or two, so they could be close to her and bond, but this room would be ready and waiting in the meantime.

He walked over and examined the crib. “Maybe we could get some gauzy fabric, and sew stars onto it? Or I could paint some on.”

“Yes!” She clapped happily, dusting off a few of the stuffed animals. “Or we could do both? Leave space for me to sew some on? Make it glittery.” When she was done with that, she moved back to try to cuddle against Jack but her stomach got in the way. She pouted.

“Seems the baby is keeping us apart,” she joked, smiling at him. The hormones of her pregnancy had made her a bit more clingy toward her husband, always wishing to cuddle by his side.

“Mm, I think we can find a way around it,” he said, smiling back. By sidling up to her at an angle, Jack was able to keep her belly out of the way and wrap his arms around her. His chin rested on her shoulder as he cuddled her close. “And sure, I can do that. They make some nice waterproof paints, so we could even wash it, when we had to."

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

will-never-be-a-swan:

She squealed at this and teetered on her feet. “Yes! A photo wall dedicated to our baby! All of her moments!” Her hands rested on her cheeks to calm her smiling down. “But we have wall space for that, love.”

He couldn’t help smiling as he watched her. She was so adorable and sweet when she got this excited, and he always loved seeing her that way. “Well, like I said, let’s see how this one turns out first. Maybe we’ll find some more pieces we want to try out, too.”

They brought the lights into the studio, and Jack started work painting the canvas. Since it was going to be all one color, he cheated a little, using a roller instead of a brush to keep the paint smooth and even. Once the canvas was done, he set it up to dry.

“It’ll be ready in an hour or two,” he said to Katelynn. “In the meantime, we can go take a look at the room again, and see what else we want to do?”

“Okay!” She slid her fingers between his to bring him along to the room, the crib set up already in the middle. Her eyes strayed about the fixings, the wall already showing pictures of Katelynn and her stages of pregnancy to catalog the timeline. She had left plenty of space for more, wishing to cover the entire thing with pictures of their little’s ones life.

“Hmmm…I really want a piece of cloth covering her crib and maybe some cute little stars to decorate over that? I really like the idea of a sort of sky, stars, moon theme, you know?”

“I think that sounds wonderful.” Jack looked around the cozy, warmly-lit nursery. They’d agreed that the baby would sleep in their room for the first month or two, so they could be close to her and bond, but this room would be ready and waiting in the meantime.

He walked over and examined the crib. “Maybe we could get some gauzy fabric, and sew stars onto it? Or I could paint some on."

“Fair’s fair. Confess, love?” She giggled.

With his arms still around her, he nuzzled her forehead as he answered. “I don’t know where to begin, Katelynn. There’s your heart, and your bravery, and your kindness. You’re the most loving person I know.”

He reached up, running his fingers through her sandy brown hair. “Then there’s your long, beautiful hair, and your big brown eyes. And your body …” With a flirty grin, he slid his hands down to rest on her ass. “It’s all a wonderful, sexy package, and I can’t pick from it."

Resolution

dark-blue-mondays:

wrapped-in-shadows:

dark-blue-mondays:

“I don’t know much about hair,” Harrison said bluntly, “being that I have none of it myself. But I always have plenty of opinions.” And he shrugged at the blue man across from him.

They certainly weren’t going to be BFFs any time soon. But Harrison had discovered a side of the blue artist that was certainly tolerable, if not a little bit enjoyable.

While they could have stayed and talked some more, Jack had a feeling it was better to end things now. He’d said what he had to say, and if he was reading Harrison right, he’d managed to improve the other man’s opinion of him, at least a little.

“And I’d be glad to hear more of them, but I probably shouldn’t keep you any longer,” he said, with a small smile. “We can talk some more when you come visit. Just let Katelynn and I know when a good time is, and we’ll be happy to have you.”

“Yes, yes, I must get back to the office,” Harrison agreed, happy to keep this visit short. “Business won’t run itself. But I’ll be in touch,” he said as he stood and buttoned his coat. For Katelynn’s sake, he thought.

Resolution

dark-blue-mondays:

wrapped-in-shadows:

dark-blue-mondays:

“Sure,” Harrison said with a shrug. “I have a lot of experience with planning large events, you know. And I’ve made it clear to Katelynn that I’m happy to help her, even with the more girly side of things. If for example dress shopping makes you want to slit your own wrists.”

Jack shook his head, with a wry smile. “I don’t mind shopping, I’m just not very good at it. I have an eye for color and line when it comes to painting, but clothes? Not so much.” That, and he tended to think Katelynn looked lovely in anything, which made him a bad judge. “She might also appreciate some thoughts on how to fix her hair. She’s shown me some ideas, and they’re all nice, but she needs a more discerning eye to narrow it down.”

“I don’t know much about hair,” Harrison said bluntly, “being that I have none of it myself. But I always have plenty of opinions.” And he shrugged at the blue man across from him.

They certainly weren’t going to be BFFs any time soon. But Harrison had discovered a side of the blue artist that was certainly tolerable, if not a little bit enjoyable.

While they could have stayed and talked some more, Jack had a feeling it was better to end things now. He’d said what he had to say, and if he was reading Harrison right, he’d managed to improve the other man’s opinion of him, at least a little.

“And I’d be glad to hear more of them, but I probably shouldn’t keep you any longer,” he said, with a small smile. “We can talk some more when you come visit. Just let Katelynn and I know when a good time is, and we’ll be happy to have you."

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

He caught the box as she handed it down. Once she was safely on the floor, though, he set it down, and pulled her into his arms for a tender kiss. “I know. She’ll be perfect, and it’ll be perfect for her.” He nuzzled Katelynn’s forehead, and ran his hand gently over her belly.

“It’ll take a few hours for the canvas to be ready. But we can bring the lights into the studio, at least.”

His kisses always left her light headed but there was something so intimate about how he touched her belly. It made her heart soar when he showed their child affection. “Mmmhmm…we’re making a whole bunch right? To cover the wall?”

Jack, who had only prepared one canvas, was a little taken aback. “W-well, we can. But why don’t we finish this one first, and see how it turns out? Besides,” he smiled, “don’t you want to put up other pictures too?”

She squealed at this and teetered on her feet. “Yes! A photo wall dedicated to our baby! All of her moments!” Her hands rested on her cheeks to calm her smiling down. “But we have wall space for that, love.”

He couldn’t help smiling as he watched her. She was so adorable and sweet when she got this excited, and he always loved seeing her that way. “Well, like I said, let’s see how this one turns out first. Maybe we’ll find some more pieces we want to try out, too."

They brought the lights into the studio, and Jack started work painting the canvas. Since it was going to be all one color, he cheated a little, using a roller instead of a brush to keep the paint smooth and even. Once the canvas was done, he set it up to dry.

"It’ll be ready in an hour or two,” he said to Katelynn. “In the meantime, we can go take a look at the room again, and see what else we want to do?"

Resolution

dark-blue-mondays:

wrapped-in-shadows:

dark-blue-mondays:

“And really,” Harrison said, leaning back in his chair now that his drink was finished. ”Isn’t that what’s important in life? I love what I do, I would never want to do anything else. If you have a career you love, a woman you love, then I think you’re doing it right.”

Jack smiled. “That’s true as well. I count myself lucky every day that I met Katelynn. There’s so much in my life that’s she’s changed.” In the back of his mind, he made a note, I should put that in my vows.

“… I was wondering,” he went on, a little hesitant. “W-would you like to come over to our place sometime? I’m sure Katelynn would love to see you, and we could talk some more about the wedding plans.”

“Sure,” Harrison said with a shrug. “I have a lot of experience with planning large events, you know. And I’ve made it clear to Katelynn that I’m happy to help her, even with the more girly side of things. If for example dress shopping makes you want to slit your own wrists.”

Jack shook his head, with a wry smile. “I don’t mind shopping, I’m just not very good at it. I have an eye for color and line when it comes to painting, but clothes? Not so much.” That, and he tended to think Katelynn looked lovely in anything, which made him a bad judge. “She might also appreciate some thoughts on how to fix her hair. She’s shown me some ideas, and they’re all nice, but she needs a more discerning eye to narrow it down."

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“As long as we don’t turn it into her changing room, I’ll be fine with it,” Jack chuckled. “But once she starts crawling, we really will need to keep her out of it. I keep sharp tools in there, and some of the oils and thinners I use are toxic.”

“Of course love. Or you could just keep them out of reach. Who knows, she may take after you and love art.” Finally finding the right box, she handed it down to him before descending the stairs. “Phew…she’s a heavy little thing. I can’t wait to see the results of her room. It’ll so so pretty at night with the lights and everything! A night sky for our angel to sleep in.”

He caught the box as she handed it down. Once she was safely on the floor, though, he set it down, and pulled her into his arms for a tender kiss. “I know. She’ll be perfect, and it’ll be perfect for her.” He nuzzled Katelynn’s forehead, and ran his hand gently over her belly.

“It’ll take a few hours for the canvas to be ready. But we can bring the lights into the studio, at least.”

His kisses always left her light headed but there was something so intimate about how he touched her belly. It made her heart soar when he showed their child affection. “Mmmhmm…we’re making a whole bunch right? To cover the wall?”

Jack, who had only prepared one canvas, was a little taken aback. “W-well, we can. But why don’t we finish this one first, and see how it turns out? Besides,” he smiled, “don’t you want to put up other pictures too?"