Pregnancy Rules: Part III

An R.L. Mathewson Chronicle

“This isn’t exactly what I had in mind when I agreed to this,” Haley mumbled sadly as she stared down at the banana in her hands.

“Craving chocolate means that your body needs potassium,” Jason said, gesturing for her to get on with it.

“But I don’t want a banana,” Haley mumbled sadly, following that up with a sniffle as she let her shoulders drop.

“It’s good for the baby,” Jason murmured absently as he glanced around their small bedroom and realized that this just wouldn’t do.

With that, he released a heartfelt sigh as he pulled out his phone and sent his father a text message even as he debated the odds of being able to pull this off. With the money from the sale of his house, plus his savings, he should be able to buy the land for cash and have enough left over to start building. He’d have to work for his father every weekend for the next eight months so that they could avoid taking out loans, but this should work.

Once they sold this house, they’d be able to replace their nest egg and have enough money so that Haley could stay home with their baby. He’d still have to pick up a few hours with Bradford Construction every month, but they could do this. He just needed to make sure that-

“I’m only going to say this once,” Haley said as she climbed onto his lap and grabbed hold of his shirt. “If you ever try to come between me and chocolate again, especially when I’m carrying a Bradford, I will release my fists of fury on you.”

God, she was just so fucking adorable, Jason thought, biting back a satisfied sigh as he leaned in and kissed the tip of her nose. “Caffeine’s bad for the baby.”

“Do you know what else is bad for the baby?” Haley asked, tightening her hold on his shirt. “Pissing me off.”

“I think you need another back rub,” Jason said, watching as Haley dropped one hand away so that she could push her glasses back up her adorable nose while she glared at him.

“And by back rub, are you talking about when you played with my emotions by slathering baby lotion on my back before giving me a cup of warm milk and telling me to take a nap while the baby lotion did, am I am quoting here, ‘It’s thing?’” Haley demanded with a look that dared him to say something that would piss her off.

“First off,” Jason said, pausing to lean forward and kiss the tip of her nose simply because he couldn’t help himself, “that backrub was magical and you damn well know it.”

“You literally poured baby lotion on my back and left me to marinate, you sick son of a bitch!” Haley bit out, looking adorably pissed.

“I really didn’t have a choice,” Jason said with a heartfelt sigh that had his wife narrowing her eyes on him.

“About…”

“I couldn’t risk jostling you,” Jason said, wondering why she was being so difficult about this.

“You couldn’t risk jostling me?” she repeated back slowly.

“It’s not good for the baby,” he pointed out.

“I see,” Haley murmured as she reached up and pushed her glasses back up her nose. “And the lukewarm bath you drew for me?”

“You mean the incredibly relaxing bubble bath that I drew for you?” Jason asked, placing his hands on her hips and pulled her closer, even as he couldn’t help but wonder when that cup of warm milk was going to kick in. She was going to need at least two naps every day for the next eight months, preferably three, but he would settle for two.

“How was that a bubble bath?” Haley demanded, looking adorably confused.

“Because I put bubble bath in it,” Jason said as he pulled her closer before he stood up, taking her with him and crossed the short distance to the bed only to sigh when she tightened her hold on his shirt when he went to place her down on the bed.

“When?” Haley asked, frowning in confusion as he pulled her closer, turned around and carefully sat down on the bed before he scooted towards the middle and laid down so that she was sprawled out on top of him.

“I added a drop of bubble bath to the water,” Jason said as Haley pushed herself up so that she could glare down at him.

“A drop?” Haley slowly repeated only to add, “You cheap bastard,” when he nodded.

“And the promise of a foot massage?” Haley demanded, looking adorably pissed.

“Will be done from the comfort of the bed while you sip warm milk,” Jason said, watching as she slowly nodded.

“You know what? I hate warm milk. In fact, I poured the glass you gave me down the sink the moment you turned your back,” she bit out, making his eyes narrow on the small woman that was making his job more difficult than it needed to be.

“I think this would be a good time to go over my list of demands, don’t you?” Haley said, grabbing hold of his arms and pinned them down on the bed by his head.

“And what would those be?” Jason asked, shifting to get more comfortable beneath her and-

“You’re going to see to my every need just like you promised.”

*-*-*-*

“This isn’t-” Jason began to say only to have the small woman, who’d broken him with a well-timed lip quiver and a sniffle, reach up and slap her hand over his mouth.

“More rubbing and less talking,” Haley said before she dropped her hand away so that she could fold it back beneath her head with a satisfied sigh.

With a glare, Jason reached for the baby lotion and-

“The other one,” she said, not bothering to open her eyes.

Biting back a grumble, Jason reached over and grabbed the bottle of lemon grass lotion that the little pain in the ass shoved in his hand after she devoured the bag of chocolate that he ran out to grab when she wouldn’t stop sniffling and murmuring sadly to herself about how much the baby needed chocolate. He squeezed some lotion in his hand, placed the bottle back on the nightstand and-

“Drink,” Haley said, making him sigh as he grabbed the glass of chocolate milk off the nightstand and held it next to her so that the straw was pressed against her lips.

After she took a sip, he placed the glass back on the nightstand, rubbed his hands together before placing them on her back and-

“I’m gonna need you to rub harder.”

“It’s going to jostle the baby,” Jason said, only to do as he was asked when he saw that bottom lip begin to quiver.

“Bless you,” Haley said with a sniffle as he moved his hands over her back.

“Better?” Jason asked, careful not to jostle her too much as he moved his hands over her shoulders.

“Much better. Thank you,” Haley murmured while Jason took his time massaging his wife’s back and watched her close her eyes as her breaths started to even out, letting him know that she was finally about to fall asleep.

He slowed his movements, gently running his hands over her back until the movements were a barely-there caress while he watched her face, making sure that she was asleep before he stopped. When Haley didn’t say anything, Jason carefully climbed off the bed before reaching for the covers and pulled them over her and tucked her in as he leaned down and kissed her forehead.

“I love you, my little grasshopper,” Jason whispered softly against her forehead. “More than anything,” he said softly as he moved to stand up and-

“I’m going to need you to prove it with a bubble bath.”

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