Chapter 28 – The Baby and the Trial
Six days until the trial.
I told Adrian I was pregnant.
The words were still ringing in the apartment.
He kept touching my stomach like he couldn't believe it was real.
I was nervous, happy, and scared all at once.
On Monday morning we woke up together.
We had coffee and breakfast together.
Adrian kept looking at me like he was memorizing my face.
At 7 a.m. he left for work after kissing me goodbye — and kissing my stomach too.
I laughed.
"You'll wear a hole in my shirt."
"I don't care."
He kissed my stomach again and left.
I spent the morning cleaning, cooking, and trying not to cry every time I thought about the baby.
At 8 p.m. Adrian came home.
He walked in, dropped his bag, and went straight to me.
He hugged me and kissed my stomach.
"Hi, baby," he whispered.
I laughed, tears in my eyes.
"How was your day?" I asked.
"Good. All I could think about was you and the baby."
"How was work?"
"Good. The lawyers are ready."
"Good."
I served dinner.
We ate.
After dinner, we sat on the couch.
"Lila," he said.
"Yes?"
"Six days until the trial."
"I know."
"Are you scared?"
"Yes."
"Me too."
He put his hand on my stomach.
"Are you scared for the baby?"
"A little."
"Don't be. The baby will be fine."
"I hope so."
He kissed my forehead.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
We sat on the couch until 10 p.m.
He went to his office.
I went to my room.
That night I opened the notebook.
*Day 126 – Six days until the trial. I'm pregnant.*
Under it:
*She's Lila. She's my wife.*
Tuesday morning we woke up together.
We had coffee and breakfast together.
Adrian kept kissing my stomach between sips of coffee.
At 7 a.m. he left for work.
At 8 p.m. he came home.
He hugged me and kissed my stomach.
"Hi, baby," he whispered.
I smiled.
"How was your day?" I asked.
"Good."
"How was work?"
"Good."
I served dinner.
We ate.
After dinner, we sat on the couch.
"Lila," he said.
"Yes?"
"Five days until the trial."
"I know."
"Are you scared?"
"Yes."
"Me too."
He put his hand on my stomach.
"How is the baby?"
"The baby is fine."
He kissed my forehead.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
We sat on the couch until 10 p.m.
He went to his office.
I went to my room.
That night I opened the notebook.
*Day 127 – Five days until the trial. I'm pregnant.*
Under it:
*She's Lila. She's my wife.*
Wednesday morning we woke up together.
We had coffee and breakfast together.
Adrian kissed my stomach before he left.
At 7 a.m. he left for work.
At 4 p.m. I was at Mrs. Cole's apartment.
Layla ran to me.
"Mama Lila!"
I hugged her.
"Hi, habibti."
We played with her blocks.
We read *The Little Star*.
Then she pointed at my stomach.
"Baby is in there?"
"Yes, habibti."
"Can I talk to Baby?"
"Yes."
She put her ear on my stomach.
"Hi, Baby. I'm Layla. I'm your big sister."
My eyes filled with tears.
I hugged her.
"I love you, Mama Lila."
"I love you too, habibti."
When the hour was over, she said, "See you next week, Mama Lila."
"I'll see you next week, habibti."
I kissed her forehead and left.
When I got home at 5:15 p.m., Adrian was there.
"You went to see Layla," he said.
"Yes."
"What did she say?"
"She talked to the baby."
He smiled.
"What did she say?"
"She said, 'Hi, Baby. I'm Layla. I'm your big sister.'"
Adrian's eyes filled with tears.
"She's going to be a great big sister."
"Yes."
He hugged me and kissed my stomach.
"Four days until the trial."
"I know."
"Are you scared?"
"Yes."
"Me too."
He kissed my forehead.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
We had dinner.
After dinner, we sat on the couch.
"Lila," he said.
"Yes?"
"Thank you for giving me another baby."
"You're welcome."
He kissed my forehead.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
We sat on the couch until 10 p.m.
He went to his office.
I went to my room.
That night I opened the notebook.
*Day 128 – Four days until the trial. I'm pregnant.*
Under it:
*She's Lila. She's my wife.*
Thursday morning we woke up together.
We had coffee and breakfast together.
Adrian kissed my stomach before he left.
At 7 a.m. he left for work.
At 8 p.m. he came home.
He hugged me and kissed my stomach.
"Hi, baby," he whispered.
I smiled.
"How was your day?" I asked.
"Good."
"How was work?"
"Good."
I served dinner.
We ate.
After dinner, we sat on the couch.
"Lila," he said.
"Yes?"
"Three days until the trial."
"I know."
"Are you scared?"
"Yes."
"Me too."
He put his hand on my stomach.
"How is the baby?"
"The baby is fine."
He kissed my forehead.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
We sat on the couch until 10 p.m.
He went to his office.
I went to my room.
That night I opened the notebook.
*Day 129 – Three days until the trial. I'm pregnant.*
Under it:
*She's Lila. She's my wife.*
Friday morning we woke up together.
We had coffee and breakfast together.
Adrian kissed my stomach before he left.
At 7 a.m. he left for work.
At 8 p.m. he came home.
He hugged me and kissed my stomach.
"Hi, baby," he whispered.
I smiled.
"How was your day?" I asked.
"Good."
"How was work?"
"Good."
I served dinner.
We ate.
After dinner, we sat on the couch.
"Lila," he said.
"Yes?"
"Two days until the trial."
"I know."
"Are you scared?"
"Yes."
"Me too."
He put his hand on my stomach.
"How is the baby?"
"The baby is fine."
He kissed my forehead.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
We sat on the couch until 10 p.m.
He went to his office.
I went to my room.
That night I opened the notebook.
*Day 130 – Two days until the trial. I'm pregnant.*
Under it:
*She's Lila. She's my wife.*
Saturday morning we woke up together.
We had coffee and breakfast together.
Adrian kissed my stomach before he left.
At 7 a.m. he left for work.
At 4 p.m. Mrs. Cole texted: *Layla is asking for you.*
I replied: *I'll see her tomorrow.*
*Mrs. Cole: She's excited to be a big sister.*
I smiled.
At 8 p.m. Adrian came home.
He hugged me and kissed my stomach.
"Hi, baby," he whispered.
I smiled.
"How was your day?" I asked.
"Good."
"How was work?"
"Good."
I served dinner.
We ate.
After dinner, we sat on the couch.
"Lila," he said.
"Yes?"
"One day until the trial."
"I know."
"Are you scared?"
"Yes."
"Me too."
He put his hand on my stomach.
"How is the baby?"
"The baby is fine."
He kissed my forehead.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
We sat on the couch until 10 p.m.
He went to his office.
I went to my room.
That night I opened the notebook.
*Day 131 – One day until the trial. I'm pregnant.*
Under it:
*She's Lila. She's my wife.*
I closed the notebook.
Tomorrow was the trial.
I was seven weeks pregnant.
Adrian was a mix of fear and hope.
Layla was excited to be a big sister.
I was scared.
But I wasn't alone.
I was Lila.
Adrian's wife.
Layla's mama.
And the mother of the baby growing inside me.
Tomorrow we would face the trial together.