Leanne lifted her misty eyes, "I can't bear to lose another person I love."
Curtis' gaze was deep, which spoke volumes. He set aside his fork and lifted Leanne onto his lap, their foreheads touching.
"Okay," he said, "I'll go through it with you."
Leanne wrapped her arms around his neck. Curtis supported her waist, his hand brushing against the noticeable, protruding shape of her belly.
He paused, his palm resting over her sweater, feeling it, then looked up.
Facing his direct gaze, Leanne suddenly felt a bit nervous, blinked her still swollen eyes, and blurted out as if possessed by Joy, "I ate too much."
"This seems like more than just a serving of pasta." Curtis wasn't easily fooled, "Your pasta ended up in your stomach as well?"
His already melancholic mood was now mixed with a myriad of emotions such as surprise, joy and disbelief at his obliviousness. The complexity of his feelings was indescribable.
With his right hand around Leanne's legs, he carried her to the bedroom and gently placed her on the bed, kneeling beside her and lifting the hem of her sweater.
Her body was lean, not given to excess fat. She wasn't much for exercise. Before, her waist was slender, firm, and flat.
Now, her figure was still the same, slim and graceful, except for the slight bulge in her abdomen.
Curtis' hand braced against the bed, moving his Adam's apple slightly. His voice was rough as he asked, "What is this gift you said you'd give me?" Leanne paused for a few seconds under the soft light, then rose and from her bag, she retrieved a clear document holder, handing it to him.
Curtis opened the holder, pulling out a pregnancy test report.
Name: Leanne Castillo
Age: 26
Gestational Age: 20 weeks
This five-month-old baby was conceived back in Iceland.
Curtis pinched the bridge of his nose, his emotions in turmoil like a bunch of cyber dogs in a chaotic fight.
He wanted to ask her why she kept such a big thing from him, then remembered his covert visits to see her, realizing he hadn't noticed either, feeling more clueless than a dog. No wonder she always wore loose clothes.
Compared to the pregnant women he remembered, she didn't show much.
"With five months old, it's only this small?" Curtis remarked, "Didn't it inherit my towering presence?"
"It varies. Depends on body type, the size of the fetus, and the abdominal wall's elasticity," Leanne explained, "But she's very healthy."
She showed Curtis the 4D ultrasound photos, where the basic features were already discernible. She pointed them out to Curtis one by one.
This was Curtis' first time seeing such photos. Frankly, the yellowish image of the little creature seemed quite unattractive.
It seemed to have neither inherited his imposing stature nor Leanne's beauty.
Yet, he was filled with an incredible sense of fulfillment, holding Leanne, listening to her soft and gentle explanations. He felt as if their hearts were tied together by a thread. Leanne spoke a lot, receiving no response from him until she looked up.
She couldn't gauge Curtis' mood, as he didn't seem outwardly joyful.
"Do you not like this gift?"
"I love it. It's the second-best gift I've ever received." Curtis landed his kiss on her hair, "I have a gift for you too."
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