Grace was still trying to figure out how to tell her husband that they were having a boy. Now that he was back from whatever African country he’d been in, she was just glad to have him home. She’d been so caught up in everything else that she’d not had a moment to sit down and just talk to him about things. No, she wanted his full attention. She brushed her hair in the mirror looking down at her baby bump. May seemed so far away.

She’d been more than excited when Matt’s suspicions had turned out to be founded. Even underneath all of the morning sickness and the hormones there had been a very happy Grace. Kaylee didn’t even know that she was getting a brother yet. Grace knew their daughter would spoil the surprise. Eyes glanced up in the mirror as she watched Matt. Having him home made things a little easier and she felt all warm and fuzzy inside. “You’ve hardly said a word all day. You alright?” She was just trying to make conversation. Though it was her way of poking. Maybe he was tired? Grace didn’t read too much into it. There was a small smile on her face.

Tag: Petty Officer Matthew Cole

Matt didn't notice Grace watching him in the mirror as he took his shirt off and put it on a hanger. He caught a glance at the dressing on his arm in the wardrobe mirror and a light frown grew on his face as he stood there lost in his own thoughts. It was just a bullet graze, usually it wouldn't bother him as much but somehow it was different this time, Kaylee was getting old enough to understand a lot more and Grace was pregnant with their second child, what if it had been more serious?

It had been different during his deployment too, he thrived being a SEAL, but for what was probably the first time ever, a part of him hadn't wanted to be there. Not that he had talked to Grace about any of it yet.

“You’ve hardly said a word all day. You alright?”

Her voice pulled him out of his thoughts and he looked over at her with a light smile. He hadn't realized how quiet he was being, or how quiet he had been since he's been back from his training exercise.

"Yeah I'm alright." He answered.

He walked over to Grace, standing behind her and putting his arms around her, one hand sliding onto her belly. "Guess I'm just a little tired from the flight home."

He kissed Grace on the cheek before cozying the side of his face against hers as he rubbed her baby bump, "But I'm glad to be home." He looked at Grace warmly in their reflections in the mirror, "I'm glad to be back with you and Kaylee. And this little one."

Tag: Gracelyn Cole .

Seeing the dressing on his back made he want to ask a million questions but it wasn’t like it was easy. If something had happened to him while he was on his deployment, she knew that speaking about it to those who weren’t there wasn’t easy. It wasn’t like she could understand bullets whizzing by. Grace barely even knew how to fire a gun, let alone understanding a fire fight. She just knew Matt was hurt and it gutted that little bit.

Though she wasn’t sure she had to say anything. Her fingers traced over the dressing under his shirt. As her arm reached back over his shoulder. “Are you really?” She knew he would maybe get the picture without her asking what happened. Grace worried a great deal, she never really realized how much downtime she had until he was deployed and that time was spent worrying.

Grace settled, as long as she was in his arms, he was safe. The familiar scent of his clean clothing and left over after shave did only so much when he was gone but when he was home, they could ease just about everything. “Your son is trying to sleep.” She lightly chastised him; but it was too late. The kicking had already begun.

Tag: Petty Officer Matthew Cole

"It's just a flesh wound" He said assuring her. Though his tone was a little on the dim side as he said it.

Truth was even though it was just a minor injury it had served as a reminder to him of his own mortality.
It had to be because Grace was pregnant now and he had a baby on the way, no doubt about it, but Matt had been irrationally freaking out in his mind after looking back at the incident. What if the bullet had been 12 inches over and 4 inches up? It would have hit his heart then where would that leave his family?

At least now he was home he had pushed those thoughts aside and gotten a grip on himself, though he still knew his job was a dangerous one. But it was what he did and they had made it work so far, so there was no reason why they couldn't still make it work even with there latest edition on the way.

"Things got a little hairy for a moment, but I'm fine." He looked her reflection in the eye, "Really."

He wasn't lying to her, he was fine and he would be fine.
It was just that it was his job to worry about things and not hers. If he had any true concerns, once that were founded, he'd tell her and talk to her about them. Until then he was gonna keep her as calm and happy as possible while she was carrying the baby.

“Your son is trying to sleep.”

His eyes narrowed on hers with shock and surprise. Did she just say...

"Son?" He repeated. He was almost lost for words.

Matt hated that he had missed being there for the scan, but his disappointment was ought weighed by the fact that they was having the boy they had been hoping for and trying for all this time.

"We're having a boy?" His look of surprise gave way to a wide smile.
Even if they was having another girl Matt would have been happy, but it was no secret that he had been hoping for a boy and learning that he was getting one. Yeah, he was very pleased at the news.

"That's fantastic." He said, as he stood there feeling the baby kick.
Feeling the baby kick always brought it home for him that there was a person in there. Talking about 'the baby' was one thing, but feeling it move always made everything so much more real. 

He moved to look at Grace instead of at her reflection, "When did you find out?"

Tag: Gracelyn Cole .

(Continued in: Mystery Bowtie)