There's More Inside

My thanks to psyche_b_mused for making this a better read.

*

"So have you told him yet?"

Megan had a disgusted look on her face as she held the phone out and looked at it before putting it back to her ear. Her sister had asked her that same question for weeks. It was now beyond annoying.

"Give it a rest Julie. We've been married less than a month. You saw what Rob was like at Christmas. The man's on information overload. Unlike Paul Harvey, Rob's not ready for the rest of the story yet. Besides, the morning sickness is almost gone now and I need sex again."

Megan heard her sister's laughter. It irritated her. Julie had been pregnant; three times in fact.

"That's it, laugh big sister. You should remember what it felt like when you were pregnant."

Julie chuckled. "Yeah, I remember. The first time, when I was pregnant with Nicole, I was insatiable. I used to attack Jeff as soon as he walked in the door. I think he pleaded for overtime so he could have a break from me. Enjoy it while you can, it'll change. Once that baby comes out of your body, you'll lose all desire for Rob's little friend to come visiting any time soon."

Megan laughed. "I'd love to talk, but I've got to go to Big R's for some maternity jeans. Mine are getting tight on me."

It was Julie's turn to frown. "Sis, when do you see the doctor next?"

"In a couple of weeks. Why?"

"No reason, you just seem to be getting big early, that's all. I didn't need maternity clothes until much later, but then I only gained around ten pounds."

"Rub it in," Megan laughed, "I've got to go. I want to pick up the pants before I meet Rob for lunch."

Megan hung up the phone. Her brow wrinkled as she thought about what her sister had said. Julie had sounded concerned about her sudden gain. It concerned her too; she'd never gained five pounds in one month in her life.

She parked the Avalon in the lot of Big R's. The cashier waved as soon as she entered the store. Since the story came out, she'd received mixed reactions from the town folk; some waved, others shunned her. She picked out five pairs of maternity jeans and headed for the check out.

The cashier beamed when she walked up to her counter. "How are you Ms.Langford?"

Megan smiled. "It's Mrs. Coleman now."

"Oh, okay." The cashier lowered her head like she'd been rebuffed.

Megan saw the dejected expression. She wanted to make it right, but didn't want to end up in a lengthy discussion.

She ran her credit card through and collected her merchandise. She glanced at the cashiers name tag.

"I wasn't scolding you Tracy; I'm just Megan, the wife of the local insurance man. If you watched the show, you know I gave up the rest for Rob. Just treat me like one of the regulars."

Tracy half smiled and nodded her head. "Okay, Miss, I mean Megan. You have a good day."

Megan used a soft, pleasant smile to smooth over the misunderstanding. "You too Tracy."

*~*~*~*~*

Rob saw her pull up and moved his project to the back room. The bell tinkled over the door as he put the last tool away.

"Say insurance man, you ready to take your starving wife to lunch?"

Rob came from the back room to see the most beautiful twinkling blue eyes in the world. She was always beautiful, but now impending motherhood just seemed to make that beauty glow.

He stole a quick kiss before wrapping her in his arms. "Have I told you lately how beautiful you look and how lucky I am to have you in my life?"

She softly kissed his scarred cheek. "This morning when I woke you before the alarm went off."

A little smile appeared as he recalled this morning. "You can wake me like that again any time you want."

She lightly kissed his lips, her tongue running over his lower lip. "You continue to snuggle with your stiff friend and I'll be waking you a lot."

Rob grinned. "Let me feed Mooch before we go." He removed an open can from the fridge and put the contents in a bowl. Thirty seconds in the microwave and the happy freeloader was swishing her tail as she ate.

Rob observed the different expressions from the passersby as they walked to the diner. Since the Betty Winters Show, it seemed there was everything from excited waving to veiled disdain toward Megan. Their preconceived opinions of Megan from what they read in the tabloids really irked him, and saddened her.

Rob held the door as she walked into Pepper's Grill. The usual noise dimmed as heads turned to look at her. Rob watched as she walked through the room smiling and returning the greetings of strangers and recent acquaintances alike.

She picked a table along the wall so they could eat without someone tapping on the window to get their attention.

"You know dear, the way you just worked the room, you should run for mayor. Dave Richards hasn't been opposed for years. Unfortunately it only pays a hundred dollars a month."

Megan grinned. "That would definitely keep our lives private. I could just hear the nightly news." Megan grabbed the salt shaker and held it like a microphone. "Actress gives up career to become wife, mother, and mayor of Maple Grove. Details after the weather." She chuckled and set the salt shaker down. "Let me get use to the wife and mother part before you start running me for office." As close as they lived to Chicago, it would bring a reporter or two to Maple Grove and she didn't want that.

Mae, their waitress, recited the luncheon specials as she set their usual two cups of decaf on the table. Removing the pen and pad from her pocket, she waited for their order.

*~*~*~*~*

Rob and Megan slowly strolled down the sidewalk, holding hands like a pair of teenagers. They stopped and looked in the shop windows as they made their way back to his office. He'd read that walking was good for her now and with the winter season, this was the only time they had.

He stopped next to her car and pressed the fob to unlock her door. His lips brushed hers as she quickly threw an arm around his neck and melted into him. Her tongue darted between his lips as her free hand grasped his ass and pulled him toward her grinding pelvis.

Rob stepped back when a honking horn interrupted them. He saw the mischievous look in her eyes as she grinned and winked at him. "To be continued, Sugar."

Megan backed out and stopped to wave before driving off. She was still giggling a block away over the shocked expression on his face. These sudden sexual urges were partly his fault. If he hadn't opened that second bottle of wine when she made the surprise visit in October, she might have been thinking more clearly instead of succumbing to the moment. She would have remembered that she'd run out of birth control pills during the promotional tour for her movie and hadn't refilled them yet.

As soon as she got home, she changed into a pair of sweat pants and one of Rob's tee shirts and started the housework.

Megan was almost finished with the vacuuming when she suddenly felt exhausted, like she'd been working all day. It had to be the pregnancy, she'd never felt this tired before. She left the vacuum in the hallway and slid under the comforter on their bed. It would be a short rest; twenty, maybe thirty minutes and then she would finish. A short time later, pleasant dreams filled her mind.

*~*~*~*~*

Rob walked to his office shocked, but smiling, at Megan's behavior. He unlocked the door and let Mooch out to take care of business on the side yard of the building. When they went inside, he went into the back room and resumed working on the Valentine's Day present he was making. It was the most detailed wood carving he had ever attempted. He picked up his knife and began detailing the wreath.

Rob looked out front when Mooch barked to see his clients coming in for their four o'clock meeting. He'd contacted each of his clients at the start of the year to see if any changes in insurance were necessary. Jim and Tammy Rogers were the second of eight customers he needed to meet to go over all their insurance. It was after five when Rob locked up the office and he and Mooch climbed in the truck for the trip home.

The house was dark when they entered. Rob flipped on the kitchen lights and checked the progress of the pot roast in the Crockpot. He thought about calling out for Megan, but Mooch had her nose to the floor in pursuit of the missing mistress. He turned on the hall light and stood at the doorway. Mooch was on her hind legs stretching her neck to sniff his sleeping beauty curled up on the bed.

Rob returned to the kitchen and put the Crockpot on low. What he had in mind might take a while. He rattled the dog food before putting a scoop in the bowl. Mooch's interest quickly shifted from Megan to the food bowl in the kitchen. Entering the bedroom, he lit the candle on the dresser and closed the door. He quickly undressed and slid under the covers.

Rob rubbed his hands together to warm them up before sliding one under her tee shirt to fondle her breast. His fingers cupped the underside while his thumb brushed her nipple. Her breasts were fuller and her nipples seemed larger than before. His lips kissed that special spot by her throat that soon had her purring.

Her eyes slowly opened as a smile appeared. "Mmmmmm...Nice wake up Sugar. I hope that was just the teaser."

Rob gave her a mischievous grin as he hooked his thumbs in the waist band of her pants and yanked them toward her feet. She screeched in surprise; then giggled as he dove under the covers. He stopped to kiss the slight rise in her belly before continuing downward to find her lower lips moist and engorged. Her giggles quickly changed as he slid her clothes the rest of the way off and his lips paid homage between her thighs.

Megan screamed as his oral stimulation delivered an intense orgasm.

She tossed back the covers and grabbed his hair as she spread her legs. "Rob get up here."

Her other hand slid along his body, waiting to touch his stiff shaft and guide him in. Her body tingled, making her want more.

Megan settled her legs behind his as they moved in their familiar love making. She pulled his head down for a kiss. Sex felt different now. She could feel him inside her more than ever before, and the orgasms lately were better; more intense.

She smiled and softly touched his shoulder. Rob had no idea how much loving he would be receiving.

Mooch tried to push the bedroom door open repeatedly to investigate the squeals and moans coming from inside the room. She finally curled up in front of the door for the long wait until her master reappeared.

*~*~*~*~*

Megan dangled her feet over the side of the exam table as Dr. Mary looked at the vitals the nurse wrote in the chart.

"Your blood pressure and heart rate look good. How's the morning sickness?"

"Good. Slight nausea once, sometimes twice a week. Rob researched on the internet. He's been trying the suggestions posted by pregnant women on foods to avoid and what helped them."

"That's good. Ask him to make me a list of what worked. I'll have my receptionist print it up for the new moms."

"He's become a learned scholar on pregnant women. Rob takes me for a walk after lunch. Now he rubs my belly and talks softly to the baby. He read where it keeps the baby calm."

Dr. Mary smiled. Some new fathers went 'all-out' for the first one. "It's good for all of you. You need the attention as much as the baby and I'm sure you give hubby attention in return. Let's scoot you back on the table so I can hear how the baby's doing."

Dr. Mary spread the gel over Megan's abdomen before placing some on the Doppler probe. She slowly moved it searching for the tiny heartbeat. Megan heard a lot of racket, but suddenly could hear what sounded like a rapid heartbeat among the noise. She relaxed and smiled until she saw Dr. Mary's forehead wrinkle as she moved the instrument around her slightly raised belly.

"Megan, have you been more tired lately?"

"Quite a bit, why?"

"Just curious, it happens to some women. I'll do a blood draw and we'll run a couple of tests. I need you to come to my real office tomorrow afternoon for an ultrasound."

"What's wrong? I saw you frown."

"Nothing's wrong Megan. It's still a little early, but I'm not picking up a clear heartbeat. It could be the way the baby's laying. The ultrasound will tell me a lot more, and I'll see how the baby's progressing."

Megan parked in front of Rob's office and sat in the car. She felt nervous and a little frightened. Dr. Mary had answered her questions, but there was that frown and a hesitation in her answers as if she was about to say more but at the last moment changed her mind.

Rob wasn't in the front when she entered, but Mooch happily greeted her. She heard him talking in the back. He peeked around the doorway holding a phone to his ear before she could walk back to him.

"I'll be out as soon as I finish this call."

She nodded and sat at his desk to wait. She heard him opening and closing drawers like he was looking for something while he carried on his conversation. Megan removed his day planner from the center drawer and looked at his Thursday schedule. Her heart sank; she really wanted him with her, but his Thursday had three big appointments and Friday a couple more; even Saturday morning he had one. She smiled noticing she was listed as his eleven thirty to one each day. She put away the planner when she heard him end the conversation.

"What'd the doctor have to say?"

Megan held out her arm to show him the Band-Aid. "She's running some blood tests. She said you were doing a great job taking care of me and I should show you my appreciation more."

Megan winked and smiled suggestively. "How about we have a light dinner and go to bed early for some appreciation?"

Rob grinned. "I'm sure the doctor recommended this appreciation."

Megan feigned innocence. "She said I should return the wonderful attention you give me and the baby. She didn't exactly say how; just that you would appreciate it."

Rob kept a straight face as he shrugged his shoulders. "I guess it's a light dinner and early to bed. We wouldn't want to go against doctor's orders."

She leaned in for a quick kiss. "Feed Mooch so you can take us to lunch." She rubbed her belly. "We're hungry."

Rob stifled a chuckle as Megan flipped up her hood and tied it for their two block walk. They slipped on their sunglasses as they stepped outside.

They'd walked a block when Rob shivered and pulled the knit cap over his ears. The reflective glare of the sun gave a false impression that it was warmer than the twenty degree reading the bank's new sign showed. She chuckled and slipped her gloved hand around his arm.

"Thought I was silly tying my hood, didn't you?"

"Brrrrr. When did it get so cold?"

"A couple of hours ago. The lady on the radio predicted sub zero temperatures tonight."

Rob patted the hand on his arm. "Don't worry, we'll make it. I'll grab a blanket and hold you close."

Megan trembled as she looked at his calm smile. He'd said those exact words before, many years ago, only it wasn't about the cold, but hot as in fire; lots of fire.

She felt his hands on her and heard his voice. She blinked and saw concern on his face. "What?"

"Are you okay? You stopped and started shivering. Let's get you in the diner. After lunch you wait there and I'll get the car."

Megan nodded her head and snuggled into him. Now wasn't the time or place to tell Rob 'the rest of the story'.

Lunch was uneventful if you excluded the fact that Megan was quiet and seemed to be concentrating on something a million miles away. She'd even walked back to their table without returning the usual greetings. As he walked back for the car, Rob tried to think of what caused his usually talkative wife to suddenly become withdrawn. One minute they were talking and the next quiet. Other than her shivering from the cold on the way to the diner, nothing came to mind.

He picked her up in front of the diner and left the car running when he stopped in front of his office. Rob looked at her closely, seeing neither happy nor sad; just a nondescript expression as she looked out the windshield. "You want me to close up and drive you home?"

Megan blinked before turning to look at her husband. She smiled to put his mind at ease. "No, I'm okay. I'll go home and take a nap."

"I'm worried, I've never seen you so quiet".

Megan looked at him, forcing a smile. "I didn't mean to be."

Rob watched her for a moment. "If you don't want me to drive you, then take Mooch with you."

"Hun, I'm just a little tired, but if it'll make you feel better get Mooch, she doesn't care if she naps here or at home."

Mooch ran to the side of the building to take care of business before settling on the blanket Rob laid on the back seat of Megan's car. Rob closed the back car door and tapped on Megan's window. "Call me when you get home."

Megan nodded and drove off. She waited until she was on the edge of town before calling Julie.

"Hey Sis, I need a favor. I have to go to my doctor's main office tomorrow and I need you to come with me."

"What time? I have to show some houses to a couple in the morning, but my afternoon is free."

"Afternoon's perfect. If you make it here before eleven thirty, meet me at Rob's office and we'll treat you to lunch. One more thing. When I shipped you those packages from California there was one about the size of a shoebox. Could you bring it with you?"

Julie chuckled. "You mean the one I had to sign for with the 'don't open' written on the sides in red marker? I'll bring it if I can see what's so important in that box. It weighs next to nothing and doesn't rattle when you shake it."

Megan gasped. "You didn't shake it did you? It's old and fragile."

Julie heard panic in her sister's voice. "No, I'm just kidding. Megan what's really wrong?"

"Just a second while I pull the car in the garage."

Julie heard the garage door close and Megan call Mooch out of the car. She heard her enter the house and a couple of seconds later tell Rob she was home and going to take a nap.

"Okay, I'm back."

"Megan, what's upsetting you and why did you have to call Rob? What's going on?"

"I went to the doctor today. She told me everything was okay, but I know it isn't. I saw her frown when she was using that machine to listen to the baby's heartbeat. Now she wants me to go to her office tomorrow for an ultrasound and Rob's got clients scheduled tomorrow. I know he'd cancel his plans for me..." Megan sniffled and wiped the tears with the back of her hand, "but he's really busy right now and I don't want to bother him but I don't want to be alone if it's something bad."

"Megan, it'll be okay, I'll go with you. I had to have an ultrasound with little Jeff because he was lying funny and they couldn't hear a strong heartbeat. The ultrasound showed everything was fine. I know having your first baby can be stressful because it's unlike anything that's ever happened to you and you get upset over the littlest of things, but something besides the doctor's office is bothering you. What is it?"

"It was Rob's answer when I told him about it getting really cold tonight. He used the same words and sounded just like he did at the fire. Even his facial expression was the same."

Julie remained quiet for a few moments. "Sweetie, you were four. You couldn't remember that night. I can barely remember it and I was almost nine at the time. This doctor visit is upsetting you, and you're starting to let little things become major problems. Go take that nap and I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay. Julie, don't forget the box. I really need it now."

"I'll bring it Sis. I'm writing myself a note right now. See you tomorrow. Bye."

Megan lay down, but sleep was slow in coming. She finally called Mooch in to snuggle next to her before she dozed off.