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[trueloveskid]

Her days have started to look mostly the same. She's still on the morning shift at the diner (which is fine, she likes being home with Neal in the evening), but she doesn't even really need to set an alarm anymore. It never fails, 6am rolls around and she's running for the bathroom. It doesn't matter what she ate the night before; every morning, like clockwork, she's making friends with the toilet.

She's so tired all the time too, and she can't even have coffee to wake up. Her one consolation right now is that she can eat whatever she wants.

The first thing she does when she gets home after work is go to take a shower. There are so many food smells clinging to her clothes, and to her skin, and she needs to be rid of them. She puts on something more comfortable – stretchy pants and one of Neal's t-shirts – and plops on the couch to wait for him to get home. Her belly is starting to grow larger and she's going to need to go shopping for some maternity clothes soon. How are they going to afford that?

She closes her eyes while waiting for him to get home. She's not even halfway through yet. It's going to be a long six more months.

Comments

[alandwithoutmagic]

Neal had already begun to figure out the details concerning money while Emma fought with her body's natural reactions to pregnancy. He began saving a little bit of his funds in a separate account just for the kid and began to eat a little bit less at lunch to save the few dollars that he could each day.

He kept a bottle of water in the bathroom for Emma and he tried to keep it cold for when she was having bouts of sickness. He'd read that there was medicine she could get but they didn't have the money for it.

Coming home he pops his headphones out of his ears and slides everything but his keys into the pockets of his coat. As the door pushed open he greeted Emma with a smile. Even if she wasn't happy to see him, he'd always be happy to see her. He hung up his jacket and set down his bag and keys before taking a seat next to her on the couch. His palm instinctively goes to her stomach as if protectively covering it.

"Hey, how was your day? You feeling okay?" He was tired, there were now noticeable bags under his eyes but Neal didn't really care. Emma was more important than losing a little bit of sleep.

[trueloveskid]

It's not like she's annoyed by his presence all the time. Just usually in the mornings, when she's fighting against the issues caused by his child. At least he does what he can the rest of the time. So far she's managed to hide it from her coworkers; she's not ready to share this information with them.

She gives him a tired smile. "Long. But I got a lot of tips."

She moves until her back is resting against the arm of the couch and her legs and feet are in his lap. "I'm going to need to go shopping soon. My clothes aren't going to fit for much longer."

[alandwithoutmagic]

Neal looked over at her and frowned. "You can wear my sweatpants." Instantly knowing that it was the wrong thing to say he looked at her feet. "I'm going to rub your feet and then we'll go shopping." He might as well keep talking before she responded to him.

His hands gently went to her feet, pressing small circles in her heel before moving up to her toes. He knew that she worked all day on her feet while he worked at a desk.

"Maybe after this we should find you another job?" Something she could do that wasn't so tiring or taxing.

[trueloveskid]

"I can't wear those to work." Which now has her annoyed again. Although the foot massage is nice. She won't complain about that.

"What other kind of job can I do, Neal? I never even finished high school."

[alandwithoutmagic]

Technically neither did he. "I don't know but I don't see why we can't look. Keep your job now and we'll figure it out. We have time." At least it felt like we had time.

He also had no idea where to buy maternity clothing.

[trueloveskid]

"I'll look. I don't know what's out there, but I'll look." Now might be a better time, before she has no extra energy for anything. Before she'll need time off right away to have a baby.

"How are we going to afford new clothes?"

[alandwithoutmagic]

"I've been saving some money." Neal wasn't worried about it. Despite his tendencies he was very good at planning ahead and had some money set aside for Emma and the Baby.

"We'll probably have to check Goodwill."

[trueloveskid]

"Yeah. We can start there." Since that's what they can afford, and they can look for other places too, if they need more options.

"You take good care of me."

[alandwithoutmagic]

Neal switched foots but continued in his pampering. He's been doing this more lately and has gotten significantly better at it.

"That's what I'm here for." He kept his voice light and warm. "I'm not good at clothes shopping so you'll have to tell me what you like." Or face the fact that Neal will pick out all bland things.

[trueloveskid]

"You know that I'll be there for buying clothes, right? So I can pick out what I like?" That's what she had meant, anyway. She can still leave the house.

[alandwithoutmagic]

"Yeah." When he finished with her other foot he looked over at her with a smile.

"Ready to head out?" He slipped out from beneath her to find her socks and shoes for her.

[trueloveskid]

"In this?" She looks down at her sweatpants and his shirt. "At least let me change first."

[alandwithoutmagic]

He smiles and nods. "Need any help?" His tone suggests that it isn't because she can't change on her own but because he likes watching her change.

[trueloveskid]

She just gives him a look. "I'll be done a lot faster if you don't come with me."

[alandwithoutmagic]

Neal's head tilted to the side. "True."

He leaned forward and kissed her forehead before rising and stepping towards the kitchen. "I'll wait for you out here then." If he can't follow he'll quickly grab a drink to put something in his stomach before they head out.

[trueloveskid]

"I won't be long." She doesn't even bother changing her shirt. His is plenty comfortable, and this way she doesn't have to dig up a clean one. All she does is find the loosest pair of her pants that she can and slip into those instead.

"Okay. I'm ready to go."

[alandwithoutmagic]

Neal has a glass of water to his lips which he quickly chugs before placing it back on the counter. He turned in a sweeping motion, grabbing his coat and keys as he went. He pushed open the door and then stepped to the side to hold it open for Emma.

"After you." He'll then quickly lock up behind them before following her to the elevator. It's an old building but the heat works and it has a cute charm to it. Rent wasn't bad and Neal like the neighbors, all of whom have been more attentive since Emma got pregnant.

"Do you want to walk?" He didn't know how tired she was and while it was only a few blocks away, it was still a lengthy distance there and back total.

[trueloveskid]

"Walking is fine. I do need to get some exercise, you know." There are a lot of things she can't do for exercise, so she'll do what she can.

"You know that things aren't as bad as they're going to get, right?"

[alandwithoutmagic]

"Yeah but I might as well start now." Neal was expecting the worst if onyl to be ready for anything that might be thrown at them. Or, so he thinks. He really had no idea what this was going to be like.

He held out a hand before guiding Emma to the store.

[trueloveskid]

She doesn't know what to expect either. She's read some books from the library, but all they did was make her nervous. Luckily one of her coworkers at the diner has been through this a few times and is good at calming her down.

"It's going to be a long six more months for you."

[alandwithoutmagic]

"I got this." He probably didn't but he was going to keep trying. Besides, whatever she was going through was going to be worse.

"We got this."

[trueloveskid]

"I know." She squeezes his hand as they walk. "I couldn't do this without you."

[alandwithoutmagic]

"And you won't have too." Neal lead the way, keeping an eye out for goodwill. It's where he did most of his clothes shopping but considering how infrequently he bought clothes he was used to walking passed the store and he didn't want to miss it this time.

When they arrived he held open the door and then followed Emma inside, allowing her to take the lead and find what she needed.

[trueloveskid]

She heads for the section marked Maternity and then just stands for a moment, looking at the racks. Usually when she goes looking for clothes, it's more something more specific than 'clothes that will fit' and she's finding this a little overwhelming.

[alandwithoutmagic]

Neal stepped up behind her before picking up a light blue top. He thought she looked pretty in blue though he didn't remember ever telling her that before.

"What about this? Or would you rather look for pants first?" He figured pants might be easier to pick out and go through.