I am exhausted and I feel how much my feet hurt when I finally lay down on the bed. Ben lets himself fall backwards on the bed. “I am exhausted.” He yawns and looks at me. “How about you, Mrs. Graupner?” He asks and I giggle. “Mrs. Graupner.” I lift my hand to my face to look at the ring. “I am really Mrs. Graupner now.” I am still giggling. Ben leans on his elbow, with his head on his hand and looks at me. “My wish came true.” He smiles and leans in to kiss me. “I love you, Mr. Graupner.” I smile. “I love you too, Mrs. Graupner.”
I still like the sound of that. I snuggle up to Ben as close as I can get with my big belly and fall asleep with a big smile on my face.
The alarm clock wakes me up the next morning. Ben is already awake and finishing packing for us both. He carries the suitcases downstairs while I get freshened up and dress myself.
David drops us off at the airport.
We arrive in Toulon late in the afternoon and my tummy is grumbling. “Can we get something to eat?” I ask Ben. “We have to find the hotel first.” He says. We take a cab to our hotel on the Rue d’Alger. It’s a beautiful street, close to the harbor of Toulon. “I wonder about the view.” I grin and we go into the hotel.
The hotel is nice and cozy. It’s small but clean. We drop our suitcases in the room and I look out of the window.
I see the whole Rue d’Alger and I can’t wait to go out there. To sit outside on a terrace and enjoy the people walking by.
“Can we go out yet?” I ask and Ben smiles. “Don’t you need to change first?” He asks. I think for a moment and open my suitcase. “Summer dress will do.” I say when pulling out a pink knee length summer dress and my black flats. “Ready.” I say. Ben laughs and quickly changes his sweatpants to his skinny jeans and his grey shirt. I glare at him. “Not the unicorn again.” I give him the stink eye. “What about your green sleeveless shirt?” I flutter my eyelashes and smile widely. Ben chuckles. “You would love that one, wouldn’t you?” He asks and I nod. “Yes please.”
Ben gives in and changes his shirt. I grin and pretend to wipe away drool from my chin.
“Weirdo.” Ben nudges my shoulder.
I grab his hand and pull him with me to the elevator. “Food and drinks.” I smile.
There is a little bar down the Rue d’Alger with a terrace. We take a seat and order a quiche and some drinks.
We sit in the shade of a big tree that is planted in the middle of the Rue d’Alger. There is a bird nest high in the top of the big oak tree.
I look at all the people that are walking by. I rest my hand on my belly and my other hand rests on Bens’ arm.
“I love it here Ben.” I say. “It’s so quiet and peaceful”
Ben leans in to kiss me on my cheek. “It’s awesome here.” He agrees with me.
The next few days are filled with spending our time on terraces and walking through the old city.
We visit the harbor many times and spend a whole day in the natural history museum. I am as happy as a little kid to see the many dinosaur skeletons in the Hall of Paleontology.
“You really have a thing for dinosaurs, don’t you?” Ben asks with a frown. “Isn’t that more of a guy thing?” He asks.
“Yeah, just like loving Unicorns is for girls.” I reply with a laugh.
I impress Ben with my knowledge of many of the dinosaurs. “I bet you saw Jurassic Park way too many times.” He smiles when I tell him all about the Triceratops. “I did, yes, but I still know more about dinosaurs than most men do.” I brag. “Do you know what you call a blind dinosaur?” I ask Ben and he shrugs. “A Doyouthinkhesaurus.” I grin. “And what do you call a blind dinosaurs‘ dog?” I ask Ben and he shrugs again. “A Doyouthinkhesaurus Rex.”
Ben laughs and I smile. “Those are the worst jokes I’ve ever heard.” He chuckles. “But they made you laugh anyway.” I giggle.
“What is the best way to talk to a Tyrannosaur?” Ben asks and I look at him. “Loud?” I ask. “From a long distance.” Ben says and I snort. “And you thought that MY jokes were bad.” I giggle.
We stroll across the Rue d’Alger back to the hotel for an early night sleep. We have to leave Toulon tomorrow and I really don’t want to go back home right now. I am having so much fun. Ben has to go back to work when we’re back, while I am sitting at home, waiting for the little one to be born.
Luckily Will and Ben will be around for another week.
We pack our stuff and make sure the hotel room is empty. We take a cab to the airport.
Ben calls David the moment we landed so he can pick us up. I see Bens’ car waiting for us when we step outside.
Seville is so much warmer than it was in Toulon and I regret that I am wearing my hoodie.
The air around Ventura smells like harvested olive trees mixed with the scent of poppies. We’re home.
Joanne, Will and Ben Johnson are there to welcome us. Will smiles widely. “Can I tell?” He asks Joanne and she nods. “You should check upstairs.” Will smiles and we all follow him upstairs. Ben and David each carrying a suitcase. I have a weird feeling in my stomach. What are they up to?
Will opens the door to the nursery “Tadaa” He says and I look inside. The nursery is finished.
The cradle, the dresser, everything arrived while we were on honeymoon. And it’s even more beautiful than I remember from seeing it in the stores the first time. “How did you know we wanted this one?” I ask.
Ben Johnson smiles. “Do you really think guys don’t talk?” And he smiles at Ben. Ben smiles back. “It’s even better than I imagined.” He says while hugging his friends.
“I love it.” I gasp and step inside. The crib is a light yellow color which matches the wallpaper. The curtains are made of a thin yellow fabric. Soft light is shining through it. The bedding in the crib is green with white and yellow sheep on it.
“It’s adorable.” I sigh. A huge teddy is sitting on an old but newly painted white rocking chair.
The dresser is white with butterflies on the drawers.
5 little paintings decorate the wall. They each have a drawing of a character from Alice in Wonderland..
“I drew them.” Will smiles and I look closer.
Alice, the White Rabbit, the Cheshire cat, The Mad Hatter with the March Hare and the Duchess.
“I love it Will. Thank you so much.” I sigh. “They are all based on the old characters.” He explains.
The changing table is olive green and placed in front of the light yellow wall. One of my favorite nursery rhymes is written on the wall above the table.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are
I smile and walk around the room. “I think the little one will be very happy in here.” I say. “Thanks to you all.” I smile at my new found friends and family.
I hug them one by one and so does Ben.
“I don’t think I will ever be able to thank you enough for everything that you did for me, for us.” I whisper and look at the floor.
Shy and me usually don’t go well together, but for now, I don’t know what to say or do.
I feel like a spoiled brat with all these people doing so much for me. “Are you hungry?” Joanne asks and I nod. “Good. I just ordered pizza.” She smiles.
We sit outside and I lean back in my chair. The little one is kicking and I place my hand on my tummy trying to calm the little one down. But she keeps moving. “Ben, can you please sing, that might help to keep the little one quiet for a while.” I smile.
I know it’s a lame excuse but hearing both Bens’ sing together makes my heart jump. Ben goes inside to get his guitar. He knows I love it when he plays the acoustic guitar and I am happy to see that he got that one.
He strums softly and they start singing ‘Faith in the Will’ in a whole different way. Acoustic and softly.
The little one is quiet the moment Ben starts playing the guitar and I smile. “You are going to be a magic daddy.” I smile.
“Magic huh, like unicorns?” Ben Johnson asks me and I stare at him. “Go away with the unicorns.”
“I had to keep the guys from making the nursery a magical unicorn room.” David laughs and I glare at Will and Ben Johnson. “Seriously? Dudes?”
The guys laugh and Will sticks out his tongue at me.
I throw the crust of my pizza at him and he grabs it from the air to throw it back at me.
“FOODFIGHT!” Ben shouts and throws pizza at Will too. “Kids, kids, kids.” David says and tries to make us stop.
A piece of pizza hits his head and stays tangled in his hair. “That’s it!” He says and hits his fist on the table. “Who did that?”
“Me.” I slowly raise my hand and blush. David turns around at me, grabs a piece of pizza and sticks it to my cheek. “Right back at ya.” He smiles and I giggle.
That’s the cue for a big food fight. Theo is having the time of his life. He is devouring all the fallen pieces of pizza off of the floor.
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