story_Lynn/Doug
Characters not mine:(
Snapshots
by Tara Ann Stridh
"Can I buy you another margarita or have you had enough? You've already had three. This is only our second date," Doug said.
They were sitting at a bar and Lynn was really enjoying herself. She placed her hand over Doug's.
"I was hoping you'd take advantage of me," she said, with a playful smile.
Doug smiled back. "No, I think I better take you home."
She pouted. Then she jumped up all excited.
"You should meet my family! They'll love you!"
"I was kind of hoping we could put that off until after our third date," said Doug.
He took a gulp of his beer.
"What do you think is going to happen on our third date?" Lynn said, a twinkle in her eye.
"I don't know," he said, playing along. "Why don't you whisper it in my ear."
Doug stood in the doorway, watching Lynn breastfeed their daughter.
"It's amazing, you know," he said. "How you can do that."
"Yeah, well, it's pretty exhausting," said Lynn. "I wish you could share the duty."
"Hey, I change the diapers," he said. "Did you know our little girl is a human stinkbomb?"
"Doug, she's a baby."
"Yeah, well, nothing in those books or classes prepares you for changing a diaper."
"It's not that bad," Lynn laughed. "When I start pumping you can feed her, too. We'll take turns."
"If that's how you want to do it," he said. "I'd love to feed her one night."
"Or morning."
"Of course, sweetheart."
He entered the room, kissed Lynn on the lips and kissed Catherine lightly on the head.
Doug sighed. "I no longer have dibbs on your boobs."
Lynn just laughed.
Doug lay on the bed beside Lynn, her belly nine months full, his hand resting lightly upon it.
"I can't believe you waited last minute to put the crib together," said Lynn.
"Actually, I tried to put that thing together. I really tried, but Bobby did most of it. I think I feel her kicking."
Lynn looked at her husband and placed her hand over his.
"Yeah, she's kicking a little bit. She must be restless."
"Did you decide on a name?"
"I don't want to pick something you'll hate."
"I think the most important thing is that she doesn't hate it," said Doug.
"I really like 'Catherine,'" Lynn said.
"'Catherine' is beautiful."
"We wouldn't be here if you hadn't come into the store," said Doug.
"No, we wouldn't be here if I hadn't asked you out," Lynn said.
They were at the annual carnival. Lynn was eating popcorn.
"I wanted to ask you out," he said. "You just beat me to it. And you never bought a cell phone."
They walked up to the spook house.
"Do you scare easily?" Doug said.
Lynn smiled. "No. Do you?"
"I don't know. Let's find out."
They got on the ride together and fifteen minutes later when they came out of the spook house they were making out like a couple of teenagers.
"That wasn't so scary," she said.
"No," Doug said, and started kissing her again.
The three of them were in the bath together. Lynn, Catherine, and Doug. The baby girl was splashing the water with her little hands.
"She's so small," Doug said.
"She's a baby," said Lynn.
"No, I mean, look at her. We made her. It's kind of weird. She was living inside you for nine months and now she's here, with us."
Lynn punched Doug's shoulder.
"It's not weird. But I know what you mean. She's ours."
"And we'll always protect her," said Doug.
"Yes, we will," Lynn said, and gave Catherine a kiss on the cheek.
Doug touched one of her tiny hands.
"We're happy to finally meet you."
"Our sweet little Catherine," Lynn said.
These were just a few of the memories Doug thought about constantly. They just replayed over and over in his mind. Brenda had suggested he start dating again, but it was still too soon. And he had a baby who needed him every minute of the day. Besides, there was no woman in the world who could replace Lynn. He had loved her, did love her, with his whole heart. He didn't want anyone else; he wanted his wife.
His dream was always the same. Her blood-soaked and gasping for air. And him helpless, believing in false hope that she would be okay. He could breathe easier when he held Catherine. She was the very reason he was alive. Sometimes he cried when he held her. Then he would look at his wedding ring and think of Lynn, just like he did that day in the desert.
Some days he felt he could no longer go on, but Catherine was alive. He had to live for her. And when she grew up he'd tell her all about her mother and that true love wasn't just a fairytale.
Snapshots
by Tara Ann Stridh
"Can I buy you another margarita or have you had enough? You've already had three. This is only our second date," Doug said.
They were sitting at a bar and Lynn was really enjoying herself. She placed her hand over Doug's.
"I was hoping you'd take advantage of me," she said, with a playful smile.
Doug smiled back. "No, I think I better take you home."
She pouted. Then she jumped up all excited.
"You should meet my family! They'll love you!"
"I was kind of hoping we could put that off until after our third date," said Doug.
He took a gulp of his beer.
"What do you think is going to happen on our third date?" Lynn said, a twinkle in her eye.
"I don't know," he said, playing along. "Why don't you whisper it in my ear."
Doug stood in the doorway, watching Lynn breastfeed their daughter.
"It's amazing, you know," he said. "How you can do that."
"Yeah, well, it's pretty exhausting," said Lynn. "I wish you could share the duty."
"Hey, I change the diapers," he said. "Did you know our little girl is a human stinkbomb?"
"Doug, she's a baby."
"Yeah, well, nothing in those books or classes prepares you for changing a diaper."
"It's not that bad," Lynn laughed. "When I start pumping you can feed her, too. We'll take turns."
"If that's how you want to do it," he said. "I'd love to feed her one night."
"Or morning."
"Of course, sweetheart."
He entered the room, kissed Lynn on the lips and kissed Catherine lightly on the head.
Doug sighed. "I no longer have dibbs on your boobs."
Lynn just laughed.
Doug lay on the bed beside Lynn, her belly nine months full, his hand resting lightly upon it.
"I can't believe you waited last minute to put the crib together," said Lynn.
"Actually, I tried to put that thing together. I really tried, but Bobby did most of it. I think I feel her kicking."
Lynn looked at her husband and placed her hand over his.
"Yeah, she's kicking a little bit. She must be restless."
"Did you decide on a name?"
"I don't want to pick something you'll hate."
"I think the most important thing is that she doesn't hate it," said Doug.
"I really like 'Catherine,'" Lynn said.
"'Catherine' is beautiful."
"We wouldn't be here if you hadn't come into the store," said Doug.
"No, we wouldn't be here if I hadn't asked you out," Lynn said.
They were at the annual carnival. Lynn was eating popcorn.
"I wanted to ask you out," he said. "You just beat me to it. And you never bought a cell phone."
They walked up to the spook house.
"Do you scare easily?" Doug said.
Lynn smiled. "No. Do you?"
"I don't know. Let's find out."
They got on the ride together and fifteen minutes later when they came out of the spook house they were making out like a couple of teenagers.
"That wasn't so scary," she said.
"No," Doug said, and started kissing her again.
The three of them were in the bath together. Lynn, Catherine, and Doug. The baby girl was splashing the water with her little hands.
"She's so small," Doug said.
"She's a baby," said Lynn.
"No, I mean, look at her. We made her. It's kind of weird. She was living inside you for nine months and now she's here, with us."
Lynn punched Doug's shoulder.
"It's not weird. But I know what you mean. She's ours."
"And we'll always protect her," said Doug.
"Yes, we will," Lynn said, and gave Catherine a kiss on the cheek.
Doug touched one of her tiny hands.
"We're happy to finally meet you."
"Our sweet little Catherine," Lynn said.
These were just a few of the memories Doug thought about constantly. They just replayed over and over in his mind. Brenda had suggested he start dating again, but it was still too soon. And he had a baby who needed him every minute of the day. Besides, there was no woman in the world who could replace Lynn. He had loved her, did love her, with his whole heart. He didn't want anyone else; he wanted his wife.
His dream was always the same. Her blood-soaked and gasping for air. And him helpless, believing in false hope that she would be okay. He could breathe easier when he held Catherine. She was the very reason he was alive. Sometimes he cried when he held her. Then he would look at his wedding ring and think of Lynn, just like he did that day in the desert.
Some days he felt he could no longer go on, but Catherine was alive. He had to live for her. And when she grew up he'd tell her all about her mother and that true love wasn't just a fairytale.