A Home for Lily by Elizabeth Kelly Page B

she said hesitantly,
“It must remind you of when your wife was pregnant with Hazel.  Was Hazel
active?”
    He didn’t reply and she touched his
shoulder tentatively.  “Logan?”
    “I uh – I don’t really know.  Erin didn’t
like to have her belly touched when she was pregnant.”  He said gruffly.
    Lily frowned.  That seemed strange to her. 
Not that she wanted complete strangers touching her belly, which had happened
twice already, but the father of her child was a different story.  She had
grown to loathe Barry near the end but she wouldn’t have denied him the joy of
feeling his unborn child moving in her belly.
    Logan was still staring at her belly and
she made a sudden decision.  “Here, would you like to feel her kicking?”  She
took his hand and placed it on her belly before he could protest.
    The baby chose that moment to deliver a
particularly strong kick and she watched as a look of amazement crossed Logan’s
face.  “That’s so cool.”  He whispered.
    Still pressing his hand against her belly,
he sat down on the side of the bed beside her and stared at her belly.  “I –
that’s just so cool.”  He repeated.
    Hazel pressed her hand above her father’s
and Lily smiled at her.  “I think she’s moved to the other side, honey.”
    She slid Hazel’s hand to the left, just
below her ribcage, and didn’t object when Logan eagerly placed his hand beside
Hazel’s.  The baby kicked again and Hazel and Logan exchanged mutual looks of
delight.
    “Did you feel that, Hazel?”  He said. 
“That’s the baby.”  He leaned forward until his face was only inches from
Lily’s belly.  “Hello baby.  Are you a good girl?  Are you a sweet little
baby?”  He rubbed her belly lightly as Hazel placed another soft kiss on her
belly.
    Lily stared at him in surprise, feeling a
weird warmth infusing her body.  She knew Logan was kind, she knew he loved
children, but to see him cooing and talking to the baby growing inside her body
was making her feel strange and happy all at the same time.  Even if Barry had
lived, he would never have acted this way about the baby, she was sure of it,
and she felt a moment of bitterness.  How different her life would have been if
she had married someone like Logan.  If she had –
    She realized that Logan had put both of his
big hands on her belly and was rubbing in gentle circles.  Although it was odd,
her employer rubbing and caressing her belly, she couldn’t bring herself to ask
him to stop.  The look on his face was one of child-like wonderment and
besides, she admitted to herself, she liked how it felt.  For such a big man,
he was surprisingly gentle, and his warm hands felt wonderful on her belly. 
She wished she wasn’t wearing a t-shirt, wished she could feel his hands directly
on her skin and hear the soft rasp as his callused palms glided across her
skin.
    She was so warm she was nearly sweating. 
In her mind’s eye she could see Logan’s hands stroking the naked skin of her
belly.  She bit down on her lower lip as she imagined them moving higher,
imagined them cupping her naked breasts, his fingers running over her nipples
until they were hard and aching and –
    She had been reclining against the pillows
as Logan and Hazel touched her belly and, with a small gasp, she sat up
straight.  Logan pulled his hands away and gave her a look of embarrassment. 
“I’m sorry, Lily.  I shouldn’t have – “
    She shook her head.  “No, it’s fine
really.  I didn’t mind.”
    The baby kicked again and Hazel, who was
still resting her hand on Lily’s belly, smiled broadly and kissed her belly
once more.
    Lily, feeling flushed and odd and desperate
to get away from Logan, cleared her throat.  “I should probably have something
to eat so – “
    “Right, of course.”  Logan stood up from
the bed.  “Would you like to join us for dinner?  I’ve made plenty and – “
    “Oh no, no.  I didn’t mean to – I