2 months later.
Strolling into Harvey's parents house felt all so familiar to Lottie and she instantly felt a sense of comfort. This place had become her second home over the past nine years and this family her own too. So many of her best memories had occurred under this roof and that was something she could never let go of.
"Are we going to open it with them now?" Lottie asked as she followed Harvey through the hallway, heading for the kitchen.
"I want to, if you want to." He replied, as he looked down at her with a hopeful grin.
They had just returned from Lottie's 6 month scan and got the sex of the baby put in an envelope, so they could wait to reveal with Harvey's family.
Leah and Kian had also been for their scan a couple of weeks ago and had been waiting to share the news on the exact same day. Therefore, Jess and Jack with the help of Louise and Dan had excitedly arranged a family get together for the special occasion.
"Yes, I want to! I don't think I can wait a second longer." Lottie leaned into Harvey's side as he grasped her into a hug. She felt safe and secure in his arms once again. Although this pregnancy had originally been terrifying, things had worked out in the end.
Taking Lottie's hand in his, Harvey began leading the way into the kitchen where they were instantly met with all his closest family. It didn't take long for them both to be parted and swept up into welcoming hugs from everyone who was feeling super excited for this moment.
Harvey's eyes soon landed on Kian, who was sat beside a very excited looking Leah, holding an envelope in her hand.
"She's been giving me a headache waiting for you two to finally show up." Kian remarked sarcastically, while Leah flashed him daggers.
"I'm so excited, I think I might explode!" Leah squealed as she jumped up from her chair and gave Lottie a big squeeze. "These envelopes contain the amazing conformation that we are going to be mum's of girls!"
"Or boys..." Lottie trailed off with an amused expression across her face.
Everyone here knew how badly Leah wanted a girl, she had made her point very much known.
"Nope. I have a feeling my little bump is definitely a girl. My whole pregnancy has felt different this time." Leah responded while running her hand across her stomach.
"You've complained just as much this time around, so it's not that much different." Kian teased while earning yet another glare from Leah, yet a snicker from Harvey in return.
"Can we open them now that we're all here? I'll get my phone so someone can record it!"
As Leah rushed over to her handbag, Harvey urged Lottie off to the side and away from the chaos of his family. He knew that she was used to the craziness of the Lawrences however, he was worried it would be a little overwhelming considering the circumstances.
This whole pregnancy had been sudden and Harvey's family had been overly excited about it all. Therefore, he wanted to make sure that Lottie wasn't finding it all too much.
"You okay?" He asked as she leaned against the kitchen counter and he stood closely in front of her.
"Yeah, I'm so excited! Are you?" She replied with a smile across her face that Harvey instantly knew was genuine.
After knowing her for so long, he knew her fake smile from a real one. He could always pick out the smile she would force when feeling nervous or uncomfortable, and also the kind of smile that she couldn't contain because it was so genuine. This was one of those.
"Me too. I think this will make it feel more real."
"So this bump hasn't quite done that for you yet?" Lottie asked with a teasing grin across her face.
"Nah, I still don't believe it." Harvey laughed back, as his eyes glimpsed down to her stomach.
In a way, that was the truth. He still couldn't quite believe this was happening. He was having a baby in roughly 3 months time. He was going to be a dad, something he had always wanted. None of this felt real at all.
"Do you have a preference then or are you fine with whatever?" Lottie looked at Harvey in curiosity. They had spoken about it briefly but neither had been as certain as Leah on what they wanted.
"No, I'd be happy with either..." Harvey trailed off before correcting himself. "...well, a boy would be a lot of fun but a girl would be cool too. What about you?"
Lottie couldn't help but smile at Harvey's comment because she had expected it from him. It was just funny to see him try and cover up the fact that he did have a slight preference.
"I don't mind but I always wanted a sister growing up, so a daughter would fulfill that wish and more!"
Although both Lottie and Harvey had their typical preferences, both knew that whatever that envelope revealed that they would be happy. Even though things had been rough between them and this pregnancy hadn't really come about at the perfect time, they were both excited for the journey.
While Lottie had expected to be married and settled before having their first child, not split up and confused, she was still surprisingly okay that her life hadn't followed the fairytale plan.
She had learned a lot over the past few months and taken a much needed break to just be on her own. She knew it had been good for both her and Harvey, as she noticed and felt the difference between them.
"We better get this done then or Leah may end up ripping her hair out." Harvey remarked as he looked over to where Leah was trying her best to wait patiently.
"Wait!" Lottie breathed as she immediately reached out to take Harvey's hand.
He reacted by turning around and looking at her as concern rushed across his face.
"You okay?"
"Yeah, yeah, I am... I just wanted to hold your hand. I suddenly feel a bit nervous."
"Come here." Harvey chuckled as he squeezed Lottie's hand before wrapping his arm around her body.
As she leaned into his hold, Harvey placed a kiss to the top of her head.
This was going to be the moment that truly made this feel more real for the both of them. As of yet, they hadn't bothered buying anything or doing up a nursery but after tonight, it was going to be their main priority.
After they'd opened this envelope they would finally be choosing a name, giving their baby an identity, rather than just referring to it as the bump.
This was huge for the both of them.
"Right, are you two ready then?" Leah asked as she flashed her envelope about in her hand.
"Yes, we're ready." Harvey laughed as he looked down to theirs clung tightly in Lottie's hand.
"Should we count to three and then shout it out?" Leah asked while earning a nod from Lottie. "Okay, one..." Leah began, causing everyone to join in.
Lottie lifted the envelope up so both she and Harvey had their hands on it, ready to pull the paper out.
"Two..." Everyone continued, as Harvey glimpsed over to his parents, watching him back with anticipation in their eyes.
"...and three!!!" All the voices in the room shouted, as Leah immediately scrambled with her paper to find out what it said.
Harvey and Lottie reacted a lot more slowly and anxiously as they slid the paper from the envelope. As they both read the word across the page, they looked at one another with smiles on their faces.
"Ours is a boy! I knew it!" Kian shouted out, not being able to hold back his laughter and finding joy out of teasing his wife.
"Seriously? Is it?" Jack's mouth dropped open in shock, considering Leah's enthusiasm for a girl had lead everyone to believe it probably would be one.
"It's that Lawrence curse sweetie." Louise joked, as she nudged Dan's side.
"It's okay! I'm happy. I was always going to be happy either way." Leah smiled back at everyone, who were carefully watching for her reaction.
"But a little disappointed that it's not a girl." Kian corrected, continuing to tease her. But wrapping his arms around her body, he urged her into his before dropping his head down close enough so he was able to whisper in her ear. "This just means we get to have loads more fun trying for that girl another time."
Leah immediately turned around in Kian's arms in shock at his comment. It had taken a lot of persuading to get him to have another baby but now he was willingly agreeing to having a fifth before she had even given birth to this one.
"Really?"
"Yeah, at some point." Kian nodded as he pressed his lips to hers. "But let's focus on this little guy first."
Nodding her head and trying to hide the slight disappointment she was feeling, Leah then looked over to Harvey and Lottie.
"If you two have a girl, I am going to be seriously jealous!"
Harvey and Lottie both looked at each other with smiles across their faces before back over to the family.
"We've got a girl..." Lottie grinned, not being able to contain the happiness that was bouncing through her body.
"Oh my God!" Leah screeched as her mouth dropped open. "I am so happy for you!! Jealous... but so happy for you! You're just like Jess and Gemma, breaking those strong Lawrence genes."
Lottie looked over at Jess who was stood watching her with a big smile over her face too. Since Lottie had turned pregnant, Jess had been telling her she was sure it was a girl. She didn't know why but she just had a feeling and she had been right.
"This is amazing! A boy and a girl, they can be the best of friends!" Leah continued as she flashed the piece of paper about in her hand.
As conversation filled the room once again, with everyone sharing Leah's utmost excitement, Harvey turned his full attention onto Lottie, who was staring at the paper in front of them.
"A baby girl..." He trailed off, as Lottie's gaze drifted up to him.
"I can't actually believe it... we're having a baby girl!"
"Bump is officially a girl." Harvey said as he reached out to run his hand across Lottie's stomach.
She watched him intently as his hand carefully traced the curve of the bump with so much adoration filling his eyes. Lottie had never doubted that Harvey would be a good dad however, seeing the look in his eyes right now, made her even more certain that she had nothing to worry about.
He was going to love this little girl more than anything in the world and she would too.
Even though things hadn't been easy between them, they finally had their own little family and Lottie didn't think she'd ever experienced a moment better than this before.
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