Lola - 7 yrs. old
Lindsey - 3 yrs. old
"Daddy?" The young girl asked as she sat on her father's lap, disturbing the gym leader's work. Dorian sighed, pushing the work aside. He started bouncing the three year old on his knee.
"What's up Liddy?" Dorian asked. Lily was out today. Her sister, Misty was helping her pick out stuff for their new baby boy due next month. The small girl's expression was a bit depressed. Lindsey hadn't warmed up to the idea of having a baby brother.
She liked being the youngest. Lola, a lot of the time was not the friendlist big sister in the world. So much of the time, Lindsey played by herself, or with her parents. So, a new brother, hogging up her parents attention didn't sound like fun to her. Lilly and Dorian weren't sure how to make the whole new arrangement sound fun, or even tollerable.
"Are you going to love the new baby more than me?" Lindsey asked, a small tear coming to her eye. Dorian gasped. Of course this wasn't true, but he couldn't believe Lindsey thought so. Knowing his daughter, this probably Lola's doing. He would have to talk to her later.
"Of course not baby. We didn't stop loving your sister when you were born. We may not spend as much time together, at first. That's only because the baby has a lot of needs. It can't do anything itself." Dorian said, wishing he knew the gender of the baby. He couldn't keep calling it well, "it".
Just then, his cell phone rang. Dorian, balancing Lindsey on his knee, strained to reach it on the other end of the table. It was Misty. "What's up Misty?" Dorian asked, pursing his lip at the answer.
"Lilly's gone into labor. You have to get here now! She won't hold much longer." Misty said, her sister screaming in the background.
Dorian quickly hung up and put Lindsey down. "Liddy, go get your sister now! We've got to get to the hospital. You're mother's having the baby!" Dorian said,a bit scatterbrained. He was running around the house, looking for his coat. Lindsey looked at her father, mesmorized that he couldn't remember the layout of his own house.
Back at the hospital, Misty sat by her sister's bed. "You ready sis?" Misty asked as her sister as she panted.
"N...nooo!" Lilly said. To say she was uncomfortable would be an understatement.
"Too bad, because the baby doesn't care." Misty said, holding her sister's hand as Lilly's next contraction started.
"Ahhhhhhh!" Lilly screamed as the pain of the contraction streamed down her body. "I'm gonna kill him! I'm gonna kill him!" Refering to Dorian, of course. It was all his fault, she figured. Misty's hand was starting to get blue from her sister's grip.
"Lilly, Lilly!" Misty yelled as her sister let go of her hand. Misty ripped her hand from her sister's reach and started to shake it to return it to it's normal color.
During the next contractiion, Lilly held onto the bedrail instead. Of coutse, Misty had offered her hand, but Lilly didn't want to hurt her again. Misty, forgetting Ash was with the kids, got up and went to the videophone. Ash picked up on the second ring.
"Misty, where are you!?" Ash asked Misty watched the twins using Ash as a personal jungle gym.
"The hospital." Misty answered. Ash immediately panicked.
"What's wrong Misty? Are you ok?"
"Don't worry, I'm fine. Lilly went into labor. We're at St. Joseph's. I'm gonna be here for a while. If you wanna come up later, please leave the kids at your mom's. They don't need to be out late."
"I'm glad you're ok. I'll be up in an hour. I can't stand this anymore today." Ash said, frusterated.
As Misty returned to the room, Dorian was taking place for Misty. "Can you watch the kids for a while, Misty?" Dorian asked, clearly in pain from his wife's grip. Misty nodded as she gathered the kids and went to the caferteria.
The kids each ordered lunch. Watching her figure, even at a young age, Lola got a Chicken Cesar Salad. Misty had to convince Lindsey to eat. She was scared whether her mom was ok or not. Misty assured her that Lilly would be fine. As the children ate, Misty was praying her sister and the baby would be ok.
Just then, Ash came in, Pikachu on his shoulder. Ash sat down by Misty. "Pikachu!" Pikachu squealed as Misty's thoughts instantely broke, lookintg up at her husband and his partner. Lindsey squeaked in excitment as Pikachu hopped off Ash's shoulder and joined the young girl.
Lindsey wanted to be an Electric pokemon trainer when she grew up. She loved all pokrmon, but especially electric pokemon. Mostly because as wierd as it sounds, she's loved their thunder attacks. Sometimes, she felt like she needed a small jolt.
As the small girl finished her cheese sandwhich, Lola was cleaning up her part of the table. "Hey Liddy, do you want to go look at the pokemon in the big tank?" Lola asked, pointing to the large tank across the caferteria. Lindsey nodded and smiled. It wasn't often Lola wanted anything to do with her.
Ash and Misty watched the two as went to the tank and watched a school of baby Goldeen swimming. Lindsey looked back at Pikachu and called "Pikatu, you wanna see the fishies?" Pikachu jumped off Ash's shoulder and ran to the tank where the kids were.
Just then, a young girl, about five years old came up and tapped Ash's shoulder. She had a pink hat on, covering her bald head, which used to be a lovely head of hair. Misty sighed in sadness, knowing the girl probably had cancer. She was dressed in a dress, obviously from the hospital. But unlike normal hospital gowns, this one was a full dress, but it was still an off-white dress with circus elephants dancing accross it. Ash turned and looking down at the young girl. To say he was shocked would be streaching it.
Nevertheless, he smiled as the girl held out her autograph book. "Mr. Ketchum, my name is Ella. Could I please have your autograph?" Ash chuckled, thinking the hospital may be the one place he wouldn't be bothered for autographs.
"Sure Ella." Ash said, taking the book and signing his name. The small girl smiled as she recieved the book back. She started to look around strangely. "What'ya looking for?"
"Where's Pikachu? I've always wanted to meet you and Pikachu." Ella said, still looking around.
"He's with my nieces. Pikachu!" Ash called as Pikachu, hearing Ash calling his name ran and jumped on Ash's shoulder. "Pikachu, this is Ella. She wanted to meet you." Ash handed the small mouse to Ella, whose arms opened wide to recieve him. She giggled as Pikachu's fur tickled her chin.
A few minutes later, Ella walking back outside the caferteria. Ash saw her taking the hand of one of the nurses, who led her back to her room. "Poor little girl." Misty sighed as she watched the nurse leading the girl away. "She probably won't reach her tenth birthday." Ash looked at Misty, who hugged him as a tear came down her face.
"Mist, please. I hate seeing you cry." Ash said as their nieces came back with Dorian. Dorian looked sadly at the couple.
"Is the baby ok? Is my sister alright" Misty said, sensing the grief in Dorian's expression.
"Yeah, both are fine. But it seems the baby has cataracts. He's gonna have to stay here until he's old enough to get the surgery to fix it." Dorian said, sitting by Misty and Ash.
"Does he have a name?" Misty asked, trying to distract Dorian from the paining news.
"Yeah. We named him Tyler James after your grandfather." Dorian said, his eyes lighting up. "Misty, he's so cute. It always amazes me. No matter how many times we have a baby, the feeling of holding them for the first time, it's feels like I'm becoming a brand new father." Misty smiled and got up.
"I'm gonna go see Tyler, anyone wanna come?" Misty said as two little hands shot up. Misty chuckled. "Come on then. Let's go see your baby brother."
TO BE CONTINUED...