Two Weeks Later

"Hey babe, I found a lesbian parenting group in Concord that meets at a Starbucks tomorrow. Wanna go?"

"What time?"

"6:30."

"I'm off at four so sure."

Piper came home the next afternoon to a nervous wife.

"Pipes, what if they judge me for how I look. It was a lot for our own friends who knew me before. Every time we go anywhere people point and stare and ask questions that are various levels of offensive. They never ask me why my face looks weird or I have a severe limp or struggle with words and anything remotely cognitive or always wear sunglasses. I don't do it to be rude."

"Shhh...baby I know. People judge what they don't understand. They don't know how quickly you can become severely disabled or loose your perfect health and others fear that very thing. But I doubt these are people we have to worry about judging me, you, us or our choice to have Little Peanut. And if they do we never have to go back. And I will always defend you if need be cause I'm your wife."

"I love you and your passion so much. I know I shouldn't worry but I'm so used to being judged from the beginning. I should know people can be cruel or dumb."

"It's gonna be fine. I'm gonna take a quick shower. Don't worry your pretty little head."

Alex hitched her arm around Piper, who wrapped an arm around her and kissed her temple, "Guess my love is joining me."

"Seeing you naked and especially now that your body seems to change every time I see it relaxes me."

"What do we have now?"

"An adorable little grape."

When they got to their bathroom Piper helped Alex sit on the lid of the toilet. Then she seductively stripped off her work clothes as Alex whistled and pawed at her as Piper started giggling. She climbed into the shower as her wife looked on. When she turned off the water her wife handed her a towel. Piper ducked into her dresser and grabbed underwear, the only bra that still fit, a teal v-neck and purple yoga pants. She changed and helped her wife back to the couch then grabbed their purses and Alex's cane. She helped her up and the two left.

Half an hour later they walked into the Starbucks and found a table with eight women around it.

"Hi, I called yesterday," Alex told the first woman who turned around.

"You must be Alex. I'm this must be your wife."

"Yes. This is Piper. She's nine weeks pregnant with our son. I know its early but we don't have a support system," she responded as Piper pulled out a chair and helped Alex sit down and rested her cane on the side of the table.

"Of course your welcome. This is my wife Violet. We have two and four year old boys, Jude and Justin and are thinking about trying for a third. Then Heather and Lisa. They have an eighteen month old daughter Mia. And Rachel and Amy. They have a two year old daughter Emma and are three months along with their second. Finally we have Amber and Danielle and their nine month old twin boys Ethan and Jacob."

"You have a name yet?"

"We're waiting to get to twelve weeks and actually getting pregnant on the first try after being told using my nearly forty year old wife's eggs meant little chance of implantation ever is still settling in. But she was an only child from a small family and after a nearly fatal mugging in the City we decided to move to the country and start a family and she decided she wanted a bio child. But the attack took away her ability to carry a baby. But I always wanted to carry a child. The plan is after this one is a year old for me to have a bio child."

"That's how it is. Mia came about in similar circumstances. Lisa was 42 when they got pregnant. They spent four and a half years total trying. Originally with Heather but after six months found out she was infertile. Lisa was 38."

Lisa interrupted Juli, "So doctors know nothing. You are first time moms but don't believe the statistics and from one older mother to another don't let them tell you that you can't have a midwife or drug free birth. Yes it will have to be in a hospital but when your an older mama you don't get necessarily get a second chance to have the birth you want."

"Good cause I'm doing everything right. As few chemicals and as much organic and sustainable as possible. I don't want to spend nine months trying so hard to have a healthy chemical free baby and quitting all unnecessary meds to drug my baby at the finish line."

"I know the feeling. We spent so many years taking our fertility for granted and then after years of struggling I wanted the best for my baby. Now Heather is thinking about carrying one of our frozen embryos. She wants the birth experience."

"I can understand that. I'm already jealous. Its my bio child but I don't get the experience. Piper is so amazing at including me in everything. I hold her hair when she pukes, it kinda reminds me of when she was a twenty-one year old lightweight. I give her massages and foot rubs. Make sure she gets enough rest, eats well, takes her pills and drinks enough water."

"And I remind her of how special this is something that not long ago wasn't a reality. I never imagined when I decided to marry Alex carrying my partner's baby was possible. I tell her he's not very exciting yet. All he's doing is ripping up my abs, making me pudgy, pukey and emotional. I don't mind the boobs until I go to work as a waitress at a pub and am reminded men are pricks. Making drunken comments about my 'huge tits and ass' constantly. I have a wedding ring but they don't care. Then all the people that when they find out I'm pregnant for the first time with a boy tell me how thrilled my husband must be. I tell them 'yeah my wife and I are ecstatic.' Nobody believes I'm a lesbian. If I had a dollar for everyone who told me 'your too pretty to be a dyke,' we'd be rich."

"Yup, us too," blonde haired Amy volunteered.

They kept talking about parenting, pregnancy and living as lesbian couples with children. They watched the toddlers play as they finished their coffees. Other than 42 year old Lisa and 36 year old Heather all the other mothers were 25 to 34. Juli was the 34 year old. Piper and Alex became close friends with the older three women. After nearly a year, they finally had their first real friends. Lisa gave them the number to the midwife they used.

Three weeks later Piper was having another hormonal moment. She was standing in front of the mirror naked and crying. Alex could see the tears and she padded into the bathroom and put her arms around her wife's swollen belly and kissed her shoulder.

"What's wrong babe?"

"I don't feel pregnant. I don't see it."

"You are twelve weeks. The sickness should go away. You don't have a huge bump but for the first time in all the years I've known you you have a belly. And there's the hard ball under my hands. Its a cute round bump that's just starting to get noticed. Your boobs are still veiny, dark and swollen. You have heartburn. You are just as pregnant as when you were sick."

"Good things when they happen to us get ripped away just as fast."

"Shall I give you the top five list? Number one being this little boy in your belly. He loves us as much as we love him, I just know it. We get a second chance at a life, one where I never imported drugs and I never convinced you to carry a damn bag of money or put all three of our lives at risk. Where I never neglected or treated you like shit. We have a knack for finding each other. And I love you and always will. And you are the best, most good thing to ever happen to me."

"I'm just so scared something will go wrong. I love him so much. I don't know what I would do if I lost him."

"He's fine. A perfect little lime. Don't worry baby, its not gonna me to play the heartbeat?"

"Will you?"

"Come with me."

When they were sitting on the bed, Alex unlocked her phone and played the video of their ultrasound for their NT scan. They had their first visit with Dr. Wilson, their OB a week before. They watched the baby move and heard the heartbeat. They had a sample taken for a CVS test.

"Better?"

"Yes, thank you. You always could talk me down. I'm glad I'm on this journey with you."

"I'm glad I am too, kid. Pancakes and shopping?"

"I could use some new jeans. My biggest pair doesn't button anymore."

"Is it time for pregnancy jeans already?"

"Maybe. Little Peanut here is making me put on weight like crazy. Ripping up my abs, taking over my brain and making me hormonal."

"Don't lie, kid. You love it. He hasn't just taken over your brain. He's taken over mine too. He's the first and last thing I think about every day."

"I just can't wait until I can feel him move. It just feels like there's no payoff for all the crap I'm going through."

"You are putting on weight, your showing. He's healthy and you are doing such an amazing job taking care of our son. You put him and his needs first. I'll make you some tea and breakfast. Come out when your ready."

Alex kissed Piper and then her bump.

"Be right there baby. Thanks for taking such good care of us. Making sure I eat and exercise even when I don't want to."

"Of course. Your the love of my life and this little guy I love so much. I love you two in a way I didn't think possible. Its my job to protect you and him."

After breakfast the two headed to the mall. Piper got her first two bags of maternity clothes. She bought jeans, shorts and t-shirts and tank tops. They went to lunch. They bought another bag of baby clothes on clearance and fell in love with a white bassinet that they bought and put at the foot of the bed. They then laid on the bed and Alex started rubbing Piper's feet.

"Pipes, I think peanut needs a real name. We have had multiple genetic tests that all say he's a healthy baby boy. Your into your second trimester."

"Any ideas?"

"I really like Charles as a middle name, after Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He never gave up on the thing he really wanted, no matter what adversity he faced or who said he couldn't have his dream."

"I love it. But the name I fell in love with makes a better middle name for Charles. It's cool and uncommon but not out there."

"I can be convinced. What is it?"

"Asher. It means blessing. I thought it was perfect for our little miracle baby."

"I like it. Charles Asher Daniels. Its got a nice rhythm. Charlie Daniels."

Piper caressed her bump and cooed, "Charlie Daniels."

Alex kissed her wife's bump, "Hi there Charlie. Your mommies love you so much."

They then cuddled and made out until they fell asleep.

A week later they transferred from Dr. Wilson to the midwife Lisa recommended, Angeline Davis.

"Hi mommies. I'm Nurse Angie."

"I'm Piper and this is my wife Alex," she said as she pointed at the brunette in the chair.

"Hello. And you are thirteen weeks?"

"Yes. A healthy little boy," she pointed at her bump, "this is Charles Asher, Charlie."

"Name and everything."

"Yes, we've been attached since transfer day."

"You used IVF, correct?"

"Yes. We used my wife's egg."

"Let's check your vitals. You did your urine sample."

They were all good and then she felt her abdomen and listened to the heart beat on a Doppler. This made Alex tear up as always.

"I can never get over that sound. I swore I would never become one of those women but from the first test I became an emotional mess. She's the pregnant one."

"Sometimes with my two mom families the nonpregnant partner can sometimes pick up on the pregnant mama's hormones. And it's your child, its normal to feel that bond. I'd imagine even more so knowing he's biologically yours."

"Makes sense. And I've known her since she was just this young kid and now we're having a kid."

"It still happens sometimes. Your appetite been good?"

"Yes. Luckily, Alex is a great cook. She makes all sorts of healthy organic food. She usually makes me a smoothie and tea in the morning. Then sends me to work with a healthy lunch. Makes us dinner and then ginger tea before bed. I struggle with lots of heartburn, Alex teases me that I'm going to give birth to a gorilla. Cause he's huge and evidently hairy."

"He is measuring big but your wife is very tall, so that's expected."

"Plus the donor was six two."

The three got to know each other and the midwife gave them suggestions. They discussed a natural birth at a hospital birthing center. They felt lucky to have found a midwife who believed the same way they did.