Chapter 21 –
A few weeks later, Indi was well into her eighth month of pregnancy and felt that if either her stomach or feet grew anymore than what they had so far, then one or the other was bound to explode.
She had worked a short shift at the Diner that morning and as she returned home and pulled up into the driveway, noticed all the cars that were parked outside the Farmhouse - actually equating to more than she had ever seen there before.
Getting out and walking towards the house, she got a slight inkling from the additional clue of blue balloons that were taped around the balcony posts. Approaching the door to let herself into the unlocked house, Indi could hear the noise from outside of lots of people talking, overtop the music that was playing softly in the background.
Opening the door, the first thing she saw was a huge blue and silver 'Congratulations' banner spread across the two walls of the hallway hanging overhead. Then on the ground, more blue and white balloons were spread out all over the floor.
From the kitchen, after hearing the opening of the door that she had been listening out for since the guests had started to arrive, Sasha raced out to greet her older sister before the others reached her first.
"Surprise!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air before walking closer to her sister. "I was going to get everyone to hide and jump out to surprise you, but I figured that that can't be very healthy for your nerves and the baby, so I thought that I'd let you warm up to the surprise slowly."
Indi laughed lightly, putting her bag down in the corner before wrapping Sasha in a hug. "Thanks Sash. Is this all your work? I had no idea you were planning something, well before I got to the house that is!"
"Sort of. I got Roo to help me out with organizing it and I got numbers of a couple of your other non-Bay friends and family from Romeo, but yeah the rest is my doing."
"Thank you. You really didn't have to!" Indi smiled, pulling out of the hug as she noticed others from the lounge room were starting to make a noise as they filtered into the hallway that really wasn't large enough to hold that many bodies so close to the door comfortably.
Marilyn was the next to wrap Indi in a long tight hug before the others moved back into the much larger room to give them some room.
After close to a million squeals of excitement and congratulations from Marilyn, Indi greeted everyone else who was there for her baby shower. Sasha had invited all the girls from town; Roo, Marilyn, Leah, Natalie, Bianca (who had additionally brought Darcy along with her), Irene, April and Gina, along with Indi's best friend Nicole who still lived in the city, some girls she went to Uni with and after some debate, Indi's mother Jodi.
Starting with the light drinks and party food, the group just mingled together, chatting and introducing themselves when it was needed. Nicole pulled Indi aside so that the two could talk to each other individually for a few moments.
"It's been too long since we caught up! How have you guys been? How are you feeling?" Nicole asked with a smile.
"Hmm, to sum it up – tired and fat. Romeo and the other's are going great though!"
Nicole let out a light laugh. "I know how you mean all too well. At least you don't have that long left, unless your baby's like George and decides that he's too happy in there and wants to try and set up permanent residence!"
"Hopefully not... And what about you guys? How are Angelo and George?" Indi asked as the two sat down at a nearby seat as the conversation deepened.
"Yeah, the boys are fine. I think Angelo was just planning on taking George to the park or something while I'm out."
Indi smiled, increasingly so after feeling a few kicks internally from her own child. "Aw cute. How old is George now?"
"Eighteen months! He's so ridiculously big now, not to mention he's a little chatterbox."
Indi laughed at her friend, before letting out a teasing remark. "Hmm, and I wonder where he gets that from…"
"Hey!" Nic laughed light-heartedly. "You're probably right though. Hey, and how come you didn't tell me about your sister? Romeo called me to invite me and he said Sasha was organizing it. I just assumed she was a friend or something, not your sister!"
"Mm, tell me about it. It took a while to adjust at first, but now she fits right into the family like she's always been a part of it. She's a good person. It's a bit strange though, because I recognize a lot of myself in her" Indi explained, looking over to the tall brunette that she was talking about who was standing nearby talking to Natalie.
"I can imagine what a shock that would've been for you" Nicole added, watching Sasha too, who before today, she wouldn't have known from a bar of soap.
Indi nodded, before turning back to her friend. "Yeah, but I can't imagine life without Sash in it now."
"Well that's good. At least it's not like some awkward or evil half-sibling that you have to live with."
"Oh I don't know about that! Sasha certainly has her moments..." Indi laughed as Nicole joined in. This lead to silence for a few minutes while they watched the dynamics and interactions in the room of everyone else talking, before Indi turned back to Nicole with another question. "So, have you got any advice that you can think of for me?"
Nicole gave it a moment of serious thought before, replying with a laugh. "Hmm, don't give birth on the beach? Especially an isolated one at that, with only your dad being able to give Angelo instructions over the phone! It's definitely not a situation that I can recommend!"
Indi laughed in reply, before realizing the awkward part of what she had said. "Ha, yeah well dad and Angelo will certainly not have to be in that position for my birth! Mind you, I'm sure that Romeo would be stoked with the idea of me having the baby on the beach! He would want to just swim out and catch a wave or two in-between my contractions!"
"Oh you poor thing" Nicole laughed, despite knowing that her friend's comment was a slight exaggeration about one of her other ultra-caring best friends who also happened to be Indi's husband.
#
The day continued on and shortly after the finger food lunch at midday along with a few games that Roo had organized with Sasha, Indi started unwrapping the presents that she had received from the guests.
Marilyn had given her a huge hamper with what seemed like every baby product on the face of the earth, along with a few toys for the baby. Natalie had found similar, but organic products and lotions for the baby. On behalf of herself and VJ, Leah gave Indi a few baby toys that her own thirteen year old son had apparently had a ball in trying out and selecting when they were shopping for them. From her own personal experience, Nicole's present was more for Indi's advantage with a pamper package of body creams, lotions and chocolates for herself, along with a set of earplugs for when she needs it so that Romeo can get up to their child during the night. Bianca, April and Irene pitched in together to buy a self-rocking bassinette that Bianca swore by considering that it worked wonders with getting Rocco to sleep. Gina and Roo, both gave gifts of newborn baby clothes with a toy or two, which was similar to Sasha's gift of an assortment of baby clothes that would last him until he was around a year old. However, the excited aunty-to-be's clothing choices had a noticeable theme of 'World's Best Nephew' or 'My Aunty is the Best Aunty' -like comments featured on most. Finally, Indi reached the last present which was a blank baby book from her mum – the only present which produced tears instead of smiles.
The hormonal pregnant woman began to tear up as she clutched the blank baby book, getting up and giving her mother a hug before returning to sit down and explain herself to her worried guests.
"I'm sorry. I just remember reading mum's baby books about me and Dex a few years ago and it just dawned on me when I opened it that now I'm going to be the one writing it for my own child. Stupid I know, but-" Indi said starting to explain as the blonde a few seats cut her off.
"Hormones. I know" Bianca added, nodding in sympathetic understanding. Next to her, Darcy looked the most concerned out of the group, having no understanding of the emotional concept in pregnancy considering her innocent age.
Leaning over to her father's girlfriend, Darcy attempted a whisper that was loud enough for the entire room to hear before they burst out laughing from her cute comment. "Why is she crying? I think she needs cake!"
#
Several hours later, once the party proceedings had wrapped up and the guests had started to slowly filter out of the house and return to their own homes, Sasha, Indi, Marilyn and Roo started to clear up the house and return it to the residential home that it was, rather than a party venue.
Feeling beyond exhausted by her day that had started with her usual currently limited energy and that had endured a shift and a party, Indi apologetically asked whether she could excuse herself, leaving them to it so that she could have a nap.
"Of course you can, Indi! You need all the rest you can get" Roo said with an understanding smile as she cleared the plates.
"Yes you shouldn't be working yourself too hard, especially now!" Marilyn added excitedly, directing her to her room, with Sasha following behind her as she carried some of the presents Indi had received, to transport them from the lounge room to Indi and Romeo's room, and makeshift nursery.
Piling them up neatly, Indi called her sister over to her as she sat up from her where she had been lying on her bed.
Sasha walked over to her sister and sat down alongside her on the mattress as she was embraced by Indi in a grateful hug almost automatically. "Thank you for today, Sash. You really didn't have to, but I appreciate that you did. I had a great day."
"It's all good!" Sasha replied definitively with a smile. "It's my job as your sister and as the little man's aunty to spoil you both rotten and make the most of things like this!"
Indi laughed. "Well that you did! We have both been so spoiled by you and the others."
"You deserve it" Sasha smiled, giving Indi another brief hug before standing up and starting to walk out of the room. "Now sleep!"
#
Later that day, Romeo who was at the Surf Club in the middle of playing a game of pool after being banished from the house because of the girl's only baby shower, received an alarming text message from his sister-in-law containing words that he hadn't been expecting yet.
Sasha Bezmel:
ROMEO! Get. Here. Now. Indi's in labour.
Cliffhanger and a short chapter - sorry, but it was hard to extend this chapter much more with little motivation.
Anyway, since this story has gone from getting like 8-10 reviews per chapter to 2-3 over the last few, I'm considering ending the story once the baby is born. I had a lot, lot more planned on Romeo and Indi together with their son as a family, but I won't continue it if the interest isn't there or if that's not what you guys want, so please let me know. Thank you to 'Guest' and 'Kaiya' for reviewing though! :)
Next chapter:
# Romeo rushes home.