Chapter 34
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Month 9. Snow was glad to have finally made it. Her stomach was huge, her feet were swollen, and her walk resembled more of a waddle these days. She was ready for this baby to come, and she was ready now. They had the baby's room painted, his crib built, and all of his new clothes washed and in his drawers. They were stocked with diapers and wipes, basically everything they needed. Granny even knitted him a blanket that was just like Emma's, but his had a blue ribbon instead of purple. Granny hadn't been able to stitch the baby's name onto the blanket though. Snow and Charming had yet to decide what to name their little prince.
"I still think we should just name him Leopold after my father," Snow told her husband.
"No," David shook his head. "People will make fun of him."
"My father was a king!"
"Which is why no one made fun of him."
Snow sighed. "Well, we've got to pick something." She continued to look through the baby name book they picked up from the library. They had a list of possible names, but nothing that really stuck out to them.
"We'll come up with something, Snow," David assured her.
Snow nodded her head and looked up when she heard Emma come into the room. "Hey little one."
"Hi, Mommy. What are you guys doing?"
"We're just making a list of names for your brother," Snow told her.
"You still don't know what you're naming that baby?" Emma said as she put her hands on her hips.
"How about you help us?" David asked.
Emma thought about it for a second, then she shook her head.
"Aww come on princess, we need your help." David told her.
"I bet you would pick out some really good ones," Snow tried.
"No, I don't want to. Can I go outside and play with Willow?"
"Sure go ahead," David told her.
"Don't forget your coat," Snow added.
"I don't need my coat," Emma called from the front door.
"Put it on Emma," David warned.
"Alright," Emma sighed.
They couldn't see Emma at the front door, but they heard her zip up her coat, so they knew she listened. Snow looked up at David and sighed. She was worried because Emma still didn't seem very interested in the baby at all. She thought they were making progress when it came to how Emma was feeling about the baby, but apparently they were wrong. Snow took Emma along to help pick out the paint for the nursery, and she refused to pick a color. David tried to get her to help him test out baby strollers, and she just complained that she was bored the whole time. She was pushing their buttons just about every chance she got too, and Snow noticed this attitude of Emma's seemed to be more aimed towards her than David. They hoped Emma's attitude would change once the baby was here. Snow still couldn't help but worry though.
"Snow, please don't," David sighed.
"Don't what?" Snow said with a shrug as she looked down at the book, hoping a name would just pop out at her.
David reached out and took his wife's hand in his. "Please don't worry. Emma is going to be just fine."
Snow nodded her head. "I know. You're right."
David gave his wife's hand a squeeze, letting her know everything was going to be alright. He knew Snow was struggling with all of this. He had his concerns too, but he needed to be strong for his wife. She had so many emotions going through her head right now with the pregnancy, and those emotions wouldn't just instantly go away once the baby was born. He would be strong for both of his girls though and help them through this. He would make sure Emma knew they loved her just as much as they loved the baby. He wouldn't give up no matter how long it took. David knew Emma would continue to have a hard time once the baby came, but he also knew that she would still love her little brother. David looked out the window and smiled at his little princess. Emma was going to be just fine.
"I found it, Willow!" Emma said as she held up her doggy's favorite tennis ball. "Are you ready?" Emma lifted the ball into the air and Willow wagged her tail. Emma smiled. "Get set." She pulled her hand back and Willow crouched down, getting ready to run. "Go!" Emma threw the ball as far as she could.
Emma watched Willow run really fast…so fast that she leaped up and caught the ball in her mouth before it landed on the ground. Emma was pretty sure she had the fastest doggy in the world. Emma knelt down and held out her hands, and Willow came running towards her at full speed. Emma caught Willow in her arms and gave her a big hug. When she looked up, she saw her daddy coming out of the house with his keys in his hand.
Emma quickly got up and ran right to him. "Where are you going, Daddy?"
David scooped Emma up into his arms. "I've got to head down to the Henderson farm. Their sheep broke through the fence, and they need my help."
"Can I come too?"
"No, I need you to stay here this time kiddo."
"Pretty please," Emma said as she stuck out her lip and gave him the eyes.
David couldn't help but smile at that look, but he couldn't let Emma come. "Sorry, princess. I need you to stay here with Mommy for me."
"Okay," Emma said with a nod of her head.
"That's my girl," David said as he set Emma back down. He looked up at Willow, who was still playing with her tennis ball, and let out a whistle. "Come on, Willow."
Emma looked up at her daddy. "You're taking Willow?"
"She's has to help me get those sheep." David opened the door of the truck and Willow hopped inside.
Emma crossed her arms and let her head drop. She didn't want Willow to leave too. They were in the middle of their game of fetch.
David knelt down in front of Emma. "You know what…I think your mommy said something about making chocolate chip cookies this afternoon."
Emma's eyes went wide as she lifted her head. "Really?"
David nodded towards the house. "Yup, go in and see."
"Okay! Bye, Daddy," Emma gave her daddy a hug and waved to Willow before turning and running into the house.
Once Emma was inside, she kicked off her shoes, hung up her coat, and ran for the kitchen. "Momma! Momma!"
"What is it baby?"
"Are we gonna make cookies?" Emma asked as she jumped up and down.
"Do you want to make cookies?" Snow asked with a smile.
"Yes! Yes!" Emma clapped her hands.
"Okay, let's get everything out then!"
Snow went to the cupboard and started pulling out all the ingredients. Flour, baking soda, salt, chocolate chips, vanilla, sugar….sugar. Where was the sugar? There was none in the cupboard. She quickly looked in the canister on the counter. She found it empty. Snow sighed. There was no way they could make cookies without sugar. Snow was sure she bought a bag of sugar at the store last week, apparently not though.
Emma looked up at her mommy and knew something was wrong. "What is it, Mommy?"
"We don't have any sugar. We're going to have to go to the store. Go get your shoes and coat on, okay?" Snow told her as she went to grab her purse.
"Ugh," Emma groaned as she went to the front door to put on her shoes. She looked up at her coat and decided she didn't want to put that on. She had long sleeves. She would be warm enough. Emma saw her mommy coming. She turned to open the door. "Okay Mommy, let's go," she said, taking one step out the door and hoping her mommy wouldn't say anything.
Snow took ahold of Emma's arm and gently pulled her back into the house. "Put on your coat, please."
"Mommy, I don't need it," Emma whined.
"I'm not going to ask you again," Snow told Emma firmly.
Emma looked up at her mommy trying to decide what she should do. The look on her mommy's face told her that if she didn't put on her coat, they probably wouldn't go to the store. If they didn't go to the store, then no cookies. Emma grabbed her coat from the hook and put it on. "There. Now can we go?"
"Yes we can," Snow said as she guided Emma out the door.
Snow and Emma arrived to the store and got the sugar. Then, Snow remembered there was something she needed for the baby. "Come on, Em. Let's go down this aisle real quick."
Emma knew exactly which aisle her mommy was taking her to…the baby aisle. She did not want to go there. "Mommy, no. Let's just go home and make the cookies," Emma begged.
"It'll just take a second Emma, come on." Snow grabbed onto her hand and pulled Emma towards the aisle she needed.
Emma pulled her hand from her mommy's and stopped right at the end of the aisle. "I don't want to go shopping for the baby anymore."
"Emma, I just need to get one thing, and then we can go," Snow promised.
"No! I want to go home. Now!" Emma stomped her foot for good measure.
Snow closed her eyes in frustration and took a deep breath. She didn't have the patience to deal with this right now. "Emma, I'm just going to go get a bottle of baby lotion. Please just come with me."
"No! You always get stuff for the baby!" Emma yelled.
"Emma, we get you things you too," Snow sighed. They had just gotten Emma a brand new toothbrush two days ago, and Snow let her pick out three new puzzles while they were out shopping last weekend.
"No you don't! And the baby doesn't need anything else. He has lots of stuff!"
"Lotion is the last thing he needs, I promise." Snow was sure they had everything the baby would need…except lotion.
"He doesn't need stupid lotion! He can just use the lotion we have at home!"
"Emma he needs lotion!" Snow yelled back, her patience was officially gone. "Babies need special lotion!" Snow lifted Emma's chin, looked her directly in the eyes, and pointed to the floor. "You stand right here while I go get it, and don't move," Snow warned before turning and getting what she needed.
As Emma watched her mommy walk to the other end of the aisle, she crossed her arms and promptly sat down on the floor.
When Snow turned to walk back down the aisle, she saw that Emma was sitting. Snow just prepared herself for the argument that was about to happen. Snow stood in front of Emma and closed her eyes, taking another deep breath. "Emma, get up off of the floor."
Emma shook her head and crossed her arms.
"Emma. Get up. Now!"
"No!"
"Emma, I am going to count to three and…"
"I'll do it for you! One, two, three!" Emma looked up at her mommy and mustered up the grumpiest look she could, letting her know she wasn't moving.
Snow raised her eyebrows at her daughter. Did she really just do that? "Don't you dare look at me like that, young lady!"
Emma just continued to glare daggers at her and Snow didn't know what to do. With this belly, Snow couldn't tie her own shoes, let alone pick her stubborn six-year-old up from the floor. Snow knew just how stubborn that six-year-old was too because Snow was just as stubborn. Snow thought for a minute, then came up with a solution.
"Emma…" Snow said in a very different voice than she had just been using. She was not going to yell anymore, but her voice would still let Emma know that she was very serious about what she was going to say next. "If you do not get up off of the floor, we will not be making these cookies, you will not be allowed any hot chocolates from Granny's for a week, and…" Snow knew the next part would definitely work if the first two hadn't. "Willow will not be allowed to sleep in your room for the next week as well. Now, I am going to count to three again." Snow held up a finger. "One…"
Emma's eyes went wide as she looked up at her mommy. She had never heard her mommy talk like that before. Emma didn't know if her mommy really meant what she said, but Emma did not want to find out. She quickly scrambled to her feet just as Snow was about to say three.
"Thank you. Now, take my hand and let's go."
Emma did what her mommy asked. She held onto her hand and quietly walked over to the register so they could buy the sugar and the lotion. Emma got into the car and rode the rest of the way home without a fuss.
"Emma, I need you to go up to your room," Snow said once they were in the house.
Emma nodded her head and walked to the stairs. She stopped and the bottom and turned around. "Momma?"
Snow looked up and saw Emma's sad little eyes looking up at her. "What is it, Em?"
"Are we still gonna make cookies?"
"We will a little later. Mommy just needs a break right now."
"Okay, Mommy," Emma said as she turned and walked up the stairs.
Snow let the tears start to fall as soon as Emma's back was turned. She went into the kitchen and sat down at the table. Snow didn't know what came over her at the store. She had never lost her patience like that with Emma before. She was usually able to stay fairly calm when Emma acted that way. Snow just sat at the table for awhile until she felt better, then made her way upstairs to talk to her little one.
Snow opened the door to Emma's room and found her lying on her bed curled up with her blanket. Snow walked over to the bed, hoping Emma hadn't fallen asleep. As Snow got closer though, those little green eyes peeked up at her from behind the mess of blond curls.
Emma sat up and scooted herself over to make room for her mommy. "Hi, Momma."
"Hi, Emma." Snow sat down on the bed beside her little girl, who looked very guilty at the moment. "What's going on with you little one, huh?" Snow asked as she brushed the hair from Emma's face.
Emma just shrugged her shoulders and looked down.
"Why did you get so mad at the store today?" Snow asked.
"Because we had to get something for the baby," Emma mumbled into her blanket.
"Emma…"
"No Mommy, every time we go shopping we have to buy something for the baby too. I just wanted to buy sugar and that's it. Just me and you, not the baby too."
Snow was beginning to understand why Emma acted the way she did. "So you were upset because I had to get something for the baby, and it took time away from just you and me?"
"Uh huh…" Emma said with a nod. "I don't want the baby to take you away from me."
"Come here, sweetie." Snow put her arm around Emma and pulled her close. "Your baby brother is not going to take me away from you. I will always be here for you."
"But he'll always be around too," Emma said with a sigh.
"You're right, Em. He will be, but I think you are going to have so much fun being a big sister, and he is going to love you so much," Snow said as she gave Emma a squeeze.
"Yeah I guess so." Emma knew she would love her brother. She was just worried that her mommy and daddy wouldn't spend as much time with her anymore.
"How about this," Snow said when she noticed that Emma still looked pretty unsure. "I promise that we will set aside some special Mommy and Emma time everyday. Just the two of us. How does that sound?"
Emma looked up at her mommy with a smile. "Yeah, I like that idea."
"Good," Snow said as she gave Emma a kiss the top of her head. She loved seeing that little smile of Emma's.
"Can I have Daddy and Emma time too?"
"Of course you can! And maybe every once in awhile we can ask Auntie Red to watch your brother so just the three of us can do something together."
Emma gave her mommy a big hug. "Thanks Mommy!"
"I need you to make me a deal though, Em," Snow said as she looked down at Emma.
Emma looked back up at her mommy. "What is it?"
"If you feel angry like you did earlier today at the store, I need you to talk to Mommy about it like a big girl and listen when I ask you to do something. You are not to throw a fit like that anymore, okay?"
Emma nodded her head. "Okay, Mommy. I'm sorry. I won't do that ever again."
"Thank you, Emma," Snow said, giving Emma one more squeeze. "Now, how about we go downstairs and make those cookies?"
"Yeah let's go!" Emma said as she scrambled down from her bed and ran down the stairs.
Snow really hoped her talk with Emma just now would help. She knew this little prince would need a lot of attention once he finally decided to come into this world. To Emma, it may seem like her mommy and daddy are spending all of their time with the baby, and Snow did not want Emma to feel that way. She and Charming would both be there for their little princess too and make her feel just as loved.
"Momma, we did a really good job!" Emma said with a mouth full of cookie. "Here, try one!"
"Thanks, Em," Snow said with a wink as she reached out and took the cookie from Emma. "Oh!" Snow dropped the cookie as a sharp pain went through her stomach. She shook her head, maybe it was nothing. She winced as another pain shot up her back. Nope, this was it.
"Mommy, what's wrong?" Emma asked, eyes wide with panic.
"I'm okay, Em," Snow said as she sat down in the chair. She gave Emma a smile, not wanting her to be frightened. Snow took a deep breath as another contraction came. "Emma, I need you to get the phone for Mommy."
"Okay," Emma said with a nod as she hopped down from her chair and ran to the counter where the phone was. "Here, Mommy."
"Thanks little one." Snow quickly dialed the Henderson's number, hoping someone would pick up and be able to tell Charming.
Emma listened as her mommy told someone on the phone that the baby was coming. Emma's mouth fell open when she heard what her mommy just said. The baby was coming, now? Emma didn't know if she was ready to be a big sister yet. She didn't think she was ready to share her mommy and daddy. There was a part of Emma that did feel a little bit excited to meet her baby brother though. Emma heard her mommy tell her to get her shoes and coat on, and Emma did exactly what she was told. Her daddy came rushing into the house a few minutes later. He scooped Emma up with one arm and led his wife to the car with the other. When her daddy put her in the car, Emma quickly got herself buckled and held on tight as her they raced to the hospital.
When they got inside, Emma saw her Auntie Red and Granny waiting there for them. Emma watched as the nurses quickly got a wheelchair and helped her mommy sit down.
"You stay with Granny and Red, okay princess," David said as he knelt down and gave Emma a hug.
"Okay, Daddy," Emma said with a nod. She looked over at her mommy and felt scared. Her mommy did not look good.
Snow noticed the frightened look on Emma's face. "Come here little one," Snow said as she reached her arms out for her.
Emma walked over to her mommy. "Are you going to be okay Momma?"
Snow nodded her head and took a deep breath. "I am going to be just fine, Em. Come here." Snow wrapped Emma up in a big hug. "I love you, baby."
"I love you too." Emma wrapped her arms around her mommy and just held on tight. Emma knew her mommy was going to be alright. The doctors would take good care of her.
"You go with Auntie Red. Daddy and I will see you real soon," Snow said as she let go and gave Emma a smile.
Emma nodded her head and watched as the nurses rolled her mommy away. They were just about to go through the doors when Emma remembered something. "Mommy, wait!" Emma quickly ran up to her mommy and pulled a piece of paper from her pocket. "I made a list for you," Emma reached out the paper to her mommy.
Snow took the paper from Emma and saw that she had made her own list of names for her baby bother. "Oh, Emma. Thank you, sweetie."
"You're welcome." Emma turned and ran back to her Auntie Red, who lifted Emma up into her arms. Emma watched her mommy and daddy disappear behind the doors. She laid her head down and couldn't help the small smile that came her face. Pretty soon she was going to be a big sister.