At seven twenty two the newest member of the Rivera Spencer household was born. Both her mothers were in the delivery room and her father was brought in shortly after she was weighed and cleaned. All the Coopers had gone back home except Frank and Buzz. Blake and the girls walked in carrying hot breakfast for everyone ten minutes after the doctors and the nurses left. Everyone was standing around looking anxiously at the door when Olivia stepped through looking a bit worn but sporting a huge smile and proudly announced "It is my pleasure to introduce everyone to Ms Francesca Marissa Rivera Cooper" For the next twenty minutes everyone fawned over the baby girl with her father's hair but with her mother's curls and her mother's smile but her father's eyes. Frank was holding her and Buzz was making faces trying to coax out a pair of dimples. Emma and Clarissa sat on either side of Natalia quizzing her on the pain and level of grossness of the birth. Ashlee was holding Ava and Blake was helping Natalia get more comfortable. Olivia stood near the door quietly watching and adjusting to the newest tangle in her life.
"So?" Doris asked standing beside her taking everything in.
"So, she's finally here and I get to experience sleep deprivation for the next six months" but the smile on Olivia's face and the awe in her tone softened the sarcastic comment.
Nudging Olivia's elbow Doris asked again without taking her eyes off the baby "So how are you doing really?" Yes Olivia had known that once the baby came Frank would become a permanent feature in her life but it was a big difference in knowing abstractly and having him hold close the child he shared with her lover. Over her dead body was how she put it to Natalia when the woman tried to suggest that Frank join them during the birth but now that the baby was here Doris wondered if Olivia was feeling left out and aimless. The smile Olivia had when she first opened the door was not looking as natural and no longer reached her eyes. "He's the father Olivia but you're the one that's going home with her and Natalia don't forget that." She heard a deep and labored breathe go in and out and saw from her peripheral that Olivia was nodding her head and stepped quickly into the bathroom. A few seconds later the baby started to wail loudly maybe she does have some Spencer in her Doris thought looking at the scowl Francesca was directing at her father. Olivia came out of the bathroom and quickly stepped beside Natalia and helped her get ready to feed Francesca. Once Natalia was ready she scooped the baby from Frank and positioned herself beside mother and child holding the baby tightly between them two. Doris could see that Frank seemed a bit put off by the exclusion but Buzz softly suggested that everyone leave so Natalia could rest and Emma and Clarissa conned Buzz and Frank into taking them to the gift shop. Ava, Ashlee and Blake were reviewing their pictures. They had been in the room less than thirty minutes and the three already had over a hundred images combined.
"I can't believe she's here" Natalia said with a whisper looking over at the sleeping girl that Olivia was attempting to burp.
"I bet you feel like she's here" Olivia laughed stroking Francesca's riotous curls. "After Emma was born I felt like a used tube of tooth paste."
Staring at the baby Natalia chuckled "More like a watermelon pushed through a straw but I'm just so happy she's healthy and safe" but looked up when she heard a sharp in take of air. "Olivia? Baby?"
Wiping her eyes and shaking her head Olivia tried to speak but her throat was tight from holding back tears. "Olivia sweetheart what's wrong? You're not mad or upset are you? You haven't changed your mind about doing this with me?"
"Oh God no Natalia. I'm sorry I just" just as Olivia was about to try and explain the baby looked into her eyes and reached for her fingers and the tears she had been trying to hold in poured out. Moving the baby to Natalia's shoulder Olivia held them both close and when she could talk without her voice hitching she explained "I just was so scared for so long. Scared that you would decide that staying with Frank was best or that you wouldn't want to raise her with me but now she's here and you still want our family it's just a relief."
"You thought I would change my mind?"
"I'm sorry I shouldn't have doubted you I just"
But Natalia's finger on her lips stopped her from talking and kiss that followed almost stopped her from breathing. "I love you and only you and I'm never going to leave you again. You Emma Ava Rafe and Francesca are my family. I know that God intends for me to be with you. He made me for you Olivia"
Soon the nurses returned to take the baby and Natalia and Olivia sat with more in coming visitors. Most were Coopers but a few Beacon staff members came over during break and the room was filling up with flowers from a few ex-husbands and friends. Natalia was emotional even before the extra hormones of pregnancy but when she got an unexpected phone call from her other baby still away at training Olivia thought Natalia was going to set off some medical alarm the way she was bawling. By the time it was four pm everyone especially Natalia and the baby were exhausted so Olivia covertly signaled to Doris and Doris threw everyone out except for Frank although if he didn't take the hint Olivia was going to toss him as well. But once again Buzz stepped in and softly suggested Frank get home and rest. At first it didn't look like he was going to leave and Olivia sat up tensing at the first parental show down but Natalia meekly asked if Frank could go to the farm and check to see if they remembered to lock the doors in their haste to get to the hospital. Frank knew he had been rebuffed and he eyed Olivia to verify the suspicion but she schooled her face to show nothing but gratefulness that he would help. Sooner or later there would be a blow up between he and her it was inevitable but it wouldn't be in front of Natalia and not before she and Natalia spoke to her lawyers. Olivia knew that Natalia would never allow her to hurt Frank but she refused to depend on his generosity where Natalia and the baby were concerned.
Doris gave her car keys to Ashlee and rode with Blake and Clarissa back to the Mahler home and when Blake opened the front door the youngest Mahler raced towards her computer to upload the pictures. "Since the baby's here you know that she's going to want to go over to the farm house all the time now" Doris warned as she sat down watching Blake shift through her mail.
"Like she didn't already want to go because of Emma. I caught them running from the elevator holding hands" Blake added not looking up from her bills. "I tried to pretend I didn't see but Ashlee started laughing"
"And" Doris asked getting up to hold the other woman.
Leaning her head back and to the left to accommodate Doris' kisses to her neck Blake added "and I shot a bird at her" Doris had no problem picturing the petite redhead doing just that. Turning around Blake asked "So where is Clarissa going to be dragging us from every week to see Ms Emma Spaulding?"
"I don't care as long as I'm with you and" but Blake reached behind Doris' head and pushed her head down onto her waiting lips. The kiss was seconds from deepening when they heard a shrill scream from the second floor.
"MOMMAA DORISSS the picturessss!!"
When Doris asked about the cost of a life time supply of Ritalin she had the grace not to seem shocked when Blake slapped the back of her head as she passed her on their way up the stairs. "Damn I'm only asking"
Frank insisted on Ava Ashlee and Emma follow behind him from the hospital to the farm house and demanded they wait until he checked each room although the front and back door were locked once they arrived. Ashlee and Emma fixed the meal as Ava went over the papers Olivia told her about on the desk. Emma spent most of the time showing Ashlee how her mama did things and together they made tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. They ate in silence and not even Emma objected when Ava suggested they take naps shortly afterwards. By the time Ava woke up the sun was no longer shining through the blinds and she was alone in the bed but she could hear occasional yelps bumps and thumps below. Checking the bathroom and Emma's room she found them both empty and she was sure the noises weren't just from the tv. Looking over the railings she saw Clarissa and Emma running around in the living room pulling out dvd cases. Doris was fussing with a delivery boy over whether the 45 minutes included the time on the phone "Give him the money dear" Blake yelled "Yeah mom stop being cheap" Coming further down the stairs Ashlee was pouring the drinks while Blake gathered the plates and napkins.
"Sleeping beauty's awake" Doris groused still a bit pissed that she'd been forced to tip the pimply weasel. "Hope you like your pizza cold" she started but stopped once she saw Blake's raised eyebrow.
"We thought we'd see how you all were doing so we stopped by" Blake offered putting plates and napkins on the dinning room table.
"More like Clarissa wouldn't stop bugging us until we" but again Doris stopped when Blake not only raised the brow but bit her lip and not in the lets have sex way either. "Who likes mushrooms!" They watched part of a Jonas episode until Doris pretended to poke her eyeballs with a fork and then Blake took her to the kitchen for a few minutes. Clarissa and Emma thought she'd gotten in trouble and Ava knew from the skewed direction of her and Blake's hair and tops that trouble was exactly what she'd gotten. Lucky dog. Ashlee made a gagging sound and promptly got Emma to hook up Wii bowling before she forced herself to disinfect the kitchen.
Olivia was just waking from her nap by the time the nurse brought dinner. Lying still she made sure Natalia was asleep before leaning over to check on the baby. Francesca was on her stomach with both eyes open yawning as if bored and waiting on the show to get moving. I spent almost nine months cramped waiting for this? Sheesh. Maneuvering from behind Natalia Olivia took the baby in her arms and walked in circles around the room. No matter how many times she imagined this scene Olivia could never get past the doctors handing the baby to a smiling Natalia. Now that she'd told her lover the truth she could finally allow herself picture the dark ending she half expected. Somehow despite her best attempts Frank and Natalia's eyes would meet as they looked at their child and it would click. The heavens would part and harps would play and a tearful and apologetic Natalia would explain that she now understood God wanted her to raise her child with the father. Everything they had built over the past three months would be pushed aside as hormonal foolishness. Her fear of losing Natalia kept Frank out during the delivery. Now that she knew her place with Natalia was secure she kind of felt bad she'd excluded him. A slight kick in the breast made her look down and she swore she saw the baby sporting a single raised eye brow as if to say yeah right lady. I was just born and even I'm not buying that. "Okay Olivia you officially have lost it."
"Well when you find it could you bring it and yourself back here to bed" Natalia's breast were filling again and the pressure woke her up. Reaching up she undid her shirt and started to rub oil on to her tender nipples.
"Keep doing that and you'll have to hire someone to drag me kicking and screaming from the bed"
Looking up smiling Natalia expected to see the usual sexy and sophisticated leer but Olivia had a positively famished look and there were hints of drool at the corners of her mouth. "Um these are for the baby exclusively for the next six weeks after that we can discuss cosigning options."
"Oh there are some options I'd like to discuss"