Chapter 49
Having My Baby
Visits to Mischa were more frequent as Anemone's due date drew closer. Every visit so far had been false alarms. Dominic felt like her wanted to pull his own hair out. His friend had been right, he was having trouble keeping it together. Dominic was so thankful he had Renton and the others there supporting them. "Told ya so." said Renton. "Heh." he replied. "How ya sleeping?" asked Renton. Dominic just stared at him. He had bags under his eyes. "On second thought, just forget I asked that stupid question, okay?" he said. "I think I'm about to crack." Dominic told him. "Just keep it together, Dom. The baby's gonna need a sane father." stated Renton. Dominic laughed, "Thanks man." His buddy smiled, "No problem."
The door slid open and Anemone exited the office. "Sorry Dominic, another false alarm." she apologized. "Fun ain't it?" said Renton sheepishly. "Oh yeah, it's a real blast." he replied sarcastically. Renton gave him a pat on the back. "Keep hanging in there." he encouraged him.
"So, Anemone?" Eureka asked her. "It was another false alarm." she stated. Anemone looked at her husband. "I feel so bad for him. He's hardly gotten any rest at all." she told her. "Renton was the same during the last month of my pregnancy too." stated Eureka. "Really? He always looked so calm and collected to me." said Anemone. Eureka shook her head. "It was all an act. At the end of the day he was always exhausted." she informed her.
"Hey, did I ever tell you that he fainted when he found out we were having twins?" she asked. "You're kidding me. You never told me that." laughed Anemone. "Nope. He hit the floor like a brick. I was so worried at first because I didn't know what had happened to him. Now that I look back on the event, it was really humorous." chuckled Eureka. Anemone laughed along with her.
Renton's uncle came running towards him. Yucatan grabbed his nephew's arm. "Come with me!" he said as he began dragging him away. "Huh? Wait uncle! Where are we going?" demanded Renton. "I'll explain later." he stated. Renton sent his wife a message, "Help!" Eureka came running. "Eureka, why are you following us?" Yucatan asked her. "Because you're dragging my husband!" she stated. "Whatever, you come too then. You're his family too." he stated. "What's going on? Where are we heading and why the rush?" demanded Eureka and Renton. "It's your grandfather." replied Yucatan. "Stop being so vague. What's wrong with him?" he asked. "He wants to ask Tiptory to marry him! Come on we gotta stop him." he said.
Renton and Eureka were silent for a few moments until Renton spoke up. "Uncle, let go." he said pulling his arm away. "What? Why?" his uncle inquired. "Because we have no right to stop him, Mr. Iglasias." stated Eureka. "But they've only been dating for four months!" he protested. Renton shook his head. "I don't care. He's a grown man. I'm not gonna stop him for such a silly reason like that." he stated. "Come on, Eureka. Let's go back to Anemone and Dominic." he told his wife. "Yeah." she agreed. They turned their backs to Yucatan and left him. He sighed. "Why did I even think they'd agree with me?" he asked himself. "Give him our best, uncle!" yelled Renton as they walked away. "I think they'll make a great couple." Eureka told her husband. "Me too." he agreed.
They returned to their friends. "What was that all about?" inquired Dominic. "Axel is going to ask for Tiptory's hand in marriage." replied Eureka relying what she'd just learned. "Seriously?" their friends exclaimed. "Yeah." nodded Renton. "That's great." said Anemone. "I'm confused. Why was your uncle dragging you then?" asked Dominic. "Oh, he wanted me to help try and stop grandpa from asking her." he stated. Anemone and Dominic laughed. "Boy, did he chose the wrong person to ask." snickered Anemone. "Yeah, I know. What was your uncle thinking?" her husband agreed. "Hey, you guys wanna get a bite to eat?" Renton asked them. "Sure." they answered.
The families went down to the kitchen. "So kids, what do you want your dad to make?" Renton asked his sons and daughters. They began shouting requests. "Banana-Split with sprinkles!" stated Linck. "Yeah, I want hot fudge and cherries on mine." added Maurice. "I'll have a strawberry smoothie, papa." said Maeter. Renton laughed. "All right, ice cream it is then." he agreed. "Yay!" the children cheered. "What 'bout you guys?" he asked Anemone and Dominic. "I'll have a blueberry parfait." responded Anemone. "I'll just have sweet tea and an Italian club." requested Dominic. "Okay. What about you honey? You want anything?" he asked his wife. "Just some hot cocoa and could you warm the twins' formula up sweetie?" she stated. "Sure thing." he said. Renton rolled up his sleeves. "Right, time to get cooking." he told himself.
Fifteen minutes later he arrived with the meals. "Here you go. Dig in." Renton told them. "Wow, that was fast." said Dominic. "Thanks for the food!" they replied and started eating. "This is good." complimented Anemone. "Yeah, can you teach me sometime?" asked Dominic. "Sure but, I cook better whenever Eureka helps." he informed his friend. The families continued dining.
So Anemone, did Mischa say anything new?" inquired her husband. "Just that the baby's doing fine and it should be any day now." she informed them. "Thank goodness. I don't know how many more false alarms I can handle." he stated. Anemone leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "I know. Sorry about those hun. How about this. I promise that next time it'll be the real thing." she reassured him. "Thanks dear but, I really don't think you have a say in the matter." he chuckled kissing her forehead. He brought her close and leaned her head on his shoulder. "I can't wait to meet Lily!" went Maeter. "Yeah, me neither." said Dominic telepathically to his wife. She smiled back at him.
The families finished eating and went outside to watch the sunset. "And so ends another perfect day." commented Eureka. Anemone nodded. "Hey Dominic, you want to go lifting with me and the kids tomorrow?" asked Renton. "Sure, I'm game." he answered. After the sun finished setting they said goodnight to each other.
Sometime after 2 A.M. Dominic felt Anemone shake him. "Dominic, wake up!" she told him. He jolted upright. "Is it?" he asked. "Yeah, I think my water just broke." she stated. He placed her in the wheelchair next to their bed and rushed her to Dr. Mischa's office. "Hurry!" screamed Anemone. "I'm going as fast as I can!" he stated. "Go faster!" she ordered. "I am! I am!" he responded. Dominic pounded on Mischa's door and the doctor cam running. "Hey, Mischa." said Dominic panting. "I'm pretty sure this is the real thing. Ahh!" screamed Anemone. Her cries woke everyone up. "Quickly get her into bed!" Mischa instructed the husband. Dominic did as told. "Ahh! It hurts!" she bellowed again. "Dominic I swear if I make it through this I'm never having children again!" she cried. "Don't worry you'll be fine." Dominic tried comforting her. "Shut up!" she shot back. "I'm sorry. I love you." she said a second later. Anemone gripped his hand tightly. "Ow, ow, ow. That hurts! Ease up a little." he said. Her fingernails were about to puncture him skin. "Dominic it's like I'm having my bottom lip stretched over my head so I don't want to hear iit!" she growled.
Eureka and Renton burst through the door. "Hey Eureka, was it really this painful for you?" Anemone asked her. "Honey, she had twins remember?" said Dominic as he wiped the sweat from her brow. Anemone forced a laugh. "In other words, it was worse." she realized. "Ahh!" she cried yet again. "Dominic you can relieve her of some of the pain!" yelled Renton. "What? How do I do that?" he asked. "Open your mind entirely to her's and use it to form a connection." Renton told him. "Um..okay. Here goes nothing." he said. Dominic closed his eye and tried his friend's proposal.
"Ahh!" he screamed a second later. "I'm sorry, I can't do this. The pain's too much!" he protested. Anemone glared at him. "Dominic, sweetie, if you love me then you'll do this!" she growled. Dominic took a deep breath and tried again. He gritted his teeth as he took in her pain. "Well Anemone, you feel any better?" inquired Mischa. "A little. The pain's not as bad now." she reported. "Thank you, Dominic." said Anemone gratefully. He cracked a smile. "No-no problem. Anything for you." he told her while still gritting his teeth. "That's amazing." the doctor stated. "Hey Renton, thanks for the advice." remarked Anemone.
"Alright, you're fully dilated. Anemone, when I tell you, I'm going to need you to push. Can you do that for me?" instructed Mischa. "I-I think so." she answered. "Good. Alright, on three. One, two three. Push!" she told her. "Argh!" bellowed Anemone. "Good, good. Now again, push!" the doctor instructed. Anemone gathered her strength and did so again, screaming in pain. Dominic continued doing his job of supporting her, holding his love's hand throughout the ordeal. "You're doing great honey." he encouraged her. "Alright, you can take a break for now. In a few moments we're going to continue." stated Mischa. "I'm scared. This hurts so bad." cried Anemone. "I know dear but, I'm right here beside you. Eureka and Renton are her too." her husband comforted her. "That's right. We're right her." reassured Eureka. "Okay, we're beginning again. Just like before, on three. One, two, three. Push!" the doctor ordered. Anemone screamed as she pushed again.
The labor continued for three hours. Until... "Waah! Waah!" their newborn cried. In the doctor's arms was their baby girl. "Here dad, you want to cut the cord?" asked Mischa. "Uh...sure." he said. Mischa gave him a pair of medical scissors which he used to clip his daughter's umbilical cord. The doctor handed the baby to her mother. "Here you go mom. How are you feeling?" she asked. "Much better. Finally being able to see her was worth every second." cried Anemone joyfully. "Hey there, Lily. Welcome to the world." her father said softly. "Waah!" she cried. "Our beautiful baby girl." wept Anemone happily. "Congratulations you two. She perfectly healthy." Mischa informed the proud new parents.
Lily looked exactly like she had in her parents' dream. Short lavender hair with a hint of pink on the tips, brown eyes, and the lemon yellow bead. Exactly the same. (With the one exception of her being newborn.) "She's perfect. Good job mom." Dominic kissed them both. "You too dad." smiled Anemone. Dominic embraced his family. "I love you." he said. "And I you." she told her husband. Eureka and Renton stood there smiling, watching quietly over them. Anemone and Dominic returned the gesture. "Thank you." Dominic mouthed his lips. Renton smiled. "No problem." he mouthed back.
NEXT CHAPTER: OUR STORY DRAWS TO IT'S CONCLUSION. THE BOY, THE GIRL, THEIR FRIENDS, AND FAMILIES, EVERYONE TELLS THEIR FINAL TALE. THIS IS IT THE FINAL CHAPTER. CHAPTER 50: MY HAPPY ENDING...(PLUS THE EPILOGUE)
TO BE CONCLUDED!
