We're at the last chapter set five years on from the previous one. I've quite enjoyed this story, gave me a chance to declutter my files and inspiration for other stories. I will be focusing on TPS now, considering I've got the outlines for the two sequels and even the last chapter for the first story finished, haha. There is another story in the works but we'll see as it's another archive story that I wasn't entirely happy with. Anyway, enjoy the last chapter of The Baby Situation.
Chapters 24 and 25 have been posted together.
Kenna is nervous. She paces the room she's getting ready with two bombshells on her chest to tell her husband. Her wonderful husband who is currently across the hall, getting ready himself.
She hopes he'll be happy with her two news, she's been sitting on one for a month, to make sure it was set in stone and the other for about a week during the process of getting their wedding last details finalised and she rushed to the bathroom.
"What's wrong?" Mary asks, coming inside with a hand on her five-month bump. She sighs and tuts when hers and Francis's excited almost four-year-olds run in after her.
Kenna sighs. "I need to talk to Bash. I can't hold it in any longer."
"Right," Mary breathes out. "Okay, uh, keep your back turned to him at all times. I'll go and grab him. Come on, James and Anne. Let's go find Papa."
She bundles her children out, telling them to find their father across the hall before she goes and retrieves Bash who manages to put on his suit jacket before she pushes him into Kenna's room with his back facing Kenna.
"Talk, don't look at her, you've got five minutes."
"Oh," he says, surprised as she slams the door in his face. "Kenna, what's wrong?"
Kenna swallows hard. "I'm not nervous or anything," she starts, turning to face his back. She walks up to him, her hands on his shoulders as his breath hitches and she rests her forehead on his back. "I just had to tell you a couple of things I'm not so sure you'd... well, you'd like to know?"
"Kenna," he breathes out, slightly chastising. "Whatever you've got to say, I'm here to hear it." He smiles softly. "You smell great, by the way."
Kenna chuckles softly. "Why thank you," she mutters before quickly saying, "I'm pregnant."
He stills, breathless. "What? A-Are you serious?"
She grins. "Yeah."
"If I close my eyes, can I hug you?"
"Yeah!"
He closes his eyes, turns and hugs her tightly, laughing. "We're having another baby. God, why did you think I wouldn't-"
"We need to move to France."
His eyes snap open but he doesn't dare look her way as he keeps his eyes on the windows. "F-France?" Home?
"Yeah, my brothers set up a deal with some investor in Paris and now, they've sent me to open up and run the French location of Beaton Clinic," she explains softly. "I know we've made a home in Scotland and we're already renting out the apartment and house in England and we'll have to start renting this one out and redo Amelia's bedroom and undo her treehouse and move the pets and find a place big enough for the new baby-"
"Kenna, relax," her husband says into her ear, rubbing her back as they remain in their embrace. "I don't care. Wherever you are, Amelia and I will follow and she's so sociable, she can make new friends and use French more. Kenna, don't worry, we can do it all."
She lets out a sob in relief, squeezing him tightly. "I love you," she croaks out. "Are you sure?"
Bash grins. "I am. I'm really sure. And I love you too," he tells her. "Versailles is really close to Paris so we can visit Francis, Mary and the kids frequently and my family. You've made this day a million times better than it already was."
"Okay," she whispers, inhaling his scent. "Let's go get married."
"We're already married," he reminds her with a chuckle.
Kenna rolls her eyes playfully. "Let's get properly married then." It's taken us almost ten years to have the big, fancy wedding but we're ready.
...
"It's just the flu," Francis says, gently swatting Mary's hands away. "Are the kids ready?"
Mary tuts, pressing a quick kiss on his cheek before searching for Anne's missing shoe. "I told her not to put it in the sandbox. Your kids never listen."
Francis scoffs lightly. "Why are they my kids when they act up or misbehave?" He asks in amusement as he lifts Rose from her Moses basket. "Come here, sweetie. Let's go meet your new cousin!"
Mary fixes Anne's missing shoe on her socked-up foot, her eyes meeting Francis's. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Mary, I'm fine," he tells her. "It's just normal flu. I caught it off Charles. It's not cancer or anything, okay? If it was, you'd be the first to know."
Mary smiles wryly. "Sorry."
"I love how overprotective you are of me," he says, biting his bottom lip as a blush rises on her cheeks when she hears his tone.
"Francis... we've got kids around," she mumbles, struggling to pull the strap over Anne's foot.
"Might need a nurse later," he muses much to her slight horror at how brazen he is in front of their kids. Casually dropping their bedroom antics on her so unexpectedly. "I'll go strap Jamie and Rosie in the car, okay?"
Mary mentally curses her husband as he heads out with the two children. She might be in need of a cold shower with how flirty he's been. Over the years, she has to admit that she's been especially fretful over her husband whenever he got a cold or the flu. Even the slightest cough made her hairs stick on end and the occasional sneeze had her almost spraying the air with antibacterial. Whatever to protect the love of her life and father of her three children.
Shooing Anne out of the house behind Francis and the other kids, Mary stands up and stares at their recent family photo on the wall. She smiles widely, her fingernail scratching against her wedding and engagement rings when she thinks about all they've been through to get here.
From a love triangle to an unexpected pregnancy, leukaemia and marriages, she's relieved that her husband is looking at the longterm areas of their life. Like raising Anne, James and Rose.
She heads out, remembering to turn on the security alarm as she grabs her keys.
...
"Amy!"
"Jamie, Annie!"
It takes everything for Francis to pull back his kids from running across the road to get to Amelia and he sends the older girl a light glare when she giggles in apology. The hospital's parking lot is across the street from the hospital and he looks left and right before crossing safely with two kids holding his hands, his wife right behind him with their youngest strapped onto her chest.
"You may now attack your cousin with hugs," Francis says, spotting Bash on the phone by the entrance.
Francis and Mary wait patiently until he's finished, coming up to hug Francis and pinch Rose's cheek lightly before kissing Mary's cheek.
"That was Kenna's mother," he explains. "They're booking the next available flights to come down."
"So, what do we have?" Mary asks him as Francis herds the kids through the hospital doors, all of them making their way onto the maternity ward.
Bash grins. "It's a boy," he says happily.
"Mary, you owe me," Francis says, turning his head over his shoulder.
"I knew someone would make a bet," Bash mutters.
When they get upstairs, he opens the door carefully, peeking his head through to see Kenna cradling their new son in her arms, out of bed. She's showing him the lovely gardens.
"Are you both up for some visitors?"
Kenna turns to him, grinning. "Let them in."
Bash stumbles back when Amelia bursts through with Anne and James behind her, the three kids surrounding Kenna as she carefully sinks into the armchair so they can get a better look of the newborn.
"Does Baby have a name?" James asks Kenna.
Kenna nods. "Gabriel Daniel de Poitiers."
"That's so sweet," Mary coos.
"Can I hold him?" Anne asks, gasping. "Pleaseeeee, Tante Kenna!"
Kenna playfully rolls her eyes, gesturing for her to sit down on the armchair beside hers. She does and Bash comes over to lift Gabriel from her arms before kneeling down to place Gabriel in Anne's arms, but he doesn't let go of him as Anne, James and Amelia swoon.
"Well done," Francis says, pressing a kiss on the top of Kenna's head as he gives her a side-hug. "He's gorgeous."
Kenna smiles warmly, eyeing Bash pointedly. "We were thinking if you'd be his godparents too?"
Bash nods. "We trust no one else more than you. Especially with your undying love for Amy," he adds.
Francis grins, nodding. "Yeah, w-we'd love to!"
"Thanks, guys," Mary says, beaming.
"Can you let your daddy hold him now?" Bash asks, clearly noticing Francis's excitement as his fingers itch. Just as he was when Amelia was little, Bash thinks with a chuckle before Anne begrudgingly lets go of Gabriel so Bash can hand the baby over to his uncle.
He feels a tap on his thigh and he looks down to see Kenna nudging her head in the direction of the door.
"I need a breather," she explains, standing up with his help before Francis takes her seat.
"We'll be right back," Bash promises everyone, linking his arm with Kenna's before they head out of her private room. "What's up?"
Kenna shrugs. "I don't know," she mumbles. "Just relieved I gave birth in an actual hospital this time."
Bash chuckles, kissing her hand. "I don't think I'd have coped delivering another baby."
"I don't think I'd have coped listening to you 'wow' my vagina many times again," she quips back. Then she sighs softly. "I know I'm going to sound stupid asking this but do you love me?"
Bash blinks in surprise. He tells her he does every day, what reason does she have to doubt? Did he give her any reason to doubt him as she stops them and stares into his eyes fearfully?
"Kenna, what's brought this on?"
Kenna sighs, shaking her head. "I was just thinking as I was pushing Gabriel out... How far we've come," she says softly. "I'm really happy, Lia and I are settling in France really well and we've made ourselves a family-"
"I love you," he cuts her off, cupping her cheeks and kissing her. "And I love how much you overthink things. You're overwhelmed."
He knows her so well, she nods shakily.
"Can we be the parents Lia and Gabe deserve?" She croaks out.
"Yes, definitely," Bash says firmly. "We love each other, we love them and we're happy."
Kenna smiles happily, nodding before kissing him softly. "Let's get back. My little freak-out is done."
Bash tuts lightly, kissing her forehead before helping her back to the hospital room to see Francis and Mary introducing Rose to Gabriel as the older kids stand around them.
"Take a photo, it will last longer," Francis teases them.
Kenna grins, digging her face into Bash's chest. She really can't believe it started with a positive pregnancy test and she would do it all again if this was the outcome.
So, that's the end! Working on The Publicity Stunt, I'm excited for you to see what comes next for Frary in that. Thanks so much for reading!