Chapter 43. - Meeting Tara -
Sally sighed contentedly as she leaned against Lightning.
"She's right you know." She said. "We really need to pick a name."
After an hour or so of debate, Sally and Lightning decided on a name. They decided to call their daughter Tara, after Sally's Grandmother and Lightning's Great Great Grandmother. As an honor to her husband, who was named after the great Scottish bear king, Tara's middle name was Meredith, which was the king's daughter. Sally called Jackie in to the room and let her know what they decided. Jacking filled out the necessary paperwork and Sally and Lightning signed it. By this time, Tara was starting to fuss.
"Tara's hungry, she needs to nurse." she said "Newborns need to nurse every two hours or so."
Sally got into a position so Tara could nurse easily. Lightning laid the baby next to Sally and this time, Tara had no troubles finding what she was looking for. Sally relaxed as Tara nursed. Lightning called Kori Turbowitz and told her Sally had given birth. Kori said she would spread the good news. Twenty minutes later: Sally noticed Tara had stopped nursing. Sally gently dislodged herself from Tara and put her back into her crib.
A few hours later:
Lightning was rocking Tara on his hood as Sally was napping. Sally's sides were still distended from her term. It would be a while before she would decompress. The tiny car yawned and blinked her eyes open. She looked all around, learning her new surroundings. Lightning's attention was quickly on Tara when he felt her move. Lightning chuckled when the baby sneezed and gasped in surprise at the sound.
"Bless you." Lightning chuckled "That was a big sneeze!"
Tara looked directly at him and cooed, then let out a small whimper. The next thing Lightning knew, something warm and wet was running down his hood. It took a few moments for him to realize, Tara just peed on him.
"Welcome to fatherhood." Sally said waking up from her nap "I take it that you haven't changed Tara's diaper in a while?"
Lightning shook his hood no. Sally stiffly climbed out of bed and drove over to her daughter and husband. When Sally gently lifted Tara off Lightning's hood, her diaper was so soaked it was dripping.
"How can someone so tiny, pee that much." Lightning said "And no, nobody has shown me how to change a diaper."
"Go clean yourself up." Sally said "When you come back I'll show you."
Lightning headed to the bathroom. When he returned, Sally had Tara on the changing table. Sally showed him how to change Tara's diaper and then backed off and let Lightning try. He fumbled with it. Finally on the third try, he got the diaper on. Sally picked Tara up and put her back on Lightning's hood. Comfortable now, Tara yawed, tucked her rims under her, and snuggled into her father's warm hood. She fell asleep and softly began to snore.
"Wow, Tara snores just like you do." Sally said "It's cute now, but it won't be when she's older."
"Wwwwhhhaattt?" Lightning protested "I don't snore."
"Oh, yes you do!" Sally said in a singsong way "Especially after a tough race and you are extremely tired. You snore hard enough to shake the bed."
Sally groaned as her lower half cramped. It felt like a menstrual cramp. Quite literally, she was having a menstrual cycle from hell right now. So much so that she had been lying on top of a large absorbent maternity pad, used just for this reason. According to Zoë and the nurses, Sally would have to put up with this for at least a week. A post-delivery period was much heavier. After all she carried around a baby for nine months, then she had to push a baby out of her. So, there was bound to be some major 'cycling' going on. Sally felt another sharp cramp and groaned slightly. She had been told to expect it as it was her womb gradually constricting down to its normal size. When she was breastfeeding Tara she would suddenly feel a sharp 'contraction' in conjunction with it. Something about a nursing newborn stimulating the mother's womb to constrict, it was a hormone thing Hunter told her. They said breast feeding was good because, it would help her heal faster. It's also the best thing for Tara.
Jackie entered the room and was shocked to see Sally out of bed. She strongly recommended Sally to stay in bed. She just given birth and was too weak to be up and running around. Jackie helped Sally back into bed. Sally gave a tired yawn and her eyes were half shut as she looked at Lightning and the baby.
"Could you call my parents and tell them that they are officially grandparents." Sally asked "I don't have my phone with me."
"I've already called them along with my parents." Lightning said "They are all extremely happy for us, my parents said that they could be here later this morning. Your parents however are in India and won't be back until late in the week."
"Sorry, Lightning, you need to let the girls rest for now." Jackie said as she looked at the new father and his newborn. "You can show off Tara when your parents get here."
Lightning frowned.
"But I can stay here with them, right?" Lightning asked in a panic "I can't leave them!"
He just met his daughter and he was already attached. The thought of leaving Sally and the baby brought a chill to his core.
"Of corse you can stay here. I wouldn't expect anything less." Jackie said as she put Tara in her crib "You need some rest too."
Sally patted the bed next to her. Lightning gently crawled in bed and settled next to Sally. Sally smiled and yawned, before snuggling into his fender and slowly falling asleep. Lightning kissed Sally's fender and looked over at his daughter.
"Sleep well my beautiful girls." Lightning said quietly as he nuzzled Sally lovingly "We're officially a family!"
Soon Lightning was a sleep as well.
EPILOGUE:
Two months later, at the edge of the desert: A small wedding was taking place… or would if there wasn't helicopters circling over hood and reporters everywhere. Somehow Doc's wedding plans were leaked to the press. But unlike Lightning and Sally's, the press wasn't invited. Doc and Sophia were standing in front of a small but beautifully decorated alter.
"By custom, I now ask if there is any car who has a reason why these two may not be wed?" Said Judge Daniel Spencer, a longtime friend of Doc "Speak now or forever hold your peace. *Hearing none, Daniel turned to Doc.* Do you, Hudson Thomas Hornet take Sophia Janet Duster to be your lawfully wedded wife. To treasure from this day forward in victory and defeat, in sickness and in health. Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect her, forsaking all others and holding only unto her for as long as you both shall live?"
"I do." Doc said "Forever and ever."
"Do you, Sophia Janet Duster." Daniel continued "Take Hudson Thomas Hornet to be your lawfully wedded husband. To treasure from this day forward in victory and defeat, in sickness and in health. Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect him, forsaking all others and holding only unto him for as long as you both shall live?"
"I do." Sophia said "With all my heart."
"Who bears the wedding rims?" Daniel asked as Guido rolled forward with the rims "Wedding rims are the symbol of the unbroken circle of love. Love freely given, has no beginning and no end, no giver and no receiver for each is the giver and each is the receiver. May these rims always remind you of the vows you have taken. Hudson, face Sophia and repeat after me. With this rim, I pledge my love to you I, Hudson Thomas Hornet take you Sophia Janet Duster to be my wife, my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our friendship and love you today, tomorrow, and forever. I will trust you and honor you, I will laugh with you and cry with you. Through the best and the worst, through the difficult and the easy. Whatever may come I will always be there. As I have given you my tire to hold, so I give you my life to keep."
Guido placed Sophia's wedding rim on her. Her rim was gold with sparkling gemstones.
"Sophia, face Hudson and repeat after me… And with this rim, I pledge my love to you, I, Sophia Janet Duster take you Hudson Thomas Hornet to be my husband, my partner in life and my one true love." Daniel said with Sophia repeating it "I will cherish our friendship and love you today, tomorrow, and forever. I will trust you and honor you, I will laugh with you and cry with you. Through the best and the worst, through the difficult and the easy. Whatever may come I will always be there. As I have given you my tire to hold, so I give you my life to keep."
Guido parked beside Doc and put his wedding rim on him. Doc's rim was a plain gold rim. Doc wasn't a fancy car, so it suited him perfectly.
"And finally, let your love endure beyond the last sunset and may you grow old together on one pillow." Daniel said tearfully "By the power vested in me, I hereby pronounce you husband and wife… You may kiss your bride. *Doc and Sophia kissed.* Ladies and Gentlemen! It gives me great pleasure to introduce to you, Mr. and Mrs. Hudson Thomas Hornet!"
The wedding guests blew bubbles as Doc and Sophia rolled down the aisle.
The reception was at Flo's:
A huge buffet was laid out and every kind of food you could imagine was there, including a massive wedding cake.
"…and that's when Tara spit up on me." Lightning said as he showed Doc baby pictures "I never knew babies would spew like that if you played with them to hard."
"Of course they will." Doc chuckled "Didn't you read the baby book Sally sent you?"
"Yes I did." Lightning responded "It didn't say anything about that."
The photographer pulled Doc away from Lightning. Sally sat with Sophia for a moment.
"So, are you and Doc planning on having kids?" Sally asked "Light and I wanted to wait, but our plans got changed."
"Of corse I do." Sophia said as she rocked Tara on her hood "But every time I bring up the subject, Hudson shies away from it…. He's spent a large part of his life alone, I think having a family scares him a little bit."
"That's understandable." Sally said as she watched Lightning show baby pictures to anyone who would look at them "I need to get Stickers, he's going crazy with the baby pictures again."
Sophia laughed as she put Tara into her carrier. As soon as she was tucked in, Sally drove over to Lightning. Sophia sighed happily as she watched her guests mingle with each other. Doc drove up to her.
"Come on Love." He said sweetly "It's time to cut the cake."
Sophia grinned, this was a perfect ending to a very, very successful year and she couldn't be happier.
AN: That's it folks! I hope you've enjoyed the story as much has I have. I'm going to take a little time off and then I'll start on the next one.
COMMENTS:
Guest 2-So you don't have kids?- Nope, we really didn't want any.
It's like bloody torture for women having to give birth. So fucking painful. I know I'm a bloke but you'd cringe over the feeling of it.- Yep, another reason i didn't want kids.
This little was in no rush to get out like Lightning. Maybe she'll grow up with patience. Lightning doesn't have as much patience.- No, he doesn't. Fatherhood hopefully will settle him down.
Sapphire blue eyes are a heart melter.- Every family has a trademark, the McQueen's are deep blue eyes.
Haha! I like that joke of Lightning using Frank to chop up those who wanna date his little girl.- Every father is protective of their daughters. Why should Lightning be any different?
Overall Sally did good. Lightning was very reassuring.- Yes she did.
I know what's coming next but I won't say anything more. Lightning and Sally can't wait to show of their little McQueen junior- I added something at the end. I hope you guys like it.
I do not own Cars or any of its characters. PIXAR AND DISNEY CLAIM THAT RIGHT. READING ENJOYMENT ONLY
Please read and review! I need criticism and encouragements! Rated M for language and sex.
