March 15th 2021

Chapter 74
Our Wait For Memories

It was strange to say, but sometimes Lucas forgot that they'd never had this with Marianne. They'd never done the hospital thing, the waiting room, the long wait and all that… He remembered very well that they had been at home, in their own room, that their daughter had been born in their own bed. He was never going to forget. But at the same time, it was like this whole routine, hurrying to the hospital, settling in for who knew how long, the family and friends nearby, all of it was so familiar, so… associated with this moment, that his brain almost filled in the blanks. He'd be standing out here, talking with Riley's parents and Dylan, and he'd start thinking about the night Marianne was born, and then he'd stop and think 'oh, wait…'

Mr. and Mrs. Matthews were a lot easier to wrangle away from the room and toward the waiting area than anticipated, as Lucas discovered. This likely had to do with the fact that they were not expecting to be in with Riley while she had the baby. They'd be right here, with him, and as soon as they said it, he understood he wouldn't be seeing Maya again until after Nicky Orlando was born. Almost immediately, he started working through his head to think of anything he might have needed to do, that she would have done if she'd been out here. The first and most important thing, right about now, was to get the future father back in that room.

"Hey," he tapped Dylan's arm, passing a tip of the head to his former teacher and his wife before pulling his friend aside. "You go on back there, I'll handle everything here," he promised.

"Okay, yeah, good," Dylan nodded, looking both like the grown man he was now and the young boy he'd been when Lucas had met him. This was the biggest day of his life up to now, and it was so much to process.

"You're fine, hey, look here," Lucas got him to turn his eyes back to him again. "You've got this, Coach," he teased, knowing it would ring true for Dylan. It made him smile at once, grow a bit more awake and aware, too.

"I really hope I don't pass out…" he confessed, and to look at him, Lucas wasn't exactly sure he wouldn't.

"Remember the br…"

"Breathing, I know, I'm working on it," Dylan breathed.

"Your son is coming. And he's going to be so lucky to have you as a father. Just remember that. The rest will come." The words settled in him and fixed to his posture. He was ready… as ready as he'd ever be. "Get in there, say hi to Riley for me." And if there's anything, Maya's in there. She'll remind you to breathe, too.

Lucas watched Dylan head into the room before moving back toward the waiting area. Even as he went, he was checking his phone for updates. The Houston contingent wanted to be with them right away, but it would make more sense if they could all leave at once, and that wouldn't happen for a few hours. The best they could promise was to be there as soon as possible. As for those ones who were local, work and obligations meant that not everyone could just come over right away either. Zay couldn't bail out on his class for this, no matter how much he wanted to. Nadine was in the building, somewhere, but she was working, so she might be able to pop down now and then, only to be called away again. She was aware, which was what mattered. Shawn Hunter would be on a plane within the hour.

"We are never going to make it on time, but will you let us know when the baby is born?" Farkle asked from the screen of Lucas' phone. His face never managed to remain exactly framed by his own camera, as he was simultaneously left to handle the four-year-old perched on his back.

"Hi, Uncle!" Ada could be heard calling every few seconds, even as Lucas had already greeted her. Farkle was handling this like someone who'd become familiar with the maneuver. His patience knew no bounds. She looked so much like her mother, but that smile was pure Minkus all the way.

"I will do that," Lucas promised his friend, his brother.

"Hi, Uncle!"

"Hi, Ada," Lucas laughed, more so as he could see her realize she was slipping a bit and immediately work to pull herself back up again, arms locked around her father's neck.

According to both Farkle and Isadora, the elder Minkus child was going to be an explorer someday, maybe an archeologist. One thing was for certain, the love of science had not needed to work hard to trickle down from the parents to the child. It could just as easily be that this love would shift with time, that she'd go somewhere completely different, and if that was the case, then they would support her all the same. For now, she questioned everything, treasured new information… She was very excited at the prospect of flying to meet this new baby, though the big question of where it had even come from was one that continued to elude her. They had a feeling they'd need to watch her like a hawk while she was in the hospital, or else she'd wander off in her endless search for answers.

"Turn the phone, please?" he heard Isadora's voice in the background, and soon she appeared, with a much more sedate Bertie just visible holding to the back of her shirt. The two-year-old may have had a lot of his father in his looks, but he seemed to have a lot of his mother's temperament in him. "We're catching a connecting flight in Philadelphia, so we'll be travelling with the other Matthews," Isadora informed Lucas.

"I know, that's what Mr. Matthews told me earlier," Lucas nodded.

They would have been out here already, certainly wanted to be, but the distance coupled with the uncertainty of exactly when this baby would be born had made it so that everyone stayed where they were. They had been waiting for the word go for over a week, from what he'd been hearing back in the waiting room, all the while coordinating with the Minkus family up in New York. Isadora had been keeping them all well informed on the available flights so that they wouldn't have to worry themselves over it when the moment came. As soon as Lucas had gotten the call from Maya, he'd sent out a message to Farkle, and from there the pieces had started to move.

"We have to go now, don't want to miss our plane," Farkle told him.

"I'll let you know if I hear anything," Lucas nodded.

"Bye, Uncle!"

"See you soon, Ada!"

After this, Lucas went to check on the Matthews and asked if they wanted anything to eat or drink. They did. Lucas let them know about the progress of the New York and Philly contingent and, with their requests, he made his way down to the cafeteria. Even as he went, he kept checking in with others. Kayla was sending love from Sweden, wished she could fly out, but then even if it weren't for work and distance, she herself was just weeks away from giving birth. She and Will were expecting a son in July. Meanwhile, Willow and Lion were going to drive over as soon as possible, as were Bishop and Leona. Jenna was out of town, visiting family, but Rosa was reportedly on her way and picking up August Matthews as she went.

"Lucas!" He looked back from where he'd been, at the vending machine, to find Nadine hurrying over to him with a great, excited smile. She'd just finished paying for what looked to be either a late breakfast or early lunch to go. "I was just going to come up and sit with you guys while I ate," she explained, holding up the container in her hand. "How's Riley?"

"Everything normal so far, I guess," he shrugged. "Maya's in there with her and Dylan. Mr. and Mrs. Matthews are waiting, everyone else is either on their way or will be as soon as they can be." After he finished getting what he needed, they made their way to the elevator.

"You know, part of me wanted to just get in there and do the delivery, like I did with you guys, but I'm not out there yet. Couldn't call dibs because they're my friends," Nadine explained.

"After being there since they even met?" Lucas joked.

"I know, right? Rules, what can you do," Nadine laughed.

"Do you ever get that feeling? Like you stop and think about…"

"How we were all kids together a minute ago and now we're the parents?" she guessed.

"So, you do," Lucas smiled.

"All the time," she breathed. Looking at her, he could just see this thought weaving its way through her mind.

They had been so blessed, the day Mia's birth mother had chosen her and Zay to become her parents. That little girl had been filling their home and their hearts with so much love, and life. The more time went on, the more Nadine would feel it again, as Zay would. They wanted more of all that, more children. Of course, for them, it was a different process. 'The old-fashioned way' had been nothing but a road to heartbreak and disappointment. And they had waited so long to get that call, to receive their daughter. Maybe it would be faster this time, maybe already having Mia now would help. Or maybe it would be the start of another long wait. Either way, they knew now more than ever just how worth the wait the result would be.

When they got off the elevator, Nadine stopped at the nurses' station for a moment before they could continue toward the waiting room. No developments as of yet. Everything was going smoothly, but it was a waiting game, as always.

In what felt like no surprise at all, they arrived in the waiting area to find Cory and Topanga already had company in the form of Melinda Friar. She spotted Lucas coming and gave a smile and a wave which he returned. Equally present was Elizabeth Hart, with the added bonus of her great granddaughter, presently in Cory Matthews' lap. There was so much ease in the way Marianne leaned to him because she knew him and felt safe with him, like one more grandpa. All these months, she had been so warmly welcomed by Riley's parents, both of them. Maya was practically family, and so was her baby girl.

Nadine stayed with them, as promised, while she ate, and then she had to leave again. While she was with them though, she happily got to hold Marianne a while. Lucas would never forget how she'd stepped in for them, the night she was born, even staying overnight at the house with them, the better to make sure both mother and daughter had gotten through the delivery without trouble. This attention had not dissipated in the half-year since. Their two families had been bonded to one another so long ago, before they'd been anything close to what they were now. And there were more families, growing and growing all the time. They were circling today, converging on the hospital, where they would welcome another into the fold. Nicholas Orlando was not born yet, and already his universe existed. They waited for him with open arms.

TO BE CONTINUED

See you tomorrow! - mooners