Chapter 41: I'm Ready
May and Drew are both riding on their Rapidash through Petalburg City. They're enjoying the smiles on everybody's faces.
May took a deep breath, smelling the fresh air of the spring. "It's so nice out."
"Sure is." Drew agreed. "And so peaceful like always."
At that moment, May and Drew heard someone yelling. A baby. They heard loud crying and screaming coming from a baby nearby.
May and Drew stop the Rapidash and they look at each other. "Scratch 'peaceful' off the list." Drew said.
"Let's just go see where that scream is coming from." May said.
Both Rapidash started heading towards the sound of the screaming baby. They came to the park.
"Look. I see the mom with the baby." May said.
The Rapidash stopped. May and Drew got off of them and entered the park. There's a mom sitting on a bench with the screaming baby in her arms. She seems to be rocking the baby back and forth, but that's not working.
"I don't know what you want." The mom said. "Please stop crying." People around the park started walking away to get away from the sound of the baby.
"Let me see." May said once they got to the mother. May's holding out her hands to the mom.
The mother looked up, noticing that the King and Queen were standing right before her. Without saying anything, the mother lifted her baby up by the armpits and held her out to May.
May carefully took the baby. She sat down on the bench, cradling the baby in her arms. "Shhhh…" May hushed quietly.
May looked up at the mother. "Do you have a bottle?"
"Umm...right." The mother said, looking in front of her at a baby stroller. She reached down and took out the bottle from the basket at the bottom of the stroller. She handed it to May, the baby still crying loudly.
May looked down and put the bottle up against the baby's mouth. The baby opened her eyes from being shut tightly because of the crying, and she stared at the bottle. May put the nipple of the bottle inside of the baby's mouth, the baby closed her mouth, sucking on the nipple. The crying has completely ended.
The mother just stared at May in shock. As did Drew. ("She just quieted a screaming baby so quickly…") Drew thought.
May continued staring down at the baby as she was drinking from the bottle. The baby was looking up at her.
"Your Majesty…" the mother started. "How did you know what she wanted?"
May looked at the mother. "I didn't. I just know that a baby will only cry for 3 things. They're hungry, they need a diaper change, or they're tired. You should try feeding them first."
"R-right." The mother said.
May looked back down at the baby. "Is this your first child?"
"Yes she is." The mother answered. "How did you know?"
"Well, you were having trouble with calming her down. If you already took care of another child before this one, calming her down should've been quick to do."
The mother laughed nervously. "Yeah...I guess so. I'm sorry, Your Majesties. This is so embarrassing that I'm looking to you for help."
"Don't be embarrassed. It's natural for a new parent to have trouble with her baby the first few months, but you'll get the hang of parenting soon."
Drew has just been standing off to the side, watching May handle the baby with such care. ("How does she know how to handle a baby?") Drew thought.
"...if you don't mind, Your Majesty, can I ask a question?" The mother asked.
May looked at the mother. "Sure. Go ahead."
"Why are you helping me with her in the first place?"
"It's just our job. We go around town, helping anyone who needs it."
"Right, but...you're not a parent, so...how do you even know the correct way to hold a baby?"
May blushed slightly and looked down at the baby. "Let's just say I...did my research."
("Research?") Drew thought.
The baby was done with drinking the milk from the bottle. May took the bottle out of the baby's mouth and handed it to the mom who put it back in the stroller basket.
"See? No more crying." May said, lifting up the baby by her armpits. She held the baby to the mom.
"You're amazing, Your Majesty." The mother said while taking the baby in her arms. She placed the baby in the stroller, buckling her up.
"Just doing my job." May said. She stood up and stood next to Drew, facing the mother. "We'll get going now. You'll be alright with your baby from now on, right?"
"Right." The mother said.
"Okay then. Maybe try and do some research on the topic. You'll gain more confidence."
"I will. Thanks, Your Majesty."
"Anytime." May said. She walked to the stroller and squatted down a little to look at the baby. "It was so nice to meet one of my newest subjects." She said, smiling. The baby gave a smile back to May. May giggled and stood up straight. May and Drew started walking back to the Rapidash. "I'll see you two around." She said, waving bye to them.
"May, how did you know what to do with the baby?" Drew asked.
May looked at Drew. "Didn't you hear what I said back there? I said there are 3 reasons why a baby-"
"I know, I know." Drew cut May off. "I mean, you were so calm about it. And you don't have any experience with babies at all."
They stopped walking when they got to their Rapidash. They faced each other. "I don't have experience, but…" May started. She blushed and looked down. "Maybe I want to someday."
Drew's eyes widened slightly. Did May just tell Drew that she's ready to have kids? Does she really want to have children with him? Are they really ready for that?
Drew blushed as well. He smiled on the inside. ("I still remember my vows that I made to her at our wedding. I promised that I will strive to be a better husband and father...when that time comes.") Drew paused his thoughts before continuing. ("And I want that time to be now.")
"Well, we better get home now." May said, turning to face Rapidash.
"Right." Drew agreed. He walked to his Rapidash and climbed on it. May got on hers too. They started heading back to the castle.
It's nighttime and Drew is deep in thought on the bed, hanging his legs off of it and looking down at the floor. May is sitting cross legged on the bed and she's doing something on her phone.
("Children…") Drew thought. ("I've wanted to have a family with May for a while now...and now I know that she wants it too. But how will we go about it? And should we even start a family this early? We're still in our teen years. What if we don't make good parents? What if I don't make a good parent? I've seen her handle a baby, but how will I do if we have a baby?") There are so many questions running through his head. Drew is having his doubts on if he'll make a good parent that May would be proud of.
May finally looks up from her phone. She looks at Drew and frowns. "Hey. Is everything okay?"
Drew looked up and turned his head to look at May. "Yeah. Everything's fine."
"You know that's not true." May said. "Tell me what's on your mind."
"Umm...well, you know...I just...I'm just thinking about…" Drew had a hard time answering May's question.
May cocked her head in confusion. "Come sit in front of me."
Without saying anything, Drew picked up his feet, putting them on the bed, and he crawled over to May, sitting cross legged in front of her. May put her phone down on the bed.
"Now tell me what's bothering you." May said. "You know you can't hide anything from me."
"Yeah...I know." Drew said.
"So what is it?"
"Okay. I was just thinking about…" Drew paused before continuing. "If we'll make good parents or not."
May's eyes widened and she blushed. "P-parents? You were thinking about...starting our family?"
Drew nodded. "You said so yourself earlier today that you don't have experience with parenting, but you want to someday. So...you basically told me that you're ready."
"I...d-did you...are you...ready too? Do you want to start a family with me?" May asked shyly.
Drew's cheeks got tinted pink. He smiled and took May's hand. They stared into each other's eyes. "I promised you. Didn't I? The day of our wedding. I promised you that I'll strive to be a good father to our children...when that time comes."
May's blush deepened and she smiled. "You did. I'll never forget those promises we made to each other."
"So to answer your question...yes. I want to start a family with you. I've wanted to do that for a while now. I'm just...a little scared of doing that." Drew admitted.
"Scared? You mean to tell me that there's something you're actually scared of?" May asked, smiling.
Drew glared at May. May immediately giggled. Drew then sighed. "Yes. I'm scared."
May smiled brightly. "To be honest...I'm scared about becoming a parent too."
"You are?"
"Of course. We both have no experience when it comes to parenting." May said. "So naturally, we'll be nervous about it. And that's why I did research on the topic. I…" she looked down shyly, blushing. "Want to have children with you."
Drew didn't respond. He was just blushing and he continued staring at May.
"It...doesn't matter that we're scared about it." May said. "Because we won't know if we're good parents if we don't try." She looked up into Drew's eyes. "And we'll learn together."
Drew smiled. "You always know how to make me feel better."
May smiled back and lifted her right hand up to Drew's hair. She caressed Drew's hair, running her hand through it. "I love you so much, Drew. And I want to have a family with you. You'll make for an amazing father. I just know it."
Drew lifted his hand and took May's right arm, putting it down to the bed and out of his hair. He smirked. "You may be my wife, but I still don't like when people touch my hair."
"Aww...but it's me…" May pouted.
"Your frowny face won't work."
May pouted and batted her eyes.
It stayed silent for a while. Drew sighed. He then smiled. "Only you can touch my hair."
May smiled brightly. "It's so soft that I can't resist." She smirked. "And I'm sure you really like when I run my hand through your hair, don't you? You don't like when I take my hand away from it."
Drew blushed and looked away from May. "I...don't know what you're talking about."
May giggled. "You're cute when you blush."
Drew's blush deepened. "I-I'm not blushing."
"Are you sure?" May teased.
Drew didn't respond right away. After a moment, he smirked, his blush now gone. He looked at May and leaned in closer to her to the left, whispering in her ear. "Teach me how to love." Was what he whispered.
May gasped silently and blushed. "W-what?"