This oneshot is a lot longer than the others. Close to 9k words long. The theme I chose for today is Pregnancy, but the story isn't random at all. It's inspired by my own birth and everything my mom had to go through when she was pregnant with me. Obviously, I had to change a lot of details to make it fit in a GohanVidel story. I'll tell you more at the end!
Well, I hope you enjoy!
Day Five
The Planned One
Pan hadn't exactly been planned. Videl got pregnant right after she and Gohan got married and, while they hadn't really expected to start a family so soon, the newlyweds had been overjoyed by the news.
The pregnancy had gone smoothly; Videl didn't get morning sickness and her mood swings weren't that much worse than her normal temper. She was barely showing at six months, too. Maybe their baby girl was so comfy in her mommy's belly that she wasn't in any rush to come into the world. In any case, Pan was finally born nearly ten days after her due date.
A little over a year later, Videl got pregnant again. This time too, the young couple hadn't been trying, but they weren't being careful enough and as a result, a new life was growing in Videl's womb. Unsurprisingly, the young parents couldn't be happier and could not wait to meet the new addition to their growing family.
Videl had decided to put her career on hold to stay home with Pan while she carried out her pregnancy. Pan was an easy enough toddler. She ate well (obviously), slept well, was healthy and playful, and just a joy to watch grow up every day. Videl did not regret her decision, and Gohan would often pout and say that he wished he could stay home with them too instead of going to work.
Like her first pregnancy, she didn't feel sick and handled the hormonal changes quite well. People would say that being pregnant agreed with her, and Videl couldn't argue with that.
Like with Pan, their second child, Maku, came well after his due date ━ two whole weeks, to be precise. When they finally got to meet him, the young parents couldn't stop gawking at the little bundle.
Videl stayed home with them and would often get help from her father as well as her in-laws, which allowed her to take some time to herself every now and then, something every young mother desperately needed.
Another year rolled by. Pan and Maku were both lively toddlers, and while they could be a handful, Videl wouldn't trade her place for the world. Gohan was the perfect husband, and he and she sure made the cutest babies.
One leisure Sunday at the park with their little family, Gohan pointed that out. It wasn't the first time he would say something like that while admiring their babies, and Videl would always agree.
But this time, he followed that with an unexpected question.
"Should we have another one?"
Videl was making sure Maku was holding on to the bar on the swing's baby seat when Gohan blurted it out. She paused and turned to look at her husband. He was crouching down at the foot of a slide, waiting for Pan to reach him. She squealed in glee as she slid down with her arms raised, and Gohan caught her in his arms before standing up and throwing her in the air, making his two-year-old laugh in glee.
He held her close and rubbed his cheek with Pan's. "I mean. We're handling those two like pros. What's another one to us?"
Her lips were twitching for a smile. His logic was irrefutable. They did make the cutest babies, and while it wasn't always a picnic, their kids were definitely far easier than average, which made raising them more fun than frustrating, unlike for other young parents who would often complain about how hard it was. Videl was convinced that Gohan's genes were responsible for passing down his good nature to their kids, and Chichi agreed that Gohan had been the easiest baby she'd ever seen.
She started to push Maku on the swing. She couldn't fight down her smile anymore ━ she was getting excited by the idea, even.
"What do you say, Panny? Do you want a new little brother or little sister?"
Pan, still in her daddy's arms, tilted her head and put her tiny finger on her lower lip. "New Maku?"
Her parents laughed. "Not exactly, but it'd be another new baby."
Pan's eyes lit up. "Baby! Baby cute like Maku?"
Videl shared a look with her handsome husband. "Oh, yes, definitely. Papa and I always make the cutest babies. I mean, look at you!" She picked Maku from the swing and hugged him. "And look at this one too!"
Maku giggled as his mommy attacked him with smooches. Gohan mimicked his wife and showered his baby girl with smooches.
And so, Videl's next pregnancy was the first one to be planned from the start. And just like they had no trouble conceiving the first two without really meaning to, Videl quickly got pregnant again with their third child.
Everything was going smoothly like usual. Videl's father and her in-laws were always eager to help with the kids whenever she needed a break, which wasn't all that often, either.
On Videl's fifth month, they found out that their house had a termite infestation and had to find another place to live temporarily. Even though both their parents insisted they come live with either of them, Gohan and Videl preferred to handle this setback on their own. Granted, they loved their parents and were grateful for all of their help, but living with them and seeing them every day would've been too much, so they politely declined their offers.
They thought of going to a hotel, but Gohan wasn't too fond of the idea. He wanted their children to grow up in a home, not some impersonal suite. In the end, they decided that it would be better to just rent a furnished place until they could go back to their house. With some help from Mr. Satan, they found a nice apartment that was big enough to be comfortable but also cozy and warm, as a home should be.
Everything was going well. Maybe they were going too well ━ maybe they had run out of good luck. Maybe life had been too kind to them until now. Even if they had their ups and downs, the downs were never that bad and certainly not insurmountable. They had a good life. A great life, really.
Maybe the universe was trying to balance things out. More yang to their ying, or something like that.
Mr. Satan had a brother who died years ago. His widow remarried since then, but she obviously wanted to keep benefitting from being related to the one and only Mr. Satan, however loosely, so she insisted that they were still family no matter what, and that Videl was to keep calling her "Aunt Aconite".
Videl hadn't seen her in years, which she had been quite happy about too. She had hoped never to see that conniving, hateful hag ever again.
It was after bath time. Videl had been running after a playful, butt-naked Maku who decided he didn't need to put on his pajamas tonight. Videl let him have his fun ━ she knew it was just a game to him and she was willing to play along. But when the doorbell rang, playtime was over. She caught the little rascal and crouched down to his level.
"Mommy needs to get the door. Will you be good for Mommy and get Papa to put you in your dinosaur pajamas?"
The adorable toddler gave her a big smooch on the cheek, said, "Okie Mommy!" and waddled back to the bathroom. Videl's heart melted completely. She truly was blessed.
The doorbell rang again, more insistent. The young woman sighed. She put her hands on her knees and groaned as she got up. Good thing she was in good shape ━ though she wasn't showing too much yet, her belly was getting bigger and without the strength in her legs, getting up from a crouched-down position while pregnant would have been much more difficult, if possible at all.
She opened the door with a polite smile ━ and then her whole body froze in the most unpleasant way.
"Oh, Videl dear, look at you! You're glowing! Pregnancy sure agrees with you, huh?"
Aunt Aconite was at her door, a couple of suitcases at her feet. Her fake smile, plastered on her overly lifted face, was still as ugly as Videl remembered it.
She wanted to close the door to her face right there and then. She didn't care what that wrench was going through, she was not family, no matter how much she wished she still was. She was just a gold digger and an opportunist, and Uncle Levi, bless his soul, had been a gullible fool to let her trick him into marrying her.
"Sweetie, I put the kids in bed. Who's at the door?" Gohan asked, coming from behind her. He blinked at the unknown face but offered her a polite smile nonetheless and his hand. "Oh, hello. I'm Gohan, Videl's husband."
As she shook his hand, Gohan's gaze shifted to the luggage that the stranger had brought with her, and he assumed she was acquainted with his wife in some way.
"Oh, my, you got yourself quite a catch, Viddy!"
Videl's eye twitched. She hated that pet name, especially coming out of that woman's mouth.
Gohan withdrew his hand and glanced over at his wife. Even without having a read of her ominous, steadily rising ki, it was obvious that whoever this person was, Videl wanted nothing to do with her.
"Um, and you are…?"
"Oh! Where are my manners! I'm Videl's Aunt Aconite. On her father's side. I'm sorry to turn up unexpectedly like this, but I heard Videl was pregnant and I just had to come and help!"
"Oh, really? Where were you the first two times I got pregnant, then?" Videl spat, sarcasm dripping from every word. Her "aunt" pretended not to notice the animosity and waved her off.
"Well, I figured you could handle yourself the first time and the second time, obviously. I'm sure your father and your in-laws' help was enough back then ━ but now!" Aconite joined her hands together by her jawline and made her eyes sparkle with emotion on command. "You have two kids under four and another on the way! And then you had to move because of a termite infestation! When I heard that, I just had to come to help my favorite niece!"
Gohan swallowed, feeling uneasy and torn between his wife's obvious contempt for her aunt and the woman's unlikely sincere desire to help out.
"Um, why don't you come in?" he offered, his good manners forbidding him to let a guest just stand at the door. Videl's head spun toward him and she scowled darkly.
"Oh, how kind of you! Will you be a dear and carry my bags in? I've had a long trip and I'm exhausted!"
Aconite strutted in like she owned the place and collapsed on the couch, in a way that was supposed to show how she just went through hell just to get here. She even took off her heels and massaged her feet, to emphasize how hard and tiring it had been for her to get to their place.
Videl was trembling, her fists tightly clenched at her sides, while her husband obliged and picked up the suitcases from the hallway and carried them to a corner in the living room.
She couldn't believe her eyes. Was Gohan that gullible? Did he actually buy that poorly executed act? Couldn't he see that this leech couldn't care less about helping them and just needed a place to crash? Or was he that well-mannered that he was simply unable to say no?
"Aunt Aconite," Videl gritted out, trying her hardest not to throw a fit. "We appreciate your offer, but we're doing just fine. We've got plenty of help from both of our parents, and we don't need anyone else."
Aconite put her hand against her cheek a made a distressed face. "Oh, is that so? I came from such a long way just to see you, my favorite niece, and I can't even spend some time with my little nephew and niece?"
"We just put them to bed," Videl said curtly, not leaving room for argument. "You say you wanted to help us out, yet you come at an hour that any reasonable person would know is the time for kids to go to sleep?"
"Obviously, I wanted to talk to you both in peace so we could decide on our new arrangement," the deceitful woman said with a coy smile. "That wouldn't have been possible if your adorable babies were still running around, now would it?"
What the hell was happening? Why was this old hag even here? What was she after? Was it just because she needed a place to crash? Or maybe she needed money? What happened to her husband, for that matter? Did he finally come to his senses and see what a horrible person he had married?
"We, um, we really don't need more help, A-Aunt Aconite," Gohan stammered, likely uncomfortable calling someone he just met "aunt". "But you made this long trip to come here, so if you need a place to stay until you find something more permanent━"
"Oh, I'd love to stay here with you!" Aconite piped up, getting to her feet in a flash. "Thank you so much!"
"No, I meant━!" Gohan tried to explain in panic, but the tornado that he had let into his home seemed determined not to hear what he had to say.
"Don't worry, I'll do my share!" she said, rolling an invisible sleeve up her bare forearm. "And I'll make sure not to disturb you, either ━ it'd be like I'm not even here!"
Videl was glaring murder at her husband, who slumped his shoulders in defeat.
Aconite went off to take a tour of the place. "You have a guest room! Perfect! Everything's coming together!"
Videl gripped her husband's arm and dragged him to the kitchen.
"What the hell, Gohan? How could you invite her to stay? Couldn't you see that I was trying to get rid of her?"
"I did! And so was I!" he assured, raising his hands in defense. "I was going to suggest giving her money to pay for a hotel room, but she wouldn't let me finish!"
Videl slapped her forehead with her palm. "Great. Just Great. This is exactly what every pregnant woman needs: a pest that won't go away."
"I'm so, so sorry, Videl. I really was trying to send her away." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, looking utterly dejected.
His puppy eyes made her heart clench, and although Videl wanted to stay mad at him, she knew that he meant well and was trying to help. It completely backfired at them, but it really wasn't his fault.
No, the only one at fault here was the opportunist who had just started a shower. The nerve of that woman!
That one parasite was especially hard to get rid of. Every time they tried to tell her she had overstayed her welcome, Aconite would cut them off before they could ask her to leave and pretend she had something to do.
She didn't even help out, not around the house and certainly not with the kids. She always had an excuse not to do any chore ━ like she had a new manicure done, or somewhere in her body was hurting, or she would mess up and even break stuff while "trying to help" just so either Gohan or Videl could take over.
A whole month went by like that, and Videl was this close to literally kick her out, with her foot up her ass and out the door! She wasn't even family! Why did she have to endure her toxic presence, and why now all of times, when she had two small children to care for and another on the way?
As she and Gohan got to bed, Videl was fuming, her knuckles turning white from clutching the blanket so hard. Gohan got in bed with her and gently pried her fingers from the sheet, one by one, before bringing her hand to his lips and kissing them, one by one.
"Don't let her get to you," he said, slowly moving his mouth to her palm, then her wrist, before continuing along her arm. She sighed in content, feeling some tension leaving her muscle thanks to her husband's gentle care. "Let's just forget about her right now. I don't want her to ruin our nights too."
Videl blushed as Gohan took his time going up her arm, leaving hot, humid kisses on his way. He was obviously trying to get her in the mood, and the young woman had to admit, he was doing an excellent job at it. Even as big as she got, Gohan always made her feel like she was the most beautiful woman in the world.
It was all in his eyes, in the way he looked at her. In the way he desired her.
Like right now. As he licked the bend of her arm, he raised his gaze at her. It was intense, urgent, hungry, lustful. He let a hand got under her nightshirt, grazing her skin with a feather-like touch as he traced the curve of her waist.
"Are they too sensitive today? Your breasts," he asked, his voice low and hoarse.
Goodness, that man was too hot for words.
"A little. Just be gentle."
He rose over her to nuzzle her neck, while his hand gingerly cupped her tender breast under her shirt and he lightly flicked her nipple with his thumb. Videl moaned softly. His mouth was now occupied in the crook of her neck, easily finding her sweet spot from years of practice.
She loved when he teased her like this.
Knock, knock, knock!
"Videl, Gohan! The toilet's clogged!"
Videl wanted to scream. Even Gohan growled in frustration. He furiously pushed the blanket away and stomped toward the bedroom door, which he yanked open with so much force that it almost broke off its hinge. It showed the amount of control Gohan had over his colossal strength that he didn't end up destroying the house in the state he was in.
"Then use the damn plunger!" he snapped in a very uncharacteristic way. "You're not a child, Aunt Aconite! Surely you can figure out how to unclog a damn toilet!"
The older woman blinked dumbly at him, then she looked behind him at Videl who was raising the blanket over her, and she smirked. "My, my, I'm so sorry, I had no idea I was interrupting."
Gohan growled. She didn't sound sorry at all, like usual. How did things end up like this? Why couldn't they get rid of this parasite?
"What else would you expect when a married couple closes their bedroom door?" he gritted out, too angry to care how rude he was being. That woman had been nothing but rude from the moment she arrived at their doorstep!
"Sheesh, no need to get so aggressive. I'll try to take care of the clogged toilet myself, then," she said offhandedly, turning away.
Of course, they all knew she was just saying that and never intended to do anything. Gohan wanted to slam the door shut, but the kids were sleeping so he controlled himself and slowly pushed the door closed until he heard a quiet click.
When he turned around, his wife lifted the blanket to invite him back to bed, her pajamas nowhere to be seen.
"Let's not let her ruins our nights," she repeated his earlier words, her voice sweet and inviting as she ran her finger along the curve of her bare hip.
Gohan's tank top and boxer shorts seemed to disappear out of thin air as he eagerly jumped in bed with his gorgeous wife. They giggled and laughed as they resumed where they'd left off before getting rudely interrupted.
To hell with that bitch. She wasn't going to ruin anything else for them ever again. And especially not their nights.
Aconite insisted to take her shopping, pretexting that "her favorite niece" deserved to doll herself up and let others pamper her in a beauty salon. Gohan was at work, the kids were with her in-laws and Videl had hoped that her fake aunt would go out for the day and leave her be for a much-needed day off. She'd rather have to take care of twenty toddlers at once while being pregnant with triplets than deal with that woman.
She wasn't an idiot; she knew Aconite couldn't care less about helping her relax and most definitely had some kind of agenda with this seemingly harmless proposition. So, unsurprisingly, Videl flatly refused.
"Aww, don't be like that, it's gonna be fun! We never do anything together anymore," the grown woman pouted, crossing her arms like a child.
"Just go yourself. What do you need me for?"
Aconite's eyes watered and her lips quivered. "How mean. I just wanted to do something nice for you."
Videl's cheek twitched. Like she was going to fall for those fake tears. She probably just want her to come along so she could pay for everything. Her hypocrisy made Videl itch to murder her. Shenlong could make that bitch disappear from existence, right? You can't go to jail for murdering someone who didn't exist, after all.
"If you want to do something nice for me, go back to whatever hole you crawled out from and never come back!" That ought to be clear enough, surely. Videl had lost all of her patience with that disgusting excuse for a human being. She had had it. "You've taken advantage of me for long enough! You are not welcome in my house, and I want you to go!"
Aconite's eyes turned ice-cold ━ she was finally showing her true colors.
"You spoiled brat. Your house? Is that a joke? Neither you nor your spineless husband could ever afford such a place. You were born with a silver spoon in your mouth and never questioned all the things life has handed to you on a silver platter, because of course, you were entitled to all of it, right?"
"And leeching on your dead husband's family's wealth is better? Imposing your toxic presence to a family with two young children and a pregnant woman is all that glorious? And you dare insult me and my husband? Are you that bitter that you fucked up your own life that you can't take seeing other people happy together and genuinely love each other?"
"Oh, you think you're so special? You think your precious Gohan is different, don't you? Wake up! He's a man! Monogamy is a joke ━ no man was ever made to be faithful to just one woman, and your Gohan is no different! He'll cheat, trust me ━ like all the others, he'll cheat on you, if he's not having an affair already!"
Videl scoffed. "Just because you're old doesn't make you wise. What, so you've met all the men on the planet to speak for all of them? Oh, wait, I know," she smirked snidely. "Let me guess, you think because all the men you've ever been with have cheated on you, they're the problem? Darling, you ought to wake up ━ it's not them, it's you. You insufferable, pathetic, ugly━"
SLAP!
Videl slowly turned her head back to the panting wrench; she touched her sore cheek, her eyes wide with shock. Any other time, Videl never would've let herself get caught off guard, but she never thought that crazy old hag would dare to actually hit her.
She gritted her teeth. Her voice was deadly cold. "Out. Get out, right now, or I swear I'm kicking you out myself."
But the horrible woman just huffed and crossed her arms, her nose in the air. "Touch me and I'm pressing charge for assault."
Videl could barely believe her ears. "Are you fucking kidding me? You're the one who just hit me!"
Aconite smirked. "You sure don't bruise easily, hm? Your skin is spotless. Well, so to speak. That zit on your chin has been staring at me the whole time. Gross."
"That's it, I'm calling the police. You're trespassing and I want you out!" Videl reached for her phone on the side table by the couch, but Aconite swatted it away, making it fly and crash on the floor. The screen cracked. After such a fall, it would be a miracle if she could still turn it on.
She stared in shock at the devilish wrench, who just smirked smugly in return.
"I'm not going anywhere, my dear niece."
Videl was too dumbstruck by the nerve of that woman; she just stood there while the persistent parasite strutted back to the guest room.
Since Aconite seemed to be set on staying home and marking her territory, Videl decided that getting away from her and trying to cool off was her best option right now. She needed to get a new phone anyway.
Her mind was reeling. Her uncle's widow had no plan of ever leaving her family be. She had made herself at home and wasn't going anywhere.
What could they do now? Should she actually call the police on her for trespassing? Aconite may have broken her phone, but that didn't mean she couldn't try again.
And then what? Even though she wasn't blood-related, her stupid father considered her as family. He had been close to his brother, may he rest in peace, and it was only natural that he felt that she was still family even if his brother died and she remarried.
And that bitch was well aware of it. She was using it to her advantage to leech off her no-long niece.
What happened to the second husband anyway? Maybe if they could find him and convince him to take her back, she would finally leave them be? But how could anyone want to be with that wrench after they saw her true colors? Surely the second husband finally realized he had married a monster and kicked her out.
Lucky him.
Videl sat on a bench at the mall, shaking her collar to fan herself. She felt burnt out and her breathing was heavier than normal. She had just been walking, and not even at a fast pace. She supposed that she was seven months pregnant, though she didn't remember ever feeling like this with the other two.
Then again, she never had to deal with a conniving, cutthroat bitch when she was carrying the other two.
She winced as a vivid pain shot throw her lower abdomen. Her hand touched the spot where it hurt, and she was relieved that it was below her bump. It wasn't the baby.
She let out a groan of pain. There was still something going on with her. And she couldn't even call anyone.
"Ma'am, are you feeling alright?"
The feeble voice of the elderly man was the best sound she heard all day. Being in proximity to that awful woman for nearly two months, Videl almost forgot that humanity wasn't all trash ━ there was still hope after all.
"I need to call my husband," she gritted out through the pain. "I think I have to go to the hospital."
"Oh, my, is the baby coming?" the man exclaimed with wide eyes while handing her his phone.
"No, it's not the baby. Thank you so much." She took the phone and dialed Gohan's number. She'd long memorized it in case of emergency; after all, phones ran out of battery all the time and were easy to misplace. She could pat herself on the back for her hindsight. Well, if she wasn't in so much pain right now.
Gohan answered quickly, even though it was an unknown number. "Hello?" His voice was unsure, understandably.
"Gohan, come get me right now. Hurry." The pain was too much, she couldn't muster the strength to say more than that, so she hung up and handed the phone back to the elder man with a shaky hand.
"Um, ma'am, you didn't tell him where you are…" he pointed out. "Shall I call him again to tell him where to find you?"
She shook her head and closed her eyes. "He'll… find me."
The nice, caring old man stayed with her to wait for her husband. They didn't have to wait long; a tall young man in a suit seemed to appear out of nowhere with a gust of wind.
"Videl, what happened?" he asked in panic while picking his pregnant wife up in his arms like she weighed nothing.
"It's not… the baby, but I….need to go to… the hospital," she uttered out forcefully. She turned her head to give the kind old man a grateful smile. "Thank you… for… your help."
Gohan followed his wife's gaze and gave him a nod, since he couldn't bow while carrying Videl. "Thank you so much for staying with her, sir. We have to go now."
"Of c-course," fumbled the helpful stranger, still trying to comprehend where that man had come from and how there could have been such a strong gust of wind in the closed building of the mall.
She had two hernias, and she had to go to surgery. Since she was pregnant, the anesthesia had to be local, so Videl was wide awake but couldn't feel a thing while the surgeons operated on her lower abdomen. All could she think about was of her baby girl growing in her.
"How is she? She's alright, right? This isn't hurting her, is it?"
"Everything is okay, ma'am," a nurse tried to reassure her. "Please try to relax. The doctors need to focus."
"Where is my husband? Why couldn't he be here with me since I'm awake anyway?"
"This is a sterile room," the same nurse said. "And the presence of your husband may distract the doctors. Please, ma'am, just let them do their job."
Videl bit her lip, feeling herself well up.
How could this happen? Her first two pregnancies had flown by without a hitch, and yet the one time they planned for another child, she gets two hernias?
Her face darkened. This was because of that bitch, wasn't it? The stress of having her over, of being unable to get rid of her, of having to deal with her every day while also caring for her two small children and growing the third in her belly. Not to mention their brutal fight earlier. To think that old hag had dared lift a hand on her ━ to think she had let her. She ought to have kicked her ass.
"Is my baby alright?" she asked again, her voice meek.
If anything happened to her unborn child because of that bitch… Even Shenlong wouldn't have the power to bring Aconite back to life after she was done with her.
"Mom," he said over the phone, "can you get Dad, please? I need you two to do me a favor."
There wasn't much he could do other than sit and wait while Videl was in surgery, but he could at least take care of that parasite once and for all.
He explained to his parents what he expected of them but chose not to mention where he was and what happened to Videl. He needed his mother to have a clear head and not go on a rampage ━ that part of the plan belonged to him and him alone.
He hung up and put his phone away. His eyes hardened. He shouldn't have let this go on for so long. He should've been firm from the beginning and not let that pest make her nest in his own home. What kind of lousy husband let his wife get so stressed she developed two hernias? His pregnant wife, no less?
This was on him. He was the one who had been too nice to slam the door at that so-called aunt as he should've done from the moment she tried to mooch off them. He had seen how much Videl despised that woman but he still invited her in. He was the worst husband in history.
Why did it have to take Videl going in surgery to make him finally take action? Well, at least that dreadful woman would be gone before Videl returned home. And he would do the honor of kicking her out himself.
Aconite was humming to herself as she got her keys out. Her brother-in-law and Gohan's hottie of a father had taken her out in a fancy restaurant and spoiled her with the most exquisite dishes. That was the best dinner ever. She hadn't enjoyed herself so much in a long time.
She put her key in the keyhole, or tried to anyway ━ the key didn't fit. She frowned as she checked her keys, making sure she had the right one for the apartment. And that was when she noticed her bags leaning against the wall in the hallway.
Her face soured as she started to understand what happened. Did they really think they could use such cheap tricks to get rid of her? That it would be that easy?
Just as she thought that, the door opened to reveal a very pissed Gohan. Before she could try to slither past him and go inside, however, he stepped outside and slammed the door shut so loudly it made her jump.
"You're not welcome here. You never were." His voice was low and cold.
"Aw, come on, hon, you don't mean that." She moved closer to him and reached for his chest. All men were the same after all, right? You show them you might be interested and they do all your bidding.
Gohan grabbed her wrist before she could touch him and squeezed. She yelped at the sudden pain, and then he threw her harshly to the floor. She landed hard on her hip and elbow.
"Ow, what the hell!"
"Leave and never come back. If I ever see you again, so help me, gods, I don't know what I would do, but I can assure you won't like it."
Never could she have ever imagined that the meek, spineless man Videl had married could be downright terrifying. Aconite scrambled to her feet, grabbed her suitcases, and took the stairs to get away from that psycho. They lived on the ninth floor though, so she called for the elevator on the eighth floor.
"I said leave, now," Gohan's scary voice boomed from the ninth floor.
Tears welled up in her eyes and she gritted her teeth as she carried her luggage down the remaining eight floors. That bastard.
"I wish I'd been there to see the look on her face."
Gohan smiled. He had joined his wife on her hospital bed, sitting up against the pillows with his legs up, his arm around her waist, and their heads touching.
"She looked like she may have peed herself," he said, making Videl grin.
"Serve her right."
Gohan pulled back and twisted his upper body sideways to look at Videl. He was frowning in distress and guilt. "I should've done that sooner. I'm sorry, Videl."
Her smile toned down. "Yeah, you should have. But she was a tough opponent, she's like a cockroach who kept coming back, and we were both unsuccessful at getting rid of her." She cupped his cheek. "What matters now is that she's gone for good."
He smiled, stroking her hand against his cheek. "I guess we should've asked for help sooner. It was a team effort, really."
She cracked a smile. "It was quite a good plan, too, to ask our dads to distract her while your mom packed her bags and had the lock changed."
"I wish I'd done that sooner."
"Hush now. The baby's strong and healthy and we've finally gotten rid of that persistent pest. That's all that matters."
He put a hand on her belly and let his head drop on her shoulder. He breathed in deeply, soaking in her scent that he loved so much. "Yeah, that's all that matters."
Things went back to normal after that. Gohan and Videl were closer than ever, and they appreciated their family all the more now that the parasite was gone for good.
The baby was due in sixteen days now. Everything was ready for her, and everyone was impatient and excited to meet her.
That night, Gohan came home from work early so he could help make dinner and enjoy the evening with his family. Goten came over, too, so the teen played with the kids while their parents were busy in the kitchen.
Gohan was chopping down onions and Videl was grilling meat and watching the rice when his phone rang.
He wiped his hands and took out his phone. He made an annoyed face. "It's work. I swear, I can never get even one night of peace…"
"It's okay, go take the call," his wonderful wife said with an understanding smile. Gohan felt his heart swell. Gods, he loved that woman so much.
"Thanks. I'll be right back." He picked up the call as he walked out of the kitchen. "Hello?"
Videl hummed happily to herself as she continued cooking dinner while patiently waiting for her husband to join her. When he came back, her eyes lit up, but Gohan's face was sour.
"They want me to go on a business trip. I told them you're due in two weeks, but they said it's just for a week so I should be back in time…" He collapsed on a chair and held his head in her head. "Seriously? Are they for real? Your due date is in two weeks, okay, but what if the baby comes early? What then, am I supposed to miss the birth of my third child?"
Videl lowered the fire on the stove and walked over to her sulking husband. She kissed him on the temple, causing him to raise his head and give her his sad puppy eyes.
"Gohan, both Pan and Maku came way late. I'm sure it'll be fine."
"You didn't go into surgery when you were pregnant with either of them. It's different this time."
"You're worrying too much. It's only one week ━ you'll be there for this one's birth too, I guarantee it."
He wrapped his arms around her and leaned his cheek against her round belly.
"I don't want to leave you."
She chuckled and ran a hand through his thick, spiky hair. He was so sweet. "In a perfect world, you'd never have to leave us for work. I don't want to you go either, but work is work. And you love your job."
He sighed in resignation. "Alright…" He pulled back slightly and raised his head to look at her with serious eyes, keeping his arms around her. "But call me if anything happens, or if you need anything. I may be away on a business trip but I can be here in a blink if you need me."
She leaned down and kissed his lips. "I know."
Two days later, Videl had an appointment with her OB/GYN. Since they had moved, albeit temporarily, the office was much farther from their apartment than from their house, which was still being treated for the termite infestation. She had called Chichi to ask her to watch the kids while she would be off to her appointment, but her mother-in-law sounded busy grocery shopping on the phone, so Videl politely excused herself and said she would call back later. She tried her father, but he didn't answer the call. Upon contacting his secretary, Videl learned that her father was in the middle of an important meeting.
"Oh, well." She turned to her kids playing together on the carpet and smiled. "Hey, cutie pies, wanna go on a trip with Mommy?"
The doctor said that everything seemed fine and that the baby should be there by her due date. However, she was upside down right now, her head was up and her butt was down, but since she had two weeks to turn over, the doctor said that there was nothing to worry about and that everything was normal.
Videl buckled her small children in their special seats in the car before taking her seat at the front. "Everyone ready?"
"Yes!" they said in unison, raising their arms in the cutest way. Maku was almost two years old now, and Pan was already three and a half. She felt so blessed ━ they had such a kind and sweet nature. They both took after their father for sure.
Videl turned the key to start the car, but the engine seemed to struggle. She tried again, and again, but the car wouldn't start. She frowned. What now?
A long sigh slipped out of her lips. She hadn't brought the kids' double stroller because she took the car, so that meant she had to take them by the hand and expect them to sit through public transport until they got home. Pan and Maku may be well-behaved and advanced for their ages, but they were still little kids who couldn't stand in place for an extended period of time. She checked the itinerary on her phone and made a face. Would they be able to hold it out for over forty minutes in a bus?
Well, it wasn't like she had much of a choice anyway. If she weren't pregnant, she could've flown them home herself, but in her current state, so close to her due date, too, such physical exertion could be risky for the baby.
Holding Pan's hand while carrying Maku, Videl dragged her feet to the apartment building. The bus ride had been, as expected, a nightmare. Pan quickly got bored, Maku got hungry and was crying almost the whole time, then Pan got hungry too and mimicked her brother, causing the whole bus to glare daggers at her and make her feel like an incompetent mother.
When they were finally out of the bus, Maku complained that he was tired, so even though she was already carrying a baby in her belly, Videl picked up her son and held Pan's hand firmly, lest she tried to run off or whatnot. They walked the rest of the way to the apartment building like this. The kids were quiet, at least; they seemed to have calmed down. They were probably tired from all the crying on the bus. Well, so was she, and she couldn't wait to get home and finally put her feet up.
They got in the building and called for the elevator. The button didn't light up. Videl kept pushing it, but nothing changed. The number of the floor on the small screen on top of the elevator doors wasn't budging either.
She wanted to scream. They lived on the ninth floor! How was she supposed to go up there with two small children?
Videl hung her head in defeat. Ah, if only their two-story house was ready for them to move back in already…
Well, nothing she could do about it now. At least Maku had fallen asleep, so he wouldn't be making a fuss during the trip up the stairs. And Pan was a strong little girl ━ she was part Saiyan after all! Surely she could take climbing up nine stories of stairs. Even if she was tired.
And so Videl and Pan climbed up and up while Maku slept peacefully in his mommy's arms. And let's not forget the baby due in two weeks that was along for the ride.
Pan whined that she was tired and hungry, so her mother did her best to encourage her and cheer her on while trying to hold on herself, when all she wanted was to collapse right here on the stairs and take a nap.
At last, the blessed number nine appeared before them. "We made it…" she huffed, her skin glistening with sweat that made her clothes feel sticky. Goodness, she needed a long, warm bath and a nap, or a coma.
But they made it, they were finally home. They survived the bus and the disapproving stares and the walk home and the nine flights of stairs. It was all behind them now and they could finally rest.
Videl put Maku down since he was already sleeping, gave Pan a snack and put her down for her nap as well. Maku was probably going to be starving when he woke up, but she would cross that bridge when she got there.
She called Chichi again, who, bless that woman, gladly accepted to come over and watch the kids while she took some time to relax. Videl didn't explain why she was so tired, so as not to worry her mother-in-law, and being pregnant was a good enough reason anyway.
She took a long bath, got into some fresh sweat clothes, and went to her and Gohan's bedroom for a nap.
But she couldn't fall asleep. Even after her bath, she didn't feel refreshed, just clean. Her eyes still closed, Videl frowned; she felt as though her body didn't want to rest. Well, no matter. Even if she couldn't actually sleep, lying down in the dark with her eyes closed was restful enough.
A couple hours later, still unable to sleep, Videl got up and sought something to eat. Thankfully, her amazing mother-in-law had prepared a feast for her, and the young woman was so grateful to her she felt like she could cry. Must be the hormones.
After a very satisfying dinner, Videl went back to the master bedroom and turning on the TV, trusting Chichi to watch the kids while she took some more time to herself.
But the uneasiness wouldn't go away. And, at around ten P.M., Videl's water broke.
She sat there on her wet bed for a full minute, trying to comprehend what just happened. The baby was due in two weeks. Both Pan and Maku had taken their time before being ready to be introduced to the world; why would it be any different for this little one? How could she be two weeks early? Was it because of the hernias? Was she not comfy and cozy in her belly like her siblings had been because of all the stress her mommy had gone through during the pregnancy? Was she in a hurry to get out because she didn't like it in there?
And Gohan. He had left just yesterday. She had promised him that he would be there for their baby's birth, that everything was going to be okay. Was he going to miss it? Would he be able to come back in time?
"Chichi…" Her voice was too weak as she tried to call her mother-in-law. Videl cleared her throat and this time she yelled, "CHICHI!"
Her doctor wasn't in service tonight, and the midwives couldn't replace him because the baby was still upside down and it was too complicated a delivery for them.
They didn't seem to care much either. The two women were standing by the door, looking like they could be on a coffee break while having a smoke. The younger one commented on how she'd never seen a breech baby like that, her round little buttcheeks visible between the mother's legs.
This wasn't good. The little one was a hasty one. She was ready to come out and she wasn't waiting for anyone. And those dumb midwives were doing nothing, they just kept telling her to wait for the doctor to arrive and hold the baby back.
Videl gritted her teeth. She wanted to punch them both in the face, repeatedly. She tried to remember the Lamaze breathing technique, focusing on keeping her baby inside for a little longer. When was the doctor coming? How could there not be an on-call doctor, or even an intern available in this damn place? Was this delivery so complicated that only a resident could perform it?
Was her baby going to be okay?
Videl bit back her tears. Where was Gohan? They had tried to call him on the way to the hospital but he hadn't answered. He was busy with something important at work, most likely ━ but what could be more important than the birth of his third child?
Was Chichi able to contact him by now? Was he on his way? Or was he still unreachable?
And that little one who was trying to force herself out of her uterus as if it were a jailbreak! Videl breathed heavily, holding in the baby as hard as she could.
"I can't do this anymore! She's coming out!"
"Please, lady, the doctor is on his way."
Their nonchalance was so infuriating. Videl glared daggers at them both, picturing the most gruesome ways to murder those incompetent lowlives. How could they be so insensitive! Couldn't they see she was worried sick here? Not to mention in a world of pain? Did they have no empathy at all? Did they really choose their career path wisely?
"I'm here! I'm here!"
Videl cried in relief at the familiar and flustered face of her husband. It wasn't the doctor, but it was the next best thing at this moment. She thought he was going to miss it at the rate things were going, that she was going to go through this alone.
"I'm here, Videl," he said again, now holding her hand and wrapping his arm around her back with his other arm. "It'll be okay."
The stress of her whole day was welling up in her, and Videl was unable to hold back her tears. "She's upside down, she's not ready, but she won't hear any of it and she's trying to force her way out."
Gohan wiped the sweat on her forehead and the tear streaks on her cheeks with a warm cloth; he cracked a smile. "She sounds like someone I know."
"Like your mother, you mean?"
She grunted and winced as another contraction hit her.
Gohan tightened his hold around her. "Her too. There's a lot of stubborn genes to choose from in our family. The baby had her pick."
She clutched his hand. "Gohan, I'm scared. They said only a doctor can deliver her and he's still not here. I don't know how much longer I can…" She didn't finish her sentence as she got another contraction.
She held on as hard as she could, and Gohan did his best to give her his support. At last, the doctor finally arrived, exactly thirty minutes after midnight. Five minutes later, the cries of the newborn filled the delivery room.
Videl held their baby and cried, while Gohan hugged her tight and wept with her.
"She's so beautiful." Videl sniffed, unable to take her eyes off their baby.
"She takes after you," Gohan croaked out, brushing away the brand new locks from her forehead.
"She has your hair already." Videl chuckled and cried. "I was born bald, and look at her."
"That's Saiyan genes for you." Gohan kissed her temple. "You were incredible."
Videl sighed, her tears finally relenting. "She's a warrior, that one."
"Like her mommy."
"What should we call her?"
Gohan gazed upon the beautiful newborn. "What do you think?"
"How about… Diana, like Wonder Woman?"
"Diana," Gohan tried the name. He nodded in approval, still smiling. "It suits her. She's got the will of an Amazon for sure."
"It does suit her. Right, little Diana?" Videl cooed at her baby, rocking her gently.
The toddlers watched in awe as their papa lowered the baby cradled in his arms. "This is your sister, Diana."
"Ooohhh, Diana," cooed Pan.
"Daana," Maku tried to say in his adorable baby voice.
The sight was so precious. There was not an ounce of sibling jealousy; even when Maku was born, Pan immediately accepted him and never complained, not once, that she had to share her parents with her little brother now. There was just love. Those little ones were simply happy to have a new playmate, and an adorable one at that.
Videl felt herself well up as she watched her babies meet her new baby. She wiped her eyes. Ah, there she was crying again. Those damn hormones.
This pregnancy had been a lot more complicated than they had imagined when they decided to have another child, and so was the delivery, but none of that mattered anymore. Right here, right now, this moment ━ her family reunited. That was the most important thing.
Gohan and Videl's fourth child was an accident and definitely unplanned; he was born seventeen months later. They couldn't have dreamed of a sweeter accident. But that was a story for another time.
So, to anyone who's interested in what actually happened to my mom, she didn't have to deal with a so-called aunt (I already forgot her name), I made her up for the role of my mom's annoying in-laws who decided to stay for months while my mom was pregnant with me. They didn't help out at all, they stressed her out a lot, and it did get to hands at some point. My mom went through surgery like Videl, she had two hernias and had local anesthesia, and she kept asking about me, like Videl in that scene. The other main difference between this story and my life is that my dad wasn't on my mom's side at all when she got mad at his family, and he wasn't by her side through it all either, including during my birth. He was showing Paris around to his cousins while my mom was commuting to the OBGYN with two small children and ended up going back to deliver me.
Everything else went pretty much like I wrote here, down to my little brother being an accident and born seventeen months after me, haha.
Anywaaaayyyy, enough about my life. What did you think of the story? I sure hope you liked it! :)
April 12, 2021