Thanks for your review Kelly - always good to have you along for the ride!
I hope Aster comes around to the idea of been a big sister too!
The Chemistry In Darkness
Chapter Seventy-Six
Thursday 27th February 2025
Elly and Chloe stood outside Elly and Aster's tent. The couple were alone together, with the rest of The Pack at work or hanging out elsewhere on the Island. Elly was pacing from one side of the outside of the tent to the other, with Chloe trying to calm her down.
They had just told Aster that Chloe was pregnant with their baby and she was going to be a big sister. Instead of been the head cheerleader to their expanding family as they had expected her to be, seeing as though she was wanting them to get together almost more than they did, Aster had crawled into her bed in the middle of the day, burying herself under her doona, after telling the pair she didn't want to be a sister.
Elly stared at Chloe, "Aster said she would rather have a puppy then a baby… Did we think this through…? About having the baby…I mean…y'know if the baby is healthy…did we think it through that us having a family is the right thing for both of us and Aster? Because it sure doesn't feel like it to me that Aster is anywhere near okay with us having a baby together. Aster is a big part of this, she needs to be okay with us becoming parents."
Chloe nodded softly, "Absolutely, Aster is as important to you as this baby and I want her to know that I want her to be as important to me too. We both need to find a way for Aster to be okay with this. I take it that you never told Aster I'm pregnant after you left Erinsborough?"
Elly shook her head, "I told The Pack…kinda had to when I turned up here almost in tears. I never told Aster you're pregnant…I guess I felt like by telling Aster then it would be the end for you and I…even though I know you're my mate and I knew deep down, we would find our way back to one another, it was like if I could protect Aster from knowing the reason why you and I couldn't be together then…she wouldn't be afraid that we'd be waiting until you and Pierce's kid grew up before I would want to intervene in your life again because…she knows I don't have it in me to break about a family…unless you came back to me…which you did…and I'm not breaking apart any family because the baby is mine…except for maybe my own family with Aster if she doesn't accept this."
Chloe smiled softly at Elly's refusal to break apart a family, thankful that it hadn't come to the pair of them been apart for years, "We just need to talk to Aster, the both of us. I'm not sure Aster would know anything about how baby's come to be but I guess the idea of two women having a baby might be a surprise to her, as much as it was to us."
Elly wanted to spend time appreciating how much Chloe wanted to be apart of helping Aster with her but was too worried about her daughter and their perfect family not working out if Aster didn't accept their baby on the way, "I don't think it's that though…the fact two women are having a baby. Aster is way too young to know how babies are created…well usually…how they are created… Hey, if Aster hits us with the 'where do babies come from?' question, we can at least hit her with the answer that our baby was created by magic…buy us some time before we actually need to have…'the talk' with Aster."
Chloe giggled at the mere idea of giving Aster 'the talk' one day with Elly, "Magic baby…that's one way to explain it to Aster…kind of is the truth. Anyway, so if you don't think it's the fact that two women are having a baby that Aster has a problem with, what do you think it is?"
"Right," Elly thought for a moment, "Maybe it's just because I never imagined having any other kids. I never spoke to Aster about it but yeah…after I had Aster…I thought that was it for me. I knew I'd meet my mate and no offence…I thought it was going to be a guy…but I never contemplated having more kids. Then when I met you again and knew you were my mate…kids…still weren't something I contemplated. When you told me that you were pregnant…it was like, I was confident enough to raise this baby with you if you wanted me to, regardless of thinking Pierce was the baby's father…but I dunno…I never told Aster and…I can see that Aster never expected me to have any more children…it probably took her by surprise."
"I understand," Chloe replied quietly, "If I'm honest…I was never quite sure if I imagined having any kids…which considering how desperate Pierce was to have a baby with me that he drugged me for years…I did want kids. I just didn't want kids with Pierce. It wasn't about not been a Mum…it was about knowing I'd never be able to…leave him."
Elly walked over to Chloe and took her hand, squeezing it gently, "We're lucky we get to be parents together to this baby."
"And that's exactly what we need to tell Aster," Chloe decided.
"You're so right," Elly agreed, "Let's go talk to her."
Chloe continued holding Elly's hand as the brunette led them back into the tent. Elly glanced at Chloe when she saw Aster was still curled up under her doona on her bed, "Hey, Aster, can we talk to you for a moment?"
"I'm sleeping," came Aster's quiet reply.
The couple tried not to giggle as Elly pointed out, "Sleeping people don't usually talk and if they're sleep talking, they don't answer questions like we're having a normal conversation."
Elly then pulled the doona back from over Aster's head and before her daughter could complain, she sat down on Aster's bed on one side of her daughter then nodded at Chloe to sit down on the other side, smiling when she did.
"We'd really like to talk to you, Aster, about the baby," Elly said quietly.
Aster sat up between the couple, staring at Chloe first, "Is there really a baby?"
Chloe gently placed her hand over her stomach, "Yes, Aster, I'm pregnant with a baby. Your baby brother or baby sister. The pregnancy is in the early stages. Your Mum and I are awaiting some test results that will tell us next week if the baby is healthy. If the baby is healthy…you'll be a big sister before the end of the year."
"Oh," was all Aster could reply.
Chloe worried that Aster was going to ask her what would happen if the baby wasn't healthy and how she would go about explaining that. Chloe stared down at the floor, doubting she had made the right choice of words in wanting to express that the pregnancy wasn't guaranteed to continue, knowing the baby could still have Huntington's.
"Do you have any questions for us, baby girl?" Elly asked, "We're a family now and you are as much as part of this as both Chloe and I."
Aster shook her head defiantly, "No, I'm not. You're having a baby. You'll forget all about me."
Elly raised her eyebrows, "Is that why you're not happy about Chloe and I having a baby?"
"Yes, you'll forget about me because you'll have a baby to love and spend all your time with and I'll just be left behind as I'm not the cute little baby," Aster declared, throwing her little hands about in disgust, "I don't want you to have a baby. Give me a puppy instead."
Chloe lifted her arm and wrapped it around Aster's shoulder, "We could never forget you, Aster. You are the most important thing in the world to your Mum. Not even I compare to that. And our baby will be as equally important as you are to Elly, as he or she will be to me too. You are so important to me. Neither of us could ever not spend time with you and leave you behind. Babies are cute but they do take a lot of work to raise, as your Mum experienced with you. We're gonna need your help. Big sister, Aster, will be as important to all of us."
"No, you're not. You'll forget all about me because you'll have a cute little baby that will need all your attention. I already spend time away from you with the others," Aster claimed.
Elly found herself copying Chloe's motion and wrapping her arm around Aster's shoulder, trying not to get distracted by the feeling of lying her arm on top of Chloe's, "Aster, I've had a terrible past couple months, I know. I left you most evenings with the others because I didn't want you to see how upset I was without Chloe. I lost myself. I wish I'd realized myself how much I'd not been your Mum the last few months. I'm really sorry about that. You are the most important person in my world."
"'Til the baby arrives," Aster grumped.
"Not 'til the baby arrives," Elly insisted, "I have enough room in my heart for the both of you. Yes, things will change if we have this baby but I promise you, Aster, you will always be important to me. And Chloe. We will always put you first along with your sister or brother. It will be a balancing act and it'll take time to work on it. But we're going to be a family and you are so important to that, okay?"
"Are you sure?" Aster asked quietly.
Elly pressed her lips to Aster's forehead, "Of course. It might not be easy but we are going to make this work. You will be a massive part of our family. You're going to be the most amazing big sister if we have this baby. If…we don't have this baby…Chloe and I want this, we can try for another baby…I mean Chloe and I haven't spoken about that yet so…that's how I feel about all this. I want a family with you, Chloe and another child. Whether or not Chloe and I have a child together, none of that will change how much I love you and how much we both want you to be a huge part of our family."
Chloe could only smile wildly at Elly's desire for them to have a child together. The mere thought of the baby she was carrying having the Huntington's gene should've had Chloe scared but Elly still wanting them to have a baby together, made Chloe more secure in knowing they could still have a family together one day.
Aster looked up at Chloe, "Will you love this baby more than me?"
Chloe was surprised, "As if I could! I know I don't know you anywhere near as much as what your Mum does but I want to get to know everything about you. If Elly and I have this baby…or any baby for that matter…I will love them just as much as I love you. Which is a whole lot by the way…and every day I hope you'll give me the chance to be important to you because you're important to me, Aster."
"Really?" Aster wondered.
"Yes," Chloe answered, then untangling her arm from Aster's shoulders and leaning forwards, she picked up her backpack and after rummaging through it, pulled out an item and presented it to Aster, "I got this for you."
Aster took the green spotted blue monster soft toy from Chloe, looking up at her joyfully, "For me?"
Chloe glanced up at Elly before settling back next to Aster and wrapping her arm around the youngster's shoulders again, "When I found out that Elly was my baby's other parent…I was a little bit in shock…okay a lot in shock. I found myself in the hospital gift shop bumping into Dipi as I was buying this cute creature-looking soft toy and I didn't know why…until now. It's for you, Aster. I want you to have it and to think of it as…I dunno…like a symbol of how much you mean to me…if that's not too corny."
"I love it, I'll keep it forever," Aster giggled as she held the toy out in front of her.
"Hi Aster, my name's Beebo," the soft toy sprung to life and started pulling faces at Aster.
Chloe threw herself off the bed in shock as she turned to find Aster and Elly sitting there giggling at the toy moving around like it was alive, "What the fuc—fudge is that and why is it alive and talking?"
As Aster was entranced by Beebo who had started singing and moving its paws in a dancing motion, Elly chuckled at Chloe, "We're…pretty much used to the supernatural springing up out of nowhere…there's nothing to be scared of, Chlo, it's just a talking, dancing, toy."
Chloe hesitated for a moment, "That toy was not alive when I took it from Dipi and bought it at the shop. How is it alive now?"
Elly shrugged, "It just is, Chlo. Just one of the wonders of the supernatural world. You'll learn to love it…one day. Get back here to us and enjoy this moment with Aster getting to know her new friend, Beebo."
Chloe took a deep breath, unable to hide the fact a toy springing to life had shocked her into wondering what else was out there in the supernatural world, but soon found herself nestled against the two girls.
Elly smiled at Chloe, then over Aster's head, she leaned forwards, enticing Chloe to do then same so she could peck Chloe on the lips, "To our family."
Aster stared up at the pair with her mouth open, "You two are together?"
Elly pointed at herself then Chloe playfully, "Did I forget to mention that when we were busy telling you how great it'll be for you being a big sister?"
Chloe reached out her hand, cupping Elly's cheek, "Y'know what? I totally forgot about that detail too, can you believe it, love?"
Aster got up on her feet on the bed, turned around the couple and flung her arms around the pair of them, "I knew it! You two are so a couple. We're gonna be the best family ever."
Chloe and Elly could only grin happily at the love they felt gaining Aster's acceptance of their baby and their relationship.
Next time - Chloe learns about a whole other side to werewolf lore...