It was late into the evening when Max finally crawled into bed. 99 was
deeply engrossed in a new thriller book. It was 5 weeks on the best seller
list and she settled in for a good long read. Things were rather happy on
the home front. For the last two months, Max and 99 continued seeing the
marriage counselor. Most issues were worked out and Max and 99 now had a
deeper appreciation for one another. Max lay watching 99 read. He felt
rather happy to have such a good wife
but, more importantly, a best friend in his life. They had been married for
12 years. It was a good union and he was grateful. They had three great
kids and not a moment of regret for having them. If not for 99, he wondered
where his life would have ended up.
Max leaned into 99. "Let's make a baby," he cooed into her ear. 99 looked up from her book and turned to Max. "What?" Max slid closer and laid the palm of his hand on 99's stomach. He looked straight into her radiant blue eyes, "I want to have another child." She heard him the first time, but couldn't believe he'd said it. "I thought you didn't want anymore kids?" 99 said, setting her book closed and laying it on her lap.
"I know, but three is such an odd number. I thought we should even it out, especially if we had another girl," Max replied, as he rubbed his hand over 99's stomach.
"Max, I'm 40 years old and."
".and I'm 50. So?"
"But the risks of having a child this late in life, ... I don't know ."
Max sat up and held 99's hand.
"99, you're in fantastic shape and with the doctor's care every step of the way, I'm sure there wouldn't be any problems."
99 took a big sigh. She was sure there was more to this sudden inspiration from Max than he was telling her."
"Why now ?" 99 questioned.
"I don't know," Max said. "I've been thinking about things a lot lately, and all of the stuff that we've been discussing at our counseling. I realize what I could have lost. I want to dedicate myself to you again ... to us, and our family. I want to show you how committed I am to you. A new baby to show for it would be nice. A constant reminder of how much I love you."
99 smiled tenderly at Max, "I'll need time to think about this."
"Sure. Of course." Max turned 99 over on her back and positioned himself over her. "How about if I give you a little help with your decision?"
99 couldn't move, as she melted into the mattress. "It won't do you any good ... I'm on the pill. Remember?"
Max began making love to his wife, "I know. Does a man need a reason to make love to his wife?"
Once Max started his lovemaking technique, 99 was defenseless. The next morning, 99 was at the stove frying pork sausages for breakfast. Max crept up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled his lips into her neck.
"Mmmmm, 99, you were fantastic last night."
"Well, you were no slouch yourself, Mr. Smart," 99 said, as she rolled the sausages.
Max continued to place light kisses on her shoulder.
"Thought anymore about what we talked about last night?"
99 turned the stove off and faced Max. She brought her arms around his neck and nodded, "Boy or girl?"
Max smiled and hugged 99 tightly as he proceeded to give her a long and passionate kiss. They began making out in the kitchen when a small voice cleared it's throat. 99 broke from the kiss and looked down to see Zach standing behind Max. 99 motioned with her head to Max that Zach was standing behind him. Both quickly regained their composure.
"How long have you been standing there?" 99 quizzed him.
"Long enough," Zach grinned.
99 and Max began to feel uncomfortable.
"Are you having another baby?" Zach asked point-blank.
99 began to struggle for the words to answer him,
"Zach, darling, you see . Max?" 99 gave Max a shove to the ribs with her elbow to indicate she needed help with this situation.
"Well, son, it's this way. Your mom and I have been . 'discussing' the possibility of having another child."
"I know. I heard you 'discussing' last night. Or, did you forget I have the bedroom next to yours?"
Max shot 99 a look, "99!"
99 shrugged and rolled her eyes.
Zach waved his hand, "Don't sweat it. I'm 11 now. I know all about the birds and the bees."
Max raised his eyebrows, "Who told you?" Max again looked to 99 for answers.
"They learn it in school, Max. It's now part of the curriculum," 99 informed him.
Zach got back at the matter at hand, "So, am I getting a little brother? Or." He scrunched his face and stuck out his tongue, "... another sister?"
99 moved Max aside and bent down to have a heart to heart with her son. "Zach, we don't know yet, and I think it would be best if we kept this our little secret, just for now. Can you keep a secret?"
"Yeah, I guess. But don't wait too long. I'm a kid, and you know how long we kids can keep a secret." 99 kissed Zach on the cheek. "Tell your brother and sister breakfast is ready, and remember." 99 brought her fingers to her lips and zipped it shut. Zach winked at 99, and took off. She raised back up to find Max standing with his arms folded across his chest.
"Are you sure he's our kid?" Max squinted as he watched Zach run across the living room.
99 smiled and kissed Max on the lips. "I'll stop taking my pill today so we can start trying soon."
Max looked at 99, "How can I get anything started knowing he might be listening in?"
"You'll have to be a little more quiet." 99 said as she took the sausages out of the pan.
"Me?" Max raised his finger and opened his mouth, only to have 99 shove a pork sausage into it.
Max leaned into 99. "Let's make a baby," he cooed into her ear. 99 looked up from her book and turned to Max. "What?" Max slid closer and laid the palm of his hand on 99's stomach. He looked straight into her radiant blue eyes, "I want to have another child." She heard him the first time, but couldn't believe he'd said it. "I thought you didn't want anymore kids?" 99 said, setting her book closed and laying it on her lap.
"I know, but three is such an odd number. I thought we should even it out, especially if we had another girl," Max replied, as he rubbed his hand over 99's stomach.
"Max, I'm 40 years old and."
".and I'm 50. So?"
"But the risks of having a child this late in life, ... I don't know ."
Max sat up and held 99's hand.
"99, you're in fantastic shape and with the doctor's care every step of the way, I'm sure there wouldn't be any problems."
99 took a big sigh. She was sure there was more to this sudden inspiration from Max than he was telling her."
"Why now ?" 99 questioned.
"I don't know," Max said. "I've been thinking about things a lot lately, and all of the stuff that we've been discussing at our counseling. I realize what I could have lost. I want to dedicate myself to you again ... to us, and our family. I want to show you how committed I am to you. A new baby to show for it would be nice. A constant reminder of how much I love you."
99 smiled tenderly at Max, "I'll need time to think about this."
"Sure. Of course." Max turned 99 over on her back and positioned himself over her. "How about if I give you a little help with your decision?"
99 couldn't move, as she melted into the mattress. "It won't do you any good ... I'm on the pill. Remember?"
Max began making love to his wife, "I know. Does a man need a reason to make love to his wife?"
Once Max started his lovemaking technique, 99 was defenseless. The next morning, 99 was at the stove frying pork sausages for breakfast. Max crept up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled his lips into her neck.
"Mmmmm, 99, you were fantastic last night."
"Well, you were no slouch yourself, Mr. Smart," 99 said, as she rolled the sausages.
Max continued to place light kisses on her shoulder.
"Thought anymore about what we talked about last night?"
99 turned the stove off and faced Max. She brought her arms around his neck and nodded, "Boy or girl?"
Max smiled and hugged 99 tightly as he proceeded to give her a long and passionate kiss. They began making out in the kitchen when a small voice cleared it's throat. 99 broke from the kiss and looked down to see Zach standing behind Max. 99 motioned with her head to Max that Zach was standing behind him. Both quickly regained their composure.
"How long have you been standing there?" 99 quizzed him.
"Long enough," Zach grinned.
99 and Max began to feel uncomfortable.
"Are you having another baby?" Zach asked point-blank.
99 began to struggle for the words to answer him,
"Zach, darling, you see . Max?" 99 gave Max a shove to the ribs with her elbow to indicate she needed help with this situation.
"Well, son, it's this way. Your mom and I have been . 'discussing' the possibility of having another child."
"I know. I heard you 'discussing' last night. Or, did you forget I have the bedroom next to yours?"
Max shot 99 a look, "99!"
99 shrugged and rolled her eyes.
Zach waved his hand, "Don't sweat it. I'm 11 now. I know all about the birds and the bees."
Max raised his eyebrows, "Who told you?" Max again looked to 99 for answers.
"They learn it in school, Max. It's now part of the curriculum," 99 informed him.
Zach got back at the matter at hand, "So, am I getting a little brother? Or." He scrunched his face and stuck out his tongue, "... another sister?"
99 moved Max aside and bent down to have a heart to heart with her son. "Zach, we don't know yet, and I think it would be best if we kept this our little secret, just for now. Can you keep a secret?"
"Yeah, I guess. But don't wait too long. I'm a kid, and you know how long we kids can keep a secret." 99 kissed Zach on the cheek. "Tell your brother and sister breakfast is ready, and remember." 99 brought her fingers to her lips and zipped it shut. Zach winked at 99, and took off. She raised back up to find Max standing with his arms folded across his chest.
"Are you sure he's our kid?" Max squinted as he watched Zach run across the living room.
99 smiled and kissed Max on the lips. "I'll stop taking my pill today so we can start trying soon."
Max looked at 99, "How can I get anything started knowing he might be listening in?"
"You'll have to be a little more quiet." 99 said as she took the sausages out of the pan.
"Me?" Max raised his finger and opened his mouth, only to have 99 shove a pork sausage into it.