Missing You – Part 10
When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child. Sophia Loren, Women and Beauty
The whole house was ecstatic at Lexie's declaration, and were all in their own special way trying to make plans for the long awaited arrival of a newborn baby into Glenbogle.
Molly was busy making baby clothing, while Archie, Golly and Duncan were consumed with transforming the room Archie had painted not so long ago for Lexie into a proper nursery. He wanted to have it ready by the time Lexie was roughly 3 months along, hopefully coinciding with the time that Lizzie and Martha were coming to visit.
Lexie on the other hand was trying to not do as much as she usually did; she found that carrying a baby was something that she had never been quite prepared for. Knowing that at this very moment there was an embryo developing within her, and that this embryo was developing such things as eyes and a mouth that could already open and close and things like limbs and a spinal chord was terrifying and yet at the same time exhilarating.
One thing she was beginning to notice was her mood changes. One minute she'd be fine and the next she was blowing up at someone for some minute thing. Molehills were constantly being made into mountains, and yet other things that generally annoyed her slipped by unnoticed.
She often went out on walks, sometimes along the nature trails and other times just around the woods- she always knew her way home as the new baby worked as a compass, heightening all her senses.
Lexie would just sit alone looking at all the growing things around her and listening meditatively to the water from the falls and lochs. She'd also made another friend in the village named Juliya that was also pregnant, the two women found that they shared a lot in common, and this was just heightened by the fact that they were both also pregnant. Once a week the two would get together and go out for lunch or a drive and get away from the every day stresses that awaited them at home.
Juliya had known of Lexie before the two had properly met; yet she had seemed slightly unreachable because of her status of Lady of Glenbogle. But on knowing the Laird's wife she had found it exactly the opposite. Lexie was warm and inviting and always willing to put forward an invitation to the castle or the grounds. The fact that she hadn't been brought up as a higher class made a lot of difference as Juliya could confidently feel that the two were equals even though one had married a lot higher then the other.
Juliya's husband was the local plumber and Lexie knew him because of her interactions with the many tradesmen she needed to call to upkeep the old castle she ran so eloquently. She didn't view this job as any lessor then her husbands, being the Laird was a huge responsibility, but without tradesmen like Juliya's husband Aaron there would be no need for her husband's role in the first place.
One day when the two were out on a picnic Juliya broached the subject of the realities of being married to a Laird. When the question was asked Lexie glanced at her friend, and wondered how exactly she was going to explain it. In the end she settled for the description of:
" Sometimes it just feels like they have time for everyone else in the village and all their problems, yet no time for their own or their family's"
Juliya had never thought of it that way, but suddenly she realised that there must be another side to the higher class position that Lexie now held.
Part 11Women are in league with each other, a secret conspiracy of hearts and pheromones. Camille Paglia
" You're spending an awful amount of time with Juliya lately" Archie commented while getting dressed for bed
" Hmm" Lexie answered non-commitedly
" I feel like you have no time for me anymore" Archie murmured enviously
" Well you're always off painting or decorating, everyone is so wholly consumed by getting everything ready for this baby that it seems the mother is just pushed into the background."
Archie looked at her in shock, which slowly turned into regretful comprehension
" Oh honey I'm sorry." He admitted, walking over to hug her, " I guess we have been pretty consumed with getting everything together. But you know it's just because we want it to be as perfect as can be for both you and our new little one."
" I know" Lexie acknowledged
" It's a big thing" Archie reminded
" I know that too" Lexie added
" Of course you do." Archie began, than looked at her sheepishly and admitted, "Oh Lex I'm just so nervous about being a father and living up to the standards. I mean what If I'm not a good father?"
A small smile crossed Lexie's face as she climbed under the covers and waited for Archie to join her, " You'll be a great father Arch."
Archie glanced at her slightly disbelieving
" You will" She repeated
" I didn't really have a great role model," Archie grumbled
Lexie raised her eyebrows and reminded, " Neither did I. Oh Arch I'm just as nervous about being a good mother and being able to cope and know what all the different cries mean and how to feed it and look after it as you are."
Archie stared at her
" That's one reason one I'm spending so much time with Juliya. She's going through the same thing as me. It's just a kindred spirit, and you do like me to have friends in the village don't you, you're not going to keep me locked up in this castle for ever now are you?"
Archie laughed, " I don't think I could even if I wanted to. You just wouldn't stand for it. And besides I couldn't stop you having friends in the village if I wanted to- you know as many people around here as I do Lex, everyone loves you."
Lexie grinned, " Including you?"
" Especially me" Archie echoed, leaning in to kiss her softly
When he pulled back Lexie opened her eyes and smiled at him, " Thankyou. I needed that."
" Not a problem" Archie joked, " Ready and willing any time"
Lexie laughed again, the sound reverberating off the walls like a breath of fresh air replacing a tired and languid atmosphere. From now on they intended to focus on each other and the prospect of having a baby rather than worrying about the future and what it would entail.