Cat and Mouse

Chapter 16

The Long Summer Months

May dragged into June.

June dragged into July.

Their pregnancies progressed uneventfully with usual kicking and heartburn.

Emma kept tiring easily though so many times the events they did were planned around her need for an hour nap afterwards. Mornings were spent at Sanctuary reading, light exercises in the Dojo, supervising the twins' education and watching movies until lunchtime. Afternoons, they headed over to the Estate House for a swim, a walk through the grounds, or a short motorcycle ride while Mare' gave the twins their private dance lesson. The four would tumble into the bed around four for a nap. Clara or Sarah would wake them with a yogurt shake. Then they would go back to Sanctuary for an evening with Granpa Adam and their Uncles. Some nights they played games, or watched movies. Other nights the twins would give an impromptu dance recital. Adam made a point to join them each night, quietly watching Emma and Shalimar.

A few times they all went out to Tony's but they became few and far between depending on Emma's condition. Shalimar had no problem in keeping up with the schedule though. She secretly enjoyed the time cuddling and watching over Emma and the twins. Adam made sure to keep enough of a variety of food in the house so there were no midnight runs to get pickles or ice cream.

The nursery was ready in June and they had enough crates of diapers and wipes to take care of 10 babies for a year.

About two weeks into July, Emma started staying home from the excursions to the Estate House. She encouraged Shal to take the twins anyway. "Go on, Shal, I'll be ok," she would say. "I'll help Adam with some computer stuff today." Or, "I have a good book here that I don't want to put down." Shal reluctantly traipsed off with the twins the first few times. They would always find Emma sprawled out fast asleep either on the couch in the common room, or sitting by the Tranquility Pool, or tucked up in their bed upon their return.

Shal went to Adam first and then to Jesse and Brennan. They were now about 10 days from their earliest due date. Emma struggled to keep up the pace, but she faded so quickly. Adam ran scans on them daily, with a smile on his face, which quickly faded to a frown whenever they left the lab. He was worried because Emma was showing protein in her urine and the edema around her ankles was slowly increasing, both signs of preeclampsia.

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Two days later

Emma was in the shower trying desperately to reach for the soap that had fallen. She couldn't bend over, nor squat. Her legs were so swollen today that she had elephant ankles.

"Alright, you bloated elephant! You're just having a baby. It's not the end of the world. You can get that soap," she said aloud, not expecting an answer. But Jori had slipped in to use the toilet. "Mama, is everything alright?" she asked.

Emma was so startled that she slipped and fell hard on her rear. "Ow!"

Jori screamed, "Mama!" and dove around the shower curtain, and contacting her sister telepathically at the same time, "Chessy, get Mommy here quick now. Mama fell." Jori ignored the water soaking her clothes; she was that worried about her Mama and her unborn sister. Emma was biting her lip to keep from crying and Jori seeing her that way as embarrassing slightly to her.

"Mama! What hurts?" Jori asked as she turned the water off. She grabbed one of the big towels and wrapped it around her Mama to help warm her up and dry her off some. Shal ran into the bathroom with Chessy close on her heels. She took one look at the situation and called Adam on her com-link. She sent Jori to dry off and change her clothes with Chessy to help her, assuring them they would be told what was wrong as soon as possible.

"Jori, Chessy, go find your Uncles as soon as you are dried off, and tell them I need help with your Mama." She instructed them. Once the twins were out of earshot, Shal checked Emma over carefully. "What happened, Emma?"

"I was talking to myself and Jori heard me and answered me, startling me enough that I fell," Emma ducked her head trying to hide her embarrassment over falling. With Shal fussing over her, she was soon in tears.

"Oh, sweetie!" Shal hugged her harder. They sat like a few minutes until Jesse pounded on the door. "Shal, Emma! It's Jess. Chessy said you needed help."

"Just a sec, Jesse." Shal called. She helped Emma dry off and pull the big T-shirt over her head. Then she had Jesse come in to pick Emma up off the floor and place her on the bed. Adam showed up then and shooed Jesse away to distract the twins while he checked Emma out. He listened to her baby carefully for several minutes. Then he clucked over her swollen ankles. He looked from Shalimar to Emma carefully, still amazed by the differences in their pregnancies, even at this late stage. Shalimar was a bundle of energy with rosy cheeks, while Emma was pale and tired all the time. He was concerned about the possibility of preeclampsia at this stage, with her blood levels and the edema.

He cleared his throat first before answering their questions, "Emma, I'm sorry to have to tell you this. Until you have your baby, no long periods of standing. I want you here on your bed, on the couch in the common room, or in the big recliner. If your ankles go down, I'll consider short walks. But that's it for you now. I don't want to risk you falling again and injuring your baby. I'm sorry." Adam ran his hand through his hair.

"Alright, Adam. This whale is beached then." Her fall in the shower was enough to scare Emma into obeying. Plus she was so tired. She was more than ready to have her baby, and if staying in bed was going to help her, she'll do it. She rolled up on her side after Adam left to make arrangements, and rubbed her rump. "Man, that hurt!" she whimpered quietly.

"Sweetie, at least you and the baby are ok." Shal lay down beside Emma on the bed.

"Yeah, other than my 'dignity'," she joked.

"And I love your 'dignity'," Shal kissed it to make it feel better. She tucked Emma in.

"Wait, Shal, we need to put those special sheet pads down," Emma reminded her about the disposable sheets she had bought to keep their bed dry.

"Right, I'll get them." Shal waddled into the linen closet for them. She quickly made the bed up with them, moving Emma carefully. Emma grumbled a little, but quieted when Shal gave her a look.

A knock at the door revealed Brennan with a tray of milk shakes and two very frightened girls. Jori and Chessy ran over and skidded to a stop beside the bed, remembering what Adam had told them. "Mama? Are you ok now?"

"Yeah, sweeties. Just having a little trouble standing since the baby is going to be here soon."

Brennan broke it, "Adam asked me to make my special milkshakes for everybody." He exchanged a look with Shal behind Emma's back as he handed Emma one. The twins had smaller ones. He took one and held the last one out to Shal. "Drink up, mothers-to-be!" He saluted Emma and Shalimar. Emma tasted hers and gagged slightly. "What did Adam have you put in this time?"

"Something to stop any contractions."

Emma nodded. Brennan left after that. She finished her quickly and curled up for a nap. The twins looked at Shal for permission to join her, but Shal shook her head no. "Why don't you two go get your coloring books and you can color in the nursery. I'm going to dim the lights in here while your Mama sleeps." They ran and were soon happily coloring pictures. Shal settled herself into the big recliner with a book, sitting where she could keep an eye on Emma and the twins without too much trouble. Emma slept soundly for several hours.

The twins would periodically tiptoe over to check on their Mama and then return to their coloring. They showed their pictures to Shal. After a while, Shal read them a story when they got bored with coloring.

Right before Emma woke up, Clara and Sarah knocked quietly at the door. "Shal?"

Telling the twins they could lay down with Emma for a few minutes, Shal talked with the two women in the hallway.

"Adam called us up and explained what happened with Emma. We're going to stay in one of the extra bedrooms, until after both you two deliver your babies," Sarah said.

"Plus we'll keep the twins out your hairs during the day at different times," Clara smiled.

"Oh, and Mare' sent over a few casseroles so we don't have to cook a lot," Sarah chimed in.

"Thanks. I don't know how much Emma is up to eating a whole lot though. We've been drinking many milk or yogurt shakes lately!" Shal laughed softly.

"Shal?" Emma asked from the bed. "Right here." Shal waddled back to the bed where she found Emma hugging Jori and Chessy tightly. "Feeling better?"

"Other than my 'dignity'," Emma said with a bright smile. Shalimar smiled back at their private joke.

"Feel up to some of Mare's casserole?" Sarah asked.

Emma jumped a little at Sarah's voice. "That sounds good." Mare's casseroles were really good and filling. "Just a small plate though. I'm kind of watching my figure." Emma tried to joke, looking down at her big tummy.

"In here or the common room, "Clara asked as they left to go get enough casserole for everybody. "Here," Shal answered for Emma. She grabbed the big pillows and helped Emma to sit up. She then rolled the TV closer to the bed and handed Emma the remote. Jori and Chessy resettled themselves next to Emma. "You two are not…"

"Shal?" Jesse's voice interrupted her.

"Yes, Jesse."

"I have something to show Jori and Chessy after they've eaten some of Mare's casserole." He didn't sound too thrilled.

"We'll send them then."

Emma admired the twins' handiwork in their colored pictures while they waited. She shooed them to their table to eat and then picked at her own plate of casserole and rolls.

Shalimar enthusiastically cleared her plate and then anxiously waited while Emma ate some slowly, enjoying it. The twins were finished about the same time as Emma. They ran to clean up and to go see what Jesse had to show them. Emma pushed the tray away with a contented sigh. Shal picked the tray up and put it on the cart with the other trays. After rolling it into the hallway, she curled up beside Emma. "Wanna watch a movie?"

Emma shook her head. "I just want to be still a little while. Snuggle?" Shal agreed and slipped in under the covers with her. "It was torture watching you earlier. I wanted to be there beside you." Emma poked her. "Then, why didn't you?" "Then the twins would've crawled up here too. And I wanted to be selfish, like now, and just have you to myself for a little while." Emma smiled drowsily. They curled up back to belly with Emma behind Shal. They soon fell asleep.

They spent the next few days, sleeping, drinking milkshakes and eating small meals. The watched several movies with the twins and by themselves. The five other adults made sure the twins were kept busy and away from their mothers each after noon to give them some peace and quiet.

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Six days later

Emma felt her hair and cringed. "Shal, I really need a shower. I feel so grungy. Come on, take one with me. Then Adam can't yell at me for standing." She pleaded.

"I don't know, Emma."

"Then I'll just ask him." She called on the com-link. "Adam?"

"What is it Emma?"

"I need a shower badly. Can I take one with Shal there?"

Adam heard the pleading in her voice. It had been a long week for all of them. "Let me check you first to make sure." He was soon at their door. He checker her ankles and the baby's position. "Alright. Just no longer than fifteen to twenty minutes. And keep that shower chair, Mare' sent over handy if you should feel weak or dizzy at any point. Then straight back to bed." He headed to the door. "And nothing but a shower…" He walked out the door and ducked when Shal threw a nerf ball at him.

"Adam! Like I could anyway." She yelled after his retreating back. She turned back to Emma. "You sit there while I get the shower started and get everything laid out." Shal grinned mischievously. Emma nodded.

About five minutes later, Shal came back out of the bathroom and helped her to walk the short distance there. She had lit a few candles even. The shower was going at the right warmth ness. Emma smiled. She pulled her t-shirt off and shucked it into the hamper. She noticed the fading bruise on her 'dignity' from the fall a week earlier. "Yeow!" Shal patiently waited for her in the shower.

They quickly helped each shower and wash their hair. As the soap rinsed away, they stood there looking at each other. Emma pulled Shal into a big hug and kissed her fully on the mouth, letting her tongue do the talking. Shal pulled away to protest, "Em, remember what Adam said!" Emma shrugged and pouted. "I just wanted a kiss, not to make love!" Shal leaned in for another kiss. Their swollen bellies precluded anything more than that.

Adam interrupted them on the com-link. "Shalimar, that was 20 minutes." They broke off a little guiltily. "Right, Adam. We were just drying off." Shal answered as she turned the water off reluctantly. Emma sat down in the shower chair. "Emma?"

Emma waved her off. "I'm ok. Just a cramp." She threw a towel at Shal and picked up the second one. They dried each other off carefully and deliberately, kissing a few more times. Donning fresh t-shirts, they made to walk at Emma's pace back to their bed.

"We're back on the bed, Adam," Emma called before Adam could interrupt them again with his worrying. "No falls this time."

Emma was suddenly tired again. She curled up on her side of the bed. Shal slipped in behind her and settled down for a quick nap too, but she couldn't sleep and watched Emma sleep instead.

Emma had a restless night that night, her belly cramping on and off. She clung to the memory of their shower together to calm her down. She patted her belly one last time before she fell fully asleep. "Soon," she told herself. "You'll be here and I'll have my figure back!" was her last thought that night.

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A/N: Wow! I managed to get this chapter in a lot quicker than I expected!