Tribulations of Honesty – Part 12

Well in case you failed to notice,

In case you failed see,

This is my heart bleeding before you

This sees me down on my knees….

- 'Foolish Games', Jewel

Lexie felt a lot better knowing that her relationship wasn't quite so precariously perched on the rocks anymore, but she also had the foreboding feeling that the pain wasn't fully over yet.

Archie was at work yet again. Lexie herself very rarely went in before lunchtime now that the pregnancy was getting on in its trimesters. Paul was seldom mentioned within their household, but Lexie knew that he still frequented Archie's mind.

The relationship was patched, but it wasn't fully as it was. There was a lack of trust that wasn't there before. A general feeling that that one event had marred their relationship, and to tell the truth Lexie was beginning to wonder if it was every going to go away.

Lexie tried her best to banish these thoughts from her mind however as she lay back on the lounge after dropping Melanie off at school and casually flicked through the baby names book that she had bought a few weeks ago in the hope that this time they would be more prepared in naming the baby then they had been with Melanie.

She added another name to her list and then glanced down at the mixture of origins and meanings that began to jumble before her eyes. She'd have to narrow it down when Archie came home that night. Perhaps three names for a girl and three for a boy, and then they could choose the one that best suited the child when they actually saw it.

Lexie just hoped that her husband understood how much her heart was on her sleeve during a lot of this time. Their baby was a precious thing, and while she realised that it wasn't going to fix their marriage, she definitely hoped that their unity over another child would give them some common ground that was devoid of guilt and distress.

There wasn't much else she could do to mend the marriage, as it was she was already down on her knees. All she wanted was for things to go back to the way they were before the whole Paul fiasco.

The name we give to something shapes our attitude toward it. - Katherine Paterson

" Okay" Lexie glanced at her husband nervously, " So far my top girl names are as follows-"

Archie nodded and rested back against the lounge with Melanie beside him, waiting to hear the list that Lexie had made

" Dana, Desmia, Electra, Felicity, Gabrielle, Hope, Jacinta, Tahlia and Vanessa."

Archie raised his eyebrows as he considered each name, then glanced expectantly at his daughter and asked

" Which do you like honey?"

Melanie did such a good impression of her father's thinking face that Lexie had to laugh

" I think I like Felicity and Vanessa" Melanie replied after much consideration

Archie smiled, " I like Felicity too. But I also don't mind Desmia, what does that name mean Lex?" he inquired

" Um.." Lexie looked up where she had got the name from the book and read " It's Latin, and means a beautiful butterfly."

" That's nice, don't you think?" Archie commented

" Yes I do." Lexie smiled, and then added, " Vanessa means butterfly too. And Felicity means 'happy'."

" Oh well then we can't really go wrong with those names can we" Archie grinned at his wife and his daughter

They both smiled, and Lexie helped Melanie write the 3 chosen names for a girl onto a different sheet of paper.

" Are you ready for boys names?" She asked when they had finished

" As ready as ever" Archie replied, actually finding that he was enjoying the process of hearing all the different names and seeing which ones appealed to him the most

" Okay here they are" Lexie deliberated, then read " Aidan, Bailey, Brenton, Casey, Daniel, Isaac, Jason, Joel and Thomas."

" Hmmmm" Archie responded, " I think Aidan, or Jason. What do you think sweetheart?" He again asked Melanie

" I like Jason and Casey." Melanie replied deftly

" Lex, meanings?" Archie called again

" Aidan means little fiery one, Casey means brave, and Jason means healer."

Lexie read

" Well if it's a boy with a lot of your personality traits I think we better call him Aidan." Archie smirked

Lexie hit him with the book, before letting him continue and become slightly more serious

" Although I like Jason. I think this family could do with a bit of healing."

Lexie smiled a slightly sad smile, before giving a barely noticeable nod of her head.

" So!" She suddenly announced, trying to liven up the atmosphere, " We have got it down to the top three. Desmia, Felicity and Vanessa for girls and Aidan, Casey and Jason for boys."

Archie and Melanie gave a definitive nod, and Lexie smiled.

'At least that was one more thing done.'