Polly approached Archie at the gym after he gave private lessons to Juniper and Dagwood. Even though he'd halted the larger instructions to a full class, his workout with Dagwood on Thanksgiving served as a reminder of how much he missed spending time with kids. He'd offered Polly free private instruction with the twins. She'd jumped at the chance, especially with the holidays approaching and her need to get her holiday shopping done without the prying eyes of her sneaky children.
"Looks like the kids are having as much fun as their instructor," Polly smiled as the twins took turns hugging her around the middle. "Go get your bags while I talk to Uncle Archie for a minute." Juniper and Dagwood immediately ran off. "They become so obedient during the holidays."
"Something to look forward to," Archie chuckled as he started taping his hands in preparation for his workout.
"I was hoping you could help me with something," Polly lowered her voice. It seemed that along with obedience during the holidays, the twins also picked up supersonic hearing. She didn't want her little ones hearing her plans which would ruin the surprise. "The twins have been wanting a dog since they could talk. They're finally getting to an age where I feel they're ready to the responsibility, so I'm getting them one for Christmas."
"Yeah, I think I was about their age when we got Vegas," Archie smiled.
"He was a great dog," Polly stated, "You must miss him."
"Definitely," Archie bobbed his head, "But I wouldn't trade the time I had with him for anything."
"I need some help," Polly stated, "I don't know anything about dogs. Mom never wanted that mess in the house, so I don't know anything about what they need, or even what to look for in selecting the right dog."
"Yeah, sure," he bobbed his head, "I'll help anyway I can."
"Wonderful," she smiled, "There's a family outside of town that has a litter of golden retrievers that are ready for adoption. Could you come with me this weekend to take a look? The owners are giving me pick of the litter."
"Sure," he motioned as the kids came running back.
"I'll tell Betty you agreed," Polly smiled, "We'll talk more later."
Archie bobbed his head as he turned his attention to the twins, "Make sure you keep practicing, but also remember what I told you."
"No picking fights with the other kids," Dagwood repeated the one lesson Archie continued to pound into both their heads. He wanted them to be responsible with what they were learning.
"Thanks again for resuming these lessons," Polly playfully tugged at Juniper's ponytail, "They have so much fun."
"We all have fun," Archie held up his hands up so both kids could give him a high five, "I'll see you two same time next week."
"Bye, Uncle Archie," Juniper hugged him around the waist. Dagwood followed suit before they left the gym.
Archie pulled on his boxing gloves and went about his workout, working up a proper sweat until Betty entered the gym to invite him to dinner.
"Hey, Babe," Archie leaned in for a kiss, making sure to keep his sweat to himself.
"Hey, I finished up my assignment earlier than expected," she tossed him a towel to wipe down, "How about you take your baby mama to dinner?"
"And where does my baby mama want to go?" he chuckled as began pulling the tape off his hands.
"We're thinking Italian," she rubbed at her belly.
"Italian gave you heartburn last time," he tossed his tape in the nearest trashcan.
"And it probably will this time," she shrugged, "I'm still craving it."
"Then Italian it is," he pecked at her lips before glancing over her shoulder to see her bodyguard a short distance away. It was both a great comfort and annoyance all rolled into one. "Give me five minutes to shower and change."
Betty bobbed her head and found a seat in the nearby bleachers. To filter out the sounds of the gym of others training, she pulled out her phone and scrolled through the internet for a bit. She didn't dare text anyone and get caught in a text conversation. They seemed to be getting longer the closer she got to her due date, like texting with whomever was going to send her into labor.
"Ready to go?" Archie appeared before her in short order, freshly washed and dressed. His hair was still wet.
"God, yes," Betty tucked her phone back into her bag as he helped her to her feet, "I'm famished. I hope you have a hat to cover that wet head. I don't want you to catch a cold so close to the holidays."
Archie dug into his gym bag to find the hat she'd knitted for him a few weeks ago. Shocked the heck out of him when she busted out a pair of knitting needles one night as they watched television. She said she'd been watching YouTube videos during her lunch breaks to learn how to knit their baby a hat. Archie's hat was practice. It wasn't perfect, but it did the job. He quickly pulled it on his head, which earned a jubilant smile. Mother mode was hitting with more regularity as they got closer to her due date. They were about a month and a half away, and it felt like parenthood was going to be here before they knew it.
"Dinner," he pushed her lightly towards the door, with the bodyguard following a step behind. Another change that was made as Betty's delivery date moved closer, the bodyguards were a bit more intrusive.
"Have your cravings changed since I left to take my shower?" Archie's arm wrapped around her shoulders as they walked. He'd learned from experience that her whims when it came to food cravings were quite short. What she craved one minute could change in the next.
"Yes, now I'm feeling tacos," she replied, "Really spicy ones."
"Spicy, huh," he smiled, "Doesn't spicy foods induce labor?"
"That's an old wives' tale," Betty scoffed, "Toni has eaten loads of spicy food, and she still hasn't had her baby."
"And not for her lack of trying," he chuckled.
Toni's due date was rapidly approaching. She was more than ready to delivery her baby, but the baby had other plans. Her doctor had said she'd likely go passed her due date and possibly a week or two beyond. If she didn't have the baby by Christmas, they were going to induce labor. In the interim, she and Cheryl were using every possible home remedy to start labor they could get their hands on.
"Come on, Baby Daddy," Betty tugged on his coat.
After a stop at the Mexican restaurant to grab dinner, Betty and Archie sat around the kitchen island as they ate and talked about their day.
"Did you know that Polly is getting the twins a puppy for Christmas?" he asked.
"She mentioned she was thinking about it, but that's the last I heard of it," Betty replied, "I told her she should ask you for advice."
"She asked me to help her pick one out this weekend," he stated.
"That sounds like fun," Betty smiled, "Maybe I'll join you. You don't mind, do you?"
"I never mind spending time with you," he leaned in for a kiss, "The bodyguards are going to follow us anyways."
"I'm getting really annoyed by their continued presence," she sighed, "I wish Tom and FP had made some progress, any progress really, in catching Louis. It's like he's become a ghost since he hired Jughead to take you out."
"He probably knows we set him up," he frowned, "He has to know that means hard time."
"You're giving Louis far too much credit," Betty rubbed at her belly as their boy kicked her in the ribs. "Ooohh, seriously, if Frederick doesn't play soccer, we're wasting his talents."
"I'm sorry," he caressed her belly reverently.
"I think he just doesn't want us talking about Louis," Betty felt the baby settle a bit.
"Or he doesn't like the spicy tacos you just fed him," he smiled.
"Do you miss having a dog?" Betty returned the subject to the puppy Archie was helping her sister pick out.
"Definitely," he bobbed his head, "I was actually planning on getting a new dog when I got back to town, but then you surprised me with the baby. Not that the baby is a bad thing…"
"It's okay," she assured him, "I know what you're trying to say."
"It's just not practical to be dealing with a new puppy and a baby all at once. Maybe if the dog was a bit older, it would be different, but puppies and babies together are cute for pictures and such, but having to manage both…wow, that would be a recipe for disaster."
"Maybe when Frederick is a year old or so, we'll get a puppy," she suggested.
"I'd like that," he leaned in to kiss her lips softly.
"Yow," she grunted again.
"More kicks to the ribs," he asked.
"No, this is a different pain," she huffed.
"Labor pains?" he swallowed nervously.
"Maybe," she tried out a few of the Lamaze breathes they'd learned.
"Come on," Archie pulled her to her feet and towards the front door, "I'll call the doctor on the way to the hospital."
"It's probably those Braxton-Hicks thingies that T has been telling us about," Betty resisted, "It's too soon for me to go into labor."
"We'll let the doctor make that decision," he responded, "I'd rather be safe than have to deliver Frederick myself."
"Good point," she slipped into her coat.
The bodyguards immediately pounced on them the instant they emerged from the house. As Archie explained what was going on, one bodyguard suggested he would drive them to the hospital. Apparently, it was another perk Cheryl had insisted upon.
As predicted, it was indeed Braxton-Hicks contractions. Doctor Coffey assured them both that they did the right thing in coming to the hospital, and that any future contractions should be treated with similar urgency.
"I have to tell you, I'm relieved," Betty admitted as they rode home, "We're not ready for Freddie yet. The nursery isn't set up because we're waiting for your mom to help us."
"Maybe we can convince her into coming a bit earlier," his hand rested against her belly, "The doctors did say you might go into labor early."
"She also said I might not," Betty reminded him.
"Either way, I'll call Mom tomorrow," Archie replied.
Betty bobbed her head as she settled against him. By the time they arrived home, Betty was nearly asleep.
"Thank you so much for the help," Polly greeted Betty and Archie when they arrived at the farm at the edge of town with their bodyguards a car behind. Polly had already explained the protection detail to the owners in as general a way as possible, but she didn't want to make a big thing of it. The owners had been quite understanding. "I went to the pet store last night and was so totally overwhelmed by everything."
"We'll get you all situated," Betty assured her frazzled sister as an older woman came out of the nearby barn with a beautiful golden retriever at her side.
"Hi, Polly," the woman greeted her.
"Hello, Beverly," Polly smiled, "This is my sister, Betty, and her boyfriend, Archie. These are the people I told you earlier that were going to help me pick out the right puppy. Archie used to have a golden retriever, so I thought he could help me pick out the right puppy for me and the kids."
"The more the merrier," Beverly assured her before motioning towards the dog at her side, "This is Duchess. She's the puppies' mama. This is her third litter, so she knows what's up."
"Hello, Duchess," Archie knelt down to greet the dog who immediately ambled to his side. "She's a beautiful dog."
"And surprisingly fertile," Beverly smiled, "She just had a litter about a year ago. We were going to wait another year or so before we bred her, but she and Jock are quite the pair."
"Jock is the puppies' daddy?" Betty asked.
"Yes, he lives on a neighboring farm," Beverly explained.
"Is he also a golden retriever?" Archie continued to pet Duchess.
"Oh yes," Beverly bobbed her head, "Both dogs are on the golden retriever registry. They're the most mellow retrievers I've ever had."
"Let's see these puppies," Betty responded eagerly.
"They are adorable," Beverly led them to the barn about a hundred yards away, "They've had all their shots. They've been fully weaned from Duchess, and they're going through obedience and potty training. They will be ready by Christmas."
"What about socialization with young children?" Archie asked as they walked along, "Juniper and Dagwood are great kids, but they do have bursts of energy that might startle a young dog."
"I've got grandchildren about the age of Juniper and Dagwood," Beverly assured him, "They're here constantly, and we've had no issues with the puppies acting up."
"Okay," Archie bobbed his head as they stepped into the barn and were immediately greeted by a small pup that rubbed himself against Polly's ankles.
"Oh, my goodness," Polly bent down to pet the puppy. "Are we able to pick them up?"
"Absolutely," Beverly assured her, "You may handle them as you wish."
Polly immediately picked up the pup and cradled it in her arms. "It's going to be nearly impossible to decide. I want them all."
Betty and Archie stepped further into the barn to see several of the other puppies playing with each other in a penned in area. Archie knelt down to get to know each of them as Betty stayed back a bit, not that she didn't want to jump right in, but getting up and down was too much of a process for her.
"When does your baby arrive?" Beverly asked.
"We're five weeks out," Betty rubbed at her belly, "We're hoping that when our baby is about a year old that we'll get ourselves a puppy. Archie had a golden retriever for many years. Sadly, he lost him about the time he went away to college."
"Puppies and babies don't mix," Beverly replied, "That's a lot of work."
"That's what Archie said. That's why we're waiting," Betty stated as another dog came ambling into the barn. He looked on the young side but was clearly older than the puppies. He immediately sniffed out Archie and put his head in his lap.
"That's the puppies' older brother, Einstein," Beverly stated, "He was from Duchess and Jock's last litter. He's the sweetest dog, but we haven't found the right home for him. He's been very picky in not bonding with anyone."
Betty and Beverly watched Archie and Einstein together for a bit. It was clear that they were both becoming attached.
"Perhaps I've spoken to soon," Beverly amended her previous thought.
"Has he gone through all the same training as the puppies?" Betty asked.
"Oh yes," Beverly nodded, "My husband and I have been considering keeping him if we can't find him the right home in the next few months, but truthfully, we'd like him to find a forever home away from the farm."
"Is there any difference in a puppy versus a dog that's a year old?" Betty asked.
"They're a bit calmer," Beverly stated, "They're still young, and they still have some of the youthful exuberance. They're not yet set in their ways, so they're still adaptable to new environments."
"And how do they do with infants?" Betty bit her lip.
"Betty, are you thinking…" Polly stepped up next to her with the same puppy still in her arms upon hearing where the discussion was leading.
"Maybe," Betty continued to worry her lip with her teeth before she looked to Beverly.
"They do better with infants than puppies," Beverly assured her, "I've got some great tips to help get a dog ready to receive an infant. I'd be happy to pass them along."
Just then, Archie laughed as Einstein settled against him. He was clearly too preoccupied by the dog to hear anything Betty, Polly, and Beverly were discussing.
"Oh my gosh, sold," Betty whispered, "Any chance Einstein can stay here until Christmas?"
"My husband and I will be going out of town a few days before Christmas, so all the puppies will need to be picked up before we leave. Duchess will be going with us, and we'd planned for Einstein as well, but if he has his forever home…plans can be changed."
"We'll need to figure out how to work that out," Polly replied, "Obviously I wanted to wait until Christmas Eve to give the puppy to the twins."
"And I'd want to wait until Christmas Day to give Archie his present," Betty frowned.
"We'll figure it out," Polly assured her, "I'm sure we have some friends we can con into helping us."
"Archie and I could take the puppy for a day or two," Betty offered, "But obviously you couldn't take Einstein…Maybe Cheryl and Toni would be willing to dog sit."
"Assuming Toni hasn't had the baby by then," Polly chimed in.
"I'll be sure to get a backup or two," Betty replied.
Polly knelt next to Archie as she got his feedback on which puppy to select for the twins. Soon it was decided that the puppy nestled in Polly's arms would be the puppy they chose for the twins. They even settled on a name, Hugo. After a bit more time bonding, Polly with her puppy, and Archie with Einstein, it was time to leave.
"Would you mind if I came by occasionally to see Einstein?" Archie asked as they all walked to their vehicles. Einstein had followed Archie out and appeared to be glued to his hip.
"Of course," Beverly replied, "We always welcome visitors when we have puppies on hand. I was telling Polly and Betty that we expect to have all the puppies adopted by Christmas, but you're welcome any time before that."
"I told Polly that we'd take Hugo for a day or two before Christmas," Betty replied, "Beverly and her husband will be going out of town."
"Yeah, sure, we'll help out," Archie agreed as he helped Betty into the cab of his truck.
After making plans to come back for another visit to see Einstein, Beverly held the dog by his collar as Archie drove away. It looked like the dog had the urge to jump into the bed of the truck and ride home with them.
Archie was quiet on the drive.
"Arch, are you okay?" Betty reached for his hand.
"Yeah," Archie bobbed his head, "Bonding with Einstein brought back memories of me with Vegas. I remember when we first brought him home, and there was this instant connection."
"I remember," Betty smiled, "You two were nearly inseparable."
"Bad timing," Archie sighed.
"Yeah," Betty agreed, "Are you going to be okay?"
"Yeah," he bobbed his head again, "It's not like I won't see him again."
"Yeah," Betty agreed, "I think it's great that you're making those plans. Beverly said he's had a hard time finding his forever home."
Archie sighed heavily one more time and then did his best to put the attachment he felt to the dog out of his mind.
TBC…