May 10th 2022
Chapter 130
Our Power to Greet
It had been decided, at the start of the week, that the first day after school let out for the holidays would be spent at home, as a family. Yes, they were barreling toward Christmas and New Year's, which would mean a lot of activity and preparation, but they would be doing no one any favors – least of all their pregnant contingent – by overdoing things. A day of peace was more than called for. So, that was what this day was set out to be, and that was what it started out as.
"You know, I mean this in the most loving way… You are such a dork…" Maya declared in a whisper as she woke up to find Lucas in talks with their unborn child, specifically calling up their 'top choices' – girl and boy alike – on baby names like he was trying to get some reaction, awaiting a kick as though it would at once pronounce itself on the name it preferred.
"Yeah, but if it works, it'll be a good story someday," he reasoned, and she made a noise of some approval.
"Any takers so far?" she curiously asked. She couldn't say how long he'd been at this, and she only had vague recollections of her dreams, though from past experiences, she was almost sure the baby had been moving around not too long ago.
"Thought I'd felt something for Alexander, but then you moved at the same time," Lucas informed her, and she mouthed a sheepish 'sorry.' "Definitely felt a little kick for…"
Whatever name the baby had supposedly shown approval of, they were interrupted by the sound of Lucas' phone vibrating on the nightstand. He and Maya exchanged a look. Speaking of babies… It could have been something else, but going by the time of this call, and the fact that the twins had been defying their due date, there was no doubt in mind of who was on the line, or at least what the call was about. Ella was actually the one to call, letting her parents know that Chiara was absolutely in labor, and they were getting ready to go to the hospital. Lea had gone running across the street to let the guys know.
"I'm going to be honest here, I was really hoping for something other than a 'relaxing day,'" Maya told Lucas as they hurried out of bed. They were Houston bound.
After a brief debate – amid giddy outcries from Marianne off to get dressed in her room – it was decided that they'd leave the triplets with their grandparents on the way. As much as they would have loved to have them there to meet the new babies, there was no telling how long they'd have to wait, and it felt more reasonable to keep them from going through that. Anyway, both Melinda and Katy had been asking to have the three of them for some unspecified Christmas purpose, so it was an efficient solution to bring them their granddaughters while the rest of the family continued on.
"Okay, last chance, pumpkin, what do you think?" Lucas looked into the rear view mirror as they crawled to a stop on the long road to Houston. He didn't have to specify any further and she was already thinking. Ever since she'd been told that her aunts and uncles were having twins, fraternal ones at that – she knew what that meant, they'd told her – she'd been determined to guess what they would be. They weren't going to know until the Mantovani twins were born, so she'd had months to bounce between 'two boys,' 'two girls,' and 'one boy and one girl.' She could have her mind set for a whole week or two like she could change her mind three times in the same day. Whether she actually felt that she knew or she was just trying to cover as many bases as possible, they couldn't say. All they knew was that it had been an amusing little period in their lives and now finally they would have an answer.
"One boy and one girl," Marianne finally pronounced her choice, hands stretched before herself to indicate one baby and the other.
"You sure?" Maya smirked.
"Or!"
"There it is…" Maya whispered, and Lucas grinned.
"One girl and one boy," Marianne continued, never hearing her mother. Silence followed for a few seconds, like they had to wait in case she changed her mind again. When they pointed out that she'd said the same thing twice, she shook her head at them. No, she hadn't said the same thing. They didn't know which one would come first, right? She knew what order her little sisters had come, so she wouldn't be completely right if it was the other way around. "Girl, boy," she nodded again. Yes, that was her final choice.
"Alright, no take backs," Lucas reminded her, and she understood. She was certain.
Whether she was right or not, the answer had not come along by the time they arrived at the hospital. Everyone was still arriving, so even as the three Friars were coming into the waiting room and catching up with those who were already there – Ella and Lea, who were looking after Giulia, Connor, and Jae along with Tori – they were soon joined by the Babineaux and Orlando families. Marianne was not the only one who'd been wondering at what the babies would be, and as everyone settled in for the wait, there was more talk of boys, and girls, and one of each… The kids wanted to go to the gift shop, but they weren't sure what to get, not until they knew.
The 'debate' fizzled out in time, and the wait continued on, turning into one hour, and two, and three… Five hours… They had lunch together, tried to get some updates… Giulia disappeared off with Mia at one point, the two six-year-olds eventually brought back by a nurse, who revealed that they'd gone in search of Chiara's room, to find any of Giulia's parents so one of them could let her know what was going on with her mother. At least, the excursion hadn't been for nothing. Everything was fine, it was just taking a long time. They had to keep waiting.
Later on, according to all four of her parents, it would be decided that their big sister's visit had finally convinced the twins to hurry themselves down. Barely ten minutes had gone by since Giulia and Mia had been brought back, and as the group was discussing dinner options, Ray came along, a bright and telling look in his eyes even as Connor and Jae ran to him, Giulia on their heels.
"Is Mamma okay?" she asked.
"Yeah, she's good, she's tired," Ray promised his daughter, and she joined the pile-up hug with her little brothers.
"The babies?" Dylan asked.
"Both here, both perfect," Ray told his friends, to their great delight and relief.
The obvious question after this was The Question, the one that had been on everyone's minds. They would get their answer, but not in that moment, not from him. They would find out when it'd be their turn to go and visit. First, the new big sister and brothers would get to go and find out and meet their new siblings.
"Still sure?" Lucas asked as he walked up the hall with Maya, Marianne between them and holding his hand.
"Girl, boy," Marianne insisted, and her parents quietly chuckled. They hadn't asked her for her predictions on her own future sibling lately and they had to wonder what she had in mind there…
That one wouldn't be determined for a little under four months, so for the time being they'd be glad to know the answer with regards to the Mantovani twins.
Chiara had very understandably dozed off by the time they walked into the room, so her visitors kept as quiet as they could. The babies were presently in Asher and Sophie's arms, the two of them in identical blankets, so whatever details could be shared by now would be given by the new parents.
"Which one was first?" Marianne whispered with importance. The trio chuckled, and Asher stepped up, crouching so the girl and her parents could all see the firstborn twin.
"This here is Valentina. It was my godmother's name, my favorite aunt," Asher revealed. "We're not sure if we'll shorten it yet, we'll see." Marianne had her giddy hands collected to herself as she looked back up to her parents. Even as they were feeling their own bit of joy at meeting their friends' new daughter, they knew their own girl was thrilled to find she was currently halfway to a victory. When Sophie came up to crouch next to Asher, to bring both babes into view together, the five-year-old could barely contain herself, so much that Lucas had to quietly remind her not to be so loud that she'd wake Chiara or make the babies cry. Marianne responded to this by holding her hands to her mouth, just in case.
"What did she decide?" Sophie had to ask, looking back up to Maya and Lucas with a grin.
"Girl, boy," Marianne whispered from between her fingers. Sophie turned her look back to her, signalling for the girl to lean a bit closer. When she did, Sophie replied, just loud enough for all three Friars to hear.
"Nailed it… You got it right," she added when Marianne showed she didn't understand the expression. "He's called Santiago. That was Asher's grandfather's name," she explained, even as Maya and Lucas looked to their friend. They'd both known the man though he'd been gone for many years. With both of the twins, as Asher had been the one to get to choose, the names made a great deal of sense. Two meaningful names, for meaningful people…
For someone who had been so eager to see if she'd had it right, Marianne took her victory with great humility. She got to hold both babies briefly in turn, just as her parents did. She was so looking forward to when her sibling would be born, Maya and Lucas knew, especially for the chance to hold the baby just like this. It had been a completely different situation back when Kacey, Remy, and Lucy had been born… She remembered it, as she'd told her parents, but now that she was even older, oh… She wanted to know everything she could, practice everything she could, all in preparation for her new little brother or sister.
By the time they made it back home, the pumpkin was asleep, and she was shuffled off to bed in no time.
"Okay, what are the odds that tomorrow can be a relaxing day… Kind of coming around to that…" Maya breathed when she finally and blessedly got to take her shoes off.
"Say the word, I'll make it happen," Lucas declared, and she chuckled, assuring him with a nod that she had no doubt on his vow. Now, he was sidling on over to her, hands landing at her sides, and she bowed her head with a laugh.
"Are we doing this again?" she asked him. "Think Tiny's asleep, no poll for you."
"It's better in the morning anyway," he shrugged, and she made a noise that amounted to 'yeah, right.' After a few moments, he smiled, and she caught his eye, wondering. "I say girl…"
"Is that force of habit, or…" she teased, even as she felt her heart give just a bit of a flutter.
"Just feels that way," Lucas told her. "Maybe it's like you say, but… maybe it's just that that's the answer."
"Well…" Maya looked down at herself. "I guess I've been thinking that way, too," she admitted. "Not that I want to find out, I still want to wait… if for no other reason than to see how giddy Marianne will get by the end…" Lucas laughed. "Let me know how the poll goes in the morning?"
"Will do."
TO BE CONTINUED
See you tomorrow! - mooners
