Alexis woke the next morning to no pregnancy-related nausea. And this was good. After orienting herself with her surroundings, she remembered that she'd fallen asleep in Alexandra's bed. It was very comfortable.
But… Alexandra wasn't there. The bed was otherwise empty.
Alexis did just as quickly find a note on her girlfriend's pillow. Come down to the kitchen. I'm making breakfast. The bathroom is yours to freshen up in. Bette won't be up. For awhile —Allie
One fully-completed trip to the bathroom and freshening up-session later, Alexis made her way down to the kitchen. Alexandra was hard at work. But she paused upon being joined.
"How are you? No nausea?" she asked after they'd hugged and kissed each other hello.
"Uh-uh." said Alexis before flickering her eyes up towards the upper hall momentarily. "How long do we have before Half Pint wakes up?"
Alexandra glanced at the clock on the stove, calculating, before answering her. "Fifteen minutes. Twenty, if we're lucky. Why? Still thinking about… what you suggested we do before she joins us?"
"Mhm." Alexis nodded. "Is that okay?"
"Absolutely." Alexandra went back to cooking. "I am all ears. But I can't have our food burning. That would suck."
Alexis regarded the array of delectables on the stove and the counters. She couldn't name everything. But it looked great. And… Like it was not quite done. Yet.
But Alexis maintained her focus. "Okay. Your parents clearly believe in letting you make your own choices, now that you're a parent. My family? Navigating that turf. I'm sure they'll all figure it out. When do you want to talk about it? And I mean with everyone?"
"Hm." Alexandra gave it a thought. "What about... after your birthday?"
A bout of reason caught up with Alexis now. "Good point. This is a busy season, isn't it?"
"Uh-huh. I'm not saying let's do it within forty-eight hours of your twentieth, though. Just some some time after then."
"Okay. I like the sound of that." Alexis felt relief. "Thanks, Allie."
"You are very welcome." Alexandra paused briefly to kiss her. "And now I have a thought of my own we should ruminate on. Or… Whatever. Do you have any idea of when you would like to be moved in here by? Officially?"
"I do. Actually, it helps that we've got the other part already hammered out."
"Go on." encouraged Alexandra. "What are you thinking?"
"Sometime before I'm too huge. Like a beached whale. It'd be nice to be settled without having to immediately focus on Baby Bean. What do you think?" Alexis' words almost came out in a rush. "Too vague?"
"Not in any way." Alexandra spoke in a tone most affirming. "What you've proposed is a rough draft of a timeframe. And a good one. By the way…"
Alexis watched Alexandra lay the rest of their breakfast on to an awaiting serving plate before saying, "Do tell."
The older woman turned off the stove eye and set aside the spatula she'd been using. But then she moved closer to her girlfriend. Touched both hands to Alexis' middle.
"I will always love you no matter what size you are." she told Alexis. "And when your stuff is here, I will not rush you with getting settled. Your feelings are valid. Getting your bearings is normal. Hang out with Bette. Learn from her, teach her some things from your world. Add your touches around here any way you like. Go at your own pace. I will not rush you. That's a promise."
Very nearly, Alexis almost proposed on the spot. What stopped her? A tremendous rumbling from her stomach.
"Oh, I heard that." Alexandra caressed Alexis' hip. "I guess that Baby Bean must be hungry."
"Mhm. Both of us are. And thank you for the promise. I love knowing every word of it." Alexis then looked at the food array. "I smell eggs, bread, and beans, too. But… There are some other smells going on in here that I can't place. What else have you made?"
"Breakfast bangers, black and white puddings, and boxtys." Alexandra carefully indicated her last item when she noticed Alexis' adorable confusion. "Boxtys are the motherland's version of the potato pancake."
Alexis eyed the plate of them that Alexandra was pointing to before looking back to her. "When you say 'motherland,' you mean Ireland?"
"Uh-huh. My parents taught all of us, including their children-in-law, to cook Irish dishes. But our kid prefers Irish food to American food. So… I make these things a lot. And I will be teaching you, before long."
Alexis heard her words but voiced a different thought. "Horatio and Zadie weren't born here. Were they?"
"Correct. Took you long enough to make that connection. They're from two different parts of Ireland. But… How they met is a wild story." Alexandra laughed. "Have you ever been to Ireland?"
"No. But it's on my list of places to go some day."
"Then we'll go. Together." Alexandra squeezed Alexis' hands gently. "Now can you please go get Bette up? She'll ask for help if she needs it. But we can't start breakfast without her."
Pleased and touched that Alexandra was gently easing her into Lilibet-related responsibilities, Alexis headed back up the stairs. Family life. This was hers. And she loved it.
Before long, the family fell into normal conversation at the breakfast table as if the three of them did this every day together. It was pleasant. And… Once more… Alexis found that she could absolutely get used to it. Because this was a new kind of paradise. One she greatly loved.
Alexis' thoughts drifted towards the end of the meal. Not to any place bad. But… Just enough that Alexandra noticed.
"Hey." she came around the table and sat in the empty chair beside Alexis'. "What are you thinking?"
Alexis gave Alexandra a kind smile. "I really wish I could hold a baby. That is one thing."
Alexandra winked. "Bellamy Grace is due in a week."
Upon hearing mention of her precious auntie, Lilibet looked up from her now-empty breakfast plate. "Time for my Freya?"
"Not yet. Easy does it." Alexandra eyed her offspring's plate before tacking on an extra thought. "If you're done, please tidy up before you go play."
They watched the little girl follow through before actually skipping out of the room.
"I know you'll be able to hold Freya in due course," Alexandra told Alexis as she turned back to her. "But I understand what you mean about wanting to hold a baby because I totally feel it when Bette gets lovey-dovey. All the time. When did you last hold a super little one?"
"It was ages ago. But… I also dreamed about Freya last night, and that she came on my birthday."
"Who knows? Little ones arrive whenever they please, but Freya might actually pick your day." remarked Alexandra. "Wouldn't that be lovely? Horatio and Zadie have always considered that kind of thing as good luck."
"Birthday sharing?" said Alexis.
"Uh-huh. Emilie and Bellamy obviously share because they're twins," Alexandra next turned thoughtful. "But… I supposed there's one thing I should add on to the saga that was Lilibet's birth… Uh… It was Jenny's birthday."
"Pardon?" Alexis had not been expecting this. Whatsoever.
"Yep. One reason I had such a meltdown that day, on top of everything else, was because I was worried her day was ruined. But Jenny held me. Dried my tears. Told me that helping Bette make it into the world was the best thing she'd ever done on her birthday." now Alexandra cleared her throat so she didn't fall down a rabbit hole. "Does Bette know her birth story? No. But she knows loves that she shares with Jenny. Bette worships her."
"I noticed that at Sunday dinner. And that Jenny dotes on her. Does anyone else in the family share a birthday?" Alexis hastily tacked on an afterthought. "Besides Emilie and Bellamy, I mean. Since they're twins."
Laughing, Alexandra gave Alexis an honest reply. "No. Shockingly. Just them, and Jenny and Bette. Nobody else."
"Wild... Now I'm really hoping that Freya and I will share a day. It'd be heaven. As well as a great story to tell her when she gets bigger."
"I like your attitude. That's the ticket." Alexandra patted Alexis' hand. "What else were you thinking about?"
"Honestly? Kate again." Alexis leaned back in her seat. "She used to have a preference for wanting to be alone because of something that happened a long time ago. But... It hasn't really been until these past few years that she's come learn how happy we are happy to know her. Love her. Call her family."
"But you're also thinking about how your dad is traveling right now. And that Martha is practically living at her acting studio." Alexandra began cottoning on. "Even though we did at least talk about a timeframe of you moving to this address… you feel as if you should take care of Kate? Because she also has precious cargo?"
"Mhm." Alexis nodded. "That's exactly it. Even though I grew up in that loft… I've always been taking care of other people."
"You were a super independent kid." Alexandra arched an eyebrow. "Is that true?"
"Yeah. Being a child of divorce twice before the age of ten can gave that affect on some people."
"Have you ever let someone else take the reins? Given… what happened in Paris… and what half of this year has been? Just for you?"
"No." Alexis absently rubbed her middle. "I've… Always been alone."
"Someone such as Kate no doubt promotes letting people just be themselves. And… About that 'something that happened a long time ago,' we know about Johanna. Kate probably just wants you to be you." Alexandra then indicated Alexis' middle. "I am going to look after you. Even though my family helped me when I carried Bette, I still did a lot of things alone. And… that was a bummer. I don't want it for you. Especially after what you've been through. Already."
By this point, Alexis was at a loss for words. But in a good way. Just what had she done to deserve Alexandra Joy Ryan?
She paid rapt attention as the other woman went on.
"Taking care of people is a wonderful thing to do. But your biggest responsibility at the moment is looking after the baby. Putting whoever is in there first, ahead of yourself. Seriously. Out of everyone in the whole world, they're the only one wholly dependent on you. Even more than our little darling in the next room. Alexis, you're only human. But your priorities are different now. Do you get it?"
Alexis let out a breath she hadn't even realized she was holding. "I do. Thanks. I love you."
Alexandra kissed Alexis on the cheek as she lighted up again. "I love you, too."
The smile that Alexis had had faltered when a new thought struck her. "And... You know something else? I've just realized that with us being in a busy season... with my dad also traveling, he'll be missing my birthday."
"Has that ever happened before?" Alexandra felt a tremendous weight of sympathy.
"It has never happened before. I mean... work is work when you're a best-selling author. But," Alexis' bottom lip wobbled. "I guess there is a first time for everything…"
"Hey, it's okay." Alexandra held Alexis' hand when she could see her composure crumble. "Getting your feelings out is normal. And healthy. The topsy-turviness will straighten out. I promise."
"Thank you." Alexis brought herself to a steady level. "I love that you take care of me like this. Means a lot. We aren't even married."
Not yet, Alexandra thought before she turned towards the dining room door and called out. "Bette! We need you!"
The little girl immediately dashed back in to where her parents were. And she made an astute observation.
"Mommy is looking sad." Lilibet joined them. "I... I can hug her?"
"Yes." Alexandra gave Lilibet a boost into Alexis' lap. "Mommy can do with hugs, big girl. And the baby. Can you do that?"
Lilibet gave an emphatic nod. "Yeah-huh!"
Lilibet pressed a small flurry of kisses to Alexis' bump before hugging the woman herself. And with all she had. Alexis loved her unconditionally. So… She would return the favor.
"Love you, Mommy. And the baby." Lilibet murmured. "So super much."
"We love you so super much, too." Alexis rubbed the little one's back gently. "The baby and I love you so super much. And forever. That is a promise. I keep mine. Forever."
She continued whispering kind words to the little girl. Fun plans she had for them. Alexis even asked about Lilibet's interests. Lilibet whispered her answers back. She only saw Alexis. And Alexis only saw her. They were content. Bonding.
Alexandra watched them. While she didn't know the pain of ending a relationship the way that Alexis had had with Pieterjan VanTilburg, she understood the rest of it. Heartache. Feeling alone. Topsy-turvy emotions. A changing body. Everything. It was a lot. But she understood.
And… Would Alexandra change how she had gotten to this day?
Nope. Not at all.