Thank you for the reviews.

The title for this chapter might seem a little weird. It is because I wanted it to surround the naming of the baby without actually giving you the name right at the beginning, so the title is the meaning of the name... if that makes any sense. I mean it could have been a lot weirder. It could have been God spear if I used the name that I wanted to use...

Chapter Forty Three
Laughter

"I hate you."

Eddie did struggle to keep a straight face as Rachel said it. It was something she had been saying more but he could sympathise with her. He didn't think that being 35 weeks pregnant in 25-degree heat was the best and they were rather limited on ways to try and keep her cool.

"I thought the midwife said to not lie on your back."

"Is that really what you are going with?"

"Do you want me to run you a cold bath?"

"Now you are just fishing around for the right answer."

"I definitely preferred early pregnancy Rachel than late pregnancy Rachel."

"Is that your way of telling me I am being a grump?"

"I get it. You must be so uncomfortable in this heat. So I am going to run a cold bath for you just to put your feet in or to actually sit in. I'll send Philip to the shops to see if they have any of those ice creams that you have been weirdly craving."

"And I should get it when you are just trying to help. I'm sorry."

"It's fine."

"It isn't. I shouldn't take it out on you."

"No, but… just think how I might be in a few weeks time."

"Right pair we are."

"And that is why we work. Come on. Let's get you up."

Rachel gave him a look that meant that she didn't really want to move and she had almost stuck to the leather of the sofa as he pulled her up. He quickly ran to the kitchen and grabbed one of the ice packs from the freezer and a clean tea towel before he returned to her. He moved the hair from her neck and placed the ice pack on her neck.

"Does that feel any better?"

"A little."

"Well keep it there while I go and run that bath. Hopefully, it will help."

He didn't wait for her to answer but took some relief in the fact that she sighed as she leant back against the sofa. No, Rachel wasn't comfortable at all. But he had to try his best at trying to make her as comfortable as possible.

Rachel didn't like to admit that her, being pregnant, actually scared her slightly. The only thing really getting her through it all was Eddie's enthusiasm. She wanted children and she was over the moon when she found out that she was pregnant with both this one and Keria. But the longer this pregnancy lasted, the more worried she became and it didn't help when she started to notice Eddie's own anxieties over the impending birth. She knew he had a reason to be worried. She didn't think hers was overly justified.

But as their little one decided that they couldn't wait any longer as on 31st July, they decided that they wanted to meet their parents and Rachel couldn't particularly cope with it.

"Eddie, I'm not ready for this."

It was like he realised how scared she actually was about it all. He always knew what she was feeling but she knew that even he was shocked about how much she was freaking out.

"Rachel, everything will be fine. We will get you to the hospital and they will take you through it. You will be in safe hands. They will look after you and him and everything will be fine."

"This is my third pregnancy. This is the only one that I've seen through. What… what if I am never meant to be a mother?"

"You are. And you are going to be one of the best mothers. Now come on. Let's get going. Yeah?"

"I'm scared Eddie." She said as she pulled him back towards her.

"I know. That's why we need to go. I am not going to leave your side unless they make me. I am here with you throughout."

She found herself nodding at him and allowing him to pull her up off the bed. She knew everything was going to be okay. She was just overthinking things as usual.

Rachel only felt herself getting worse as they spoke about an emergency caesarean. It felt like Eddie was asking questions and not really getting any answers. There was even one of the nurses that told her that she should calm down and not worry because it might harm the baby. If there was one thing for certain, Rachel was sure that the baby knew that their mother was a worrier.

She knew everything was alright as Eddie started laughing. She knew that he wasn't laughing at the situation because she knew that he wouldn't find it funny that she had been cut open and their baby pulled out of her. But she knew that their baby was there and nothing was wrong.

It was a few moments later that this small human was passed over the paper screen and placed on her chest by one of the nurses. Rachel was certain that it was the relief that brought on the tears. She placed her hands on the babies back to keep them in place as they started to cry.

"You were right Rach," Eddie said as he placed a kiss on her forehead. "It's a boy."

"Well, I usually am."

She gave a short laugh before one of the nurses started to explain the next steps.

"Come on Rach. I'll take him for a little bit." Philip said.

Rachel knew that just because she was a mother now, that she wouldn't have all the answers when it came to why he was crying. Handing him over to Philip gave her a small break and the chance to sit down, realising that she had probably been doing too much as the stitches pulled on her stomach where the caesarean took place.

His cries seemed to calm down and Rachel could almost feel herself falling asleep when there was a knock at the door. Eddie pretty much ran to it, obviously stopping her from getting up.

"Are you up for visitors?" She heard Kim say.

"For you two, always," Eddie said.

"As long as they don't mind me in my pyjamas as well." Rachel said loudly.

It was Kim's smile when her and Tom walked into the living room that she was glad of. The whole house was filled with anxiety, with Eddie being the worst for jumping at the smallest of sounds. Rachel understood though. This was a big thing for him after what happened with Stephen. A couple of friendly faces was exactly what they needed.

"Tea? Coffee?" Eddie said.

"I'll just have a water Eddie," Kim said as she sat down next to Rachel.

"Coffee, mate," Tom said.

"Tea please." Rachel said.

She smiled at Eddie before she found herself leaning on Kim slightly.

"How are you feeling?" Kim asked.

"Sore. Tried. They eventually told us why they opted for a caesarean. Basically, I wasn't progressing as they thought and my age and being my first, they felt like it was best."

"Does that mean never again?"

"That is, at the moment, never again. He is all I've ever wanted. A child to call my own."

"So what have you named him?" Tom said as Eddie came back in with a couple of drinks.

"Isaac."

"Oh, I love Isaac," Kim said.

"So do we," Eddie said before he left again.

"I know it is sort of popular but it is only every so often you hear it." Rachel said.

"Philip seems to be doing well with him," Tom said.

"I think I am the calmest one out of them," Philip said.

"I would agree with that. Although I am loving being waited on hand and foot." She said as she sat up a little straighter as Eddie joined them properly.

"Anything to stop you from doing things you aren't meant to." He said as he handed over her drink.

"Who wants it?" Tom said as he held up the bag.

Eddie nodded his head to her and she placed down her drink before she took the present off Tom.

"You would have had it at the end of term but somehow the collection got given to Steph and she held on to it for a bit," Kim explained. "So much so that it was still at school when I turned around to her on the last day, when we were at the pub, to ask where it was. It is only a couple of things but hopefully, they will help you out."

In the bag, there were a couple of baby grows as well as an outfit for him to wear when he was a little older and a stuffed rabbit. She placed the clothes back in the bag to take them upstairs later but left the rabbit on the coffee table. She leant back on the sofa.

"You'll have to thank everyone on the first day back, Eddie."

"I will."

"Does anyone want a cuddle?" She said as she realised that was probably one of the reasons that they came round as well thinking that Isaac was calm enough to start being passed around.

Kim was right up for it, obviously the maternal side of her coming into play. If anything, Eddie and Tom went into a conversation about football while Philip said he was going upstairs for a bit. If Rachel didn't feel so tired, she probably would have been better company for Kim but instead, with her son in safe hands, Rachel found her eyes closing, taking the 'five minutes' that she had thought she was going to take earlier.

"Knock knock." Rachel said as she walked into her office.

"You're not back already," Chris said as he walked over to her and gave her a hug.

"No, just thought I had better show Isaac off."

She walked over to the table to place the car seat on there. There are certain people that just have the maternal and paternal genes. Chris was one of these people. Probably a popular trait among most teachers.

"How are you?"

"Tried. I bet Eddie has been complaining a bit."

"Not really. I walked in here on Thursday and he had his head on the desk, asleep. I kinda left him to it and just gave him the rest of the period to kinda have a bit of time by himself."

"Probably best. We don't get that at home now."

"I thought you were going to come in next week," Eddie said as he joined them in the office.

"He is having one of his calm days. I thought it was best to take that opportunity as I am sure he is going to be passed between people. Plus, I hate being at home by myself all day."

"Shall we get to the staffroom before the lunchtime rush starts?"

"Good idea."

Eddie could tell that Rachel was close to falling asleep and it took him a while to convince her that it was probably best for her to get an hour or so while he looked after Isaac. Leaving her in her office, he carried their son around the school, telling him all about it, even though he was only five weeks and slept through most of the walk.

He placed his hand over Isaac's ear and gently pressed the other against his chest as the bell rang and placed himself against one of the walls as the students started to move around the corridors. Comments were dropped about how cute Isaac was as the students passed him.

It might have been weird for Rachel to not be there but both her and their son was precious to him. He wouldn't want it any other way, especially when he returned to the office with a slightly more awake Rachel, talking about how they should try and find some time later to try and plan a little bit more of their wedding.