Chapter Twenty-Two
I Disclaim, I still don't want too, but I do
Leila leaned against the doorframe and watched her boys. Her son was three months old and the world revolved around him, not just in her eyes, but his father's, his sister's and everyone in his family. After his birth Dave was transformed back into the reliable, mature, thoughtful person everybody knew he was. He did his best to ensure Abby and Maggie didn't feel neglected or that he loved them less. Dave would take his three kids out for a few hours so Leila could rest or get some work done. If the girls weren't with them, he would have father-son time and take him to the park and roll in the grass, lie in the sun, walk around, anything Dave needed to do, his son went with him.
He was still overprotective of Leila and the baby, but he handled it better, more subtle. There would be no nannies or babysitters unless a family member was in town. Not even his daughters were suitable sitters, despite their many attempts. He explained to them he was away long enough through the week and wanted every moment with the three of them.
Dave was sound asleep on the couch with his pride and joy asleep on his chest. Dave was only wearing workout shorts and her son was only sporting a diaper. She got the camera and took a few photos of her boys. She couldn't help but tear up looking at them. They had withstood a great deal to reach this point, she was still battling her own demons but it was starting to produce positive results. The nightmares were subsiding and she took her son to visit her mother. All Dave needed was a kick in the ass and he fixed his shit. Granted the kick scared the fuck out of him and he thought he'd lost them both, but it worked itself out and now he was nothing but perfection in Leila's eyes. She no longer felt the need to run, no longer cowered if Dave was angry.
They were getting married in three months and the plans were in full swing. Everyone said how hard and stressful it was to plan a wedding, but Leila had no problems and enjoyed the experience. Oh yeah, a wedding planner helps a lot. The location was still being debated but she knew she'd win out in the end. Dave was hands on and participated in the planning of every little detail, actually he did most of the planning. The only thing she was doing was her dress; Stephanie had control of the bridesmaid's dresses. Now that she thought about it she hadn't actually done anything since the initial meeting with the planners. Dave and Stephanie knew what kinds of food she liked, her cake flavors, her colors, her invitees; all she did was meet with her designer. Holy shit this better be nice.
She smiled through her tears as her son made small noises and sucking movements with his mouth and tongue. Each time he made a noise or slightly moved Dave's grip became tighter, even sleeping his instincts were in full swing. He was Dave through and through, same hair color, although her son had considerably less, same chocolate eyes, same facial features. He had Leila's full pillow lips and eye shape. He would be stunning when he was older. She walked over and covered them with a blanket and couldn't help but place kisses on them both. She breathed in the scent of her son, that unmistakable smell of your own child. You could pick out your child anywhere just by his scent, he knew Leila's too. She thought it was just his need to feed, he knew the smell of breast milk and when she was going to explode.
His little tongue stuck out between his lips and he made the sweetest faces and sounds. Smiling was something she did all the time now. It couldn't be stopped and she didn't try. Between her soon to be husband and her baby boy, her life was extraordinary. She went to the office she now shared with Dave. Somehow somewhere more photos appeared and they were of her. A lot of the artwork she had initially hung up was now gone and replaced by photos of her and the baby. A black and white of her and her son was blown up to poster size and hung next to Dave's desk. He was one month in the picture and she was holding him out in front of her. He was sleeping and she was wearing the same smile she still couldn't get rid of to this day.
She checked her email and she had 25 new messages, most from the family demanding more pictures. She had been surprised when Vince announced on the WWE website that she and Dave had a baby. Image after all is key in this business and Dave's had yet to change. He had already argued a few times with Vince that he would not under any circumstances be removing his ring once he and Leila were married. He had agreed a few years ago back when Evolution was formed and to follow the 'Animal' persona. Not anymore, he would be wearing it at all times and only removing it to wrestle. He was so adamant about the issue Vince had given in to Dave. She replied to Michelle, Stephanie, Linda and his sister, she would email photos later today, she had just taken more.
She needed to go to another fitting and left a note for Dave. She couldn't resist the urge to kiss them again and headed out the door. Her designer was freaking out a bit because Leila was growing in all the wrong places. Her breasts kept getting bigger and bigger to accommodate her son's feeding habits and her waistline was getting smaller. Her designer was worried she'd have to start over at the last minute and make an entirely knew dress. She had been given an unlimited budget and they knew if she had to create another design they'd still have to buy the first one. She told Dave they could save it for the girls and he only groaned.
Stephanie was there with the designer and they were both being fitted. "Holy shit, Lei. Your fucking boobs are massive." She couldn't resist squeezing them knowing they'd make Leila leak milk.
"Yes, but mine are real." She replied and kissed Steph. "I should make you pay for doing that and force you into turquoise or teal." She smiled as Steph groaned. Dave's daughters and Michelle were being measured in DC and the assistant was relaying the totals to the designer, they'd be finalized the three days before the wedding. They'd scheduled the wedding as close to the end of the school year as they could so the girls wouldn't miss anything. "What's going on with the planning and why don't I know jackshit?"
"The planning is fine, but I will tell you this. You've been excluded on purpose, Dave's decision." Steph stood on the stool in front of the three mirrors acting all nonchalant as if she didn't just drop a bomb on Leila, who by the way was glaring at her friend. "What?"
"Explain." She replied with her hands on her hips.
"I can't. I promised." Steph held up three fingers like she swore on it.
"First of all, only boy scouts use the three fingers, second when have you ever kept a promise when it involves me?" Leila shot a look that meant a teal dress was in Steph's future.
"Alright, he wants to do something special for you, keep the stress away, and let you enjoy being a mother." As if that was good enough she looked at Leila who's expression hadn't changed. "I'm not kidding, he's doing an awesome job with the planner, who I adore, and it's just so wonderful and that's all you get."
"What am I supposed to do, just show up at a designated location at a designated time?" Leila thought it was the most incredible thing Dave could do, but she'd never tell.
Steph nodded and Leila dropped the subject. She would let them plan it and she would enjoy her baby. Even if it was in their garage it was fine as long as she was married to Dave. Okay, maybe not the garage, but anywhere was fine. She smiled through the rest of the fitting thinking of how Dave was fairing with planning a wedding and traveling three or four days a week. No wonder he's napping at home.
"How is the little guy anyway and why isn't he here?" Steph asked.
Leila's smile got bigger, "He's home napping with daddy." She said as she stepped onto the stool. Steph thought of the many times she'd seen Paul and Aurora napping together and she loved it too. There's something incredibly sexy about a man with a baby.
They finished the fitting and had lunch; all they talked about was motherhood and wrestling. Steph let Leila weigh in on some ideas for Dave, she had been careful not to link Dave with a diva, even though Leila knew it was only business, but it felt like she was betraying Leila, betraying their trust. She had tried it once with Melina and the fans reacted negatively so she just let Dave be Dave. They agreed to meet for dinner at Steph and Paul's home and bid their goodbyes for now. She and Paul had been talking about the big changes they'd seen in both Dave and Leila and were happy for their friends, it was about time both of them found what they'd needed.
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Leila walked in and saw Dave sitting on the couch in the family room playing video games. Their son was propped up against him as if he were playing too. He was "showing" him the finishing moves of several wrestlers and explaining the techniques of the game. The ever present smile crept back onto her face as she watched them. Dave was amazing with the baby and she was so proud of them both. She crossed the room and picked up her son causing Dave to get body slammed by HHH. She knew she shouldn't block the tv when he's trying to play the game, but she didn't care, he could pause it.
Dave growled when he got body slammed and paused the game. He grabbed her and threw her on the couch as best he could since she was holding the baby. "How was your morning?" He asked and kissed her.
"It was good, what have you two been doing?" She kissed Dave and their son. "Oh, dinner at Steph and Paul's." She kissed him again. And again. Pizza, he made pizza for lunch. His kisses were addictive and she could just sit here and do nothing else but feel his mouth on hers.
"There's something for you on your desk." He whispered as he kissed her neck. She giggled as his nuzzling tickled her. "Go see it, it's important." He pulled her up and took the baby as the three of them went into the office. She saw the large envelope and who it was from; tears were instantly in her eyes. She opened it and held up the certificate and the blue paper. His social security card and his birth certificate made everything so real. He had to laugh at her reaction but he wasn't surprised, it had the same effect on him. She wasn't dreaming these past few months, her life with Dave was real and her son proved that.
"He's official." She looked up at Dave and opened it. Leila wiped the tears and read the sheet. "Braeden Alexander Bautista." Dave held her close as her tears fell. "Thank you for letting me name him after my brother." He kissed her and put his forehead to hers as she gained control. It brought back a round of emotions both good and bad, neither of which she cared to relive right now. Dave never told her he doctored the voting that day in the hospital, he knew how important that was for her and he threw that in there even though only four out of the 11 in the room that day knew who Xander was much less the significance of the name.
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Now it was Dave's turn to watch Leila as she spent one on one time with their son. They were both in their jammies and sitting in the rocking chair in his room. This was no ordinary chair; this was from Pottery Barn and instantly became the favorite seat of anyone who sat in it. She cradled him and sang songs along with the radio. They had a special program they listened to every night and it soothed them both. As he watched the two of them each night he still wanted to kick his own ass for ever questioning this was his true place in this world. His own wounded pride and stubbornness had nearly cost him the two people he borderline worshiped.
His love for his son was not only unconditional but powerfully intense. He knew he had been too young and struggling too hard to realize the value of your own flesh and blood when the girls were small. He worked two jobs and he never had the chance to bond with them like he was able to do now. He couldn't get enough of the little man and was amazed he made him with Leila. They may not have known they were creating a life, but even after three months he couldn't imagine what this home would be like without him in it.
His unfathomable devotion and loyalty to Leila was so commanding it scared him at times. How did he ever live without her? How did he ever breathe without her? How could he ever go one more day without her as a prevailing figure in his life? It was the most absurd thing to him now, his behavior those months back. How utterly ridiculous to question or doubt what was blatantly obvious. He could physically feel his body's knowledge of its home; that home being Leila's partner; her best friend, her lover (best lover), her equal, her companion, her husband. Dave wanted to be everything Leila wanted and needed and everything she had yet to realize she wanted or needed.