(And baby makes 3, 4, and 5)
"Him"
"What?"
"Why not Rafe? He's great looking good hair nice teeth good genes. I want Rafe"
It was three weeks before Ashlee's graduation and they were laying in bed after wonderful meal at Les Nomades trying to decide how to celebrate the fete but there were some time formidable constraints to consider. Less than a month after earning her bachelor's degree Ashlee was enrolling in to the master's program. Ava would have preferred that her wife take a longer break but come up against loud and frequent protests. The only person that might be more upset by the news was Doris. She'd just gotten used to the idea of not sending her money to the Ivy League when the acceptance letter was forwarded. Ava was trying her best to suggest an appropriate gift but each was shot down. Ashlee s didn't want to rush through a trip to London and sapphire earrings were too expensive. "So what am I allowed to buy?"
"I don't want you to buy anything but I do want you to get me something." Ashlee said cryptically eyeing Ava closely.
"You know I can't cook or sew right?"
"A half raw and half burnt chicken alfredo taught me that." Ashlee said rolling onto Ava's side before she asked quietly. "Do you love me Ava?"
"You know I do." Ava vowed.
"Do you trust me?" Once she witnessed Ava's instantaneous nod Ashlee asked another important question. "Do you trust me enough to say agree with whatever I'm asking?"
"Do you want a threesome?"
"What? Of course I don't want a threesome!" Ashlee yelled as she pushed Ava flat on the bed. Straddling her wife at the waist and holding Ava's hands above her head Ashlee stressed each word. "No one will ever touch you again except me. Do you understand? Ever."
"Ash I was just joking."
"Well I wasn't" Ashlee warned with her blue eyes flashing. "Stop stalling do you trust me?"
"Yes, now what the hell do you want?"
"Agree first."
"Ash"
"Agree."
Rolling her eyes Ava screeched "Fine yes. Yes. No matter what yes" thinking that she'd never live this down if Olivia heard this. I've spent the past five years building a reputation as a class A badass and Ashlee Wolf had strong armed her in less than an hour and Ava couldn't even blame the defeat on alcohol. "Just tell me how much I have to borrow from my mother."
"I just want us." Ashlee said with a tenderness and vulnerability that scared the other woman. It reminded Ava of the time that neither of them could believe that love had finally found them. She was back again in her San Francisco apartment waiting for Ashlee to call and promise that time and distance would never change her mind.
Stroking Ashlee's face Ava promised "You have us. You have me forever."
"I want more" and when she saw the hurt flash across her wife's face "I want a baby" Ashlee whispered.
The words 'you have got to be joking' almost slipped out but Ava had never been a stupid woman. She looked at her wife, really looked at her Ava immediately recognized the determination and resolve held there. It wouldn't be easy. Both pair of parentals would no doubt go a bit spastic at the idea of willfully becoming pregnant while in graduate school. But it wasn't their parent's life. The person Ava loved returned her love as deeply and as soulfully as it was given that was a blessing. "You're going to have our baby?" Ava said softly with increasing awe.
"Not me" Ashlee said with a hint of worry. "I would love to carry our child Ava but even I'm not focused enough to complete a masters pregnant. I was kind of hoping you would."
"Me?"
"Yeah. Remember I have one you have one?" and then scattered butterfly kisses all over Ava's brow and nose at the deepening creases. "Baby please don't worry. It won't happen again. I will take care of you and there won't be any of the stress from before." She could feel the panic and adrenaline flooding her system at Ashlee's mere suggestion. They had spoken of them both carrying a child in the hazy glow of satiation but Ava hadn't really considered it. Could she endure feeling another child ripening inside of her for nine months while fearing that it would be taken away. Again. "It won't happen again Ava. I won't let it." Ashlee stroked her lips across Ava's cheeks before finally pleading "Will you at least think about it before you say no?"
Ava nodded her head numbly "Yes"
"Really?" Ashlee laughed and smiled as a few tears fell down her face. "You'll truly consider it?"
"Yes I will"
"Thank you sweetie. That's all I really want. I don't mean to rush you. It's just hard for me to wait for everything that I want with you sometimes." They were sitting at the light on their way to the store two weeks later when Ava reached over from the wheel and took Ashlee's hand and smiled. "Okay I'm in."
"I'm glad that you're going to be mature about it but you were going to faculty mixer regardless. If I have to go to boring dinners with your clients you can at least meet my professors."
"I wasn't talking about that but thanks by the way" Ava said as she stuck out her tongue and continued as her wife complained of being teased while they were trapped in traffic. "No. I mean if you still want your gift then. I'm in." She wanted it too. True to her word Ashlee hadn't said anything more about a pregnancy afterward but Ava had known that she was waiting. They might kid each other but Ashlee would never suggest something they weren't ready for. If Ashlee was ready Ava was more than willing to follow. "I want to carry our baby." They didn't make it to the store that night.
Knowing that they wanted more children and that Ashlee would have to be the carrier Ava and Ashlee approached the only Spencer male in the family Sam. It had taken two attempts before success and they had a spare specimen should they ever desire another.
Augustino was laying between them trying his best to avoid sleep after a long night of coughing and crying. He was normally such a happy baby that whenever he was the least bit fussy both Ava and Ashlee were just as shocked as they were worried. It was a simple cold the doctor said and he wasn't suffering too badly. They had been packing to see Francesca's first game of the season. Everyone looked forward to their trips back to Springfield but Natalia had insisted that they stay away. Her nieto's health was more important than the opening of the soccer season she kept repeating as they spoke on the phone yesterday. "Natalia we can still come. He's going to be sleeping most of the time anyway." Ashlee tried again to reason with her mother-in-law.
"No, as much as I'm going to miss my mijo I want him to feel better more." As far as the Latina was concerned it was the final say on the matter. All the grandmothers' opinions matter but there was no denying the intense connection that Natalia and Stino shared. Even before Rafe was outed as their donor Natalia had a huge influence on the boy. It was her voice that most soothed the restless child in the womb other than Ashlee. Hers were the first arms he ran towards when they entered the small town.
"And you're sure you want to do this again so soon?" Ava asked again as she rubbed her son's back to ward away his tears.
"Yes" Ashlee said watching the boy and her wife closely. It still amazed her to see the drastic change in Ava's attitude towards their son. At one point Ava had flatly refused to even look at him for fear of losing him as she had lost Max. In her heart Ashlee had known that eventually her wife would win out. Fear and the pain wouldn't hold back their destiny but it had been hard. There were many nights she'd not only fallen asleep with tears but woken with them as well. There wasn't anything that Ashlee loved more than seeing her wife caring for their son. The possibility of seeing Ava taking care of another son or daughter was her heart's dream. "I want don't want him to grow up alone like we did."
"But we could wait another year or two or at least until things slow down. Maybe when you finish school."
"I'm always going to be in school Ava and you're always going to be busy with the hotel. I'm healthy now and I want to have your baby regardless of what else is going on in our lives." With a low trembling voice Ashlee asked "Do you not want another one?"
"Of course I do. I want to be the one taking care of you this time. Lets see what you think of those ice chips you kept stuffing down my throat." Ava laughed as she reached over and grabbed Ashlee's hand. "So we're going to have a baby?"
"We're having a baby"
Ash is fine and in a few minutes I'll introduce everyone to the new additions but first you come here Cookie Monster I have some folks I want you to meet"
"Did she say folks? Did they have more than one kid?"
"So have you decided if you want to know the sex?" The doctor asked again as Ashlee lay on the table during the ultrasound. Each time he asked either Ava or Ashlee had changed their mind. Both decided earlier that it was all or none proposition. Neither could be trusted to keep a secret like this for long but the love of surprises and mounting anticipation were competing. They loved having a son but were hoping to experience a daughter but some maybe another male in the sea of estrogen would be good for their boy. "So?"
"Ash?"
Taking Ava's hand Ashlee looked to the screen as said "Yes we want to know."
"What do you want mama Ashlee?" The doctor asked as he slid the senor and the gel around her expanding stomach.
"A girl would be good." Ashlee said looking up towards her wife. "Right?"
"I don't care what we have as long as it's healthy and happy but a matching set would be good."
"How about one of each?"
"Uh?" Ava asked confused but Ashlee's eyes went wider than ever thought possible. "One of each?" she asked numbly.
"What do you mean? One of each what?"
"So we're having a girl"
"And another one of the same on the side."
"Twins. Oh my God we're having twins?"
"Nuh uh. What are you talking about."
"Ava we're having twins"
"Who said?"
Laughing the short man said "I said" as he moved to print out the results. "I think you might have gone overboard on the not making Stino an only child but more business for me."
"We're having twins?" Ava asked as her brain finally caught up. "A boy and a girl?"
"They always warned me to stay away from those Spencer girls." Ashlee teased as she kissed her wife.