"Well…" The midwife smiled as she finalised her searching, making sure she was one hundred percent sure, "You can tell them they're going to have a little sister."
AJ's voice hitched drastically as a tear rolled down her cheek, not believing that her wish had came true. She had never been happier. She turned to Punk, who despite himself was smiling like never before, she knew deep down that he wanted a daughter. Their family would be officially complete.
"It's really a girl?" AJ smiled with disbelief, feeling like this was too good to be true.
"Really." The midwife nodded, realising that the couple had been hoping for a girl by their reactions, "No more shopping in the little boy aisles anymore." She smiled, "I'll give you both a minute." She switched off the monitors and left the room.
AJ swung her legs round the bed and jumped down, smiling up at Punk with so much happiness.
"Looks like you got what you wanted." Punk smiled, wrapping his hands around his wife's waist, their baby daughter growing strong in AJ's grown tummy.
"I couldn't be happier." AJ smiled, wrapping her arms around her husband's neck, sharing this incredibly joyful moment with him, her smile lighting up the full room.
Punk didn't really know what he was smiling at anymore, either it was the fact the baby was healthy, the fact that the baby was a girl, or the fact AJ had got what she wished for and her smile was bigger than the moon. A combination of all three no doubt.
"Tate is going to be so mad." Punk chuckled, distinctly remembering Tate disliking the idea of a sister, Thomas however would be very pleased.
"He'll get used to it. They'll both love her. I know they will." AJ smiled, not really believing that she was using the term 'her' when speaking about the baby. The odds were never in her favour, she never had her wishes come true, besides this one. She really couldn't have been happier.
Later on…
AJ and Punk picked the boys up from Seth's on their way home from the hospital, not saying a peep to them until they got home, wanting the boys to be sat down and listening carefully without distractions. A new baby in the family wasn't just going to affect AJ and Punk, but Tate and Thomas too, they'd know doubt be jealous of the attention the baby girl would get.
"Can I go play?" Tate asked as soon as he got in the door to their home, Thomas following behind.
"No, not just now. I want you both to go into the living room." AJ said, watching the boys huff and puff, never the less doing what they were told and going into the living room, taking a seat on the carpet, crossing their legs and pushing one another.
"Stop it." Punk told them, only having to tell them once, watching them leave each other alone as their mother and father sat down on the couch in front of them.
"You guys know how mommy and daddy were away to see the baby today? Yeah?" AJ said, watching her sons nod with such lack of interest. They sometimes forgot there was a baby coming half the time.
"Well…" Punk clasped his hands together, "Me and mom found out what the baby is." Punk said, watching Thomas kneel up on his knees.
"Is it a girl?" Thomas smiled with hope as Tate sat still picking the carpet, still not taking interest, or acting like he wasn't interested, still listening in.
"Yeah." AJ smiled, "It is a girl." She ran her hands through Thomas's hair, enjoying the smile on her youngest son's face, her eyes wandering to Tate who just sat unimpressed by the news.
"Tate…" Punk said, "You're going to have a little sister." Punk told him, watching his son stand up.
"Don't want a sister!" Tate yelled, stomping his foot and running away while Thomas cuddled into his mother. Punk went to chase after Tate, but AJ held his arm back and shook her head.
"Leave him." She told Punk, "He just needs some time." She smiled. It was rather saddening her that one of her son's wasn't fond of the idea of having a little sister, but she was still on cloud nine regardless, her head far in the skies as she dreamt off into baby girl land, thinking of the clothes and the dollies, the soft long hair and the little hairbands and bobbles. She was still the happiest pregnant lady alive.
"What do you think we should call her, Thomas?" Punk asked his youngest, more enthusiastic son who was sitting on AJ's lap playing with her necklace, his head resting on her shoulder as he seemed to be rather tired.
"Don't know." Thomas just shrugged, too tired to think of names.
"I think you need a nap, huh?" AJ looked down to Thomas who nodded. He wasn't one of those kids who refused to admit they were tired. When he was tired, he would let his parents know so he could take a nap.
"I'll take him." Punk volunteered, "See if I can find our jealous first born to straighten him out." Punk said, joking of course, lifting Thomas up from AJ's lap and into his arms.
"Phil…" AJ tutted, "He's only four. Don't give him a hard time." AJ pleaded, not wanting Tate to be moaned at for not showing interest. She was sure it was common in many families to have an older brother or sister not like the idea of any more kids around the house.
"I won't." Punk promised, "I'll just talk to him." He said, "What are we doing for dinner?" Punk asked his wife.
"We can just phone pizza later." AJ shrugged, not in the mood to cook anything, watching Thomas turn around and stick his tongue out with a smile, "After your nap, mister." AJ said as he giggled and leaned his head against Punk's shoulder, leaving AJ smiling at his cuteness. Thomas had the cuteness to sucker anyone to giving him what he wanted.
Punk disappeared upstairs and headed to Thomas's room, tucking him into bed for his nap and leaving the room, moving along to Tate's and opening it up, the door moving a chair as he opened it.
"Is this your attempt to lock yourself in your room?" Punk asked his son who was sitting on the bed with his arms folded, refusing to look at his father.
"C'mon pal." Punk sighed, sliding in the door and walking over to Tate, sitting down on the bed beside him. At the end of the day, him and AJ needed to realise that they weren't as grown up as they sometimes thought. Yeah, Tate was starting school sometime next year, but that didn't mean they were ready to be disturbed by a new baby. It was bound to be hard, especially for Tate, he already had a younger sibling, Punk doubted he would want two.
"Why are you so mad?" Punk asked, speaking to Tate like he was his friend more than a son.
"I just like it… me and Thomas." Tate mumbled.
"I know you do, buddy. I know." Punk rubbed Tate's back in circles, "But… this is going to be different than having another brother. It's going to be a little girl and… I know, girls suck and boys rule, I get that in your little world. But you gotta at least try to accept it because… she is coming, wether you like it or not." Punk told his son straight.
Tate just sat still, refusing to respond or say anything.
"Moms really excited about the baby and… when she sees you upset, she doesn't get excited anymore." Punk said, "Can you at least… try, and get used to the baby coming?" Punk asked his son.
"Will you still play with me?" Tate asked, folding his arms and looking up to his father.
"Hey…" Punk said with sympathy, hurt that his son thought he would stop playing with him, "I'm always going to play with you… you and Thomas. Trust me, with all the pink and the barbies that's going to be around here, I'm going to need some guy time with my boys." Punk said as Tate smiled, "Nothing is going to change, things just might be a little louder, and pinker… but we can handle that… can't we?" Punk smiled to his son who nodded with positivity.
"Yeah." Tate smiled with a change of heart after being convinced that his father would still play with him and Thomas.
"Of course we can. Because…" Punk waited on Tate to finish for him.
"Because boys rule." Tate piped up with a smile of pride.
"Damn right they do." Punk nodded, "Put it there." He put his hand out as Tate high fived it.
Mission completed, and it didn't even take much. All Tate was really needing was a bit of guidance and reassuring. He was young and full of wonder and confusion. He just didn't want his father to have no time for him, which in Punk's account, would never happen.
"Ok…" Punk said, smiling at Tate swinging his legs off the edge of the bed, a positive feeling about his sister now in his mind, "Your brother has went for a nap. You look pretty tired yourself… do you want to catch some z's?" Punk asked his son who nodded, standing off the bed as Punk done so to.
"Mom's ordering pizza later, so when you wake up, you can get a bath with your brother and come downstairs to pick your pizza, yeah?" Punk said as Tate nodded with a tired smile, snuggling down into bed as his father tucked him in nice and snug.
Punk planted a kiss on Tate's head and began to exit the dark room, hearing a mumble that he heard ever word of.
"Love you, dad." Tate smiled as he shut his eyes, turning in his bed to drift off into his late afternoon nap.
Punk turned back with a smile of pride, nodding to himself, feeling like had done his good deed for the day, "I love you too, son." Punk whispered, walking out of the room and shutting the door.
He may have been excited for his daughter's arrival, but nothing could ever take away his strong bond with his two sons. Nothing.
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