I'm fast-forwarding this story six weeks....Enjoy!
So Excited
Thirty-six weeks today. The Delkos' baby boy was due any time now. Calleigh and Eric were still sure they were going to name him Ethan but knowing they could change their minds when they met their son if he "didn't look like an Ethan." they didn't make that decision final. Being so pregnant naturally made Calleigh more irritable and quicker to snap at people. Alexx told her it was completely normal for her to have a shorter fuse right now. The mother of two smiled when Calleigh told her she wasn't making herself feel bad about her short fuse but she was really trying to make sure if she did snap at anyone, it was Eric or some other adult, not Chloe.
Chloe was her mom's little entertainer right now. The three-year-old only went to daycare in the mornings now. Daddy got her dressed in the morning and dropped her off. Nana picked her up afterwards and then stayed with her and mommy so mommy could relax and not have to cook and do housework.
Calleigh was just waking up from a mid-afternoon nap and she saw her little girl standing in her doorway, her bare feet sticking out of her jeans, holding the book Green Eggs and Ham in her hands. Chloe didn't want to 'bother' mommy. She asked mommy when daddy was getting home.
"I don't know, baby," Calleigh said. She knew the child was asking that because her grandmother had told her not to "bother mommy" and Chloe didn't like it when her grandmother read to her. "But can mama read you your book?"
Chloe's face lit up. "Otay!" she said, excitedly climbing onto the bed and hugging into Calleigh's side.
Calleigh was not at all happy that her mother-in-law had been trying to keep Chloe from her, even if she did mean well. She was definitely going to have Eric speak to his mother. Calleigh smiled and kissed her daughter.
"I'll talk to nana. Anytime you want to see mommy, you come get me, all right?"
Chloe nodded.
However before Eric could say anything to his mother, his father did when he came over unannounced and found his granddaughter upset. When Pavel asked Chloe what was wrong the little girl said that Elmo's World was on and she wanted to watch it with mommy but Nana wouldn't let her in the room. Pavel had told the child to ignore what his wife had said and go and see Calleigh.
"I know you're taking time of your life to help them out but this is still their house. Calleigh is still taking it easy, she wants time with Chloe, it's not like Chloe's being loud and rambunctious, getting Calleigh's blood pressure up. And Frankly now the time's for Chloe to get all of the individual attention from Calleigh. Pretty soon that's going to be limited."
That was true. Mother and child either read books together, colored (and Chloe told her mom stories about the pictures that she made up herself) or tv or DVDs together.
Eric knew his mother was going to lecture him for spending money on something like Chinese take-out the baby's arrival being so close. It was going to go in one ear and out of the other. This was his home and he wasn't five-years-old. Chinese was a family favorite, they hadn't had it in weeks and Chloe deserved a treat after grandma tried to keep her from mommy. The girl had surprised her parents at the tender age of 20 months by showing a taste for chicken fried rice, chicken balls and won tons, without sauce. She still liked the dish.
"Whatever, ma," he said, when she began lecturing him. Eric was more mad about Chlordina telling his child that she couldn't be with her mother. "Did dad talk to you? Chloe can be with Calleigh whenever and however much she likes. I appreciate your help but I don't you ever telling Chloe "not to bother" Calleigh again."