What Lamaze?
Winnie and Leslie booked their Lamaze classes. They were beyond excited and so were Spike and Joe.
The men were just as involved and keen to be hands-on support.
Billy and Belle were thrilled for their girlfriends though jealous of what they're missing out on. In their video conference, Billy said, "Let us know how it goes. Belle and I will be watching Lamaze online to prep for the birth and reading books. And listening to my warrior Mum's stories."
"It's our bedtime reading," said Belle.
"Bedtime reading?" said Leslie, "How romantic."
Billy's eyes widened, and she who always has a way with words said, "Romantic reading? How can passing a unpeeled pineapple be romantic reading?" They all laughed even as they all squirmed on their seat imagining it.
Billy also passed on the news that she and Raf are traveling back to Canada in two weeks, "Before travel restrictions apply." She lamented that they would have liked to share her birthing experience with her Mum but it couldn't be helped. "Raf's parents need him."
"Just make sure you find a place near us," said Winnie. "It would be nice to have a mother's group together."
"Count on it," she replied.
The day before Lamaze classes, Winnie reminded Spike as they headed off to work. "Classes tomorrow." He smiled broadly, "No need to keep reminding me. Saturday's all yours."
Across town, Leslie chased Joe to the middle of their suburban street, "Classes tomorrow." He stuck his hand out of his Toyota Cruiser and waved, checked her out through the rear view mirror and delighted at the sight of her, pregnant and barefoot.
The day arrived. The two couples walked in hand-in-hand and caught up in person for the first time in months. The men proudly compared notes about their greatest achievement and showed off ultrasound photo of their baby.
When the time came, they settled in class along with eight other couples. Introductions were made as per usual. They quickly learned that the midwife in charge of the sessions was friendly and experienced. She asked everyone to introduced themselves but before it was their turn, Spike's pager went off. Everyone's eyes turned to Spike who grimaced, turned to Winnie and said, "Bella, I gotta take this." Winnie nodded, hoping it wasn't anything serious. Joe sniggered as Spike walked passed him on the way out.
The midwife didn't let the interruption get in the way of the other couples' session, "OK, let's resume," she said. Then, Joe's pager went off! The undercover cop apologised to the group, and to his wife, saying, "Sorry hon, I gotta take this."
When the men returned to the room it was only to say they had to go. Winnie and Leslie got up, apologised to the group and said they'll be back next week.
"What was that about?" asked Winnie out of the group's earshot
"I've gotta help with a bomb threat," replied Spike in all seriousness. Winnie's face crumpled. "Don't worry, I'm always careful."
"And we just had a crack in a money laundering case," said Joe.
Ever the realist, Leslie said, "There's no point talking about it now. Will you take me home first?"
"Of course."
The first session went by the wayside, the second week wasn't much better. And the third and the fourth. By this stage, they decided to give up on attending Lamaze classes altogether. So reading birthing books because their romantic bedtime reading, too. And watching birthing videos became the new erotica.
Billy and Raf arrived back in Toronto and found a home midway between close friends Winnie and Spike's; and his parents. It wasn't an easy move flying around the world and resettling to life in another City. The couple were nevertheless equal to the challenge and faced it with aplomb.
The women entered the end of their second trimester, their baby belly were evident now and they looked glowing and fit. Each in their own ways, they moved on with their pregnancies. Belle and Bryce walked around the outback station in the often warm night air of the outback. Billy and Raf exercised around the park near their new home. Leslie and Joe did their nightly breathing exercises until Joe fell asleep in exhaustion while Spike and Winnie did their preparation, whenever their work schedule permitted, doing Lamaze at home with the aid of streaming online videos.
The men entered a new phase. With the baby bump now the size of a melon, they became more aware, more involved, more into it. Spike especially became unbearable at work, his main topic of conversation being Winnie and the baby.
His Sargent, in an effort to contain the first-time father's unbridled enthusiasm introduced the 'baby jar' at work. "Scarlatti," he said waving a container, "every time you mention baby, pregnancy and child birth you will have to pay a dollar into this jar." Everyone clapped.
"What?" he said. "That's not fair."
Ed Lane shot him a sharp eye and said, "I'll make it fair. The first six mention are free." In spite of that though, Spike still managed to lose $10 the first day. It'll be one long month and a half, he said to himself, but it''ll be worth it.
They all kept well and positive... until one of them gave birth six weeks premature.