Hanging on a Moment II

Chapter 10

Hanna laid on the couch patiently waiting for her mom to drop the girls off. It had been a little over a week since the scary medical emergency. Since then she and Caleb talked to both their families and set up arrangements for who would watch the girls during the next long eight or so months while Hanna stuck to strict bed rest per doctor's orders.

"Hey Babe, I went to the deli up the street and got you some soup. How are you feeling?" Mr. River's questioned setting down the brown paper bag full of food and giving his wife a quick kiss on the forehead.

"Like shit." She groaned lightly sitting up to take her dinner out of the to-go bag. "Mom and Ted should be bringing the girls back in about an hour."

"I'm going to put their sandwiches in the fridge then." Caleb mentioned while retreating back to the kitchen.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

"Are you really going to ask anytime I move at all? I'm getting a glass of water, peeing and possibly puking a little." Hanna snapped back annoyed.

"I'm sorry Han. Everything just really freaked me out." He relented holding up both hands as she exited to the bathroom. Hanna reappeared and Caleb fluffed up her pillows before she took her spot again.

"That might have been the scariest thing we have gone through as parents to date. Trust me, I haven't moved pretty much all day. I will have a permanent ass print in this couch by the time this baby comes." Hanna scoffed sarcastically as she peeled the lid off her container of soup. "Thanks for getting this babe."

"Anything for you and peanut." He grinned rubbing Hanna's middle.

The door flew open as the gang of River's girls came barging in the door a little earlier than anticipated.

"Hey girls. I got you sandwiches are you hungry?"

"No daddy, Grandpa made goulash and garlic bread!" Parker replied as the two others said their goodbyes to their Grandparents.

"Thanks Ashley, thanks Ted!" Caleb shouted as the two backed away.

"Can I watch Narnia, Mama?" Paisley asked sitting at the end of Hanna's feet.

"Sure baby."

"Can you put it in?"

"Uh, Parker can you help your sister put in the DVD?" Hanna asked skimming the top of her dinner.

Paisley stared at her mom who was lying sick on the couch in the pajama pants she had worn the day before. She had never seen her mom like this let alone for over a week. Tears filled her crystal blue eyes as she feared the worst. "Mama, are you sick and going to die and be with Jesus?" she sobbed out as Hanna grabbed her and wrapped her in her arms.

"No sweetheart. Why would you think that?" Hanna stated in a loving tone.

"Cuz my friend Miles told me that his Grandpa got sick and he died. He lives with Jesus in the clouds like Grandpa Ted says." The tender hearted six year old continued crying while Hanna played with her hair. Parker put in the DVD and stood silently watching.

"Shit." Hanna mumbled under her breath.

"Caleb, can you come in here!" she called as her brawny husband came back in the room toting Piper from her diaper change.

"What's the matter Paisers?" He questioned sitting on the edge of the coffee table with Piper on his knee.

Paisley had her head buried in Hanna's chest as she was on the verge of hyperventilating.

Hanna gave Caleb the look as she tried to calm down the over-emotional child.

Parker started worrying as she sat on the love seat across from Hanna.

"So, is mom dying?!"

"Should we tell them now?" Caleb's eyes grew as he stared at his wife for direction.

"Girls, Daddy and I went to the doctor the other day and we are going to have another baby in a few months." She explained as the two little blue eyed brunettes looked up at her. Piper was watching the television screen totally oblivious as to what was going on.

"Like baby Tallen?" Paisley added with halted tear flow.

"Yeah, what do you think?" Caleb smiled as he waited for their reaction.

"Yay! I want a baby Tallen. He is so cute." She giggled bringing her small painted fingers up to her mouth.

"What do you think Parker?" Hanna questioned the other child across from her.

Parkers eyebrows fell and a little pout formed on her mouth. "That's so many kids!" she replied aggravated. "You are being unresponsible."

Hanna and Caleb did their best to hold back their laughter because they could tell their oldest child clearly needed some time to come around to the idea of another sibling.

"So, the baby is making you sick?"

"Well." Hanna started trying to think of the right things to say to her minions that were eagerly awaiting a response. "You remember when I had Piper in my belly and how at first it made me feel yucky?"

Parker rolled her eyes. She remembered everything but Paisley was a lot younger and didn't really recall what happened.

"The baby is in your tummy right now?" Paisley's eyebrows perked up excited.

"Yes, it is very small right now so we will give it a few months to grow and get bigger and then it will be born." Hanna explained in child friendly terms as best as she could.

"Get over here grumpy pants." Caleb motioned patting the spot next to him on the table. Parker slouched over sitting next to her Dad.

"Look girls." He stated as he played the recording of Hanna's last ultrasound on his phone.

"It looks like a gummy bear!" Paisley shrieked as she looked at the screen.

"Listen, Mommy and I love you three and think you are the most amazing kids, and we wanted to have one more baby just like you all. Just one more. No more babies after this one. Ok? You will have a brand new baby brother or most likely, sister, to love in a few months." Parker and Paisley nodded as they listened to their father talk. "Mommy doesn't feel good and will need to relax while the baby grows. So, I am going to need all of you to be my big, super helper-sisters, okay?"

"I will take care of you Mama." Paisley looked into Hanna's eyes giving her a peck on the lips.

"Thank you Paisers."

"I will too." Parker said sincerely standing up to give her mom a hug.

"Thank you Parkie."

"What about you little squirt?" Caleb questioned pulling Piper's thumb out of her mouth.

"Will you help Mama too?" the almost two year old put her hand over her chest. "I helps."

"Thank you baby." Hanna smiled as Piper gave her a kiss too.

"She isn't the baby anymore." Parker noted.

"You will all be my babies for forever!" Hanna relished realizing in that moment how much she loved being these three little ladies' mother.

Authors Note: Heyyyyyy Pretty Little Reader. I am seriously blown away by the response I got today/last night from the last chapter I posted. Thank you all! It made my very busy day, a whooooole lot better. I got a new job on Monday and started today, so I will be working both jobs for two weeks so I don't know if I will be able to update much since I'm kind of pooped already. It has been one day. I got home took a nap and watched PLL and was not able to fall back asleep, so I thought I'd write a little bit more. I don't really have any comments on tonight's episode, it was pretty boring. I'm getting a little impatient waiting for some epic shit to happen. Cricket, cricket. ANY day now Marlene! Well, I better hit the hay so I'm not delirious in a few hours. Enjoy little Lovers!-BroStow