Chapter Eight

"Let's stop and get a lemonade," Eddie suggested as she and Lila passed an Auntie Anne's pretzel shop.

Lila agreed, "Sit down, I'll get it." Lila put the bags on a chair and went to the get in line. Eddie rubbed her sore knees and thought about this day. It was a very rewarding experience. Later they were meeting Erin and Linda for dinner since Steven was working nights.

Today Lila had purchased maternity shorts and capri pants, maternity blouses and what Eddie termed maternity shoes, one size up and in a wide with. "If you carry like I did, your feet will swell and with twins doubly so," Eddie warned.

Lila returned with two lemonades and one pretzel for them to share. "What else is on your list?" Eddie asked. In truth she was getting very tired but didn't want to speak up about it. "Undergarments I'm sure are becoming necessary. I liked to wear undergarments that were all one continuous piece on the job, they were comfortable."

Lila nodded and sat back, "Mom, I uh…Steven's parents were right about one thing that night. We can't live on only what Steven makes. We need two incomes if we are really going to make it work…"

"Lila, I have talked all this over with your dad and we both feel you should not go back to school or look for work until the babies are at least a year old. That said, I understand about the money. Dad and I plan to give you your share of Grandad's estate. He left everything to me and originally you and Joey would inherit that upon my death, but you need it now so we will give you your share now and Joey his when he marries and is ready to start a family of his own," Eddie replied.

"Mom…"

"Let me finish," Eddie continued. "Also, you will be needing a bigger house. We know Bay Ridge is your preference so Dad and I will provide a down payment for a house near us and Grandpa will supplement the payments for two years unless he's gone then your inheritance will help cover the payments."

"Mom, Steven will not accept this much financial help!" Lila groaned.

"It's not help," Eddie replied. "This money will be yours one day, but I don't want you and your family to live in shoebox until I'm dead. You need this money now, enjoy it now."

Eddie was firm and punctuated her decree with a bite of pretzel.

"I'll talk to him," Lila replied. "We are still arguing over finding out the sex. We are supposed to say yes or no at this week's appointment, so when they do the 20 week scans they don't mess us, but I suppose if we can't decide now we can wait. I know you waited with me, but did you find out for Joe?"

"No, Dad wanted to wait," Eddie replied. "He remembered Aunt Erin found out with Nikki but they initially told her that Nikki was a boy. She has a blue nursery, blue everything. Your uncles and Dad were working on it nonstop to get it the right color," Eddie laughed finishing her drink. "There are bathrooms there, why don't you go so we don't have to stop on the way to the lingerie store."

Lila agreed, she had to pee constantly, she felt since the twins were conceived. "Are you good for a few more stores, Mom?" Lila asked.

"I am fine, go pee so you don't wet your pants like I used to do," Eddie instructed and began to clean up the table. When Lila was out of sight, she popped three Advil to ease the ache in her back and legs, she didn't want to miss a minute of this.

Arm in arm, mother and daughter shopped for two more hours until they had purchased nearly every maternity item Lila would need and some she wanted. Jamie would have a second stroke when the credit card bill arrived but Eddie new how to handle that.

Eddie drove them back to Bay Ridge in time for Lila to rest and Eddie to supervise Frank's nebulizer treatment. "You are hurting badly," Frank stated as he watched Eddie's movement. "When does that bottle say those things go away?"

"It doesn't, I suppose I'll get used to it, Dad," Eddie replied. "Jamie is looking into other medications when he has spare time and we'll bring the list to Dr. McLean if this one is too hard to deal with but it is one of the only ones so far that doesn't have an impact on kidneys."

"Well, just remember I might have to do this mist and all but I can get around all right most days, you don't have to wait on me. In fact, you can put your feet up and relax and let me get some drinks and all now and again."

"Thanks, Dad, it's sweet but you are in much worse condition, this really isn't so bad and it's temporary too. Now, what do you want for supper tonight, Jamie has a dinner meeting and Lila and I are meeting Erin and Linda in Chinatown?"

When Eddie and Lila arrived at the restaurant they agreed on Erin and Linda were already waiting outside.

"Hey we're you waiting long?" Eddie asked with a frown.

"No, Linda just got here too," Erin answered for both of them, following Eddie inside.

The waiter immediately showed them to a table passing out menus before giving the girls time to look it over. Once they all decided and orders were taken Linda folded her hands leaning in excitedly. "So Lila, are you getting excited yet?"

"Yeah, I am," Lila replied. "Now that I'm in my second trimester and the nausea is finally going away, I am a little more relaxed. Mom and I went shopping for maternity clothes today."

"We got her some really cute things," Eddie replied. "It was nice to get out."

Lila smiled, "In a few weeks Steven and I going to start a registry and house hunting."

"Oh, where are you going to look?" Erin asked.

"Bay Ridge and Fort Hamilton, near Mom and Dad and near Steven's engine company," Lila replied. "It'll cost but we worked it all out."

"Yeah, I heard there were some fireworks at that dinner. You don't listen to those people," Erin told her godchild.

The meals came and the ladies started to eat, "Mom, watch the soy sauce!" Lila scolded. "Dad said…"

"Dad said to watch the sweet and sour!" Eddie spoke up and nudged Lila under the table.

"You having blood sugar problems, Eddie?" Linda asked.

"Oh no," Eddie replied. "But it gives me indigestion, Jamie doesn't like it because I get up and down so much."

Erin nodded, "Jamie always hated it when his sleep was interrupted. When I had Nikki, she had the worst colic, worse that Jamie and he had it bad…I stayed at the house so Mom could help me, her screaming was getting to our neighbors. One night, Jamie is home from school, he comes stumbling down the stairs, picks Nikki up out of Mom's arms, meticulously puts her in her baby seat and set her on the dryer, then without a word he stumbles back upstairs and goes back to sleep."

"Did Joey or I have colic, Mom?" Lila didn't like the sound of colic, perhaps times two.

"Joey," Eddie replied. "He had it very badly, but your father was usually able to soothe him. Joey was the right length and your Dad the right height, he got the gas bubble. I felt like such a failure that I couldn't comfort my baby boy. I had no mother to show me though, I'll be here to help you."

"I was spared the colic," Linda piped up. "But my Jack, when he was teething, he had the worse diarrhea. He would explode out of his diapers, I remember one night just sticking him the sink and letting things go as they may."

The older women laughed and continued to reminisce about their children's antics, Lila started to get worried. If these three incredible ladies that loved her and nurtured her had such struggles, how could she do this?

Lila was usually quiet on the way home. "Are you all right, Angel?" Eddie asked.

"I'm fine, I'm just a little tired. Can you drop me at my house?"

"Of course," Eddie replied smiling. "Sometimes Chinese doesn't sit too well when you're pregnant, but you wanted it so…"

Lila nodded, "Thanks Mom."

Eddie dropped Lila off at the house then turned for home. Steven was just settling into being home when Lila let herself in. Taking one look at her husband, Lila burst into tears.

"Lil?" Steven put his sandwich down and rushed to take his wife in his arms. "Lila, what's wrong?"

Lila was speaking but the sobs were muffling her words. All Steven made out was parents were right and horrible mother. "Oh baby, no. No baby…" Steven rocked her tight and kissed her head. "You are going to be a fabulous mother, you have a fabulous mom and you will be a best mom."

"They are all so good and there was so much wrong," Lila sobbed. "We'll have two of them…and you're gone so much…"

"Hey," Steven cupped Lila's cheek. "When I am home I'm home a lot too. We will do this together, you and me…we are going to be fine."

"I love you," Lila whispered. "I really do. You almost make me believe it."

"Lila, we never thought we'd put the wedding together baby, with your father sick but we did it. Your family pitched in and we made it work. I know your mom will be here every spare minute she can or you'll be there to get help at first. We aren't alone in this, baby. How about I make my sandwich and you tell me about the stuff you got today? Sound good?"

Lila nodded, "What about I show you some of the stuff I got today?" she asked with a gleam in her eye thinking of the cute lingerie Eddie helped her pick out.

Steven got her meaning and smiled, Lila's libido returned in spades since she became fourteen weeks and he had no complaints. Steven dipped his head and kissed her, "Sounds like the best idea of the day."

A/N: Some female family bonding for all of you. I am trying to incorporate other characters but Jamie and Eddie are still my favorites. As the story goes on, Lila and Steven will of course take center stage. For those of you wondering about Steven's parents, have no fear the Tenneys will resurface and Jamie will handle the issue Reagan style.

Special thanks to Lawslave, Werks, and Yanks20, each of these ladies have helped me in one way or another with this story when writer's block, health problems, or the fact that I never had kids so can't relate to pregnancy has gotten in the way.

Also thanks to my reviewers, I had a rough health weekend so I failed to reply to your reviews for Friday and Sunday, but I promise I will tonight if I haven't done so already. Next update on Thursday, then a three day Pillow Talk story.

This Monday, 5/2, I will begin posting a new story that will update on Monday and Thursday. Pillow Talk will have Friday updates, and weekend updates if it is a multiple chapter episode. This story will continue to update every other day.