Chapter 49: Hiromi

"Do you need anything?" Tora asked, helping Ruri inside.

"Some comfy clothes and my tummy moisturizer," Ruri replied, sitting down on the couch.

"Gretta!" Tora yelled.

"Yes Mr. Igarashi?" Greta said, running over.

"Get Ruri a glass of water and a blanket," Tora said, heading upstairs.

Ruri changed out of her nice clothes into a pair of yoga pants and big t-shirt. "It's not that bad yet," Ruri said, lounging on the sofa. She rubbed the balm on her stomach. "I hope the baby comes soon. I've barely gotten any stretch marks..."

"How many containers of that stuff have you used?" Tora asked.

"Several," Ruri said. "I'm determined to use my gym membership after I have this baby."

"There's no rush," Tora said, handing her the glass of water.

"My figure has definitely been ruined," Ruri sighed, sipping the water. "Will you still love me even if I'm fat?" she asked.

Tora rolled his eyes. "You know the answer."

"But I still like to hear you say it," Ruri said, tousling his hair- something Tora hated.

"Since you're about to go into labor, I'm not going to give you a hard time," Tora said with a smirk. "I'll always love you."

Ruri smiled and reached out to touch his hair again.

"Don't touch my hair. You hate it when I touch yours."

"But I'm pregnant,"

Tora sighed and rested his head against the couch. Ruri gently stroked his hair.

"What is with you and my hair?" he asked. "When we kiss, it's like you're determined to mess it all up."

Ruri giggled. "Because no one else gets to feel your hair," she explained. "Only I get to run my hands through it."

Tora chuckled. "That is true."

Ruri sucked in a sharp breath. "Oh, that hurt..." she muttered.

"I can see her moving around," Tora said, placing a hand on her stomach.

"I feel too peaceful," Ruri said, rubbing her stomach. "My contractions are so far apart. I thought they would get closer at a faster rate."

"Patience," Tora told her. "One of the few things I got out of all those coaching lessons. You have to be very patient. The baby comes at its own pace."

"I do wish it would be a little faster," Ruri said. "It's making me anxious."

"Don't be anxious," Tora said, feigning confidence. "Everything's going to be perfect."

"Do you think I could try natural birth?"

"You hate pain."

"But still, it's part of the experience," Ruri wondered. "But then again if Misaki started crying, I might have a seizure or something."

Tora snorted. "I have a hard time believing that Misaki was actually crying."

"She was!" Ruri informed him. "She even admitted it to Sakura and me. Misaki said the pain was unbearable."

"But she had a delivery complication," Tora pointed out.

"So what? It hurts!"

"So get the medication,"

"But-"

"How about some more water?" Tora said, getting up.

"You suck, Tora,"

"Babe," Tora said. "I'm going to take all your little jabs for the next few days because I am an understanding and loving husband."

"Yeah right," Ruri muttered, snuggling down into her pillows.

"I have been very caring!" Tora said, setting the glass down on the table. "I set up the entire nursery and make you dinner."

"Keep going," Ruri said, taking his hand.

"I drive you to buy all those clothes," Tora continued. "I always leave the toilet seat down now. I pick up my own dirty socks. I stay up with you when you bug me. I make love to you-"

Ruri laughed. "Oh, I'm sure only that was all for me- not you."

"Second trimester," Tora said, smirking. "My workout was right here at home."

"Oh stop it," Ruri giggled. "It wasn't that bad."

"It was great," Tora corrected. "Five times a day."

"It was not five!" Ruri exclaimed. "Three!"

"Babe," Tora said. "We can go over this if you'd like. Once in the morning. Once when I got home. Once after dinner and twice at night."

"After dinner happened like once," Ruri said, defensively. "And was because you kept feeling up my leg during dinner."

Tora just smirked. "My charm,"

Ruri cringed. "Another one!" she yelled into her blanket.

Tora squeezed her hand as Ruri waited for the contraction to pass.

"Still nothing?" Tora asked as Ruri paced around the living room.

Ruri shook her head.

Tora glanced at the clock. "It's been hours."

"Maybe if I jump up and down-"

"Oh no!" Tora said, making her sit down. "We got all night and then all day tomorrow. There is absolutely no rush."

"Maybe it was a false alarm," Ruri said, rubbing her stomach.

"I called your doctor. She just kept telling me to be patient. You should go take a nap or something. The doctor said it helps the time to pass faster."

"Can I just sleep on the couch?"

"Anything that makes you happy," Tora said, fluffing out the pillows.

Ruri woke up the next morning in her own bed. She could hear Tora on the phone in his office. Ruri pulled back the blankets and tiptoed over to his office.

"Are you positive nothing is wrong?" Tora asked. "She started feeling pains yesterday afternoon. Yes, Doctor. Okay. Thank you very much, Doctor."

"Hey," Ruri said, tapping on the door.

"Hey," Tora said. He had dark circles under his eyes.

"No work?"

"You're my priority," Tora said, setting his phone on the desk. "So I did some research. Slow labor, you need to move around a little bit but it can also be because you're worrying too much."

"I'm not worried."

"I'm worried," Tora said, taking a deep breath. "I've been annoying Takumi all morning too."

Ruri giggled. "Let's go have breakfast," she suggested.

Tora nodded and they went downstairs. Gretta had a light breakfast prepared and Ruri helped herself to a big bowl of fruit salad with granola.

"Should we go for a walk?" Ruri suggested.

"In our backyard, sure," Tora said.

They walked around their pool. Ruri stretched out her legs and arms as they paced back and forth.

It wasn't until that afternoon, Ruri finally started feeling strong contractions and they quickly went to the hospital.

"This is not how it is in the movies," Ruri pointed out as she laid in the hospital bed. "The baby always comes really fast!"

Tora smirked. "That's the funny thing with movies," he said. "They're not true."

Ruri gripped the side rails and gritted her teeth. "Tora!" she gasped. "Ah!"

Tora dapped her face with a damp towel. "Keep breathing," he coaxed. "Relax your body."

"Ah!" Ruri cried out. "Tora, get the doctor!"

The Doctor was a very sweet lady. She calmly checked Ruri over and patted her hand.

"First time?"

Ruri nodded, biting her lower lip.

"Take your time," the Doctor reassured her. "You had a slow start but everything's fine now. You're dilating nicely."

"Doesn't feel very nice," Ruri muttered. "AH!" she screamed.

The nurses busied themselves as Ruri grabbed Tora with her sweat slicked hands.

"Don't leave," Ruri whimpered.

"I'm right here, babe," Tora said. "If you want to scream go ahead. I'm sure the nurses are all use to it."

The Doctor placed her hand under Ruri's hospital gown. "Okay, honey," she said. "I need you to push as hard as you can."

Ruri could kind of see why Misaki would cry. Ruri didn't even have a complication but she wanted to cry too. It was frustrating.

"Again," the Doctor ordered.

"How much longer?!" Ruri demanded.

"Closer now. Keep going."

"Come on, Ruri," Tora said, wiping the sweat off of Ruri's face. "You can do it harder than that."

"No, I can't!" Ruri snapped.

"Yes, you can!"

"Shut up, Tora!" Ruri ordered. "I'd like to see you lay here and try it!"

"Keep breathing?"

"Ugh!" Ruri complained. She tried to get her breathing under control but it was hard. "It's too hard!" she screamed. "I can't do it!"

"Keep going," the Doctor said.

More time passed and still no baby. The doctor stood up. "It looks like she's having too much difficulty. We might do a c-section."

"No!" Ruri exclaimed.

"Babe," Tora said. "Listen to the doctor."

"You're contractions weren't strong enough. I think it will be much easier on you and the baby," the doctor explained.

Ruri gripped the rails of the bed. "I'm going I have this baby!" she said through her teeth. "I don't want to be cut open! You. Will. Not. Leave. Scars. On. My. Skin." Ruri threw her head back and screamed.

"You did it!" the doctor exclaimed, surprised. There was a soft crying sound as the nurses cleaned up the baby and set it in Ruri's arms.

"Tora," Ruri said, smiling. "Say hello to our daughter!"

"I need to sit down," Tora said. "I feel faint..."

The doctor and nurses laughed as Tora ran his hands through his hair and collapsed onto the couch. A nurse got him a glass of water and Tora walked back over to Ruri. He gently fixed the blanket around the baby.

"Hey," he said to the crying infant.

Ruri laughed and took his hand. "Nine months of waiting and all you have to say to the baby is hey?" she teased.

"I don't really know what to say," Tora explained, staring at his daughter. "It seems a little unreal- ow! Why'd you pinch me?"

"It's not a dream," Ruri said. "We have our first child. Do you want to hold her?"

Tora eagerly nodded.

"Make sure to support the neck," Ruri reminded him.

Tora looked down at the tiny life in his arms. This was his kid? This girl had his blood running through her veins. He was...a dad?

"Do you have a name?" a nurse asked.

"Hiromi Igarashi," Ruri stated. "She's our little Mimi."

"Mimi," Tora said. "That's pretty cute."

"I thought it would be a nice nickname," Ruri explained.

Tora handed Mimi back to Ruri. He took a picture of them.

"My hair..." Ruri complained.

"Flawless," Tora reassured her.

The nurse dressed Mimi in the baby pink onesie, hat and socks, Ruri had brought in her hospital bag.

"I texted Takumi and Kuuga the picture," Tora told Ruri.

Ruri nodded and smoothed the swaddle around Mimi. "Oh my gosh…" she said, cradling her. "She's so cute."

There was a knock on the door.

"Auntie!" Ruri exclaimed. "Uncle!"

"Ruri!" a middle aged woman said, rushing over. She gave Ruri two pecks on the cheek. "Who's this little girl?" she said, laughing. The edges of her eyes crinkled up as she smiled.

"This is Hiromi Igarashi," Ruri said.

"Oh, she's beautiful! Looks just like you as a baby," Auntie said, squeezing Ruri's shoulders.

"Congrats," Ruri's Uncle said, clapping Tora on the back.

"Thank you...sir,"

"None of that," he chided. "You can call me, Uncle."

"Thank you, Uncle," Tora said, nodding.

Ruri let her Aunt hold Mimi. "Oh precious, baby," Auntie cooed. "Yes, I'm your Great Aunt. Yes, don't cry sweetheart."

Ruri smiled and waved Tora over. "This is my Aunt and Uncle," she formally introduced. "You met them once."

"At the wedding," Tora said, nodding. "I remember."

Auntie clapped her hands together. "This is so lovely," she said. "Our little Ruri finally has a family of her own. Honey, we should let Ruri rest. I'm going to head over to their place to clean up."

"Auntie," Ruri said. "We have cleaning staff. There's no need."

"I'll just make you some food then-"

"Post baby miracle broth delivery," a voice said, by the door.

"Why, isn't it Misaki and Takumi!" Auntie exclaimed.

"Auntie," Misaki greeted. "How have you been?"

"Oh my," Auntie said. "That baby…"

"Takumi and I's first child," Misaki said, showing Auntie under the thin blanket. "This is Hikari Walker," she said. Hikari was asleep in her carrier. "Two months."

"Oh my," Auntie said again. "All you girls have started families," she said, getting teary. "Honey," she said, hugging her husband.

"There there," he consoled. "They do grow up fast."

Misaki patted Ruri's hands. "Congrats on surviving," she teased.

Ruri shook her head. "This guy almost fainted."

"I did not," Tora lied.

"Did too."

"Did not,"

"I just had your baby. Don't you dare argue with me," Ruri said, sticking her tongue out at him.

Tora sighed. "Yes, honey," he said, dramatically. "You are right," he said, kissing her on the cheek. "So about baby #2-"

"I will sterilize you like Misaki threatened," Ruri warned. "Too early for those jokes…"

"Hey…" Misaki muttered, blushing. "How did you know?"

Everyone laughed.