Disclaimer: I don't own anything affiliated with Disney whatsoever.
Squad Unit 19: Welcome, everyone, to the 10th chapter of this story. Things are progressing along so I hope you'll be happy with the results. Only two or three more chapters left and this story will be finished! Yes! Wahoo! XD
Squad Unit 19.
THREE HEARTS, ONE LOVE
"I'm tellin' ya, ya gotta make sure she doesn't find out." Mickey tapped his finger against the table top. "Yeah, I know, Ozzie. That's why I'm tryin' to be extra careful." He cocked a brow. "Whataya mean I suck at keepin' secrets?" He placed his fingers on his temple. "Alright, maybe I do, butcha don't hafta rub it in." Mickey leaned back in the chair. "Just people real close. I don't want Clarabelle invitin' the whole town over. So doya think Ortensia can handle it?" Mickey stood up from the table, and walked closer to the wall where the phone base was. "Alright. Thanks, Oswald. Huh? Yeah, I'll be working on it today. We decided to color it white." Mickey leaned against the wall. "No we haven't decided on a name yet."
Just then, a familiar form stepped around the doorway, greeting him with a sleepy smile. "G'mornin', Mickey..." She yawned, the pink thigh length nightgown she wore lifting a bit as she stretched and rubbed her eyes.
Mickey smiled. She was adorable when she was half asleep. Though she looked adorable all the time. "Alright, Thanks, Bro. See ya then. Bye." He hung up the phone.
"Oswald?" Minnie guessed sleepily, giving another little yawn as she leaned against the doorway.
"Yeah," Mickey acknowledged. "He'll be over later to help me with the room." He stepped the few steps up to his wife, moving his arms around her expanding waist. "G'mornin', Min." He kissed her forehead, then he rubbed a hand across her belly. "Good mornin'... whatever we're gonna name ya, heh."
Minnie giggled, and smiled as she sighed softly, leaning into his embrace. "Good morning, prince." She leaned up and swept her lips across her husband's.
"What're ya doin' up?"
"It's time to get up. Ortensia wants her and I to go and look at baby clothes this afternoon, and I can get a little cleaning done before then." She started to pull away but he refused to let go.
"Nuh uh. You're just gonna sit around and take it easy."
She looked up at him. "Mickey... I can't just sit around and do nothing the whole time I'm pregnant. I can stay active, you know. I just have to be cautious."
"You were active. You walked down the steps without me carrying you," he said with a grin.
"My gosh..." she giggled, burying her face in his chest before looking up to him. "I'm. Fine." She pecked his lips and giggled. "I don't want you to end up in a straight jacket before the baby comes."
"Okay, okay..." He let her go and she walked over to the counter. Knowing what she was going to do, he bolted up beside her. "Up up! I'll make ya breakfast."
She glanced up to him. "But you made breakfast yesterday. And the morning before that, and the morning before that..."
He chuckled as he pulled out a frying pan. "Don't tell me yer tired of my cookin'?" he joked.
No, she certainly wasn't. Since that incident back in '99 when Mickey tried to cook a turkey and literally blew his home off the foundation, he had gotten better with cooking. Of course, she had helped him with a lot of dishes, but he had surprised her with some dishes of his own. In secret, he'd gotten some lessons from some other people like José as well as a few other people that could make extraordinary dishes, and he surprised her with all of them. She wouldn't say he was a master chef, but honestly, it didn't matter to her.
"No," she said, "but you've made breakfast every morning for nearly the past week. Don'tcha think it's my turn?" She stepped up and took the box of pancake mix he held in his hand. "And yes, I may be pregnant, but I can still do a little bit of this and that."
He stepped back, raising his hands. "Alright, you win. But I'm making supper."
She grinned at him, pulling a spatula out of the drawer. "You've made supper for the past few evening, too. Why don'tcha let me do it this evening?"
He leaned against the counter, his hands resting on the edge. "Yer really stubborn, ya know that?"
Minnie giggled. "Look who I'm married to." She leaned up and pecked his cheek. "How about you go get the paper, hm?"
He pushed himself off the counter. "At least I can do that for ya." He moved around her, caressing her back as he moved behind her, making her shiver with delight. He disappeared around the door way and she heard the door open and close.
Minnie shook her head with a warm smile. "How on earth did I get such a swell mouse, hee hee." The young mouse rubbed a gloved hand across her swelling belly as she looked out the window, seeing her husband making his way down the walkway. "You're gonna be a wonderful father." She started humming as she flipped over one of the pancakes, and suddenly felt the baby move. "Ooh..." She stopped, and tenderly rubbed a hand across her stomach. "Wanting to get out of there, huh? It won't be much longer now." The door opening up alerted Minnie to her companion's presence and she smiled at him as she rounded the corner.
He had his eyes on the paper as he entered to room, and a cute grin formed on his mug. "Donald's gonna be upset. The Seahawks lost yesterday's game." He glanced up, and saw his wife standing there with her hand on her belly. His eyes widened, and he was at her side in an instant. "Ya alright?"
She giggled, and took his hand, placing it on her belly. "I'm fine. The baby was just getting comfortable." Together, they felt the gentle movement of their yet-to-be-born miracle.
"Gosh..." Mickey murmured in awe as he felt one of life's greatest miracles inside his wife's stomach. "She feels strong."
"She sure does." She looked up at him, a warm smile gracing her features. "She's gonna be just like you."
"And you," he added. The two shared a gentle kiss before Mickey set the paper on the table and leaned against the counter. "So have ya made yer mind up yet?"
Minnie shook her head. "Not yet." She still hadn't decided on a name yet, but she wanted it to be something she and Mickey both liked. "I went to sleep last night going over all sorts of names."
"I did, too. That and thinking about the baby's room." He crossed his arms as he leaned his head back. "The good news is we'll definitely get it done before the baby arrives."
"Well, with me, Oswald, Donald, Goofy, and Horace helping, too, we have nothing to worry about."
A moment of silence past, with Mickey still going over names in his head. Suddenly, a name hit him. "Say, Min...?" She glanced up to him. "When we were little, do ya remember what I used t' call ya once in a while? Gosh, what was it?" He tapped his fingers on the side of his head as he racked his brain thinking.
Minnie lifted her head in thought, and it didn't take long for it to register. She chuckled as she turned back to the pancakes, giving him a side glance. "Oh, yeah... Heh heh, it was when your nose got all stuffy from allergies. You called me 'Mina'." She froze. That was it. The baby's name.
"Mina!" both mice exclaimed in unison. The mice laughed as he picked her up gently in his arms, giving her a twirl.
"Oh, Mickey, it's perfect!" she squealed happily as before kissing his cheek. "Mina Mouse... Oh, it sounds lovely!"
"I think she'll enjoy it," he chuckled. Then he placed a hand on her belly. "Won'tcha."
Minnie smiled and placed a hand on top of his. "What do you think... Mina?" The mice shard a smile as they felt "Mina" move.
Later that night, Mickey awoke to find Minnie wasn't in bed with him. Wondering where she was, though having a theory, he pulled off the covers and trekked downstairs. As he suspected, there she stood at the counter, a spoon and a small bowl of ice cream in her hands. He grinned as he leaned against the doorway.
"Cravings?"
"Yep," she nodded with a little grin. Then she held up the bowl. "Want some?"
"Sure." He walked over.
She got a spoon out of the drawer for him and handed it to him. They shared a smile and started to eat. But not before he playfully placed a dab of ice cream on her cheek then licked it off, making her freeze in place, cheeks turning bright pink. She then put some on her spoon, then reached up to dab it ont his nose. She giggled, and stood on her tip toes to lick it off.
"I still can't believe it..."
He glanced down to her. "What?"
She shook her head with a smile. "We're having a baby." She looked up to him, eyes twinkling. "A new little life that we made together. It's just so..."
He smiled, and moved an arm around her. "Amazing?"
She nodded. "Yeah." She nuzzled him warmly. "Thank you, Mickey."
"Fer what?" he wondered.
She looked up to him, a warm smile pursed on her her lips. "For Mina."
Mickey rested his cheek against the top of her head. "Aw, Min... You were a part of it to, ya know. You had a hand in it."
She giggled, hiding her face in his chest. "Heh. I had more than a 'hand' in it... As did you, hee hee..."
His face reddened at the memory as he chuckled. "You know what I mean." His head lowered. "Don't know how much help I've been, though..."
She looked up to him, knowing exactly what he meant. "Don't you think for a second that you've been no help. You don't realize how much you've done. Working on the nursery, the cooking ad cleaning you've done..."
"Tried to do," he corrected.
She gave him a light slap on his chest before she continued. "And you've been taking care of me and the baby. You've been here for me when I needed you, when the baby needed you." She raised a hand to cup his cheek, turning him to look at her. "You don't realize just how wonderful you are, Mickey," she said with a loving smile. "Whydoya think I love you so much?"
He offered a grin. "My big ears?"
She couldn't help it as she snickered, once again burying her face into the side of his chest. She finally was able to look up at him. "No, that's one of your cute features. I love you because you're you." She leaned up and pecked his cheek.
"Aw, gosh, Min..." He pulled her closer to him, and she happily nuzzled him.
After a few moments...
"...So it's not my big ears?"
She started laughing, and when she was able to calm down, she patted his chest. "Yes, I love your cute big ears, too." She pecked his lips, then reached up to rub one of his ears, making him get a goofy smile.
The next day, Mickey opted to take Minnie out for dinner and a relaxing moment in the park. His plan was simple. While they were gone, Oswald and Ortensia were supposed to show up at the mice' home and decorate it for the baby shower Mickey had planned. Donald had opted for the guys to go bowling while the girls did their thing. At the bistro, Mickey and Minnie talked about the baby and other things, for Mickey, trying to pass the time until he knew everything was finished. Afterward, Mickey took Minnie to the park. They took a short stroll and stopped at the bridge to feed some ducks in the stream below. After that, they walked to the bench near the entrance and just sat there together.
Minnie watched and felt her heart swell as she saw a couple walk past pushing a baby stroller. She nudged Mickey's arm and gestured her head to the couple. "That's gonna be us soon," she said, her eyes twinkling with the thought.
Mickey smiled as he moved an arm around her, and felt her lean against him. "I can hardly wait."
"Me, too."
While they sat on a bench, Mickey felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. It was the signal he was waiting for. He'd kept the ringer off so Minnie wouldn't know. She was a smart cookie. Trying to keep this whole thing a secret from her was really hard, though well worth it. He couldn't wait to see the look on her face.
"Ready t' go, Mins?"
"Already? Gee, it seems like we only just got here."
He chuckled. "Well, time flies when yer havin' fun, ha ha."
Minnie giggled with a cheeky smile. "So that's why morning comes so early when we're in bed."
He blushed, and stood up, taking her arm as he helped her stand. "Want me to carry ya?"
She chuckled. "Really, Mickey, I'm fine. Would you relax?" She leaned up and pecked his cheek. "But thanks for being so sweet."
Mickey and Minnie headed back to their truck and back home. And it didn't take long for them to get there.
Mickey opened the door for Minnie, helping her out of the truck as he held her arm. "Easy there, kiddo."
"Hee hee, thanks, dear." As her pumps touched the ground she stood up straight, feeling the tightness in her stomach. "Whoa... Easy, Mina." She looked up to her husband. "This was a wonderful evening, Mickey. Thank you." She leaned up to peck his cheek.
"Aw, yer welcome, Mins. But it ain't over yet. I got a surprise for ya!" He took her hand. "Now close yer eyes."
She did as she was told, but her curiosity did get the best of her.
"Mickey, what are you up to?"
"Heh heh! You'll see."
He cautiously led her up the walkway to the steps, and then opened the door and led her inside. As she entered the living room, he stopped.
"Alright... Now open 'em."
She did.
"Surprise!" came a multitude of shouts.
There stood Oswald, Ortensia, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Clarabelle, Margie and Lillian. Minnie's eyes widened as she squeaked in surprise, covering her mouth with her hands.
"Welcome to your baby shower!" Ortensia said as she walked over and hugged her sister-in-law.
"H-How did... When did..." Minnie stammered, too stunned to speak.
Ortensia laughed. "The how is Mickey left the spare key somewhere Oswald and I coud get to so we could come inside and decorate. The when is when you two were out enjoying yourselves."
Minnie looked around the room, noting the banner above the fireplace that read It's a Girl!. "You guys... You're the best," Minnie said, trying to surprise the tears of happiness in her eyes.
"No problem," Oswald said. "But we're not the ones that planned this."
"Yeah, it was Mickey's idea," Ortensia finished.
Minnie's eyes widened, and she turned to see Mickey standing just off to her side, a bashful smile on his face.
"Golly... I wanted t' surprise ya," he said, his cheeks flushed a light pink.
"Oh, Mickey..." She didn't hold back her tears any longer and stepped close to hug him. "You're the greatest, Mickey Mouse. Thank you." She kissed him square on his lips.
"Aww..." Mickey hugged her. "Anything fer you, Minnie." After a moment, he pulled away. "No go on and enjoy yerself."
"Yeah, we're gonna hit the bowling ally," Oswald said, stepping up beside his brother, toting a bowling bag in his hand.
"Oh, boy!" Donald said excitedly as he made a bee line for the front door.
"A-hyuck! Got my ball right here." Goofy took off his hat, held out his other hand, and his bowling ball fell right out of his hat into his hand.
Mickey, Minnie, Oswald, Ortensia, Donald, Daisy and Clarabelle just looked at the dog with a quizzical expression before dismissing it. It was Goofy after all.
"Alright, boys," Clarabelle said, walking up to them, "go on, shoo. Go on and do your thing while we girls do ours."
Oswald rolled his eyes. "Alright, we're goin'." He turned to Ortensia. "See ya, kitten." He pecked her cheek.
"See ya, honey bunny," the cat told him, and leaned up to kiss his nose. "Be careful. And enjoy yourself. Love ya cottontail."
"Love you. And ya don't hafta worry about that," he said with a laugh as he headed toward the door. "C'mon, Mick!"
Mickey turned to Minnie. "If ya need me just call, okay?"
Minnie giggled. "I've gotcha on speed dial. If anything happens I'll call. Promise." She leaned up and kissed his cheek. "Now don't worry about me. Just go and have fun. And be careful. Love you."
"Love you." He turned to Ortensia. "If anything happens call me."
Ortensia smiled and nodded. "Don't worry. If she doesn't call, I will. You can count on it."
Mickey nodded. "Okay. See you girls later." He turned back to Minnie as he headed for the doorway. "See ya."
"See ya," Minnie told him.
He sprinted upstairs to get his bowling bag, then back down the stairs and out the door. The mice waved to each other as he got into his truck and pulled out of the driveway. Minnie closed the door and turned back to her guests in the living room. She walked over to the couch and sat down, rubbing a hand across her stomach as she did.
"So how's it feel to be an expecting mother?" Ortensia asked.
Minnie didn't have to think hard to identify the emotions she felt. "Exciting. Nerve-racking." She giggled.
Ortensia chuckled. "All comes with the territory. But you'll get used to it."
"Really?" Minnie tilted her head.
"Sure. Especially if you and Mickey decide to have more."
Minnie shook her head. "Right now we just want to focus on having one, heh heh."
The cat giggled. "Understandable. But we're all here for you."
Everyone else in the room agreed.
"Thank you. Thank you all," Minnie said, happy that she was with such good friends.
Daisy placed a present on Minnie's lap with a laugh. "Okay, let's get on with this!"
The ball rolled down the lane, on the far side, before curving back over and hitting the pins dead center, knocking them all over.
"Wahooey! A strike, a-hyuck!" Goofy finished his dance and walked past Donald, who's jaw was literally on the floor.
"Wak! How did he do that?!"
Mickey glanced over to the duck, a broad grin upon his face. "Donald... it's Goofy."
Oswald stifled his chortles. "Yeah, c'mon, Don. Ya outta know by now that with Goofy logic doesn't make sense."
The duck stood proudly, chest puffed out. "Oh, yeah? Watch this." He walked over, picked up his ball, and stepped up to the lane. He held up the ball, aimed it with careful precision at the pins. Taking a deep breath and exhaling, he pulled back his arm.
"This ain't gonna end well," Oswald said, leaning over.
"Nope," Mickey agreed.
Donald swung his arm back and let go. Only problem was his fingers had gotten stuck in the holes. The ball dragged the poor fowl down the lane, where they both connected with the pins. ...Leaving a split between the seven and ten pins.
"Huh. I forgot that with Donald logic doesn't make sense either," Mickey mused, turning to his older brother, who sat with his hand over his mouth trying to suppress his laughter. When the ball come back, so did the duck. Who was also shaped like a ball.
"Now all ya gotta do is pick up the spare," Oswald chuckled.
Donald rolled his eyes. "Aw, stuff it..."
Minnie squealed excitedly as her eyes fell upon the tiny pink booties she pulled from the box. She instantly imagined Mina being that small, and then she imagined her and Mickey holding her. "Thanks, Mom. They're adorable! Hee hee!"
Ortensia snapped a picture with her camera. "I'll give you and Mickey a copy of these pictures when they're developed."
"Thank you. Mickey will love seeing them."
"And I'll make you two a copy of this video," Lillian stated as she zoomed the camcorder out.
"Thanks, Mom." Minnie placed the boots to the side, where a pink blanket lay that Daisy had gotten her. Then Clarabelle put another present on the couch next to Minnie.
"Here you go, dearie."
Ortensia, who sat next to Minnie, gave the mouse a slight elbow in her side, and leaned a bit closer, making sure to keep her voice low. "Better watch out..."
Minnie gave the cat a quizzical expression before glancing back to the package. It was then that Minnie noticed how large it actually was. "Uh-oh..." she uttered. She proceeded to open the package and when she tore down the paper, she saw what it was.
A vintage looking pram. It was elegant in its design, but looked like something from the Victorian era. It looked more like for display than actual use.
"You can't find those types of strollers around anymore," Clarabelle stated.
Gee, I wonder why, Minnie thought. "Oh, er... T-Thank you, Clarabelle. It's um..."
"Isn't it grand?" the cow gushed. "Simply elegant. A true work of art. You and Mickey will get lots of looks when you're out and about with this."
"Oh, I can imagine..." Minnie said, wondering how quickly she could lose the thing. "Thank you. It's, uh... really something!" She scooted the box to the side and sat back down on the couch.
"Now it's time for my gift!" Mandie said, placing a box in her sister's lap. She knelt down close to her younger sister so she could get a good view of the mouse's face when she opened the gift.
Minnie looked at the box for a second with a quirked brow. "Do I wanna open it?"
Mandie rolled her eyes and waved her hand. "Go on, it won't bite."
"You got me something silly, didn't you?"
"Now, Sis, would I do something like that?"
"Yes. You would," Minnie deadpanned.
"Ha, you know me too well. Now go on, open it."
"Alright..." Minnie shrugged and pulled off the ribbon. As she pulled off the paper and got to the box itself, she took a deep breath. Then, with uncertainty, she pulled off the lid. In an instant her face turned white, then flushed a red equal to that of her husband's trademark shorts before she quickly pushed, or rather slammed, the lid back down.
Mandie had on a wide, devilish smile. "Ha ha! See, Sis, I gotcha something you could use."
Minnie gave her sister a look before Daisy chimed in.
"Well, what is it? Come on, Minnie, show us."
Minnie gave her an I'm-going-to-kill-you-later look before she shook her head. "Nope."
"Come on," Daisy whined.
"Uh-uh." Minnie shook her head again.
"Girl, pull it out or I will," Daisy stated, crossing her arms.
"Fine," Minnie huffed. Daisy would die later. The mouse sunk lower into her seat as she pulled off the lid and reached into the box. As she pulled out the item, Ortensia snickered, Daisy started laughing, and Minnie dared not even look in her mom and mother-in-law's direction. In her hands was a bright pink pair of lacy boy shorts that left little to the imagination.
"Now see. I got you and Mickey both a present. With those, it's a gift that keeps on giving, ha ha," Mandie quipped.
They are nice, and I will use them... But why did she hafta give them to me now?! And here?! Minnie gave her sister a glance. "You're dead, Sis." She then turned to the duck. "And you're going to be first."
Mandie fell back onto the floor laughing. Ortensia gave Minnie a nudge as the mouse put the lingerie back into the box. "Well, she is right. That is a gift you both can enjoy."
"I know that," Minnie said, giving the box a glance as a grin crept to her face. Then she glanced back to her sister-in-law. "Doesn't mean I'm not gonna smack her upside the head for giving them to me here... And Daisy... I'm gonna twist her beak."
Mickey pulled his phone out of his pocket, checking to make sure he hadn't been called.
Oswald rolled his eyes with a light smile. "Dude, relax. If for whatever reason Minnie or Ortensia can't reach you, they'll get me, Donald or Goofy. Chill out." He patted his little brother on his shoulder. Though he could completely understand his sibling's hype and nervousness, recalling back in the Wasteland when Ortensia gave birth. He was hopping around so much he gave the Energizer Bunny a run for his money.
Mickey sighed, stuffing his phone back into his pocket. "Yeah, I know."
"So how's it feel knowin' yer gonna be a dad?"
Mickey exhaled, taking in that thought. "Excited. Nervous."
"All comes with bein' an expectant father," Oswald replied. "When Ortensia was pregnant I was walking around like I'd taken some hyper carrots. But that moment when you finally see their tiny face, and you get to hold 'em, there's nothin' like it." He recalled holding his own first born. The immense feeling of joy, the sight of the tiny rabbit's face, it's adorable little ears. And then when he saw Ortensia holding their baby, it became real that it was theirs. "Trust me... when you get to hold it with Minnie, that's when you'll feel joy and pride like you've never felt."
Mickey smiled, trying to imagine that moment with Minnie in his mind. "I just hope I'm gonna be a good dad..."
"Pfft. Has Minnie toldja ya would be?"
"Well... yeah."
"Then she knows what she's talking about. Ortensia told me the same thing, but I never really believed her. That is, until I saw our baby's face... then I knew I was gonna be the best dad I could be."
Mickey smiled, and glanced back up, seeing Goofy stepping up to bowl again.
"If there's anything ya should be worried about it's what Clarebelle's gonna get you and Minnie..." Oswald added with a grin.
Mickey glanced back to his brother with a raised non-existant brow. "That bad, huh?"
Oswald gave him a deadpanned look. "Yeah. That bad. Know what she got us?" Oswald sat up straighter. "A stroller."
Mickey tilted his head. "Huh? Wasn't that a good thing?"
Oswald shook his head as he waved his hands. "No, no, no, it was fine... per say... Except that it was a really fancy git up. And I mean fancy. Obviously she thought Ortensia and I might be taking our kid to some big, formal event. A plain stroller woulda been fine, not something to make it look like we were filthy stinkin' rich!"
Mickey started to chuckle. "Yeah, I can see her gettin' us that."
"Trust me. Have a yard sale as soon as ya can. Or toss it in the attic."
Mickey laughed. Then an idea struck him. He thought of the stroller he "might" get, then he thought of him and Minnie having a baby. Then his mind wandered to that dream he'd had years ago. More like a nightmare, really. That old nightmare where he and Minnie were married and the stork had brought dozens of kids. Then he thought of his brother and the amount of children he had. His heart rate started to go up as he started to get nervous. "Oh, crud..."
Oswald glanced to his brother. "Whassup?"
Mickey sat up, his eyes fixated ahead yet he wasn't looking anywhere particular. "You and Ortensia... You've got four hundred and twenty kids, right?"
Oswald lifted his head, one ear giving a twitch. "Yup. Last time I counted. And trust me; if I forgot one, Ortensia'd kill me."
Mickey suddenly grabbed his brother's shirt collar, shaking it. "What if Minnie has that many kids?!"
Oswald didn't say anything for a second and just looked at his brother, seeing his shrunken pupils. Then he burst into laughter. "Gah ha ha ha! What's in that cheese you eat, Mick? Ha ha!" Oswald calmed himself down before he spoke. "First off, Bro. Chill. Okay? Second... Minnie is not gonna have that many kids."
"Oh, yeah? And what makes ya so sure?" Mickey asked, shaking his brother.
Oswald placed his hands on Mickey's shoulders. "Dude, chill. You're gonna hyperventilate. That, or shake my ears off."
Mickey was taking quick, erratic breaths. "Hyperventilate? Me? No, no, no, I'm calm. See?" His eye twitched.
"Bro, yer startin' t' scare me. Yer gonna blow up."
The mouse jumped up and started pacing. "What if she does have that many kids? We don't have a house that big! How can we afford-Ouch!" Mickey glanced down, seeing the rabbit holding his tail.
Oswald shrugged. "Hey, it was either that or I punch ya in the nose."
Mickey took a deep breath and sat back down.
"Listen, Mickey, relax. Minnie is not gonna have four hundred and twenty kids. It's not possible."
"Yeah, but you had that many," Mickey pointed out.
"Only a couple are ours, and those are the same color as us. Didn'tcha notice all the ones you saw were green?"
"Well..." Mickey leaned back. "I kinda noticed it, but... ...didn't really pay that much attention..."
"Do I look green to you?"
Mickey snickered. "Nah."
"And if Ortensia had've had that many kids, do ya think I'd still be breathing right now? She woulda twisted my ears..." He cringed. "...or something else off a long time ago. And didja noticed what happens when the bunny kids get to close to their uncle Mickey?"
Mickey cringed. "...Yeah... Kinda hard not to notice that..."
"Have ya ever seen me do that?"
"I'm not scarred for life so no."
"Those bunny kids were already there in Wasteland when we got there. We just adopted them all. The only ones we had were Otto and Olivia. Besides you saw the ultrasound, right? You've only got one on the way."
Mickey relaxed as he thought back to it. "Yeah... Yeah, you're right."
"You've got nothin' to worry about. You and Minnie are only having one. That's all."
"Yeah..." Mickey nodded.
"Good. Now relax and get up there and bowl."
Mickey stood up, ready to bowl. He might be right but... I better ask Minnie... He walked up, picked up his ball, and looked down the lane.
"Speaking of gifts..." Oswald started with a sneaky grin, wiggling his foot back and forth.
Mickey's ear twitched, indicating he'd heard him.
"I got Minnie somethin' she'll reeeaaally like..."
Mickey readied his arm as he cast a glance back. "Yeah?" He pulled back his arm and placed a foot forward.
"That calendar."
Mickey's pupils shrank and his body froze as the ball went flying from his hand and hopped over two lanes before going into the gutter two lanes down. His tail was flexed to the point of being zigzagged shaped, like multiple "Z"s. "...What...?" He turned around in an instant, still seeing his brother's relaxed, cool expression. "Ya got her that?!"
The rabbit nodded. "Yup."
Mickey zipped up to his brother and grabbed his shirt coller. "Why the heck wouldja get 'er that?!"
"Relax," Oswald said as he pushed the mouse's hands away. "I told Ortensia to give it to her when no one else was around. She'll be the only person t' see it."
Mickey relaxed some at that, but that still didn't change the fact that those pictures... Oh, man. Mickey groaned as he placed his palm over his face. "Still, why that?" He threw his hands up into the air, trying to keep his voice low enough that not everyone would hear. "Are ya freakin' nuts?"
Oswald laughed. "Trust me, Mick, she'll love it."
Mickey took a few deep breaths to force himself to relax. He knew Minnie. Yeah she would love it, but man, would he have some explaining to do when he got back. He glanced up out of the corner of his eye. "Ya know I wanna kill ya right now, right?"
Oswald chuckled as he winked. "Don't worry. If ya need some help I'll tell her the whole story."
"That you paid me to pose for those?"
"Yep. I'll tell her everything if ya need me to."
It was Mickey's chance to grin this time. "Good. So when we get back stick around. I'll probably needja."
"Got it. Now go on and bowl. I'm next."
"Bye bye! Thanks again!" Minnie closed the door and leaned against it, taking a deep breath. "Whew! I never knew a baby shower would be so much fun and... Heh... so exhausting."
"Baby showers will do that to you," Ortensia said from the living room as she picked up a plate.
"I really appreciate you offering to stay," Minnie started as she entered the room, "but I can finish cleaning up."
"I don't mind helping," the cat assured as she stepped into the kitchen.
"Well, I really do appreciate it," Minnie said as she picked up a cup and plate in her hands.
"So you did enjoy yourself?" Ortensia placed the plates in the sink and started to wash them.
"Oh, yes. It was really wonderful!"
"Well, I'm happy you enjoyed it." The cat gave a grin. "Just don't go getting any ideas about having more kids so you can have another."
Minnie laughed. "Trust me, I won't." She placed the cup and plate next to the sink and rubbed her hand across her stomach. "I just hope Mickey and I picked the right time..."
"What?" Ortensia laughed. "Minnie, when you and Mickey are ready for kids, that's the right time. Oswald and I decided we wanted to hear the pitter patter of little feet, and here we are. You know when you're ready. And once you see that little angel's face, you'll know you made the right decision."
Minnie smiled. "Thanks, Ortensia."
"No prob." The cat finished the dishes and wiped her hands off with a towel as she remembered something. "By the way, you've got one more present."
"Huh? I do?"
The cat moved past Minnie and into the living room, where she pulled out a mostly flat, square package from behind a chair. "Oswald said for me to give this to you. Said it was a present from Mickey and him and that you'd love it. He told me specifically to wait until everyone was gone to give it to you."
Minnie followed the cat into the living room and reached out to accept the gift. "What?" She giggled. "Don't tell me it's something like Mandie got for me."
Ortensia laughed. "Nah, I seriously doubt it's anything like that."
"Do you know what it is?"
The cat shook her head. "Nope, not a clue. He just said to make sure you're the only one that sees it and that there's more where those came from."
Minnie tilted her head. "'Those'? More?"
"That's what he said. Anyway, go ahead and open it."
Minnie sat on the couch and pulled off the ribbon, then pulled the paper off. She wasn't sure what to expect, but pulled off the lid. Inside was a calendar with Mickey's face on it. He was smiling simply. "Aww, that's cute!" Minnie gushed as she pulled it out and flipped up the cover. She froze. No. It's worse than what Mandie got me. Or better... I don't know. Whoa! She flipped to the next month. Oh my! And the next month. Goodness... Every month was a picture of Mickey. And each one was of him either scantily dressed or getting ready to be so. Mickey... posed for these? She flipped to the next month. Holy...! She quickly closed the calendar, and Ortensia saw the completely white face and flushed cheeks of her sister-in-law.
"You alright, Min?"
I don't know whether to kill him or kiss him... She shook her head. Kiss him, definitely. "Huh? Oh, y-yeah, I'm fine, fine." She wiped her forehead and started fanning herself. "Whew, it's suddenly warm in here..."
"Why don't you take it easy. You've had a pretty exciting day."
Yeah, you could say that, alright... "Yeah."
"So what did he getcha?"
Minnie's head snapped up as the cat pointed to the box. "W-What?"
"The gift Oswald got you... Is it as bad as you thought?" the cat said with a hint of playfulness.
Minnie glanced back down to the box she held, then set it beside her. "Worse. Better?" Her brain was derailing. "I love it, I can tell ya that, heh." She chuckled as she leaned back.
"Well, what is it then? If you like it it can't be that bad."
Minnie wasn't about to show her the pictures. But she could give her an idea... "Ya know those calendars where men pose on them..."
The cat nodded, then her head stopped as her eyes widened. "Oh, no... He got you one of those?!" Now Oswald was going to get it.
Minnie shook her head. "In a sense, yes. Except..." She covered her face with her hands, too embarrassed to look at her sister-in-law. "...Mickey's in them, heh heh..."
The cat processed the thoughts as her eyes widened once more. "Mickey...? Wait. How did...? When...?"
Minnie shook her head. "I have no idea but there's twelve pictures of him in here, and all of them are... Wow, heh."
"So that's why Oswald wanted me to give it to you when everybody was gone." The cat's mouth curled up into a grin. "Should I give you some alone time or..."
"Ortensia!" Minnie snapped, but couldn't help but grin. Then both girls started to laugh.
"Ya know... That does give me an idea..." the cat said mischievously.
"Ooh, I'm all ears..." the mouse quipped.
Just then, they heard the sound of a vehicle pull onto the driveway. The girls were snickering as they got up and walked to the door. Opening it up, they saw Mickey and Oswald walking up to the porch. "Hi, boys," they said a little slowly with wide grins.
The boys froze and Oswald grabbed Mickey's arm.
"Mick. Run."
Mickey shifted uneasily. "H-Hi, Minnie! How was the, uh... shower?"
Minnie giggled, suddenly seeming less threatening to him. "It was wonderful. How was the bowling trip?"
"Well... we lost." Mickey rubbed the back of his neck.
"To Goofy?" Ortensia guessed, leaning against the door frame with her arms crossed.
"Howja know?" Oswald asked curiously.
The cat rolled her eyes. "I've seen him bowl, remember. The logic behind it is..."
"Unquestionable?" Oswald guessed with a grin.
"Yep. And Donald?"
"A few sore fingers and a sore temper, but he's good," Oswald said. Then he pulled his keys from his pocket. "Welp, we better get goin'!" Oswald said quickly, giving Mickey a grin. "I'm sure these two have lots to talk about." He elbowed Mickey's side, making the mouse roll his eyes.
The cat turned and hugged her sister-in-law with a grin. "Yeah, I'm sure they do."
Minnie gave the cat a light nudge with her elbow, then the girls snickered.
"Bye, Minnie. See ya later."
"Bye, Sis," Minnie said.
Oswald readjusted the grip on the handle of his bowling bag. "Bye, Mick. Good luck tonight," he grinned.
"Thanks a lot," Mickey said. "Thought you were stayin' to help explain things."
"Weelll, if ya need me, you've got my number." He gave Mickey a light hit on his shoulder with his fist. "Later, Bro."
"Yeah, I'll see ya later. ...If I live." Both chuckled as the rabbit started for his jeep.
Ortensia walked down the steps up to Mickey, and the rabbit noticed her whisper something to him. Then he watched as Mickey turned back to him. The grin the mouse gave him would match that of the Grinch. As the cat walked up to him, Oswald opened the door. "What was that about? Mick's grinning like a maniac over there."
Ortensia grinned. "I asked Mickey if he could get you to pose in some pictures like that for me." Oswald's face turned white, even whiter than normal. "Now come on. We have some things to talk about too..." She gave him a wink and Oswald gulped. It was going to be a long night.
Mickey continued to grin as he watched his brother and sister-in-law drive away. "Ha ha. Yer in fer it now, bunny boy..." He turned back to his wife as he started up the porch, and was tightening up his body. He was expecting her to make a mention about the pictures, but was never expecting her to kiss his lips.
"Thanks again for the baby shower, Mickey," she said with a warm smile when she pulled away, taking his hands into hers. "I really appreciate it."
"Aw, it was nothin'..." he said shyly, getting his brain to focus again.
She tugged at his hand, pulling him into the house. "Maybe not to you, but it was to me." In the living room, she stopped and turned back to him as she leaned close, touching her nose to his. "You're the greatest, Mickey."
"Aw, gee..." Mickey used his foot to close the door, now having completely forgotten about the calendar. "I'm just glad ya enjoyed yerself."
Minnie giggled as she pulled away and stepped into the kitchen. "Oh, it was really fun! But I do wish you coulda been here..."
Mickey followed her in. "Yeah, but it was more for you girls. I doubt there woulda been much for us guys to do." He noticed her starting to reach up to get a plate out of the cabinet and ran over to grab it. "Ah ah, I'll make supper. You've had enough excitement for one day, heh."
She giggled and nudged her hip against his. "Hold on, this morning we agreed that you would make breakfast and I would make supper."
Mickey rubbed the back of his neck. "I didn't exactly agree to that..."
Minnie grinned up at him. "Don't push it, buster. I'll make supper. If it makes you feel better, you can hand me something if I need it, okay?"
"Yes, ma'am!" he agreed.
After eating dinner, the mice took a shower, brushed their teeth, and got ready for bed.
"And that..." Minnie pointed to the stroller in the corner of the room, "is the stroller we got from Clarabelle." The mice sat on their bed, having just got onto it. Minnie had showed Mickey all the things they'd gotten from their family and friends at the shower. The little booties from Minnie's mom, the little bib from Mickey's mom, the Baby's First Songs CD from Daisy, the soft, plush lion from Ortensia, and finally, the stroller from Clarabelle.
Mickey facepalmed. "Oswald warned me about that. Do you like it?"
Minnie tilted her head as she looked at the box. "It looks... ancient. Like something from the Victorian era. What do you think?"
"It's... kinda neat, but..."
"Not so neat?"
"Yeah. You wanna keep it?"
"Well, we kinda have to. But... We could... you know... store it somewhere and forget about it, hee hee." The mice started to laugh. "And... we got one more gift..."
Mickey noted the shyness in her voice as she reached over and picked up the small box from atop the night stand. She laid it upon his lap and his heart started racing. Was this...? He gave her a glance and noticed her pink cheeks.
"Mandie got me... us... that."
Whew! It wasn't the calendar. He opened the box and... "Whoa..." His cheeks suddenly felt blazing hot. He pulled the item from the box and held it up. Bright pink, lacy boy shorts.
"She said it was a gift to the both of us..." the smaller female added with flushed cheeks.
"Yep. Welll... I'd say this is a good gift," he said, the edge of his lips curling up.
Minnie rolled her eyes with a giggle as she snatched them away from him, grinning as she stuffed them back into the box. "Well, once the baby's born, I'll have to make good use of her gift... I can model these for you..."
His heart just about leapt out of his chest at the thought, but he didn't have words to reply. His mouth was suddenly too dry.
"Speaking of model..."
Aw, crud. Here it comes...
Minnie reached over, picked up another box, and laid it in his lap. Her cheeks were pink but her smile wide and playful. "Wanna explain this?"
He looked down at the box. Then, with a deep breath, pulled off the lid. Yep. There was the calendar. "I, uh... Well, ya see, umm... I can explain!"
"Go on," she encouraged, leaning her face closer to his. "I'm very curious..."
Mickey quickly flung the covers off and got out of bed and started pacing back and forth. "Do ya have any idea what I had t' go through with those? I just mentioned the idea of making a calendar for ya and Oswald heard me and next thing I knew he'd suckered me into it."
"Oh, so these were your idea. Ooh, you sly little devil, you..." she said with a wide grin.
"I thought it'd never end! He paid me a lot to pose for each photo... Every picture was torture!"
"Huh. You seem to be enjoying yourself in them, hee hee!"
He gave her a glance. "'S called 'acting', Min. Yeah, that's probably because the only way I got through 'em was knowin' they were for you and I was tryin' to imagine it was you taking the pictures, the latter of which failed horribly."
Her cheeks flushed as she smiled. "Oh, Mickey..." She giggled.
"Ya have no idea how long those photo shoots lasted... It felt like they'd never end! And Oswald... Ooh, that brother of mine..." Mickey was still pacing back and forth, and Minnie found it both cute and comical. "One picture wasn't enough, ohhh no. He had to have multiple pictures for one month. He wasn't satisfied with any of the poses in the costumes. He just kept tellin' me to pose again and again! It was so humiliating to pose like that, especially with my apparently twisted, deranged brother taking the pictures. Ooh, I'm gonna love gettin' him back." He shook his fist in the air. "Ortensia asked me to take similar pictures of him, and boy, I'm gonna do it too! I..." He stopped and tilted his head. "Why're ya laughin'?"
Minnie, by this point, was laying on her side, laughing. His story was too cute and hilarious. Mix that with the mental images going through her mind and she couldn't take it anymore, and it had caused her to go from a giggle fit to full on laughter. She managed to calm herself and wipe her eyes as she sat up. "Oh, I'm sorry, Mickey, heh heh... I didn't mean to laugh, but you just looked so cute and comical pacing back and forth ranting, ha ha! And your story, hee hee!"
He realized she was right, and glanced down, wondering if he'd worn a hole in the floor yet. "Oh. Guess I was, heh."
She patted the bed next to her. "I'm sorry, sweetie. Come on back over here and lay down." Mickey walked back over to the bed and sat down next to her, and she placed her hand atop his. "Feel better?"
He took a deep breath. "Yeah. Now that I got it outta my system."
She chuckled. "I'm sorry you had to go through that, sweetie. But... I really do love the pictures," she added with pink cheeks.
"Ya do?" He turned to her.
She nodded. "Mm-hm! Honestly, You're a heckuva lot hotter than the guys on those other calendars. And a lot cuter too, hee hee! This is a wonderful present. Thanks, Mickey." She leaned close and kissed his cheek.
"Aw, shucks... Yer welcome."
She glanced back to the calendar. "So, um... those costumes... Where did you get them?"
He sighed, leaning back. "A place in the mall."
Minnie glanced over to the box that contained the undergarment her sister had gotten her. "I bet I know which store... Same one where Mandie got this." She pointed to the box.
"Probably."
"Soo... Do you still have them?" she asked with a cute, crooked smile.
He glanced back, his cheeks pink. "Well, y-yeah... I was gonna return them."
"Don't." She placed her hand on his. "Keep 'em. Ya never know when ya might need 'em again..." she said with a sly smile.
His hear nearly thumped out of his chest. "Oh, well, uh... Heh heh... A-Alright..."
Minnie giggled. "You're cute when you're shy." She pecked his lips. "Honestly... I'd have a hard time picking a favorite picture," she said as she slid the box with the calendar over to her. "But... I think the July one is just slightly above the rest. You look really..." She giggled. "...'hot' in it. It kinda makes me wanna go to the beach, hee hee."
Mickey rolled his eyes. "You have no idea how cold that ice cube was..."
"Oh, I can imagine. Where did you get one that big anyway?"
"Donald."
"Ah. That explains it. Did you really take the picture on the beach?"
"Yep. In broad daylight."
She giggled. "Oh, my gosh, wearing that?"
"No!" he said quickly with flushed cheeks. "I wore a T-shirt and shorts over that."
"Did anyone else see you?"
"Man, I sure hope not..."
She chuckled. "'Cause I don't want anyone besides me seeing these, hee hee."
"They that bad?"
"No." She leaned close. "They're that awesome."
"Oswald knows," he reminded her. "Sadly..."
"Mmmaaybe. But I've got the calendar. And the guy in the pictures. Ha ha, so who wins?" She pecked his cheek. Then she glanced to the calendar again. "The April one is interesting too... How did you two put that many of you in that photo?"
"Again, pure torture... Oswald took six pictures of me and edited all six together to make the picture. Took him a long time to edit it."
"Well, he did a good job with it." She glanced back up to her husband. "Thanks, Mickey." She giggled. "This is a super cute gift." She leaned close and pecked his cheek.
"Aw, yer welcome, Min. So yer not mad about the pictures?"
She cocked her head. "You kidding? Why the heck would I be mad? I love this calendar! Tee hee! And I'm really sorry about all the heck you went through to get the pictures taken."
Mickey smiled. "Aww... If ya really like it, then all of it was worth it."
"Oh, Mickey..." she cooed, and leaned close to nuzzle her nose to his. "Whataya say we get some sleep? We've both had a tiresome day."
"Sounds good t' me."
The mice placed the boxes on the night stands then slipped underneath the covers and snuggled up, Minnie resting her head on Mickey's chest while he rested an arm on her side. However, one thought once again plagued Mickey's mind...
420 kids... What if he's wrong? Sure he only had two that were his by blood, but... He glanced down to Minnie as she got comfy, nuzzling him. What if she does have that many?! She could have more that two!
"Mmm. Goodnight, Mickey..." Silence. And with her head on his chest, she felt his heart rate increasing suddenly. "Mickey...?" She tilted her head up, seeing his eyes were staring off into space. His face had petrified written all over it. "Mickey? What's wrong?"
"Are... you sure we're just having one?"
She blinked. "Huh?"
"The baby. Are we really only having one?"
Now she understood. "Well, yeah. You saw the ultrasound too. We're just having one."
"What if you have more than that?" His tone was getting more panic-stricken as he spoke.
"What? I'm not."
"What if you have five, or ten?!"
Her eyes widened as she sat up, propping herself up with one hand. "Whoa, whoa, hold up. Not possible."
"But Ortensia had two, and it's possible to have several!" With her off of him, he sat up, going into full panic mode. "What if you have that many? I mean, what if you have several? What if you have ten, or twenty?!"
"Mickey."
"We'd need a bigger house."
Mickey."
"We'd need a lot more nurseries."
She grabbed him by the front of his shirt. "Mickey!"
He shut up.
"First off, dear, I'm pregnant. I love you dearly, Mickey, so please don't mess with me right now, okay? Second, that isn't going to happen. And third, you're gonna hyperventilate. Do you need a little time out in your wheel again?"
"No..."
"Good." She let go of him. "Now calm down before you start climbing the walls."
"I'm calm, see?" His eye twitched.
She just looked at him. "Sweetie, if I said, 'Boo,' right now you'd put a hole in the ceiling, or tear a hole through the wall. Now calm down." She placed a hand on his chest. "Breathe."
He took a few deep breaths. "Okay. I'm calm."
"Good. Now why don'tcha tell me why this has you so worked up?" She paused for a moment. "Wait a sec... Does this have anything to do with that nightmare you had a long time ago? The one where we were married and a stork brought a bunch of kids and dropped them down the chimney?"
He grinned innocently. "Mmaayybe."
She facepalmed.
Mickey leaned back, lifting his gaze as he recounted the evening. How he started worrying about it while at the bowling alley.
"Mickey, we're not having a dozen kids," she giggled. "We're only having one; Mina. You saw the ultrasound too. There was only one baby on the monitor..." She placed a hand on her stomach. "...and that's all that's in here now. Not two, not ten, not four hundred and twenty. Only one baby." She leaned up closer to him as she rubbed his chest. "Don't worry. And don't stress yourself out. We're just having one, I can promise you that." She smiled. "We're only having one baby, and that's our little Mina." She took his hand and placed it upon her stomach, letting them feel their baby together. "See."
As he suddenly felt the soft kick of a tiny foot within her belly, his heart leapt once again. Feeling the single miracle they'd made together, and with her assurance, he began to calm down. "Only one. Ours."
"Exactly," she smiled, then leaned close to nuzzle him. "So please don't worry about this. We can ask the doctor tomorrow if you'd rather have him tell you."
He shook his head. "Naw. I'm okay. Thanks, Min." He kissed her forehead.
"Aw, Mickey... Anytime." She chuckled softly and nuzzled him.
But then something else hit him. "Do... you want more than one?"
She looked up at him, a soft grin playing upon her lips. "Right now, no, heh. If it's alright with you, I just want one."
He chuckled. "Guess ya already know I feel the same, heh."
She giggled. "Yeah, I kinda got the message, hee hee."
"Now about how's about that shut eye?"
She yawned. "I'm for that."
The mice laid back down and snuggled up together.
"Goodnight, Mickey... Mm, love you," Minnie sighed as she nuzzled her cheek against his chest.
"Night, Min. Love you, too," Mickey replied. She tilted her face upward and softly kissed him, his lips meeting hers. After a moment, they pulled apart and snuggled up, where they slept peacefully into the night.
To be continued...