*Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much!*
DEAN'S POINT OF VIEW:
"Hey, Man," says my best friend Roman as we are in Australia for a tour. "Why are you so down?"
"I'm just missing Ana and Natalia," I say as we are working out in the gym. "Ana found out the sex of the baby yesterday and I wasn't there and it isn't even about the sex after everything that happened with Natalia this was a big appointment to make sure everything is okay with its heart. I missed finding out Natalia's sex too and finding out she had a heart defect because I was out being selfish."
"Wow," says Roman, "that's got to be tough is the baby okay as far as the heart goes?"
"Ana told me that everything looked good with its heart. She won't tell me the sex of the baby. She told me I have to wait. I just wish I was there for her you know?"
"I know," says Roman. "You know how it is around here. We have to make sacrifices."
"Sometimes I feel like I have made a lot of sacrifices for this business. I gave up almost 10 years of my daughter's life to train and work for this business. I do this all for her and so that she can be given the world but I feel like she is missing out. I feel like Ana is missing out. No wonder we have so many problems because I'm never there to fix them."
"It sounds like you're about over this business," he says.
"I'm not over it. I just wish there was a happy medium. I love my job but I love my family too. It's really hard you know what I mean?"
"I know," he says, "I'm right there with you. I hate missing out on my daughter's school events and her t-ball games. I hate missing out on her dance recitals but then I think about how if I didn't have this job she wouldn't have all the opportunities that she does have. She may not have t-ball and she may not have dance class so at the end of the day all that we do is worth it because our kids are happy and they have all the opportunities in the world."
"You make a good point," I say. "I never miss Natalia's dance recitals. I make sure I'm always there. I owe her that much."
"You're a good dad, Dean, I'm sure Natalia doesn't hold it against you that you aren't around much."
"I guess," I say, "I just wish I had more time with her."
"So when you get home set out a special day just for the two of you and use that day to catch up on what's going with her and use it as a daddy daughter day. I do it all the time. It's the best day of my week."
"How do you and your fiancée handle being apart so much? I feel like me being away is what caused most of the problems with Ana and me."
"I do the same thing with her. Being in this business isn't easy. It takes work. Holding a marriage or a relationship together while you're on the road 300 days a year isn't easy. It takes work and dedication. You can't just expect it to be roses you're going to fight and have disagreements but you have to be dedicated and work together to make it work."
"I guess," I say. "We are trying to work this out."
"And that's good. You've been together since you were 17 years old I would hope you two can make it work."
"Me too," I say, "I love her. She's not like anyone else I've ever met in my life. She's different. She has a big heart," I say, "and she is the only one that knows me. She is one amazing woman. I'm glad I'm spending the rest of my life with her."
"That's good," he says.
"Will you be the best man at the wedding?" I ask.
"Of course," he says with a smile. "It would be my pleasure."
"Thanks, Man. You're my best friend. I wouldn't want anyone else standing in your place."
"Thanks for the honor," he says with a smile as we continue to work out. "Are you nervous for the big day?"
"Since we're already married not really but I'm nervous about doing it all in front of our family, and she wants to do our own vows. I don't know if I can do that. I know how I feel about her but putting it on a piece of paper is hard for me. I've never really been the one to discuss feelings you know what I mean."
"I'm sure you can think of something. The vows is all about how you feel. I'm sure you can express how much you love her to her that day and make the promises that she needs to hear."
"I know," I say, "but what if I choke in front of everyone?"
"You won't choke," he says, "it will just be you two up there. It's between you two not anyone else."
"Okay," I say but I still think that writing my own vows is going to be difficult. I know how I feel about Ana in my heart but I'm not sure I can put it into words. There are no words that I can use that can describe how much I love her and how much she means to me. There are no words that I can say that will promise her everything I want to promise her.
"So is Ana in wedding planning mode?" he asks as we lift weights.
"Of course she already got her wedding dress. She wanted to get it picked out and bought before she got any bigger. Surprisingly she's actually pretty small for being 20 weeks pregnant. Between wedding planning and baby planning we have our hands full. Then I can't forget the honeymoon," I say.
"As the best man isn't that my job to plan out the honeymoon so that you don't have to worry about all that?"
"Well, I already know what I want to do," I say.
"So tell me what you want to do and I'll make the plans."
"A nice long overseas vacation I'm thinking at least a month," I say.
"You want to take a month's long honeymoon where are you planning on going?"
"Australia, London, Paris, Rome and Athens," I say with a smile. "I know what she likes and what she loves. She's always wanted to travel overseas and now I have the money so we can do it."
"Wow," says Roman, "you've got her spoiled."
"It's not being spoiled it's being loved. I love her so much. I want to see her reach goals and make her dreams come true."
"Well, I'll do what I can to get this started. Are you two having a big wedding or a small wedding?"
"We compromised our wedding will be just close friends and our family pretty much. We don't want the media there and we don't want our day being ruined by the media or over-obsessed fans," I say. "We want to keep the ceremony small but the reception will be big," I say.
"Sounds like a plan," he says with a smile. "When I get married I want something small with just family and close friends. I don't even want a reception and if we have one it will be very private and small. It's kind of hard when you have a big family like mine."
"I bet," I say, "I wish I had a big family but Ana and Natalia are it for me."
"Yeah," he says, "but you guys are a sweet little family. I love you guys."
"Thanks," I say with a smile. "What you plan to do might be easier. Ana has me picking out colors I don't care what our colors are as long as I'm marrying her and she has us meeting with a caterer to go over what foods we want served at the reception and a baker to pick out the flavor of our cake. It's crazy in Connecticut right now," I say with a small laugh. "She's pretty much going to become a bridezilla," I say as I shake my head. "You know how aggressive she is when it comes to work God forbid something go wrong with our wedding but damn it I love her assertive and aggressive behavior it is such a turn on," I say with a smile.
"Too much information, Uce," he says with a smile, "you have your hands full good luck with all that."
"I'm not the one that needs luck it's her maid of honor I'm just there to nod and say yes to whatever she wants. I'm paying for the entire thing and money is no expense for me. If she wants her dream wedding she's getting it. I'm just there to say yes. I don't dare to tell her no."
"You're a smart man, Dean, a really smart man."
Roman and I finish up our workout before we head out to get some lunch before we head to the arena for our live event later that night. As I am in my locker room getting ready my cell phone starts to buzz. I pick it up and smile when Ana's and Natalia's picture pops up on my screen. "Hey, my sexy wife," I say with a smile as I tie my boot as I hold the phone between my ear and shoulder.
"Hey," she says with a smile in her voice. "How's Australia?"
"Good," I say, "I'm missing you though. I really miss you. I wish I could have been with you yesterday for the appointment. I can't believe I missed finding out the sex of the baby for the second time. I missed Natalia's too."
"Different circumstances," she says, "don't feel bad. With Natalia it was because you were out doing whatever it was you were doing but this time you actually had no choice. If I had known you would be in Australia I would have scheduled it for another time."
"It's all right," I say, "I'll find out when I get home. Can you give me a hint?"
"Nope," she says. "You'll just have to wait and see," she says.
"You're no fun," I say with a smile.
"So have you seen any koalas in Australia yet?"
"I haven't gotten the chance," I say. "It's been pretty busy with appearances and shows. I haven't really gotten the time to get out and see the koalas."
"Well, if you do see them make sure you get Natalia and me a picture you know how much we love koalas."
"I know," I say with a smile. "Maybe someday you'll get to come here."
"I wish," she says making me smile. "I would love that."
"I know," I say with a smile. "How is everything with Natalia? Is she doing all right?"
"Yes, we did some school shopping today. She's excited to go to this new school. I'm glad because I thought she would hate school the rest of her life because of the bullies at her old school."
"She'll get there and find out that it's a lot better," I say, "It has to be a great school if Stephanie and Hunter send their girls to the school. I don't think they would send them anywhere that didn't provide them with the best education. They've said good things and even meeting with the school gave me a good feeling. It's well worth the money we're paying."
"Yeah," she says, "so she got her uniform, book bag and all that stuff. I just have to take her to get some supplies like notebooks and pencils then she's all set."
"Good," I say, "when's her first day of school I want to be there."
"The day after Labor Day," she says.
"All right," I say with a smile. "I'll take a red-eye after RAW that night, see her off to school and then fly back out."
"All right," she says, "by the way I have a surprise for you later."
"Okay," I say, "what kind of surprise could you have for me when I'm in Australia and you're in Connecticut?"
"You'll see," she says making me smile.
"All right, I love your surprises," I say, "I can't wait."
"Call me as soon as you get it," she says.
"I will," I say. "I love you, Ana."
"I love you too," she says. "Have a good show, remember call me when you get your surprise."
"I will," I say with a smile before I hang up the phone.
I finish getting myself ready for my match before I go to catering to get something to eat before I start to prepare myself for my match in the hallway as I stretch and get my body prepared the last thing I want to do is get an injury as much as I hate being away from my girls I hate not being able to provide for my family just as much. I get my warm up in just in time before it's time for me to go out and face Roman for his championship. I do enjoy the feud we have going it keeps people on their toes that's for sure. I end up losing the match but I sign a few autographs and take some pictures before I make my way to the back. I talk to a few people on my way to the locker room and as I walk into my locker room there is a basket in there sitting on the bench. I look at it with confusion as I make my way over to it. A smile comes across my lips as there is a little football, soccer ball and basketball inside the basket with a blue teddy bear, a blue cap, blue booties and a blue blanket. I look at the card on the outside of the basket. I tear it off and open it. Baby Oliver is coming January 2nd. Congratulations you have a wrestler in training it's a boy! Love Ana. I read it and I smile. We're having a boy! Ana was right. I pull my cellphone out of my gym back and call her.
"I take it you got my surprise?" she asks.
"I did," I say with a smile. "It's a boy?"
"It's a boy, Jon. We're having a little boy and he wasn't shy about his boy parts at all. He let the world see that he had a penis."
Excitement fills me as I think about all the things I want to do with a little boy. The first thing I wanted was for the baby to be healthy and as much as I love my little girl I wanted a boy. I have wanted a boy for a while now and I am finally getting him. "I'm excited," I say with a smile as I admire everything in the basket. "I can't wait. You were right. How did you know?"
"I don't know. I just felt he was a boy," she says. "Are you happy?"
"Very happy," I say with a smile. "The basket is cute."
"I had to think of something. That's the only thing I could get done in Australia from here. I thought about having catering make a cake with blue inside but I didn't think I wanted all of the boys in the back to know that you made a boy."
"We made a boy," I say, "and the basket is cute there's a blanket in here, little sports balls and a teddy bear there's some other stuff. It's cute."
"Actually I'm pretty sure it was your decision in the end. I just provided the egg and you gave me the Y chromosome," she says making me smile. I love when she gets scientific. I love everything about her. I love that she's smart and I love that she's assertive and aggressive. I love that she is caring and generous but most of all I love her because she's Anastasia Bennett my beautiful wife and the mother of my children.
"I love when you get all scientific with me," I say with a smile. "It's sexy."
She lets out a laugh, "the fact that you find my intelligence sexy makes me feel good. I love you, Jon."
"I love you too, Ana. And baby Oliver," I say with a smile. "Give Natalia a kiss for me."
"I will," she says with a smile. "I'm sure you want to go out with your friends so I'll let you go. Have a good night," she says.
"You too," I say with a smile before I hang up the phone. A boy, I'm excited to have a son.
*A/N: Do you think Dean is having regrets about working so much? What did you think of Roman talking to him about it? What did you think of Dean making Roman his best man? What do you think of Dean giving Ana what she wants? What do you think of Ana's surprise for Dean? ARe you happy it's a boy? Please review and thank-you for reading.