Chapter Nine: 36 Weeks

They were able to stop the contractions.

More accurately, Kensley's water never broke, and her cervix didn't soften, thin, or dilate for delivery. Because there really wasn't anything they could do medically to treat preterm labor, the doctors and nurses simply made Kensley as comfortable as possible while readying the baby should he need to be delivered early. Perhaps it was the more controlled environment or maybe her body changed its mind, but for whatever reason, Beth was not a grandmother yet, and Kensley was still pregnant. Now, a few days later, her daughter was being released from the hospital, and it would be a small miracle if Kensley managed to make it home without the stress of her family sending her right back into active labor again.

They were all there: Kensley and Aaron, of course, Beth and Rio, Dean, and even Judith. Beth wasn't sure if adding Aaron's parents to the mix would have improved the Bolands' behavior or simply piled on even more chaos. The bottom line, however, was that with every dig leveled by Dean and every free pass Kensley and Aaron gave him and Judith, Rio became more and more agitated.

Beth tried to give him an out, letting him know that she appreciated his willingness to help her daughter despite how Kensley treated him, Marcus, the baby, even Beth herself and that she loved him for wanting to support her, but she had been dealing with her ex-husband and ex-mother-in-law for decades. However, Rio refused, citing her own advanced pregnancy as reason enough but also reminding her of the practical reasons why he needed to be there. He was the only person who drove a large vehicle and the only person strong enough to carry Kensley in and out of the car and into the house… should such efforts prove necessary. And they probably would, considering the disaster that was getting Kensley to the hospital in the first place.

Kensley really didn't think through the practicalities of insisting that Beth be the one to take her to the hospital rather than an ambulance. Speed was of the essence, yet Kensley was in too much discomfort to walk with any sort of pace. She was all stop and starts, and when Rio went to lift her into his arms, she freaked out. In the end, they used a combination of sitting and scooting down the stairs and pushing her on a wheeled chair through the house and down the driveway. It was all a ridiculous sequence made even more frustrating by Kensley having asked for their help - well, Beth's help - but then refusing to actually accept it. Bottom line, the entire situation should have been about the health and wellbeing of the 30 week old fetus, but it wasn't. It was about grudges and grievances - the level of pettiness dependent upon opinion, and once more, it made Beth worry about Kensley's emotional readiness to be a parent.

For the past few days, though, Kensley had wanted Beth with her… at least during her physical exams, ultrasounds, and tests to gauge the stage of her labor but also her health and the baby's. Beth had almost served as a medical advocate for her daughter, asking the questions that Kensley should have been asking herself and even going so far as to practically make health decisions for her. It was Beth who asked about the state of Kensley's placenta, wanting to make sure that it hadn't detached or wasn't covering the cervix; it was Beth who kept track of the baby's position, Kensley's level of amniotic fluid, and the baby's weight; and it was Beth who asked for Kensley's fetal fibronectin to be checked when the nurses were taking samples for lab testing.

With both corticosteroids and magnesium sulfate administered and Kensley's contractions having stopped, Beth's daughter was going home and, apparently, no longer wanted nor needed her mother. Because when Beth and Rio walked into the hospital room that morning, the doctors and nurses weren't surprised to see them, but Kensley, Aaron, Dean, and Judith were. "What are you doing here," a puzzled and agitated Kensley asked.

"Yeah," Dean chimed in. "I thought the metal detectors downstairs were supposed to keep out the riff raff."

"Riff raff," Rio mocked from beside her, though he kept his voice low enough so that only Beth could really hear what he was saying. After all, the plan was just to ignore Dean… like the child he was. "Is this jackass f'real?"

"We're here to help," Beth stated evenly, smoothing her hands over her bump in a soothing gesture. "We thought it might be easier if Rio drove you guys home. You should be more comfortable in the G-Class."

"You know what the G stands for, don't you?" Dean acted like the next words to come out of his mouth were going to be highly amusing and quite the reveal instead of easily predictable and infuriating. "It stands for gangster."

"Plus, if we're already there with you, we can assist you inside and upstairs as well."

"What you're talking about would require different kinds of guns." And then Dean made a complete ass of himself by holding up his thumbs and index fingers as pistols, even going so far as to make pea-shooter sound effects.

"Rio boxes, actually."

"Are you threatening my son," her ex-mother-in-law demanded to know.

Rolling her eyes, Beth denied, "of course not, Judith." Refocusing upon Kensley, she continued, "I thought you might prefer to have another woman, your mother, helping you change and getting you settled back into the house."

Dean laughed. "She's already pregnant, Bethie. I don't see what good you'd be now at this point. It's called bedrest, not going to bed with some banger."

"Nah, we ain't doin' this again. Call me what you want. I don't care. But you ain't gonna be disrespectin' Elizabeth like that," Rio warned her ex-husband. Then he turned on Kensley, Aaron, and Judith. "I don't give a shit who you are. You shouldn't let him talk about your Moms, your mother-in-law, or the mother of your only grandchild like that. What's wrong with you people?! Besides, has no one else been payin' attention to the doctors? They said no bedrest."

"Thank you," Dr. Park spoke for the first time. "There's no evidence to support bedrest reducing the risk of preterm birth, and we want Kensley moving around to prevent blood clots, muscle weakness, and emotional distress. But that doesn't mean that it's a good idea for Kensley to be home alone all day either. Mrs. Garza has been extremely helpful while Kensley has been in the hospital, and I would feel better if she was taking care of her at home, too."

"Oh, come on," Dean protested, waving towards Beth. "She looks like she's going to have that… kid any day now."

"Watch it," Rio growled out a warning.

"How is she possibly going to help Kens?"

"I am only 35 weeks pregnant, show no signs of going into labor any time soon, and have no physical restrictions. I'm perfectly capable of getting Kensley to and from the bathroom, fixing her meals, and monitoring her condition."

"If you think I'm going to let some… some mob wife… move in with my kid, putting her further at risk from… shootouts and… and gang violence, you have another thing coming!"

Beth was stunned silent. Rio, however, was not. "Seriously, have you people never met someone with tattoos before?"

"I actually have a tattoo as well," Dr. Park informed the room. But if she thought that would somehow deescalate the tension, she obviously did not know the Bolands well.

Although it was said to Kensley, Aaron, and Dean, the whole room could hear Judith when she asked, "are we sure this Asian woman is actually a real doctor?"

"Damn," Rio breathed next to Beth. "I thought it was just me, but that cranky bitch is an equal opportunity racist."

"Always has been," Beth replied, whispering. "If you think she's bad, you should have met her husband."

"Ain't that the guy you named your kid after?"

"Shut up," she snapped, though the bark lacked any real bite.

"I mean, has anyone even verified that she holds a degree from an American university?"

"Not only is Dr. Park highly educated, Judith, but she is also well respected. I verified her credentials myself when Kensley was first old enough to see a gynecologist."

"Oh," Judith mocked. "The woman who took ten years to graduate from Wayne State verified that the physician who is responsible for delivering my great-grandchild is reputable. Excuse me if I do not find that very reassuring!"

"I graduated top of my class from Stanford and then went to med school and completed my residency at the University of California - San Francisco," Dr. Park defended herself.

"Great. She went to west coast, hippie schools," Judith complained. "It's a shame Dr. Arnold had to retire. I'd feel so much better, Kensley-dear, if it was a man seeing you through your confinement."

God, Dr. Arnold! Beth nearly shuddered at the memory of that arrogant asshole. He had been Judith's OB-GYN, delivered Dean, and when Beth was pregnant with Kensley, Judith tried to convince Beth that Dr. Arnold should deliver the next generation of Boland babies, too. The man had been ancient twenty-three years ago when Beth was a scared and nervous eighteen year old. He'd made her feel uncomfortable and exposed when Judith just so happened to invite him over for dinner one night. Beth couldn't imagine how awful the man would have been had she been wearing a thin, paper gown with her legs up in stirrups. She'd rather deliver her grandson herself than subject Kensley or the baby to Dr. Arnold.

"Look, what matters is that Kensley chose Dr. Park."

"Plus, ain't it a bad idea to change doctors in the middle of a pregnancy, especially one that's high risk," Rio posed a legitimate question. "Dr. Park knows Kensley and her case."

"Oh, now suddenly you're an expert on having babies," Dean confronted Rio. "Just how many illegitimate children do you have exactly, anyway?"

Shaking her head in outrage, in disgust, Beth growled, "that's enough, Dean!"

"Those Mexicans are almost as bad as the Irish," Judith disparaged pretentiously. "Always breeding uncontrollably. You know," she widened her eyes… as though her next thought had just occurred to her, "maybe your people have the right idea, Dr. Park, in limiting how many children a person can have."

"I'm Korean," Dr. Park replied, sounding too shocked to be insulted. "And for the record, China lifted that restriction several years ago."

"Look, the issue isn't Dr. Park," Dean said. Too bad he had to ruin that statement by also saying, "the issue is, just because Bethie is okay with putting herself in danger, that does not mean Kens and my grandson should be exposed to and forced to live in danger as well."

"I ain't no mobster, or gangster, or criminal. I'm a fuckin' businessman," Judith gasped when Rio swore, but he just disregarded the feigned delicacy, "which you know, 'cause we did business together. Your kid had her wedding reception at our," he indicated both Beth and himself, "venue… no thanks to you, though." Addressing Aaron, he told him, "you really need to tell her about that. And soon. If you won't, I will."

"Tell me what," Kensley asked.

It was Dean, though, who responded. "Don't listen to anything that crook says, Kens. He's lying."

"Yeah, I'm the cheat and liar in this room," Rio challenged, though he left it at that, refocusing everyone back on the topic at hand. "And no one said anythin' about Elizabeth movin' in with Kensley."

"I just thought I could stay with her during the day while Aaron is at work. That way, he could save his leave time for when the baby is actually born. I'm not..."

"It must be nice - having a baby daddy that's also a sugar daddy. That's what you've always wanted," Dean accused, interrupting her.

It wasn't even worth Beth's time to address the fact that her ex-husband was implying she left him because he didn't have enough money. "As I was saying," Beth took a deep, bracing breath. "I'm not currently meeting with clients, so I can work just as easily from your home," she nodded towards her daughter and son-in-law, "as I can my own."

"Ah, yes," Judith mocked, her tone derisive. "Your little vanity business that the thug bankrolled for you. Too bad she wouldn't lift a finger to plan her own wedding when she was marrying my son!," Judith complained, addressing her remark to poor Dr. Park who appeared as if she had no idea how to handle them, and it was only her unflagging professionalism keeping her in the room.

Beth tried to keep that in mind when she replied, but she couldn't stop herself from getting a couple of digs in as well. "You didn't seem to mind my little vanity project when you took home almost all of the leftovers from Kensley's wedding. And I didn't want to marry Dean, Judith! I was pregnant. I thought I had to. Excuse me for not giving a shit about the ceremony!"

Finally, Kensley said something. "I, uh, actually asked Grandma Judith if she'd stay with us until the baby's born."

"Oh," Beth sighed. Her hand was being engulfed by one of Rio's before the syllable completely left her lips.

"It's very… kind and generous of Mrs. Boland to agree to that, but I'm not sure if she's the best choice," Dr. Park tentatively argued. "Like I stated before, I would feel more comfortable with Mrs. Garza assisting Kensley."

"Well, we would feel more comfortable with Grandma," Kensley insisted. There was an awkward moment when everybody in the room realized that the 'we' she was referring to was herself and her father, not her husband.

"S'that what you want, too, Aaron?," Rio questioned. Everyone in that room not married to him or a medical professional already disliked Rio, so it wasn't as though he had to worry about alienating them further.

"I, uh, I want what Kensley wants," Beth's son-in-law stated without a shred of confidence, and he refused to meet anyone's gaze.

"Besides, I might not be currently breeding," Judith sneered, "but I've had just as many babies as Beth."

"Plus, this way, Kens won't have to worry about locking up the valuables." Dean laughed at his own joke; no one else did.

At that moment, Beth realized that she should have been expecting this outcome to her daughter's medical scare. Asking for Beth's help had been a combination of desperation and instinct on Kensley's part. Now that the immediate danger had passed, though, Beth was no longer the mom who had raised and loved her with such dedication and care. To her daughter, she was once more the embarrassment who dared to fall in love again, who loved another man's child, who conceived a child with that same man, none of which fit into Kensley's immature and impossible fantasies for her family.

"Yes, I want to be there for you, Kensley. Yes, I want to be a part of your life and my grandson's. But I'm not going to force my help on you. If you didn't want it and you knew that when I stepped into this room, you could have at least said something to save us all from this… humiliating scene. I get that I'm not your favorite person right now and that you're not Rio's biggest fan either, but you just sat there while your father and grandmother insulted us. I raised you better than that." Turning then to directly speak with her daughter's OB-GYN, Beth said, "I apologize, Dr. Park. You shouldn't have had to witness this."

"You," Dr. Park returned, "have nothing to be sorry about. And thank you for all of your help these past few days. I'm not sure if Kensley would be going home this morning without it."

"If you need me… for anything," she told her daughter in parting. "If your Grandmother needs a break, or if she has a pre-scheduled engagement - say a hair appointment, or if you change your mind, you know how to reach me."

Still holding Rio's hand, Beth didn't wait for Kensley to respond to her offer. Instead, she just turned around and left the room, Rio supportively at her side.

!

"Congratulations, kids. You're officially 36 weeks pregnant, which means your risk of complications during delivery has dropped significantly. You're no longer considered full term at this point. That was recently changed to 39 weeks, but this is still an important milestone in your pregnancy," Dr. Smythe informed Beth and Rio as she walked into the exam room.

"You do realize that we're both older than you, right?"

"I mean, barely," Dr. Smythe remarked, rolling her eyes. The OB-GYN was thirty-six. "Call it semantics. Besides, you're both young at heart, right, and that's what really counts."

"I'm not sure if I find that reassuring coming from my physician," Beth teased.

After they went through the routine of weighing her - 24 pounds gained so far, and yes, Dr. Smythe announced it again - and taking her blood pressure, Beth settled down on the table so that they could check the baby's positioning. Judging by how she felt, Beth was pretty sure her unborn son or daughter was laying the right way inside of her, but of course she would appreciate the doctor's confirmation.

"Head first, rump up - a textbook example of cephalic presentation and exactly what we want to see or, in this case, feel. Given how cramped it's getting inside of Mom at this point, I'm sure you've felt a significant decrease in the acrobatics, so the baby is pretty much there to stay. That's the good news," Dr. Smythe told them. "The bad news is that this little guy or girl has not dropped whatsoever. They seem perfectly content right where they are."

Rio's mouth was already opening when Beth turned to him, quirked a brow, and warned, "don't even say it." His dark eyes danced with mischief, so she knew that she had been right to stop him. Maybe they all knew what he was thinking - 'bein' deep inside of Elizabeth's my happy place, too, but that didn't mean her OB-GYN needed to hear him say it. They overshared with her enough as it was.

Smirking, Dr. Smythe pressed on, "obviously, baby is comfortable, but how are you feeling, Beth?"

"Honestly, I feel great. It'll be nice to paint my own toenails and not have to go to the bathroom every five minutes again, but there's nothing so bad that I need to deliver now."

"Good," the physician praised. "That means I won't be hearing any stories next week about the two of you trying to induce labor."

While they continued to talk, Dr. Smythe measured Beth's belly and quickly listened to the heartbeat, but the actions were more rote than anything else. The baby was healthy and, even though he or she didn't want to be born yet, they were physically ready to meet the outside world.

"None of that stuff works, right," Rio questioned. "Just like none of those old wives' tales can predict the baby's gender."

"Actually, there is one scientifically proven way to induce labor at home," Dr. Smythe told them. She sounded a little too gleeful in the leadup, so Beth held her breath, fearing where the conversation was going to go, especially knowing what some of the ineffective tricks were. "Nipple stimulation."

"I can do that," Rio offered.

Dr. Smythe laughed. "I bet you can."

"Well, I mean, I can do that more," Rio clarified. He smirked; Beth blushed. It seemed to be their usual looks for the exam room. "So, why does that work but, say, other… stimulation don't?"

"In your case, not having sex might actually shock the baby into being born," Dr. Smythe teased. "But to answer your question, nipple stimulation increases a mother's oxytocin levels, and oxytocin tells the body that it's time to have a baby."

"What are some of the other things people try?"

"Spicy foods, for one, but Beth hasn't suffered from heartburn, and all that talk of Christmas tamales leads me to believe that she's been able to eat spicy food throughout her pregnancy."

"I haven't had an aversion to anything," Beth confirmed. But of course she avoided things like raw fish and soft cheeses. With Rio and Dr. Smythe, though, that went without saying.

"Some women try exercising to induce labor," the physician continued to list off the ineffective ways. "Hopefully, like Beth has been with her yoga, they were working out throughout their entire pregnancy, however. That will do them more good than trying to jump or bounce their baby out of their bodies."

"Pop's actually been practicin' with her," Rio revealed, smiling fondly. "He seems to like learnin' the names of the poses more than he actually likes learnin' the actual poses, though."

"He also finds it highly amusing when my belly pokes out of my shirt."

"I'm kind of surprised you're not practicing naked," Dr. Smythe joked.

Reflexively, Beth replied, "not when Marcus is there!," only realizing afterwards that, in providing the caveat, she was also confirming the OB-GYN's bantering assumption.

Eying Rio, Dr. Smythe wondered, "let me guess: she saves the nude yoga for you?"

"Nah," Rio denied. "I like watchin', but I usually just stick with warmin' her up and coolin' her down. I prefer to work up a sweat in… other ways."

Who would have thought that her husband and her physician would be bad influences on each other? Getting them back on topic, Beth introduced the least sexy way women sometimes tried to induce labor. "I know some people believe taking castor oil works."

Rio looked at them both dubiously. "Isn't that shit used as a laxative? That don't sound like a good idea. It might cause cramps… but not the labor kind."

"That's exactly the issue with castor oil," Dr. Smythe confirmed for him. "Some women try acupuncture and acupressure as well, but again, there's no proof it works."

"I don't get why women would try this nonsense when the best option - the one that actually works - is also fun. Who doesn't enjoy a little nipple play?"

Dr. Smythe shrugged, pushing her chair away from Beth's side. "Desperate times call for desperate measures, right? And who's more desperate than a miserable, overdue pregnant woman? Luckily, you," the physician looked back and forth between Beth and Rio, "don't need to worry about that, because Beth's practically a professional at this pregnancy stuff."

"I wouldn't quite go that far," Beth disagreed.

"Alright, real talk now," Dr. Smythe sobered while she jotted down a few notes. "Because you're as comfortable as a nearly full term pregnant woman can be, Beth, and your baby isn't stressed or too crowded, I don't want to rush anything. We'll let you go naturally until you're either beyond the 42 week mark, or the baby is projected to weigh more than ten pounds. We hit either of those two benchmarks, and we'll start talking about inducing you medically. Until then, though, or until you deliver," the OB-GYN stood up, "I'll be seeing you weekly." Dr. Smythe had the door open and one foot out into the hallway when she paused, looked over her shoulder, and exclaimed, "oh, I'm sorry! I forgot to ask: how's Kensley and her baby? I'm assuming she's still pregnant, because you probably would have led with pictures of your grandson if he was here already."

"Well, she's back to not wanting to have anything to do with me, so better, I guess," Beth answered. "I'm trying to focus on the positive - the fact that she's feeling well enough again to ignore me - than the negative."

"Good," the doctor complimented. Then, knocking her hand against the door jamb, she ordered, "have your birth plan ready for me next week, okay? We'll go over it together."

!

When Beth opened the door to Rio and Marcus that morning, she was met with a scowl and a grin, respectively. It was a Saturday, so Beth was off, but Rio had to work. Rather than send Marcus to Rosa's for the day, the eight year old was going to hang out with Beth. It would be their first significant amount of time together without Rio, though he would join them that evening for dinner and a sleepover.

"Marcus, what's up with your Dad's face?"

Marcus giggled. "Daddy's pouting."

"I ain't poutin'," Rio denied.

But his son didn't relent. "He's mad that he has to go to work while I get to spend the whole day with you - just us. Abuelita says he's jealous, too."

"I don't pout, I ain't mad, and you need to stop listenin' to your Abuelita. First, she has you interrogatin' Elizabeth for her, and now she's fillin' your head with this nonsense. I ain't jealous neither.""Well, if it makes you feel any better, it actually won't be just the two of us for the whole day." Addressing Marcus more than Rio, Beth said, "I thought we could go to the park. My best friend, Ruby, has a son your age. His name is Harry. I've told him all about you, and he thinks you sound really cool and wants to play with you. What do you say - interested?"

Beth could see that Marcus was both intrigued and nervous about the idea of meeting someone new. It was sweet. "Does he like science?"

"You know, I'm not sure. But I know he got in trouble last week for chasing his sister with bugs, so probably?""Now you did it, Mami," Rio pretended to chastise her. "If I gotta listen to Lola bitch and moan the next time Pop plays with Allie because he put a spider on her shoulder or somethin', I'm sendin' her your way.""Marcus wouldn't do that to Allie," she defended the little boy. Allie was only six, and Marcus was really good about taking care of his younger cousins. "He'd torture Aida with the spider instead." Aida, however, was nine. She was fair game."And Isabel hates snakes," Marcus informed her, apparently already so inspired by Harry that he was upping the ante.

Laughing, Beth shooed him further into her apartment. "Go put your stuff in the spare room. You'll know it when you see it," she told him with a wink.

Once they were alone, Rio came in far enough to press Beth back against the open door. "What'd you do, Elizabeth? Please don't tell me you redecorated an entire room for one night."

"This time, it's just one night, but if the two of you are going to be staying over more often,..."

Cutting her off, Rio demanded to know, "who said anything about this sleepover bein' repeated?"

"I did. Because I happen to like having you in my bed for a change.""Yeah, well, maybe I don't think of the bed at the loft as just mine anymore; maybe I consider it ours, Sweetheart."

That earned Rio a kiss. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled him down towards her, nipping at his generous bottom lip before licking it with her tongue both to soothe and to request entry. Rio immediately opened his mouth, greeting Beth's tongue with his own, toying with it before tangling them together and bringing her deep into his mouth. The kiss was dirty, lascivious, far more than either of them could handle when he had to leave and couldn't see it through to what should have been its inevitable conclusion.

By the time Beth wrenched her lips away from Rio's, they were beestung and tingling, wet, and she was breathing hard. "I didn't redecorate," she reassured him. "I just… updated it a little bit for him. I want Marcus to feel welcome here."

Because she rented and didn't own, Beth couldn't personalize her home with paint, so she had to rely on decor to express herself. The same had been true for Kensley when she had still lived with her. What was now the spare room had once been her daughter's bedroom. So, Beth had changed out the bedding to something a little more appropriate for an eight year old boy, and she pulled out some of the things from storage, things that had once been Kensley's, that she thought Marcus would enjoy - old science fiction books for middle grade readers, the telescope that Kensley didn't take with her when she moved out, her star projector night light, and Beth even made a few astronomy and space themed prints for the walls from arts and crafts supplies she already owned.

"What about me," Rio wanted to know."I mean, the bed is a double, so I guess you could always share it with him.""You know that's not what I meant. I like sleepin' in you."

Not in your bed. Not with you. But in you. Dropping her hands down so that she could trace the thick, dark lines on the back of his arms, Beth insisted, "if you don't leave now, I'm not going to let you leave at all."

He leaned his forehead against hers, groaned. "Damn it, Ma. I am jealous of my own damn kid."

"Then get out of here." Her words said one thing, but her tone said another. "And then hurry back. The sooner you finish what you need to do today, the sooner you can come back to us." The sooner he could come home."Yo, Pop!," Rio called out loud enough for his son to hear him but not loud enough to incite complaints from Beth's neighbors. After all, they were still standing in her open doorway. Once Marcus ran back out into the living room, Rio let go of Beth so he could kneel down, opening his arms for a hug from his son. "Behave yourself, yeah?""I will, Daddy.""But not too much," Rio playfully warned, teasing both Marcus and Beth. "I can't have you settin' no impossible standards or nothin'. I won't be able to compete with you."

Marcus was giggling when he said, "Daddy, you're silly," and squeezing Rio for all he was worth. Five seconds later, he was pulling away, "Can I go play now?"

"Sure, Honey," Beth told him. "I'll call you out when breakfast is ready.""He ate," Rio informed her."But I could eat again. I'm already hungry," Marcus said."I thought you wanted to play," Rio sent Marcus scrambling back towards the spare bedroom once more. "Trust me," he told her as he stood up to his full height. "The kid ain't starvin'. Don't feel like you gotta cook him somethin' just 'cause he's got hollow legs."

Beth shrugged, smiled. "I enjoy cooking, especially for the people who matter to me."

"I know, Ma," Rio acknowledged, punctuating his words with one, two, and then three quick and chaste but still affectionate kisses. "I'll see you and the kid tonight, yeah?""Let me know what time you think you'll be here, so I can plan dinner," she requested of him. Rio agreed with a nod. Just as he was about to walk down the hall, she called out, "oh, and Rio?" He looked at her, brows raised in a silent question. "Don't worry about competing with Marcus. I like when you misbehave."

After Rio left, Beth thought the morning would go by slowly - not because she didn't want to spend the time with Marcus but because she'd constantly be thinking about how much time still needed to go by before Rio could rejoin them. But it wasn't like that at all. Hollow legs or not, if Marcus was hungry, then Beth was going to make him something to eat. So, she whipped up a quick egg, sausage, and avocado salsa breakfast burrito, wanting something that would be filling and lasting. Her plan was to pack them a picnic lunch for the park, but they had to make it there without Marcus getting hungry first. Once his belly was no longer rumbling, he asked if they could make a craft together after admiring her handiwork in the spare room, so she hooked up the cricut, and together they made some iron-on vinyl decals for his overnight bag.

Hollow leg syndrome must have been hitting Detroit with a vengeance that summer, because Harry was starving by the time Beth and Marcus arrived at the park. So, she unpacked the food - chickpea salad sandwiches with fresh veggies on a soft baguette, rainbow orzo salad, cherry tomatoes and corn, watermelon salad with feta, zucchini chocolate chunk brownies, and blackberry peach lemonade - while introductions were being made. Beth had also packed a homemade snack mix, but she saved that for when the two little boys inevitably were hungry again right around the time they would be leaving the park and going their separate ways. Marcus had been disappointed to find out that all Beth had to do was assemble and pack up the picnic, so she planned on taking him to a farmer's market on their way back to her place, and they would select fresh produce to cook for dinner together.

"You want to tell me why I'm meeting your boyfriend's son before I even meet your boyfriend," Ruby started off their adults-only conversation with a question.

Beth was pretty sure Harry was still chewing his brownie when he took off for the playset across from the bench where she and her best friend were now sitting, Marcus pausing long enough for Beth to give him a wet wipe. The boys were captaining a pirate ship rocket. (At least they were compromising.) Every few minutes, between their giggles, she'd hear 'ahoy, maties' and 'roger that, Houston!' being called out across sea

and space, apparently."Because we're moms, so I knew you'd behave and be nice to Marcus."

Ruby jerked backwards, eyeing Beth closely. "And is that what this is: two moms out with their sons?"

"I won't lie to you or deny that I'm fond of him," Beth looked out at the rambunctious eight year old. "But Marcus has a mother. Her name is Rhea, she's a good parent, and he loves her very much.""He loves you, too. Already," Ruby emphasized how little time Beth had known Marcus, how brief her relationship was with Rio. "You need to be careful."

Defiantly, she asked, "why?"

"Because you've only been dating his dad for, like, five minutes!""It's been more than two months, Ruby.""Like I said," her best friend snarked. After a moment, Ruby continued, voice a little softer, a little more compassionate and understanding. "I get it, you know. It's obvious that the sex is good, and, Girl, you've gone all your life without good sex. Gobble. It. Up. But if that's all it is, then you can't let that little boy get any more attached to you than he already is."

Beth couldn't help the grin that took over her entire face. "I've met his family."

"I know," Ruby rolled her eyes. "He's playing space pirates with my kid right now.""No," she argued. "I met his family, Ruby. His Grandmother. His Tías, his Tíos. His cousins. Marcus' cousins. I've held and kissed the babies. There's two - Elisa, Tommy and Justin's adopted daughter, and Gabriel, Olivia's toddler. They're both two. I have notecards, so I can keep everybody straight… and Rosa, that's Rio's Grandmother, hasn't even included Ángel's or Juan's branches of the tree yet."

Ruby opened her mouth to inquire, to complain, to comment; Beth didn't know. And she didn't give her a chance to say anything, because there was more that she had to say, more she had to set her straight about, before she could stop talking. "And, yes, the sex is… god, it's mind-blowingly fantastic. And... plentiful!"

"Are we talking multis?," Ruby could not let her finish without seeking clarification."Like… every time," Beth confided."Daaaaamn.""But it's more than just really great sex, Ruby. It's… he makes me laugh. We go on dates. Sometimes, we take Marcus with us; sometimes, we don't. We talk… like really talk. We have things in common.""For real," Ruby challenged skeptically. "How are you and Homeboy anything alike?"

Beth felt a shiver of frustration work its way up her back. But she ignored it, knowing that her best friend wasn't trying to insult Rio. Beth was just… protective of him and what they shared. "His father abandoned him, and his mother was haunted by demons his whole life until she died when he was still young. Sound familiar at all?"

"Oh," Ruby breathed out, falling heavily against the back of the bench. Her expression became more open, more willing to listen. Beth wouldn't share with her the details of Rio's parents. That was just for them, and she would honor his confidences. But if Ruby just saw the tattoos she'd only heard about at that point and the fancy, remodeled factory Rio owned, he wouldn't become real to her. Annie would be impressed by his Mercedes, the diamond stud he wore in his nose; Ruby needed substance, which Rio had in spades. He just wasn't always willing to show it off.

Continuing with her list of reasons why her relationship with Rio was based upon more than just sex, Beth blushed when she confessed, "he compliments me."

Eyeing her chest with a raised brow, Ruby quipped, "I bet he does."

"No, I mean me, not my body." Her best friend gave her a dubious glance which caused Beth to roll her eyes. "Okay, so he likes my body as well. But he thinks I'm a Boss Bitch."

Ruby wrinkled her nose in distaste. "And that's a good thing?"

"Somehow, he's both supportive of what I do now - praising me for my degree, for my work ethic, for how good I am at my job - while also encouraging me to want more for myself." Shyly admitting one more aspect of Rio's admiration, Beth bit her bottom lip while she said, "he thinks I'm impressive.""And what about you, Bee? Do you find more than just his dick impressive?""Jesus, Ruby!" Glancing around to make sure no one had overheard her best friend's question… and checking on Marcus once more, Beth spoke sternly, "of course I do! If that's all he had going for him, I wouldn't be…," Beth trailed off, not ready to finish that sentence. "He's so smart. Maybe he didn't go to college, but I have a degree in Finance, and he puts my math skills to shame. He's successful. He doesn't just own the event business, Ruby. He owns that entire building, a bar, a coffee shop, a tobacconist, and a gym. He's a good nephew and grandson, and most importantly, he's the absolute best father.""So, he's all that, you're obviously feeling some kind of way about him, and you're an honorary member of his family now, but Annie and I haven't even met the guy yet?!"

Huffing and folding her arms over her chest, Beth defended herself. "After that brunch when the two of you found out we slept together, can you blame me?"

"Oh no, you didn't just sleep with the man; you had a full-on sex weekend with him after just meeting him!""I'm not Annie! I thought my best friend, of all people, would give me the benefit of the doubt that, when I finally slept with a guy again after all those years, no matter how soon after meeting him, that it wasn't just sex. Not even that first time.""Really?" The disbelief and doubt in Ruby's voice cut Beth. "You were gone from the reception for what, thirty minutes? An hour, tops? How could it have possibly been more?""It's not like I just barged into his office, lifted up my skirts, and ordered him to 'do me.'"

Ruby choked on a laugh. "Well, that's a relief."

"I was upset - all that nonsense that Dean was spewing about my contributions to not just the wedding but raising Kensley. Rio calmed me down. He listened to me, and he made me feel better about myself. We started to get to know each other that night. I knew about Marcus, that he drank gin, that he liked art and my food - all before he even touched me.""Alright," Ruby finally conceded. "Maybe we were a little… rash.""No, you were judgmental, and you stereotyped Rio based on the drunken ramblings of my asshole ex-husband," Beth accused. "I'm sorry if I wasn't in a hurry to further subject him - or myself - to that."

Ruby fluttered her lashes at Beth and held her hands together in a begging gesture. "If Annie and I promise to be on our best behavior, will you introduce us to

Riiiio?" Ruby curled her tongue around Rio's name, drawing it out and making it sound exotic."Not even you are powerful enough to control my sister.""No, but you said your boy owns a bar, right? Have him slip that into conversation with Annie, and he'll be golden."

Shaking her head, Beth argued, "I don't want Annie to like Rio only because she thinks he'll give her free drinks if she's nice to him."

"What do you want, Bee?""I want you guys to realize that… I'm more me with Rio than I've ever been on my own before. There were parts of myself - my sexuality, my ambition, my strength, my passion - that I was too scared to show people, I guess. Or maybe I wasn't confident enough, I don't know. But with Rio… and Marcus, it's okay for me to desire, to dream, to take, to feel… however I want to feel.""Well, the only way we'll ever know you like that, then, is for us to see you with him." Before Beth could respond, Ruby sighed. "I can't believe it. You're in love with him!" It wasn't a question. Ruby wasn't seeking confirmation. For her best friend, Beth's feelings for Rio were just a foregone conclusion after everything she had confessed and confided in her. "Have you told him yet?""No. But soon, I think."

Soon ended up being later that night.

After the park, Beth took Marcus to buy the ingredients they would need for dinner, and then the two of them worked together to make chicken teriyaki pineapple bowls, Hawaiian coleslaw, baked purple sweet potatoes, and malasada filled with haupia. Marcus was intrigued by the idea of cutting their own pineapples, so they made a whole theme with it, and the tropically inspired food felt appropriate for summer… even in Detroit. They were just finishing up dessert - Marcus very much enjoying his filling duties - when Rio arrived, teasingly greeting her with a 'Honey, I'm home,' when she opened the door to him… followed by a kiss that quickly grew out of control until Marcus, finished with his piping and curious as to what was taking them so long, jumped down from the kitchen chair he was standing on and came running.

After dinner… and more compliments than Beth could handle without flushing in pleasure, though her sous-chef had no such qualms, Rio insisted on doing dishes, so Beth and Marcus went out onto her little patio, setting up Kensley's telescope, so he could look at the stars. There might have been some searching for alien spacecraft happening as well. By the time full night fell and the fireflies came out to dance in the dark, Marcus was tenaciously holding onto consciousness just long enough to insist that both Rio and Beth put him to bed.

So, that's exactly what they did. While Rio carried his son into Beth's spare room, she turned down the bed and switched on the nightlight. When Rio bent over Marcus to give him a goodnight kiss on the forehead, the eight year old insisted that she give him a kiss goodnight, too. "Love you, Daddy," Marcus mumbled half asleep. "Love you, Beth."

Right then, right there, Beth realized just how much she had missed having a child in her life. She loved Sara and Harry, but it wasn't the same; they weren't

hers. Maybe she wasn't Marcus' Mom, but she mattered to him in a way that was different, that meant more than just an aunt, and he had certainly taken a piece of her heart for himself… just like his father.

Linking her fingers with Rio's, Beth tugged him after her - out of the spare room, down the hallway, and back out towards the patio. She lowered her voice, made it all demure and seductive, and then she purred, "come on. It's your turn to see the stars, Daddy."

He came to her obediently, and then he came inside of her oh so willingly. With Rio laid out beneath her on the chaise lounge - the two of them stripped down to just skin and emotion, Beth rode them both to completion. He stared into her eyes, and she stared into his with every thrust and twist, every curl and clench of their hips. And when they saw those stars, they weren't in the sky or even the phosphenes that wandered across their vision when their releases hit; they were in Beth's words when, spent, she draped herself over Rio's naked, heated flesh - his arms and legs wrapping possessively around her - and whispered six words into his ear.

"I'm in love with you, Rio."

A little later that night, wrapped up in each other all over again while laying in her bed, they saw that same galaxy once more… only it was Rio's turn to give Beth the stars. It felt like he didn't just give her the stars, though; when he returned her words to her - mouthing them against her cunt, it felt like he gave her the universe.