I'm so excited to produce the next few chapters as we finally explore Lily's pregnancy! These have been chapters I've been wanting to write for quite a while. There is a trend in this chapter if you pay attention to see how far along she is in each segment.
Now I'm not pregnant by any means, nor have I experienced it. But I pray I can do Lily justice. And based on Lily's circumstances, I will say her pregnancy will not be an easy one, but there'll be more to come on that. At this point, the pregnancy has been kind to Lily. You'll just have to read on to find out what happens!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to to "TMNT," "Meet the Robinsons," "Toy Story," nor "Lord of the Rings." I only own Lilianna, James, Ryan, Justine, Isamu, Venus, Athena, Skyler, Karena, Diana, Wesley, and Anna.
September 6, 2049 - Pacific Bay, California, USA
LILIANNA'S POV
"Good morning!" I greeted my husband in a singsong voice.
"Good morning," James replied with a confused look. "I take it by your mood you're feeling better?"
"Well, I still puked this morning. But I made you breakfast. It's on the counter."
"Oh, Lily, thank you!"
James happily went into the kitchen to retrieve his breakfast. Using my ninja skills, I snuck a present onto his spot at the table. All too quickly, James returned with his breakfast and spotted the present.
"Oh! For me?"
I nodded eagerly.
"Open it!" I told him with a grin.
"Okay."
James reached into the orange bag and pulled out a white glass pumpkin.
"Oh, Lily, it's beautiful! Where did you get this?"
"Anna and I made it together in San Diego," I answered. "There's more to it than meets the eye."
James reached inside the bag with a confused expression.
"Lily, I just got up. What am I looking for and where is it?"
"The pumpkin," I answered with more anger than I wanted to display.
"Oh, there's a lid!"
James opened the lid on the pumpkin and pulled out a small card.
"I love you, from your little pumpkin. Aww, Lily--"
"Keep going," I interrupted him with a grin.
James dug into the pumpkin again and pulled out my pregnancy test. His eyes widened as he looked up at me with his jaw dropped.
"Lily... are you serious?"
I immediately felt tears coming to my eyes and nodded.
"Uh-huh," I answered with happy tears. "It's finally happening, James. We're going to have a baby."
James laughed with joy. We both got up out of our chairs. My husband lifted me in the air and spun me around. After he set me down again, we kissed.
"A baby?" he asked with a teary smile. "We're really having a baby?"
"Yes!"
We laughed and hugged each other again, totally forgetting about breakfast.
September 24, 2049 - New York City, New York, USA
DONATELLO'S POV
April and I had just finished dinner with whatever family was home and we went into my lab to be together. But when we walked in, we were in for a surprise.
"Oh, Lily!" I exclaimed happily. "Hi!"
"Hi, Dad!" Lily replied excitedly. "Hi, Mom."
She got up and hugged both of us. Lily dressed well today, wearing an orange dress that revealed her curves.
"Wait a minute," April spoke up with a curious smirk. "Something's different about you."
"April, Lily looks the same as always!" I replied with an amused look. "She's just being bold today."
"I am being bold today," Lily said, affirming my statement. "But Mom's right. Something is different."
"What is it?" April asked.
"I don't notice anything different about you," I replied. "What did you do?"
"Well, James and I did a thing," Lily explained with a grin. "And, well..."
Lily turned to her left and placed her hands on her small abdomen.
"We are pregnant."
I screamed happily, putting my hands on my face. April had let out a delighted gasp but then laughed at my scream.
"In all the years we've been married, I have never heard you scream like that before," April said teasingly. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, yes!" I answered with awkward laughter. "Sorry. It's just that Lily and James have been trying for so long that it was the last thing I was expecting to come out of her mouth."
Lily laughed merrily before Leo rushed into the lab.
"I heard screaming!" Leo exclaimed with a panicked look on his face. "Is everything okay, Donnie?"
"Yes, everything is fine," I answered with a sheepish laugh. "Lily just shared some news that, well, surprised me."
"Is this something that is just between the three of you?" Leo asked.
"No, James and Anna know, too," Lily answered.
"Well, Lily, may I check you over?" I asked with a smile.
"Check you over?" Leo repeated. "Are you sure everything is alright?"
"I'm eight weeks pregnant," Lily repeated the news again, this time to everyone in the dojo.
"Oh my gosh!" Athena and Mikey exclaimed at the same time.
"You're having a baby?" Renet asked with tears and a smile.
"Way to go, Lily," Raph commended her. "It's about time."
"With that said, do any of you women have any suggestions on how to train?" Lily asked. "Mom?"
"Well, I was active when I was pregnant with you," April explained. "But when my body told me to rest, I rested."
"Leo, to my dismay, forbade me to train," Karai chimed in. "I could teach my students, but I couldn't train myself."
"I divided my training between ninjutsu and birthing," Mona Lisa explained. "The closer I got to Venus's due date, the more I focused my training on delivering my baby. Unfortunately, Donatello had to deliver my baby by C-section, so the training was pointless."
"Not necessarily," I corrected my sister-in-law. "It's always a good idea to train yourself to be calm and what your breathing technique should be when it's time for you to deliver your baby."
"Auntie Renet?" Lily asked, pointing to her.
"Well, I didn't know ninjutsu back then," Renet explained. "But I did what your mother did. I was active until my body, or Athena in this case, told me I needed to rest."
"I was in the same boat as Karai," Justine chimed in over the phone. "But then again, I was in school and didn't really have much time to train. But you do you, Lily, and congratulations on finally having a baby."
"Thank you, Justine," Lily replied with a smile.
"How are you feeling, Lilianna?" Leo asked. "What do you want to do for training?"
"I really like Mona Lisa's advice. For right now, I'll train like I always have, but also include some training for becoming a mother. At least I can take it easy knowing Stockman's back behind bars."
Mona Lisa suddenly got up and walked up to Lily, putting a hand on the latter's abdomen.
"This is one very lucky baby, Lilianna. And you are one very lucky mother."
Lily and Mona touched each other's foreheads with fond smiles on their faces and their eyes closed.
October 1, 2049 - Westport, Connecticut, USA
KARENA'S POV
"It's about time!" Wilbur exclaimed excitedly after Lily revealed her news.
"Daddy, what does pegnant mean?" Diana asked.
"Pregnant, Diana," I corrected my four-year-old daughter. "Do you remember when my tummy was getting bigger and bigger and then it got smaller when Wesley was born?"
"Yeah."
"Now Lily's going to go through it. And I'm with Wilbur. You've wanted this for so long, Lily."
"Do you have any advice for me, Karena?" Lily asked. "I want to do this right."
"No one ever gets parenting right at first," Wilbur explained. "But you have the advantage of reading people's minds. You may know exactly what your baby will need. Think back to when you were a baby. Did your mom know what you needed every time you cried?"
I blushed.
"Ironically, it was my dad who figured it out more than my mom."
"Okay, that's fascinating," Wilbur replied. "Your dad is a psychic on another level."
"My mom was often nervous because of how much my dad knew about raising babies. I have to admit, I'm concerned about myself. What if I mess up?"
"Diana, sweetie, why don't you go see how Wesley's doing?" I suggested before turning to Lily. "Every mother messes up. And so does every father. I'm sure April and Donnie have both messed up at one point or another while raising you. But Lily, you are now on the most important journey of your life: motherhood. What kind of mother do you want to be?"
Lily pondered for a minute, eventually smiling.
"I've always admired my dad. He always listened to me. And when he didn't, he admitted his mistakes. I never worried about being perfect because my dad showed me he wasn't perfect, and it was enough for me. My mom showed compassion and, like my dad, listened. She even gave me good advice and wasn't afraid to fight for me when she needed to."
"Have you thought about asking both your parents about their trials through April's pregnancy?" Wilbur asked. "It may change the way you think about them in the best way possible."
October 8, 2049 - New York City, New York, USA
APRIL'S POV
"This is April O'Neil reporting from Channel 6 News. Back to you, Dave."
"We're clear!"
I turned off my microphone and shook hands with my crew.
"Thanks so much, guys," I commended them.
I was then about to walk off the set when I found my daughter standing there with a proud smile on her face.
"Lily! Hi!"
"Hi, Mom!"
We hugged each other with huge smiles on our faces.
"How long have you been standing there?" I asked. "And don't you usually work on Fridays?"
"I've been here a while," Lily answered, adjusting her glasses. "As for Fridays, Dad discovered my due date is on a Friday, so I asked my boss to have Fridays off. I was told no promises. If I was needed, she'd call me."
"Well, you came at the perfect time because I'm about to clock out for lunch. I take it you want to join me?"
"Yes, Mom."
We walked away from the set and into my office. I clocked out on the phone and then I drove us to a sandwich shop.
"Are sandwiches okay, Lily?" I asked, noticing her very tiny baby bump underneath her red dress.
"Sandwiches are great. My nausea's gotten much better."
"Oh, good! I would have been okay with going someplace else if you still had morning sickness."
We ordered our sandwiches, got our drinks, and sat down at a table.
"So how bad was your nausea?" I asked.
"It's actually wasn't horrible," Lily answered. "After Anna and I discovered I was pregnant, I was only nauseous to the smell of coffee and eggs. If I ate a huge meal, then I'd become nauseous. It was the sleep that really got me."
"Oh, you're fortunate! When I was pregnant with you, I was puking like crazy! I could only keep down toast and Ginger Ale. Although come to think of it, when I was pregnant with Yoshi, my nausea was a lot better. I think you're gonna have a boy."
Lily laughed.
"Mom! I'm only ten weeks along! What makes you think I'm gonna have a boy?"
"A mother knows," I answered with a wink. "And soon, you'll know, too."
"Speaking of knowing, Wilbur and Karena have challenged me to think about what kind of mother I want to be. I was wondering what it was like for you while you carried me."
"I'm surprised you don't remember reading my journal."
"Sure, I've read it, but a book doesn't tell the entire story."
I pondered this for a moment.
"Hmm, you do speak truth in that. I always journaled at home, three hours away from work. Alright, I'll tell you."
Lily leaned in, eager to listen. I let out a chuckle; she looked just like Donnie when he listened.
"I had lost my mother when I was six," I explained. "But I almost got her back when the Turtles, Casey, and I went to the farmhouse to hide for a few months."
"Grandma ended up being this Kraang monster, didn't she?"
"Yes," I answered with a frown. "So when I became pregnant with you, I was terrified because I didn't have a mother growing up. And I didn't have a mother-like figure, either. And I was the first wife of the Turtles to become pregnant. So the only guidance I had was your father, who was absolutely wonderful. I had always known that, despite my working in the city, I'd always want to be home with the two of you. I wanted to be the kind of mother that would support her children no matter what. I'd want to be there when you spoke your first word, kicked your first kick outside the womb, took your first step, et cetera."
I smiled, realizing something.
"I had a father and a father-like figure in Master Splinter. My dad always encouraged me to follow my dreams and try new things. Though he changed dramatically after the Kraang invasions. He became very protective of me, something I swore never to do with my child. I had wanted my child to soar to new heights, and it seems you have done that literally, Lily."
We chuckled.
"And what about Splinter?" Lily asked. "How did he inspire you?"
"Splinter told me to never give up. He encouraged me to keep going when I wanted to fail. And he always looked out for me like a father would."
"Splinter would have been a wonderful grandfather," Lily replied with a fond smile.
"I agree. I wish you could have met him, Lily, and I don't mean his spirit."
"I understand. But if Splinter hadn't died, then none of you would have grown up. In fact, I don't think I'd be here, and neither would my cousins."
I laughed.
"I think you're right. Your father and I wouldn't have gotten married and we wouldn't have moved into the farmhouse."
"Eh, I think Splinter would have given you and Dad his blessing to marry. After all, he did give Dad his wife's ring before he died."
I smiled, the memory of Donnie's proposal coming back to me. I was so amazed at all that had happened since Donnie came into my life, and I was so very blessed.
October 15, 2049
DONATELLO'S POV
I was working in an experiment in my lab when I heard knocking on my door. I turned to see Lily standing there, wearing a purple dress and purple flats with her glasses.
"Hey, Lily!" I greeted her. "Did we have an appointment today? I thought it was next week."
"It is," Lily answered. "I actually wanted to talk with you about... well, parenting."
"Well, come on in and take a seat."
Lily closed the door behind her, walked over to me, and sat down on a chair with me. I noticed her abdomen was now swollen with a very small bulge, which encouraged me very much.
"So, what about parenting would you like to know?" I asked.
"Simply how you felt while Mom was pregnant with me. Karena reminded me that I'm on an important journey now and my purpose is finding out what kind of mother I want to be."
"I was excited and terrified at the same time," I explained honestly. "I was excited because the impossible was happening before my very eyes. I never imagined I'd become a father. But I was terrified, afraid I was going to mess up, say the wrong thing, do something that would cause you to hate me. I was even more terrified because your mother was the one carrying you and she'd be the one carrying the pain. When it came time for you to be born, I wished with all my heart that I'd take the pain away from her and experience it myself so she wouldn't have to."
"You were willing to put Mom and me first," Lily replied in awe.
"That was my goal. And I thought about Splinter often, wondering what all he had done to take care of me and my brothers. I decided I wanted to be the father Splinter was to me. He always listened to me. He marveled at my inventions and my knowledge. He gave me advice that I sometimes didn't understand until he died. He was patient with me. And I promised myself I was going to do the same thing as your father."
I put a hand on her shoulder as she put a hand on her abdomen.
"You gave me opportunities everyday to do the right thing as your father. And when I made the wrong choice, I was always given a chance to fix it somehow. And I have to believe you will do the same thing as a mother. Parenthood is another kind of journey, like Karena said. But be careful, Lily. The choices you make will greatly impact your child's life. This baby will look up to you all your life if you put your baby first. Always listen. Always be kind. Always be understanding. Don't do what I did and become an overprotective parent."
"Mom mentioned that she didn't want to be overprotective," Lily replied. "That stuck with me. And Dad, you weren't overprotective. You had trouble letting me live my own life, but that's the only thing we struggled with as father and daughter. You never took me for granted and I never took you for granted. We appreciated each other, and took everything we had to offer each other to heart. After all, you were the biggest motivation to help me learn my powers. So, thank you."
We hugged.
"Lily, you are going to be a wonderful mother. I just know it."
October 22, 2049 - Pacific Bay, California, USA
LILIANNA'S POV
I sat at the dining room table with a smile on my face while waiting for my husband to finish breakfast. My hand was on my swollen abdomen all morning. I still was in disbelief that I was pregnant and yet my abdomen was evidence that I was.
What would my baby be like, I wonder? Would I be raising a son or a daughter? Will he or she be a human like James or a turtle like my father? Or would he or she be a mix like me? What kind of mother would I be? What would my son or daughter grow up to be? What name would I give my first child?
"Breakfast is served!" James suddenly announced.
I jumped, suddenly being brought back to reality.
"Oh, sorry!" James said, biting his lip. "Did I scare you?"
"No, it's okay," I replied. "I was daydreaming about our baby."
"I've done some thinking about that."
James set down a plate of pancakes with peach topping. I gasped in delight.
"This looks incredible! Thank you!"
"And..."
James also set down a glass of iced coffee with whipped cream and chocolate drizzle on top.
"I'm not sure how much you lost your craving for coffee, but hopefully the iced coffee will work."
"James, this is perfect," I said with a smile. "I don't feel any nausea."
James got his food and then we started eating together.
"So what all were you thinking about?" I asked.
"Well, for one, just how much you've cleaned out both of the spare bedrooms. Where did you put all the furniture?"
"In the basement."
"Lily, you need to take it easy," James told me sternly. "You're carrying a baby now."
"Well, at least I'm not huge yet," I shot back. "And I got all this energy still. Why not get everything cleaned out now and then build the nursery?"
"But both bedrooms? What if someone needs to spend the night, like Anna? Or your dad?"
"Anyway."
"Lily, please pick a bedroom to turn into a nursery and I'll put the furniture back in the other bedroom."
"Well, what if I pick one bedroom only to find our baby's the opposite gender?"
"The baby will come to a loving home no matter what bedroom you pick," James assured me. "All that matters is us being there for him."
"For him?" I asked with a smirk. "You are the second person who's told me I may be having a boy."
"Why, are you hoping for a girl?"
I smiled, rubbing my swollen abdomen.
"I'm hoping our baby will be healthy," I answered.
"You really are just like your dad," James said with admiration. "He always put you first, and I know you'll put our baby first, too."
"Speaking of my dad, I've done some thinking."
"What, you want him to be the baby's godfather?"
I shook my head.
"He's already gonna be the best grandfather in the world. But I was thinking that if our baby's a boy, I would give him my father's name."
"Donatello? I'm sure your father would be honored. But why Donatello?"
"My father's always been there for me and he's my inspiration for how I want to parent our child."
James chuckled.
"Well, knowing you, you're going to be insistent, so I won't argue with you. But what does his name mean? Believe it or not, meanings do make a name."
I pulled out my T-Phone and looked up my father's name. My eyes widened when I found it.
"What is it?" James asked.
"Donatello means, gift of God," I answered in awe before laughing. "I wonder if my dad knows what his own name means."
"Well, now I'm even more convinced that it fits... if our baby's a boy. In fact, I'm willing to make a bet with you."
"Oh?"
"You never changed your name when we got married," James explained. "So how about this? If the baby's a boy, he takes your name. But if our baby's a girl, she'll take my name and we name her after you."
My heart melted.
"Why my name?" I asked, tears coming to my eyes.
"Your father isn't the only one who's made a difference," James answered with a wink.
"Well, it's a deal."
We firmly shook our hands.
"But if we're going to name our children after me and my father, we need good middle names."
"Well, I was thinking your name could be the middle name for our daughter," James suggested. "But what quality would you look for in a daughter?"
"I've always liked Christina and Rachel as girl names."
"Christina is a stretch. I mean, Christina Lilianna Anderson?"
I cringed, realizing my husband had a point.
"Well, what about Rachel?" I asked.
James looked up the name on his phone.
"Rachel means, ewe or female sheep."
"Just kidding," I replied, feeling defeated. "I see our daughter being just as bold as the women in our family."
James and I spent the rest of breakfast looking up baby names.
"Hey, I think I found something!" James exclaimed excitedly as I smiled at him. "Mira. The name means admirable, peace, ruler, and ocean."
"Mira Lilianna Anderson... I love it!"
"Just out of curiosity, what does your name mean?"
"My mother named me Lilianna because she said it represented fresh flowers springing from a new dawn. But my name means innocence, peace, and beauty."
My eyes landed on the perfect middle name, were my baby to be a boy, and I smiled fondly.
"So, James, for our son's middle name, I was thinking more along the lines of compassion, like Aumanil. And I think I found the perfect name: Akihito."
"Akihito... that's Japanese, isn't it?"
"Yes. Why not give him a Japanese name? After all, this all started with a ninja master from Japan."
"So Donatello Akihito Hamato... I love it. And to clear the air, I'd love to have a baby girl with you."
"I'm suddenly thinking about how fun it would be to have a little contest with the clan," I replied with a smirk.
"Should we do it?" James asked with a grin.
"I know Uncle Raph and Uncle Mikey love a good competition. Maybe everyone else will want to do it. Let's do it!"
"We should come up with some sort of prize for this competition."
"I think we should stick with something simple," I suggested. "If someone correctly guesses the gender of our baby, they will be the first to see the baby."
"Sounds fair. When should we do this?"
I pondered for a moment.
"Well, I'm barely showing right now," I explained. "Why don't we wait a couple months?"
"Why not make it a Christmas party game?" James suggested. "Christmas is two months away."
"Huh! I didn't think about that. And as far as I know, I can fly in my condition."
I paused, realizing that I have two versions of that word.
"Fly in a plane, I mean. Not fly as Aumanil."
"I got what you meant. That reminds me, what are you going to do with the Justice League?"
"I already told Superman that I was pregnant and he was understanding about it. I'm on leave until the baby's born."
"Good call."
"Yeah, the last thing I want to do is expose my pregnancy as Aumanil. Then the whole world, which includes felons, is gonna want to know who my husband is."
"Ah. That's a good point."
We finished breakfast before I went back upstairs to redecorate one of the spare bedrooms.
October 29, 2049 - New York City, New York, USA
My pregnancy did not stop me from training with my family. And, once again, I was paired off with Ryan. Justine was busy at work in Todayland and Ryan ended up bringing Isamu with him. Anna was busy at law school in San Diego and was not able to come to the training.
Unlike other fights, Ryan and I had smiles on our faces.
"Don't think I'm gonna take it easy on you because you're pregnant," Ryan shouted as we sparred.
"I'm not counting on it!" I shot back. "Give me your best shot!"
I could no longer spin during my sparring. I had noticed that spinning during pregnancy had made me easily dizzy, so I had to adapt. I still fought to the best of my ability, using all my skills with my bo staff. And I could still read all of Ryan's moves.
I eventually used my bo staff to take Ryan out and I bowed to my sensei.
"I am very impressed, Lilianna," Uncle Leo said proudly. "You did not allow your pregnancy to be an obstacle."
"Arigatōgozaimasu, sensei."
"Training is complete," Uncle Leo announced. "And Lilianna, I'd like to speak with you alone."
Everyone in my family left the dojo except for my sensei. We both sat on the floor without difficulty.
"How are you feeling?"
"I feel great, sensei," I answered with a smile. "I feel like myself again, only with a swollen abdomen."
"That's what I wish to talk to you about. I simply want to tell you to be careful, Lilianna. Too much activity and you could lose your child."
"With all due respect, sensei, I'm in a good place right now. I have no reason to let up right now. Sure, when the baby is growing and I get heavy, then I'll worry about taking it easy."
"Lilianna, if you do too much, you will be put on bed rest."
"You're not a doctor, Leonardo," I replied angrily. "Who are you to say I will be put on bed rest? I've been training literally all my life. I know how to take care of myself. If I need help, I can ask my father, not someone who told his wife she couldn't train at all."
I stormed out of the dojo without looking back. I had noticed that I had a lot of conflict with my uncle the past few years. I found myself sitting in the kitchen, putting my head down on top of my arms.
"Hey, Lily, are you okay?" I heard my mother asking me.
I felt her touching my back. It felt nice.
"I had another argument with Uncle Leo," I explained. "He thinks I need to be careful because of the baby."
"He's just looking out for you, Lily," Uncle Mikey chimed in. "He's worried. All four of us had a wife who went through pregnancy."
"Why can't I go through my pregnancy the way I want to go through it?" I asked angrily. "I am this baby's mother. I am going to do what is best for myself and for this baby and no one can take that away from me!"
I stormed out of the kitchen and now found myself in my parents' bedroom. At this point, I felt annoyed and wished James was here. I suddenly heard knocking on the door. This time, I walked up to the door, still feeling angry. I opened the door and yelled out.
"WHAT?"
"Whoa!" I heard my father's voice. "Lily, are you okay?"
I let out a big gasp and then I started crying.
"Dad, I'm so sorry!" I cried.
"Hey, let's talk."
My dad wrapped his arm around me as he closed the door. We walked over to his bed and we sat on it.
"What happened with Uncle Leo?" Dad asked.
"He thinks I need to take it easy because I'm pregnant and Uncle Mikey, of all people, agrees with him. What would they know about having a baby? They don't have to worry about carrying a baby in their abdomens for nine months!"
I growled out loud in anger.
"I'm sorry I'm so angry, Dad."
"Lily Mae, you don't need to apologize. I understand. Your mother felt exactly the same as you when she was pregnant."
I blinked.
"Really?" I asked, wiping away a tear.
"Really. Uncle Leo tried to have her stop training because she was carrying you. But she insisted on exercising because it was healthy for her and for you."
"See? You get it! But did you ever try to change her?"
"No. She's my wife. It's not my job to change someone. If your mother complained of something, I'd give her a suggestion to help her out and she always took it. And I want to do the same with you, if you let me."
"Of course I will, Dad. I trust you the most with the wellbeing of my child."
My father chuckled.
"I heard what you said in the kitchen and you are already such an amazing mother. Taking care of your baby is important, but you also understand you need to take care of yourself, too. And I think you are wise enough to do both."
"So what do you think I should do?" I asked.
"I could tell you the same things I've been telling you the past few weeks," Dad answered. "But the real question is, what do you think you should do?"
I pondered for a moment, resting my hand on my abdomen.
"Well, you've said the baby has been growing the way a baby should," I said in reflection. "James would tell me to keep doing what I've been doing: training with you all but also training by myself, preparing to become a mother."
"It sounds like you took Auntie Mona's words to heart."
My father suddenly smirked.
"You know, Auntie Mona still went on patrols with us when she was pregnant with Venus. And, to be honest, if something does happen again, you are the best warrior we have. We do need you. Maybe you could ask Mona Lisa for ideas."
"I will do just that."
I hugged him and he embraced me.
"Thank you for listening and not judging me, Dad. I love you."
"I love you, too, and it's my pleasure."
November 5, 2049
I knocked on the door to Uncle Raph's room after another day of training.
"Who is it?" Auntie Mona asked.
"It's Lily."
A few seconds later, Uncle Raph opened the door.
"Hey, Lily," he greeted me with a firm handshake. "Good job schooling Ryan again."
I laughed.
"Thanks, Uncle Raph. But may I speak to your wife?"
"Of course, Lilianna," Auntie Mona answered. "Come in."
I entered the room and Uncle Raph closed the door behind me.
"What's up?" Uncle Raph asked me.
"Auntie Mona, I want you to teach me how to fight as a pregnant woman. You inspire me to not give up."
"I am honored, Lilianna," Auntie Mona replied with a fond smile. "I will teach you."
I returned the smile, rubbing my swollen abdomen.
"Thank you. I just entered my second trimester today, so the growing is really about to begin."
"Well, my pregnancy never stopped me from sparring with Raphael. Leonardo heavily discouraged it, so we sparred in secret."
I rolled my eyes.
"I'm thankful to have Donatello as my father. So far, until now, he was the only one who encouraged me to continue training."
"Your father could be an excellent sparring partner," Uncle Raph suggested.
"But may I also suggest you train at your home?" Auntie Mona asked.
"It's only fair," I answered with a shrug. "I come here for my prenatal appointments. Dad can come to my place to spar with me. So what kind of training will you give me?"
"First, I will give you a few rules. One, no more contact. This should be easy for you with your psychic abilities. If you do end up in a fight, then only you will make contact when the time is right. You are going to want to be as smooth as a mighty river. Maybe Anna can join us in some of that training."
"I think she'd like that," I replied with a smile. "I'll ask her later. What's next?"
"If Donatello hasn't told you already, then lying down is not an option for this training. So I will train you to defend yourself to where you are not knocked down. And finally, when you enter your third trimester, I will teach you a modified horse stance to help prepare you for the birth of your baby."
"What battle art are we training in, Auntie Mona?"
Auntie Mona and Uncle Raph shared a smirk.
"Tai chi."
November 12, 2049 - Pacific Bay, California, USA
ANNA'S POV
It was a cool Friday evening in Pacific Bay and it felt good to be here. Donatello, Mona Lisa, and I all used our portals to go to Lily's house to start training a new battle art called tai chi.
"Thank you for joining us, Donatello and Anna," Mona Lisa greeted us with a smile. "Donatello, I asked you to come because you've known Lily the most despite April carrying her in the womb. Anna, you are fluid in your movements and I believe you would become Lily's inspiration to learn."
"It is my honor to help," I replied.
"Mine, too," Donnie chimed in. "This was a good idea, exchanging medical services for tai chi sessions. What exactly is tai chi anyway, Mona? Did Leo train you?"
"I trained myself when I carried Venus," Mona Lisa explained. "I had never felt so relaxed in all my life that I became an expert in the art even after Venus was born. Tai chi is a Chinese martial art that focuses on self-defense and health. In Lily's case, it will give her good health throughout her pregnancy and prepare her for the birth of her baby. Now, let's gather in a circle and we can begin."
Just as the four of us made our circle, a portal door opened. Out came, to my surprise, all the women of the Hamato Clan.
"What are you all doing here?" Lily asked with surprise, bringing her hands up to her face in amazement.
"Well, for one, I'm your mother," April answered. "So I want to support you in anyway I can and learn something new along the way."
"Leo forbade me to do any training," Karai explained and I got angry. "This got me curious, so I'm here, too."
"A wise man once told me it takes a village to raise a baby," Renet chimed in with a smile. "All of us women want to be that village for you, Lily."
"You were our leader once," Venus said with a grin. "And for having a child and standing up to Uncle Leo when you said you didn't want to quit, you have become our inspiration. We're all with you on this journey, Lily."
"I want to learn too in case I ever get pregnant," Athena said, holding out her hand revealing an engagement ring.
"I will admit, I'm intrigued myself," Justine explained. "And besides, I feel bad for not being there for my family. I want to help you in any way I can, Lily."
Lily smiled and walked over to Justine, Athena, and Venus.
"I've done some thinking and I'd like all three of you to be godmothers."
"Is that possible?" Athena asked with widened eyes.
"Yes, it's possible," Justine answered with a frown. "But I'm sorry, Lily. I have to decline your offer. Isamu and your baby are going to be cousins, after all."
Lily smiled with compassion and held Justine's hands.
"That is a good point. And besides, I think Aunt Justine sounds better."
"I agree with Justine," Venus answered. "I like being called Auntie Venus, and I think it should stay that way."
"And Aunt Athena agrees," Athena chimed in. "But there is one woman here who is more qualified to be godmother than any of us: Anna."
My head bolted up when I heard my name.
"Oh, no, I couldn't--"
"Come on, Anna!" Athena begged me with confidence. "You and Karena are the only women on the clan who are not related. You've seen practically everything on Middle-Earth in a 200-year span. You are wise, Anna, and you and Lily grew close very quickly when you first met."
Lily turned to look at me with a kind smile on her face.
"It seems like my cousins are wiser than me when it comes to grandmothers," she said with a laugh. "So what do you say, Anna?"
"It depends," I answered. "Is there a godfather involved?"
"Yes and no. No offense to Justine, but I would definitely not pick Ryan to be the baby's godfather. I'd pick my dad, but he's already a grandfather. We don't need a godfather, but should Jasper decide to pick up the role later, then it is fine with me."
"Then I am honored to be your baby's godmother," I answered with a proud smile. "If you were asking my father if he'd be godfather, he'd say yes in a heartbeat."
Lily and I laughed and we hugged. I felt her small baby bump against my stomach and to me, it felt incredible.
"So, are we going to learn tai chi or what?" Donatello asked with a grin.
"Yes, we are!" Mona Lisa answered with confidence. "Everyone, gather around in a huge circle."
We reformed the circle, now with the ten of us.
"The purpose of tai chi is balance," Mona Lisa told us. "Our weight will always be on one leg so we can prepare for what is next. We will always shift our weight from our right leg to our left leg and then back and forth. Your knees will always have a slight bend and deep breathing is always encouraged. Be slow and mindful in your movements. And now, we will spread our feet shoulder-width apart, and we shall begin moving our weight from the right to the left to the right."
November 19, 2049
LILIANNA'S POV
"Thank you for your help with the baby's room."
"It's my pleasure!" Athena replied happily. "I couldn't handle another minute of Uncle Leo's judging. And besides, this is the happiest I've seen you in a long time."
"You've got quite the grin yourself. You'll be married soon."
"I think I'm more excited to see you in your matron of honor dress with that baby bump underneath it."
"Well, needless to say, the last thing I expected when saying yes to being your matron of honor was to become pregnant."
We laughed, and for a moment, the memories of us spending time together in laughter and love returned.
"How far along are you right now?" Athena asked.
"Fifteen weeks."
I caressed my swollen abdomen, which slightly got bigger the last few weeks.
"Fifteen weeks and I'm still in disbelief that I'm pregnant."
"And yet you've been dedicated to building a life for your child ever since you found out," Athena replied with a fond smile. "Believe it, Lily. You're pregnant, and that is the most beautiful thing in the entire world."
"Says my wise cousin."
"No, it's true! My mother always talked about how beautiful she felt when she carried me. It made me want a baby someday. But right now, I'll stick with marrying Skyler."
"Are you going to take his name?" I asked.
"Nah. You've inspired me, Lily. We're the Hamato Clan, and we, as women, are going to fight hard to keep our clan alive."
"Our fathers raised us with pride."
"Amen!"
We laughed again.
"So what's next?" Athena asked.
I looked around. Ever since I found out I was having a baby, I had gotten right to work on getting the baby's room ready so I wouldn't stress about it later. Thankfully, I had James, Anna, and Athena's help. The crib was the first thing we set up. Then we set up the diaper station across the room. There was a little play area right by the window. The closet was currently empty, as we would not know if the baby would be a boy or a girl.
"I think we got it all taken care of," I answered, caressing my abdomen again.
Athena hugged me from the side, putting her other hand on my abdomen. Suddenly, I felt something inside me.
"Whoa!" I exclaimed.
"Are you okay?" Athena asked.
"I felt something..."
I caressed my abdomen once more and closed my eyes, starting to meditate. I focused on my baby. Suddenly, I felt it again. I opened my eyes and let out a laugh.
"What happened?" Athena asked.
"I just felt the baby move!"
We laughed together, but this time with tears in our eyes as we gazed down at my baby bump.
"You are such an amazing mother, Lily," Athena complimented me. "This child is so lucky to have you."
November 25, 2049 - North Hampton, New York, USA
DONATELLO'S POV
"Hello, everyone," Leo greeted everyone loudly. "Happy Thanksgiving!"
"Happy Thanksgiving!" we all replied happily.
"Thank you for having us with you, Donnie and April," Franny told us as she settled in between Cornelius and Wilbur.
"It's my pleasure!" I replied with a grin.
"We're happy to have you," April replied.
"And Lilianna, look at you!" Cornelius spoke to our daughter in amazement. "You look incredible!"
"Thank you!" Lily replied, caressing her baby bump. "Sixteen weeks tomorrow."
"Oh!" I exclaimed. "That reminds me! Lily, did you have an announcement to make?"
"Yes. James and I were going to do this on Christmas, but since we're already gathered together, we got so excited about this idea we're going to do it today. So each one of you has a piece of paper and a pen. We've come up with a little guessing game regarding our baby's gender since some of us are already guessing."
Everyone laughed before Lily continued.
"With that said, starting with the youngest in the family, excluding Wesley, I will announce your name. You will tell us whether you think we're having a boy or a girl. Then you'll write your names down and put it in either the 'boy' envelope or the 'girl' envelope."
"Have you come up with names for both genders?" Karena asked.
"Yes, but it's a surprise," James answered. "So why don't we get started with Isamu?"
"What do you think, Isamu?" Justine asked. "Will you have a boy cousin or a girl cousin?"
"Boy!" Isamu exclaimed happily.
"Next is Diana," Lily announced.
"Girl!" Diana answered excitedly.
"And that's it for the little ones," James replied as Karena and Justine wrote their kids' names down. "Who is next?"
"That would be me," Athena answered. "I think Lily will have a girl."
"And I think she'll have a boy," Venus chimed in. "She's already very active."
We all laughed except for Leo.
"Skyler?" Lily asked Athena's fiancé.
"Hmm... boy."
"Ryan?" James asked.
"Boy. We need more boys in the family."
"I hear that," Raph replied.
"Justine?" Lily asked.
"Lily, you have the cutest baby bump I have ever seen," Justine complimented her. "I'm voting girl."
"Wilbur?" James asked his best friend.
"Hmm... I'm gonna have to go with boy."
"Karena?" Lily asked.
"I agree with Wilbur," Karena replied. "I think it's a boy, too."
"Uncle Mikey?"
"Girl! I'd love to have another girl in the Hamato Clan."
"And Renet?" James asked.
"I'm gonna have to go with Uncle Mikey on this one," Renet replied with a smile. "I think it'll be a girl."
"Dad?" Lily asked me.
"Sorry, I can't vote," I explained. "I'm the doctor. I'm going to be there for the delivery."
"That's a good point. Uncle Raph?"
"Boy."
"Uncle Leo?"
"I, too, am voting for a boy."
"Karai?"
"I agree with Leo," Karai replied. "I think the baby will be a boy."
"Mom?" Lily asked.
"I'm still sticking to my guts," April replied with confidence. "It's a boy."
"Mona Lisa?"
"Lilianna is already kicking shell, as my husband would say," Mona explained. "I think her child will be a girl."
"Cornelius?" James asked.
"Hmm... I'm voting girl."
"Franny?"
"April and I have the strongest instincts of all the females in this room. With that said, I think the baby will be a boy. And besides, I can see Lily being a boy mom."
Lily laughed.
"And last but not least, Anna," James announced.
"I had a vision of Lily's child being born," Anna explained. "I saw it was a boy. Therefore, I have to say this baby will be a boy."
"So when do you find out whether it's a boy or girl?" Mikey asked.
"In May when the baby comes," Lily answered.
"Ooh, a surprise!" Franny exclaimed happily. "Good for you!"
"We're happy enough to be pregnant," James chimed in.
"All I want is for this baby to come out healthy," Lily said, caressing her small baby bump.
"So do we get a prize if the gender is correct?" Renet asked.
"Yes. You'll see the baby first."
"In the meantime, what all do you need?" Franny asked. "And who'll be planning your baby shower?"
"As much as Lily and James would love to discuss the details with everybody, I think we should start eating before the food gets cold," Leo suggested.
I glanced over as we passed the dishes to each other and noticed Leo had a grim look on his face. I sensed something was wrong. But despite that, we had a good time feasting together.
When we finished eating, I pulled Leo upstairs into Lily's old bedroom, which now housed the groom's suite.
"Leo, is everything okay?" I asked. "Ever since Lily announced her pregnancy, you've been... kind of judgmental."
"When Justine was pregnant, I didn't have to worry about her," Leo explained. "She was too focused on her schoolwork to worry about exercise. But Lily... all she wants to do is move around! Even with the baby growing inside her, she's still as active as ever!"
"That is Lily's choice," I reminded him. "I encouraged her to exercise as she's been exercising martial arts all her life and this is good for her and the baby. She's taking care of not just herself anymore, Leo. She's a mother. She's always going to put her child first, which in this case means also taking care of herself."
"But did you warn her of the risks of exercising so hard?"
"Of course, I have!" I snapped. "I'm not just her father but her doctor, too. April exercised too, in case you forgot, and I never judged her."
I paused, realizing why Lily was distant from Leo lately.
"You, on the other hand--"
"Donnie, I'm looking out for the clan."
"But you don't go around telling people what to do!"
"Of course, I do! I'm the leader!"
"You're not the leader anymore, Leonardo!" I yelled angrily. "You're our sensei! You're supposed to guide us to where we need to be, to teach us things we don't already know."
"So what do you want me to do about Lily, Donnie?" Leo asked furiously. "Just let her keep going and risk a miscarriage?"
"Yes, sensei," Lily suddenly answered from behind me. "But not to risk a miscarriage."
I turned around and she was angry, also.
"I am Donatello and April's daughter," Lily explained herself, standing tall and proud. "I was born with his smarts and her spirit. They raised me to take care of myself in mind, body, and soul. I was trained by the greatest ninja masters on the planet, including you, Leonardo. But you wanna know the best thing my parents have ever done for me? They raised me to be my own person. They raised me to be the best person I can be. They prepared me to raise my own child someday and that day has come. My father, my doctor, has assured me that doing what I've been doing my entire life is healthy for my child. If I can be active as long as I can while I carry my child, then that's what I will do. You may be my sensei, but you are not my father nor are you my doctor. Donatello is correct. You are here to guide me, not tell me what to do. You think about that while I continue to train with Mona Lisa on my turf."
Lily spun around and walked out of the room. I smirked, feeling proud that she stood up for herself. Leo, on the other hand, had a frown on his face.
"Lily is stubborn," Leo spoke up.
My grin got bigger.
"Just like her mother," I replied.
December 3, 2049
ANNA'S POV
I put on a black dress, put my long red hair in a braided bun, and I put on a black veil over my hair. I then took the portal and traveled to North Hampton.
I rode my water stallion alongside the river to where I battled my father's spirit. Since that fight, I had created a shrine for him. My father Berethor had passed away on this date. When I was in Minas Tirith, I always went to his grave and spent the day there. This time, his spirit was here, and so here I am.
I approached his shrine. I got off my stallion and walked over to his new grave. But instead of crying, I smiled as I knelt down with his favorite flower: the white chrysanthemum.
"Hi Dad," I said out loud. "I hope you're happy where you're at. I just came here to give you my yearly report on my life. Ever since I fought you here, I've felt your presence flowing through me."
I let out a sigh, the image of Jasper coming to mind.
"Jasper is my beloved now, Father, and I am his. I wonder if you would have approved of him if you were here to meet him. Though you would have doubted me. Here I am, 205 years old courting a 22-year-old."
"I wouldn't be too sure of that."
I looked up to see my father's spirit sitting there.
"What do you mean by that?" I asked.
"You are not a full elf, Anna. You have the choice to become a mortal. Queen Arwen was given this choice and she took it, choosing love and a significant life. And now, you are here and you still have that choice. Don't make the same mistake twice. You stayed immortal and watched my body deteriorate. But here, you have a chance to make the right choice. We will meet again. And for now, I give you and Jasper my blessing."
I was speechless. All my life, he had always told me I could not court a man while he was alive; he'd always say, "Over my dead body!" And suddenly he gave me and Jasper his blessing.
"There's something else," I finally spoke. "Lily is expecting and she's asked me to be the child's godmother. Do you know anything about that?"
"Yes. How easily you have forgotten that Morwen was your godmother upon your birth! Morwen visited Gondor often to see you and to help you learn about life. She was the one who inspired you to fight. This child is Lilianna's, is he not? He will already be inspired to fight. But what about his soul? Where will that take him?"
"I see your point, Father. But wait, Lily is having a son? How do you know this?"
"You know everything in Heaven. But do not reveal to Lily what we know. Lily wants the gender of her child to be a surprise. Let her have that, Anna. And the first step to becoming her child's godmother is to watch over her, no matter what. I love you, Anna."
"I love you too, Adda."
My father's spirit disappeared and I let out a sigh. Then I remembered something else that had happened in my vision of Lily giving birth. I silently prayed, hoping that Lily would make wise choices from this moment on.
December 11, 2049
LILIANNA'S POV
I stood next to my husband, waiting for the music to begin.
"Do you think Venus will ever get married?" James asked me.
"No," I answered with a smile. "Venus will always be one-of-a-kind. She's amazing without a husband. And I know Athena will be amazing with Skyler."
Suddenly, I felt movement. I pulled James's hand and put it on my abdomen.
"Did you feel something?" James asked.
I glanced lovingly at him.
"Yes."
I guided his hand around my abdomen until we felt our baby's movement again. Suddenly, the music started.
"Oh! It's starting!"
"Cuddles, later?" James asked with a gleam in his blue eyes.
I nodded, looking ahead and waiting for our cue to walk down the aisle. It was a cool day outside, but it wasn't horrible. I had noticed that I had felt warmer than normal, and I wasn't complaining.
After I watched Venus and Wilbur walk down the aisle, I walked with James. I was immediately brought back to my own wedding, the memories of my dad walking me down the aisle playing in my mind. But this time, instead of wearing a fancy white dress with lilies, I wore a one-sleeved teal dress that revealed a little bit of my bump. When we finished our walk, I gazed at my dad, who was officiating the wedding this time, and he smiled at me. My gaze then went to Isamu and Diana, proudly carrying the rings and red rose petals. Diana looked very happy to be tossing the rose petals in the air. Karena and Ryan greeted their children before everyone stood up.
Athena looked absolutely beautiful. She wore a wedding dress that a Disney princess would wear to the ball. Her white dress had a sweetheart neckline made of lace, and her long sleeves were made of lace as well. Her long blonde hair was braided into a bun, and her mother had echoed the hairstyle while wearing a teal dress. Auntie Renet was the DJ for the ceremony as Uncle Mikey was walking his daughter down the aisle.
Once the bridal march began, Uncle Mikey and Athena walked down the aisle together. Athena never took her eyes off of Skyler, wearing a white tuxedo with a teal necktie. I turned to my right and saw Venus and Justine in their teal dresses. To my left, Skyler, James, Wilbur, and Skyler's brother stood proudly in black tuxedos and teal neckties.
After feeling more movement from my baby, I turned my head back forward to watch Uncle Mikey finish walking his daughter down the aisle. They hugged, and then Skyler escorted Athena the rest of the way. Everyone, including Auntie Renet and Uncle Mikey, sat down, and with a grin, my father began to speak.
"Welcome, friends and family. We are gathered here today to witness and celebrate the marriage of Athena Hamato and Skyler Hopkins. This is not the beginning of a new relationship but an acknowledgment of the next chapter in their lives together. Athena and Skyler have spent years getting to know each other, and we now bear witness to what their relationship has become. Today, they will affirm this bond formally and publicly.
"Athena and Skyler will mark their transition as a couple not only be celebrating the love between themselves, but by also celebrating the love between all of us - including the love of their parents, siblings, extended family, and best friends. Without their love, today would be far less joyous."
Athena handed her blue bouquet to me and placed her hands in Skyler's.
"Do you, Skyler, take Athena to be your lawfully wedded wife?" Dad continued. "To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in good times and not so good times, for richer or poorer, keeping yourself unto her for as long as you both shall live?"
Skyler smiled fondly at my youngest cousin.
"I do."
"Do you, Athena, take Skyler to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in good times and not so good times, for richer or poorer, keeping yourself unto her for as long as you both shall live?"
"I do," Athena answered, and I knew she had a smile on her face, too.
"Isamu, may I have the rings?" Dad asked.
"Hai!" Isamu answered happily as everyone laughed.
"Thank you," Dad replied with a grin.
Athena and Skyler repeated my father in the exchanging of rings.
"Before these witnesses, you have pledged to be joined in marriage," Dad proclaimed with a kind smile. "You have now sealed this pledge with your wedding rings. By the authority vested in me in the great State of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife! Skyler, you may kiss the bride."
Skyler lifted Athena's veil out of her face and fondly kissed her. Everyone in the chapel at the O'Neil farmhouse cheered at the beginning of Skyler and Athena's life together.