Rubbing her hands over her stomach as she finishes her last final she sighs deeply. Handing her paper to the professor, she steps outside of the room. "Manisha, that kick was uncalled for. I was just finishing my last final. Your Daddy should also be finishing up his last run. You will have all of our attention for the whole summer." Another stiff kick. "Manisha," she almost growls as the door across from her opens up.
"Ace," Mel runs up to her.
"It's your little ball player of a niece that loves to kick me."
"Please tell me that's all."
"It is, though I think she's telling me she wants a big juicy hamburger with extra pickles."
"Then come on, we will go get one for her. Does she want those fries with extra cheese dipped in sweet and sour sauce?"
"Yes, she will." Mel takes Ace's arm who is rubbing her stomach with her free hand and takes her down to the dinning hall.
"Pex," Mel smiles at the young man behind the counter. "This is my lovely sister, Ace."
"The one you told me about?" Ace looks at the young man, he has blond hair and is scrawny, then looks at her sister.
"You said you sometimes accept orders for pregnant students."
"I do, what does she want," Pex looks towards Ace.
"A big juicy hamburger with extra pickles, cheesy fries and sweet and sour sauce."
"Let me check if we have some of the sauce."
"Don't worry about that Pex. Right now everyone in our house carries some in their car."
"Why," Ace asks her sister as Pex puts in the order and changes places with someone else to make sure everything gets made.
"Ace, you have been craving sweet and sour sauce with every meal for the past week," Mel replies before rushing off to her car.
"Ace, tell me a little about your sister."
"Why are you wondering Pex?"
"We have a few classes together and all she talks about is you and how excited she is about becoming an aunt."
"What exactly do you want to know?"
"Has she talked about me at all?"
"Sorry, but no. In the years we have been sisters, she has not once talked about being interested in anyone."
"Oh."
"I'm sorry."
"It's ok," he shoots a smile back before at her refocusing on cooking. As he serves up the hamburger and cheesy fries, she sees red curly hair before her sister's voice.
"Good, now let's get my little niece her favorite food." As Ace starts to eat, two more join the table.
"So Ace, now all you need to focus on is your baby," Nyssa adds plopping down.
"No more classes, Graham is off until September."
"And no need to worry about money, with everything that is still coming in."
"Nyssa, please stop, Graham has taken the option of his pay to be stretched so a little can go into the house each month. Yes, most will be put away for the baby's birth. I asked Mom and Dad if I can work in their office two days a week, so I can do a little something."
"Ace, what are you saying?"
"Mel, I can't let only the father pay for everything. We talked about this, as long as it's applicable during the summers I will try to work jobs until I can run my own business."
"What will you do during the summers?"
"There are many factors, but some things need to remain with the parents."
"What if the jobs require you to work at night?"
"I will only look for places that close at a decent hour so I can be there to put my child to bed with her father. She will know what love of both parents feels like her whole life." Ace says between bites; angry at her friends for suggesting less. "When I am done eating, I will be heading home and staying in my room; and when Graham gets home, he and I will remain there. Thank you guys for the company, and Mel, thank you for the food." Ace focuses on her food, finishing it and tossing away her garbage, and leaves while the other three just sit there.
…..
Once home and in her bedroom, Ace changes her clothes into a pair of pregnancy leggings and one of Graham's shirts. Taking out some lotion she rubs it on her stomach. She tries to reach her feet. "God Damn it, I want some lotion on my feet."
"May I be of help my Love?"
She looks up as Graham enters the room. "Yes," he sits down, placing her feet in his lap before putting a blob of it in his hands.
"How was your last final?"
"Glad it's done with. Do you understand why I want to work as long as Manisha lets me this summer?"
"I do, Ace, you have always been one to want to take care of others. Manisha and I are your family. I will work during the school year, and at times if needed to take a summer job, maybe even summer school kids. It would only be a few weeks during summer vacation. Though we do not need the money. I still have the majority of what was set aside for my education, and then some." He says rubbing her feet.
"Mmm, you do wonders with your hands, whether it's cooking, pleasuring me, I can't wait to see how they are taking care of Manisha."
"What I can say is, there will be ever gentle taking care of our child."
"I know." HIs hands move up rubbing her legs, and when they reach her ever growing stomach.
"What's that," he feels a jab at his hand, quickly followed by more.
"That's your daughter saying hi."
Eyes growing wet, "really."
"Yes, she's been active today."
"That's good right?"
"Very much so, though it does get frustrating, and painful. If we do decide that you and I want more kids, can we wait at least 4 years?"
"Of course, it's your body going through this; if you don't want to go through this again."
"I may want to, but not for a while."
"How about after your dream becomes a reality."
"I can get behind that. Though that means Manisha might be a preteen or a tween before that happens."
"So was Liam."
"That's not a good example, he doesn't like Steven half the time."
"You do realize at the same time he gained a new brother, his sister he knew his whole life not only started college, moved to live near it. Then a few months after his birth, his sister announced she too was having a baby. All that change happened a few years after moving countries, starting a new school, gaining a new mother and a new sister."
"These past few years have brought a lot of change for him. I hope he is ok with Manisha. I want her uncle involved in her life."
"He loves you, Ace. He will love our daughter." He leans forward to kiss her. "This baby only brings joy."
…
One week later, "Graham can we stay with my parents for a few weeks," they are cuddled on the couch, Nyssa, Tegan and Mel are out at a movie giving the two some time to themselves.
"Why?"
"Just this drive I have been doing is taking a lot out of me, plus I haven't been sleeping. Your daughter has been keeping me up."
"Then we should stay with your parents. Maybe it will give Mom some time to relax."
"I will need to talk to Liam about not helping out." She lays her head on his shoulder as she feels a stiff kick. "Manisha please kick Mommy softer," Ace says to her stomach, Graham starts to rub it.
"How many more weeks are you going to be feeling this pain?"
"At least 12 if I carry to full term, though it could be 42. 14 if she wants to stays in longer."
"I hope it's only 12. I am itching to meet her and for you not to be kicked every so often."
"As long as we wait a while to have more."
"We will, I love you dearly, but I want to get to know Manisha and have her develop a personality before we have more kids."
"Good, we're in an agreement. Now we need to tell those three we are staying with my parents for a bit."
"They might not like it, it seems they really love living with us."
"And Mel would be worried," Ace turns her head to nuzzle Graham.
"'I'll tell them that I don't want you driving after a long day at work."
"Please don't, they don't like the fact that I am working at 29 weeks."
"Do they know it's only for a few weeks?"
"I don't know. I think Nyssa is afraid, Mel is being my sister, and Tegan had a stay at home mom."
"Do they know for the 4 months you aren't planning on going to school or work?"
"I'm not sure. The usual here is up to 12 weeks."
"Which would put us at 42 weeks."
"Yeah," the door opens with happy chatter. "We should tell them now." He kisses her crown and rubs her stomach smiling as he feels a kick.
"Isn't this cute," asks Mel rather loudly to Nyssa and Tegan.
"They are, how was your alone time," Nyssa asks, sitting down next to Ace.
"The two of us actually want to talk to the three of you," Ace says.
"I thought we already made it known that you two aren't moving out until after Ace graduates," Mel adds, putting her hands on her hips.
"Or we need more room as Manisha grows, it's not about that."
"Then what's it about," Tegan asks.
"For the few weeks I am working at Mom and Dad's business until their secretary comes back from her honeymoon. I want to be closer to where they work."
"What are you saying," asks the one on Ace's other side.
"What Ace is saying is that we are going to stay there for a few weeks. The drive is tiring her out a lot. It doesn't help that she's losing sleep by Manisha's kicking and moving around."
"We can help," Nyssa says.
"Nys, it's getting to the point I also want to be around my parents. I know Steven is still crying a lot, but I still want to be near. Mom was pregnant not too long ago."
"Can this be up for discussion."
"Melaine, right now I am putting myself first. Come a few months my baby will be the first."
"She will be the first priority of everyone in this house," adds Tegan.
"Second for you three, the first will be school. She has two parents that will be here too."
"Two parents that love her dearly already," adds Graham. "This is the best decision that is for Ace and the wellbeing of our daughter."
"Is Manisha ok," asks Mel, coming closer to them.
"We have another appointment tomorrow. After that we will be heading to Mom and Dads."
"And Sarah Jane will be next door. She's also excited about being an almost Grandmother," Graham smiles adding this.
"Good."
"When she found out Ace was pregnant, she was supportive, Tegan." He lowers his voice saying this.
"Sarah Jane has been calling just as much as my parents have. To the point I have made a group chat that has the three of them in it and send them updates and pictures of ultrasounds before they get put into a book that I have made for Manisha. I don't want too much of her growing up on social media." Ace rubs her stomach saying this before getting up and heading to the bedroom.
"I understand that the three of you love us, yes I mean the three of us, but I think right now Ace is really needing a Mom figure." With that he gets up leaving the other three there in silence as he goes to the bedroom.
"Ace?"
"I hate this. I don't like being emotional in front of anybody."
"Even me?"
"You are the only exception, maybe Manisha as she grows up."
"I know you; you will make sure that Manisha or any future children are comfortable sharing their emotions."
"I still don't like that they don't want you and I to make decisions for our daughter."
"When it comes to it, I will only listen to you and professionals when it comes to Mani."
"Mani?"
"Nickname maybe?"
"She's your daughter, Graham. You can call whatever you want." She lays down, "can you please be quiet so I can take a nap."
…
The following week a car pulls up and three adults are waiting to see the happy couple. Graham gets out first and helps Ace out. Both Zoe and Sarah Jane rush to her side. "How was the appointment?" Zoe asks.
"It was fine, where's Steven?"
"Sleeping, how are you feeling?"
"Tired, but I have to pee," she heads inside waddling.
"We didn't want to ask, how is everyone else doing?"
"Still not happy that Ace wants to work for a few weeks, and stay here for the time being. It has been tense in the house." Graham walks into the house after grabbing the bags.