Chapter 11
The three women arrived back at the Rossi Mansion just before dinner and rushed in the front door, which automatically opened for them, recognizing that they were allowed entry.
Dave, who had been alerted when the front door had signaled that people were being admitted to the house had come to welcome his wife, daughter and mother-in-law back home.
"Buy out the store?" Dave teased Lynnette seeing the number of packages that Michael was bringing in and placing in the spot that Dave indicated.
"Not even close," Lynnette giggled, as she walked into Dave's arms and kissed him passionately.
"We did buy many lovely things and then had lunch at Rubio's," Diana said.
"We'll tell you all about it, as soon as we all sit down as we're all tired and our feet are aching," Lynnette said.
Dave knew what Lynnette really meant was that Diana's feet were aching not hers or Michelle's since they were immortal, but he got the hint and so led them into the front parlor where they could sit down on the comfortable furniture.
"Whoo! What a day!" Diana said, as she sat down in one of the single chairs that were in the parlor.
"Yeah, what a day," Michelle agreed, as she plopped down onto one of the divans.
"Good day?" Dave asked the three women, as he sat down beside his mate, immediately putting his arm around her shoulders and tugging her to his side.
How he had missed her today, but they also hadn't been together that long and he'd been without her for centuries, so it wasn't surprising. He wasn't about to keep her prisoner, though no matter how much he missed her when she wasn't at his side.
"Oh yes, it was an excellent day just exhausting. I'll certainly sleep well tonight," Lynnette said. "There are some things that are going to be delivered in the next few days, crib, changing table, rocking chair, a bassinet."
"All of the above were too big to fit in the trunk of the car you arranged for us," Michelle told her father. "Michael, however, was a godsend and you should give him a bonus as he helped us out by putting the packages in the trunk and just being our chauffeur all day. He put up with us, chattering at each other with an amazing amount of patience too."
"I'm glad that Michael worked out so well," Dave said pleased. "I'll make sure I take care of that sometime in the next few days. So, what else did you buy?"
"Oh, all kinds of things," Lynnette said, kissing his bearded cheek. "We bought baby clothes for both sexes since we don't know what we're having yet. Whatever we don't use this time can be put up for the next time we have a kid. We got a baby monitor, a mobile, a baby rattle, baby blanket, though it's in a neutral color, not pink or blue, but a soft forest green since we don't know what sex we're having. Its very soft and made out of very fine material. It will be like laying on a cloud."
"I have to agree with my daughter here the baby blanket that she finally decided on is super soft and there's no chance of it making the baby uncomfortable just because of scratchy fabric. I've tested out baby blankets in the past, years ago, of course, when Spencer was on the way and some of them are made out of such coarse material that they are bound to give the baby a rash or make them itch."
"Yeah, I've tested baby blankets a few times too," Lynnette said. "I don't know what the companies are thinking that produce those blankets as they certainly aren't suitable for a baby's, soft, delicate skin. I'm sure they're just thinking about their own bottom line and not how delicate a baby's skin is."
"And why would you want to test baby blankets since you weren't married and didn't have a child at the time," Michelle asked curiously.
"Maybe I was doing research for when I had my own kids," Lynnette suggested with a wink, not even looking embarrassed at Michelle's rather intrusive question. "Really though, I couldn't help imagining someday having my own kids and so when I saw one that wasn't packaged in such a way that you couldn't touch the fabric I tested it out. I mainly decided after testing those blankets that the material was way too rough for any baby of mine and I can just imagine that most new mothers feel the same way I do unless they don't have a lot of money and so buy the cheapest possible thing that they can afford whether or not it's made from scratchy material."
"Such blankets seem to sell well enough so people do buy them," Diana said. "They wouldn't still be being made if people didn't buy them."
"Which means they keep being produced," Dave said, "because they sell. Anyway, it sounds like you ladies had quite the day so why don't you just relax as dinner should be ready shortly."
"So, what is Giorgio fixing tonight?" Lynnette asked Dave. "I'm starving despite that big lunch at Rubio's."
"Lunch was hours ago, as it's nearly 6 o'clock now and we ate about 1:30 or 2 o'clock Diana said. "May I remind you, you're pregnant, so of course you're going to be hungry every few hours, even if you just ate. The baby needs a lot of fuel to grow in your belly and to stay healthy."
"As for what we're having, sweetie it's prime rib with all the trimmings," Dave told her. "Giorgio knows that the baby needs lots of meat as well as vegetables and fruit to be born healthy."
"Oh, yum!" Lynnette cheered tiredly. "It's one of my faves."
"Something that both me and Giorgio are well aware of," Dave said with an amused smile.
"So that means we're having a salad and some kind of side dish as well as that prime rib," Diana questioned and Dave nodded.
"Yes, we're having a chef salad along with garlic mashed potatoes, corn on the cob and of course dessert, which is a fudge cake another of Lynnette's favorites."
"Now I'm really looking forward to dinner," Lynnette said. "You spoil me."
"You deserve to be spoiled, as not only have you made me incredibly happy, but you're also now pregnant with my child," Dave told her kissing her tenderly on the lips before releasing her.
"That is so sweet," Diana said with tears of happiness in her eyes.
That Dave felt free to show his emotions and his love for her daughter in front of an audience said a lot about his confidence in himself and just proved that Lynnette had made a good choice when it came to marriage.
Most men would have teased another man maliciously for showing such tender emotions in front of them, even if it was too somebody that they loved like a child or a wife. Of course, now, Dave was only amongst the family, but Diana was sure he wouldn't care if he was out among the general population.
So many men couldn't seem to show their emotions even in private and so kept them bottled up, but that wasn't like Dave at all, and Diana was very happy that Lynnette had met David Rossi through Spencer.
Neither Dave nor Lynnette responded to Diana's statement, simply touched foreheads for a moment seeming to communicate silently before turning back to everyone else.
"So why don't you tell me where you went to get all the things for the baby?" Dave asked seeming genuinely interested in the answer.
"We only went to one store because they had everything you could possibly need for a newborn," Lynnette told him. "Michael actually recommended this place, because of his sister-in-law. It's called Baby's Plus and it's this store with several floors and it has everything for a newborn, toddler and children up to five or so."
"That's where I'm going to go when Spencer and I have a child," Michelle said. "They had absolutely everything! Everything you could possibly want. They had all the baby equipment necessary, plus everything else to spoil the little one in your life."
"They are expensive, but then everything is top quality, so it's no wonder," Diana commented.
"Well, it sounds like you had quite the adventure," Dave said smiling as the three women continued to tell him about shopping at Babies Plus and everything they had bought.
"Oh, we did, as I'll be taking many more trips to Baby's Plus, as children outgrow their clothes quickly, so I'll have to go back and buy baby clothes at least."
"At least you won't need to buy another crib. Well, I guess Michelle will when she finally conceives," Diana corrected. "The crib Lynnette bought is top quality and really beautiful."
"It's made out of some kind of dark wood, but since I don't know my wood, I have no idea if it's oak or walnut or cherry wood " Lynnette added. "It's beautifully made and should last through every pregnancy. It should actually last for generations so long as it is stored correctly, so the wood doesn't rot and so our future children will be able to use it for their own kids someday."
Dave's phone suddenly dinged and Dave checked it and saw he had a text.
The text simply said dinner is ready sir.
"Dinner is ready everyone, as I just got a text from Giorgio. Everything should be set up in the dining room, so we can continue this conversation over dinner," Dave told everyone.
"Sounds good, I'm starving," Lynnette said rising to her feet. "Come on everyone let's eat," Lynnette called back as she exited the parlor and headed for the dining room.
"Well, you heard the lady," Dave said amused. "What about Spencer? Is he going to be here for dinner?" Dave asked Michelle.
"Yes, he's probably already waiting for us in the dining room," Michelle said. "I know he'll be happy to see you Diana."
"I just saw him at breakfast, but still, I'm always happy to see any of my children, especially since I have to go home tomorrow. It's too bad Roxie couldn't come as I'm sure she would have loved to shop with her sister and sister-in-law.
"She probably didn't want to give you to get ideas about her finally getting married and giving you grandchildren," Lynnette suggested delicately having stopped just outside the parlor door to wait on everyone. "You have been rather persistent, so it's quite possible my sister just made an excuse, so as not to risk you bringing up the subject of her getting married."
"Or she might really be busy, so couldn't come," Dave said. "We don't need to speculate about your sister as whatever she's doing it's her business."
They arrived in the dining room just then, and the conversation ceased as they all took their normal places, and Spencer was indeed at the table, waiting for everybody else to arrive.
~~~Dave and Lynnette~~~
Monday
"Well, it's kind of nice to have the house mostly to ourselves again," Lynnette sighed, as she and Dave cuddled on the couch. "Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed having my mother here for the weekend, even if she had to go back home, but still, I've gotten used to it just being us well, and Michelle and Spencer, though they have their own wing, so the only time we see each other is at meal times, and if we're in the public part of the house, the parlor, the dining room, the living room, the den..."
"The library," Dave said. "You are bound to run into Spencer there on a regular basis."
"True," Lynnette agreed, as she cuddled on Dave's lap. "Spencer does love his books. He's always been that way. He takes after mom in that way. I like to read too, just not as much as my brother."
The two sat in silence for a few minutes before Lynnette said. "You know I'm in the mood for us to go upstairs and soak in the jet tub that is in the master bathroom. I know soaking in a tub isn't supposed to be good when you're pregnant, but I'm immortal now, so I doubt it counts."
"Yeah, I doubt it too," Dave agreed. "Most things that doctors recommend for normal humans don't apply to an immortal. If you want to take a nice long soak, then that's fine with me. You know I already think you're gorgeous, but I love it when you're wet, your hair is dripping with water and your body also glistens with wetness."
"I can say the same," Lynnette told him kissing him passionately before rising to her feet.
Dave also rose once Lynnette was standing, but with a goofy smile on his lips from Lynnette's kiss.
Lynnette kisses always left him with a goofy smile that lasted for several hours.
"My lady?" Dave said to Lynnette, offering his mate his arm. "Shall we head to the master bathroom and take a nice long soak?"
"We shall kind sir, since it was my suggestion in the first place," Lynnette smiled, taking her mate's arm.
The two of them headed for the stairs and climbed them with no problem, though Dave made sure he was slightly behind Lynnette just in case she started to fall, because she was off balance, because of the baby.
While she wouldn't die, she might very well lose the baby, though that wasn't too likely considering the baby was also immortal, but why take chances?
"Why don't you start taking the elevator, especially when you get farther along?" Dave suggested to Lynnette gently.
"I'll perfectly capable of climbing the stairs Dave," Lynnette protested, looking stubborn.
"I know you are, but once you get farther along, you'll be even more off balance than you are now and it's quite possible you could tumble down the stairs, because of the extra weight you're carrying in the middle," Dave explained.
"While you won't die because you're immortal, I'm not sure about the baby and you wouldn't want anything to happen to our son or daughter would you? The baby may very well survive you falling down a flight of stairs, but they also might not and I just don't want to take any chances. Besides, how would we do a C-section to extract the dead fetus if necessary?"
"That's a good point," Lynnette admitted, as they finished climbing the stairs and immediately headed for the master bathroom that was part of their suite of rooms. "All right, fine, I'll start using the elevator if you're not with me, especially when I'm over six months pregnant," Lynnette finally conceded.
That was easy, Dave thought with relief, though he didn't let it show in his expression or body language.
He loved his mate beyond words, but that didn't mean she didn't have a stubborn streak a mile wide, and the fact that she was pregnant now did not help, not with her hormones out of control because of it.
"Of course, he also had a stubborn streak. He just didn't have the complication of his hormones being out of control, because he was pregnant. He was male, so that meant he would never be in a situation where his hormones were running wild because of pregnancy.
"Thank you," Dave said. "I know you're independent and normally I don't mind that, but you need to think about the baby now."
"I don't want anything happening to the precious bundle I'm carrying," Lynnette said sounding near tears at the thought of anything happening to her baby, just because she was being stubborn and hardheaded.
"I might be as stubborn as a mule, but when you talk sense, I always listen, even if I want to argue, because of those hormones. I would never forgive myself if anything were to happen to our baby just because I was being hardheaded and had an accident."
"Nothing might happen if you did fall down the stairs, but I also don't know for sure, which is why I want you to take the elevator…" Dave began and when he saw Lynnette's look added hastily, "if I'm not with you."
"Let's go soak in the jet tub, shall we?" Lynnette suggested not replying to Dave's words, as she headed down the hall for the master suite.
"Let's," Dave agreed dropping the previous subject for the moment.
The two entered the master bedroom and immediately headed for the bathroom where the jet tub was located.
~~~Dave and Lynnette~~~