fic: a life without regret 35/?
Author: Gracie
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: No, I don't own it, I'm just borrowing them for a little fun. Alias and all the characters belong to Touchstone, ABC and the talented JJ. Abrams.
Timeline: To fit in with future storylines, I have changed the time of when SD-6 was brought down. Sydney is now four months pregnant and this fic begins in early November.
Summary: Sequel to No Regrets. Trying to make normal.
Chapter 35
Vaughn POV
“So wait, hold on a second,” Will asks, pointing his finger at both Sydney and I. He starts laughing as he tries to process what we’re telling him. “Let me get this straight. Your mother,” he points to me, “and your father,” he points to my wife, “your father, were having dinner, together.”
The whole table erupts in laughter as Syd and I explain to our friends what we witnessed on our way to the restaurant tonight. It’s my cousin Maggie’s last night in town before she returns to Paris and Sydney and I had to get everyone - Francie, Will, Eric and Maggie that is, the people we’ve chosen to be godparents to our child - together to ask them to be just that while we had this last chance. On our way to the steakhouse that was chosen for tonight’s festivities, we past another fancier, up market place where we saw an interesting, to say the least dinner in operation between my mother and Sydney’s father.
“Well you know, maybe they were just having dinner as friends. Didn’t you tell me Syd that they were friends from way back?” Francie asks.
My wife uses her hands to express herself as she replies. “I don’t know, it didn’t look that way to me,” she laughs. “What about you honey?”
I shake my head, trying to grasp the mere thought of this, a thought that makes me feel slightly disturbed.
“You don’t suppose there has been something between them, you know, in the past?” my best friend chimes in. I give him a look and he defends himself. “What!? I’m just saying that you know, before you two came along, weren’t they all friends?”
“I don’t even want to think about it,” I rub my temple and look at the menu sitting in front of me.
“Me either,” says Sydney.
“Me either.” Everyone looks up at Maggie. “You know, she’s Aunt Amelie. That’s just, the thought of my Aunt…” she trails off displaying her thought with a slight shake of her body.
“So what, you’re going to confront them on it?” Will asks.
I look over to Sydney sitting beside me but she has about as much idea on this as I do. “Let’s just order,” I suggest, more than ready to get my mind of earlier events. Our waitress comes a few minutes later and we place our order.
Sydney gets up when the waitress leaves and excuses herself to the bathroom and I watch her walk through the crowded restaurant, holding her back with one hand as she does so.
“How is she doing?” my cousin asks and I move my attention away from my wife and onto Maggie.
“Yeah she looks haggard, man,” Weiss adds.
I breathe in deeply. “I know she’s not sleeping much at night and she and Maman have been doing a lot this week, but her doctor is pleased with her progress,” I shrug.
“But?” Francie asks.
“But, she doesn’t really talk about how she’s feeling physically. I know this is taxing on her a lot more than she lets on. What can I do for her though if she doesn’t tell me that she’s not sleeping at night? You know better than I do that she is never going to admit if she’s taking too much on,” I comment.
This week my mother and Sydney made the most of their time together and went out every day. Yesterday evening, Thursday, they announced to me that they had finished all of the shopping necessary for the baby, save for a pram that Sydney wanted my opinion on and a highchair that can be bought a little later on. Today all of the furniture that we ordered back in France arrived and is now sitting in various rooms of the house, wherever we can fit it since all of the pieces are made of solid wood and do not require to be assembled. Once the room is painted and completed this weekend we can move the furniture in and Sydney can set to work at getting things set up the way she wants it.
On Wednesday my mother finally pulled in the last straw and convinced my wife that she needed to get a new car, not only for the safety of herself but for the safety of her grandchild. They went together and looked around at a few car yards, Sydney eventually setting her heart on the new model Mazda 3 hatch in copper red. We went to look at it last night so Sydney could see what I thought and after talking things through with the salesman, we agreed to a very reasonable price. We’re picking it up after our doctor’s appointment on Tuesday, by then it will have all of the extras fitted that Sydney ordered. I felt a slight pang of guilt that I’m still driving around in my Government Issue sedan and have myself started looking around for something more appropriate. Right now I’m tossing up between the Lexus RX Utility and the Jeep Grand Cherokee although the Lexus is gaining a slight advantage at the moment.
My mother leaves on Monday morning concluding her brief stay with us. I wish she could stay longer, even until after the baby is born but unfortunately that is impossible for her. She promised to return soon and I know that when I call her to tell her the baby has arrived she will be on the first plane back. Her visit here has been great for Sydney but I know that Sydney will find herself in better shape when she isn’t on the go all the time as she has been this week.
“Don’t take it hard man,” Will begins. “She’s never been the type to complain about any pain she’s been in…”
“Or if she’s not feeling a hundred percent. I remember back in college, she sprained her ankle at the track and she had this massive bruise right down the side of her foot and up her leg. It looked like her ankle swallowed a baseball, but did she complain about pain once? No, she was back at the track the next day,” Francie cuts in shrugging. “It’s just the way she is.”
“Just the way who is?” Sydney asks, arriving back at the table.
“You,” Will tells her plainly. “You never tell anyone how you’re feeling and we’re all starting to worry.”
“Hmmm, well thank you for the concern, but I’m feeling just fine,” she smiles sweetly and turns to me, kissing my cheek. I know I’ll be paying for my concern a little later on. Everyone at the table knows her better than to believe her façade and she knows better than to think their concern has vanished but we move past in anyhow.
We are half way through our meal enjoying light chatter when we come upon the topic of the weekend. Maman was correct when she said she would be speaking with Eric about us preparing the nursery. Not only did she speak to Weiss personally, but she enlisted the help of both Will and my father-in-law as well. When Marcus overheard our conversation about our plans for the upcoming weekend at work the other day he wasn’t one to let his fellow man down and offered to come over and help wherever he can. So, while Weiss, Will, Jack, Marcus and I are painting the nursery and getting ourselves splattered from head to toe in Honeyed Nut and Warm Sunshine - our two colors of choice, my mother, Sydney, Francie and Dianne are taking in a morning of shopping, a relaxing lunch and an afternoon with Hugh Grant at the theatres. It figures.
“You know, I’ve only been here for five days,” my cousin begins, “I’ve had three dinners with you and the three of you,” she points to Will then Weiss and finally at myself, “have done nothing but complain like… like,” she looks to Francie, “what is it in English?”
“I believe it is like girls, which is pretty derogatory since we would have had it done months ago, with none of this complaining,” she fills in, smirking.
“Yes, like girls about this whole weekend. Heaven forbid you should be in Sydney’s shoes and have to carry a five pound baby around all day every day,” she finished.
We all look at one another speechless while the three girls giggle and snicker at us. Will mumbles something in response but it goes unnoticed or simply ignored by the three of them.
“It’s pretty pathetic guys,” my wife adds. I shoot her a look and she holds up her hands in mock surrender. “Anyone would think that you’d be the one pushing this,” she points to her stomach, “out of your body.”
“But I love you for doing that for me,” I joke. She only rolls her eyes.
“Oh you joke now,” she announces pointing at me.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask.
“What honey? Are you scared of what your pregnant wife might do to you?” she asks and I know from the twinkle in her eye she is only joking with me. Francie and Maggie burst out into fits of giggles and everyone else follows.
“Mikey, you were scared there for a second, you should have seen your face,” Maggie tells me.
The laughter dies down and Sydney continues. “Once you guys get this done, I promise, you won’t have to do anymore, the furniture is even pre-assembled.” The other two guys at the table breathe a sigh of relief and there is a pretty typical response from the other three parties.
“Are you excited Sydney?” Maggie questions.
She grabs my hand and looks at me, an unsure smile playing at her lips. “Excited, scared, happy, nervous and any other emotion along those lines,” she laughs. “There is still so much to do between now and the day we take the little one home, isn’t there honey?”
I nod my head as I chew a mouthful food and then swallow. “It seems that way. But I’m sure that by the end of this weekend when we have the nursery ready and some other things straightened out…” I trail off looking over to the beauty sitting beside me. She eyes me carefully, her look questioning if this is the right time.
“What, what’s going on?” Francie asks calmly, looking between the others and smiling at us.
“Uhm,” Sydney says, laughing nervously. Looking at me she starts speaking. “We actually invited you to dinner tonight to ask you all something that is very important to us.”
“Ah oh,” Will comments jokingly.
“Well, as you guys know Vaughn and I have decided that when the time comes we want to have our baby christened in the little chapel at the back of Delorme estate in France,” she continues and I take over the speech.
“Yeah and well we’ve, Sydney and I have been talking about some things; our future, what would happen in the case that something happened to the both of us…”
My wife cuts in, “touch wood.”
“Yes touch wood,” I add. “And if our child was left well, orphaned.”
“Oh, Syd, you know that we’d always be around, right guys?” Francie says and everyone nods in response.
“Yeah, we know, we do,” Syd looks to me and we both nod.
“But what we’re going to ask you; we’re not asking you just in case of what if, we’re asking you this, because the four of you are the closest that either of us have ever had at siblings. You know us sometimes better than we know ourselves” Sydney cuts me off.
“We’ve grown up together,” I cut her off.
“You’re our best friends and that’s why,” she breaks in again.
“That’s why we’re asking you if you would take the honor in being the godparents to this one,” she pats her belly. “And we couldn’t decide on just one of you because you’re all equally apart of our lives and we love you all. So, that’s what we’re asking. Will you be the godparents of our baby?” she asks the occupants of the table rather timidly.
“Well I don’t know about anyone else, but if you guys trust me to do that, then that’s saying something! I’ll gladly be Uncle Eric!”
“Me too,” adds Will happily.
“Me too” says Maggie, a smile going from ear to ear.
We both turn to Francie who is tearing up on us. “Yeah, me too,” she replies, standing up and pulling Syd with her. The embrace tightly and whisper something to one another that is out of my earshot.
Looking around at the table I feel so privileged to be surrounded by a group of amazing people who go above and beyond to stretch their relationship with both myself and my wife to amazing lengths. I feel safe in asking these people to be the godparents of this child because I know that this baby will truly be loved with everything these people can give to them.
“Okay, okay ladies!” Eric shouts out, waving his hands around. “Enough of this crying business, this is a happy night!” he calls the waiter over. “Could you please bring us a round of the best beers on offer and can we have something special for the mom-to-be?” he asks, pointing to Syd. She laughs as she wipes tears of happiness away.
Yeah, we’ve really made a wise decision.
~*~*~
We get through the weekend with ease and find that Monday flies by without even a second’s thought. I find the both of us sitting in the examination room of Sydney’s doctor’s office waiting for Brian who was caught up in a delivery to come in for our appointment. Sydney is sitting on the edge of the examination table in her usual appointment attire with a sheet draped over her dangling legs. She is staring into oblivion as we wait and I just stand at the side of the room watching her, waiting.
“What are you thinking about?” I ask her. She snaps out of her daze and looks at me, smiling gently. “Are you still thinking about it?” I question and she knows what I am referring to.
“Well yeah, aren’t you?” she comments.
Sydney and I plus our respective parents had a quiet dinner at home on Sunday night at their request and during that time they presented us both with their combined gift for the baby. I think we’re both still a little overwhelmed by the generosity of their gift and since Syd and I barely saw one another yesterday, we haven’t had much of a chance to talk about it.
“Well, they’re our parents, they’re going to be grandparents, I’m sure they’re just thinking about the future of their grandchild.,” I offer.
“I don’t know Vaughn. I know I should be gracious for what they’ve given, but it just isn’t settling well with me.”
“You’re feeling like a sponge again?”
She looks up at me, surprised. “Well I know you don’t like to think of it that way, but yeah, I do. I just, a hundred thousand dollars - it’s a lot of money Vaughn.”
“Yes, sweetheart it is, but you have to remember what they said. It’s not for now. It’s a trust fund for when she reaches an age old enough where she won’t waste it.”
“I know, I’m just over thinking, overreacting and being over emotional about this, like with everything else lately, aren’t I?” she admits.
I step closer to her as she speaks. “Ah hmm,” I add, grabbing her face in my hands. “But I still love you. And I assure you, this is a good thing. I mean, it has to be better than what we thought when we saw them in the restaurant.”
She giggles. “I can’t believe we actually thought they were on a date. I never thought that they would be planning something like this though.”
“Neither did I,” I tell her before leaning closer toward her lips and taking her by surprise. “This baby is very lucky and it’s not even born yet, you really need to believe that Syd.” She closes her eyes and leans on me more before opening them slowly and looking up at me.
“I missed you this weekend, and yesterday. I loved having everyone around but I like that we’re back to just us again. Last week was full on…”
“It was. I know you hate me saying it, but you need your rest. I was worried about you going from left to right without a break in between.”
“I know you were, but the big leap is over. The nursery is all painted and ready to go and we have everything we need at the moment. I can take my time now with setting it up the way we want it.”
“And I can worry about paying off all the credit card debt you worked up,” I laugh as she blushes.
“I’m shopped out now, I promise. I’ve had my fun,” she assures me, her smile in full force as she looks up at me. “I love you so much Michael.”
“Hmmm,” I add. “I think I love you more,” I tell her as her sock covered feet snake their way around my legs, inching me closer to her if that is at all possible.
The door swings open and I shuffle madly in an attempt to not make it look like we were middle of making out session, but our doctor only laughs at us.
“Now why is it I always catch you two in a compromising position when I walk in here?” he snickers, entering the room and carrying a file folder in his hand. We are two embarrassed to comment. “Ahhh. So, there is this crazy rumor going around this office that you two,” he looks from me to Sydney, “were hitched are couple of weekends back. Now, obviously, when I heard that I said noooo, that can’t be right because I, as their doctor would have known about this, when it happened,” he raises his eyebrows.
My wife pulls a face and tries to stifle a laugh while I wait for her to respond. “Sorry to disappoint you doc,” she replies and then lifts up her hand to show off her band and I mimic her actions, flashing mine as well.
Brian flips out jokingly “Oh man! You could have at least given me a heads up! There was a huge ass kitty going on!”
By the time we have reached this point Sydney and I are in fits of uncontrollable laughter, merely at his reaction to the whole thing. When Sydney calms down enough to speak she simply asks, “There was a bet going on about when we were getting married?”
“Yep, certainly was,” he comments as he grabs the arm band to measure blood pressure and straps it around Sydney’s arm. “It was up to three grand too,” he admits, shaking his head in disapproval.
My mind wanders at the thought of the inner workings of this office. “So this betting thing, its common place?” I enquire, thinking ahead.
“Not usually,” the other male occupant of the room replies. “The girls will take a liking to couple and things go from there.”
At this comment, Sydney perks up. “So we were one of those couples?”
“Oh yeah, you should have seen them,” he begins mocking them. “Aren’t they just the cutest pair you’ve ever seen. They love each other soooo much. I would kill to have a man like him…”
We can’t help but laugh at him. “So we could start one on when I’m going to go into labor? Because seriously, I could win this,” she tells us both giddily. It’s not a bad idea I think to myself and raising my eyebrows toward her.
A couple of minutes pass while Sydney’s blood pressure is taken and the questions come after. “Have you been resting Sydney?”
Her lack of response straight away combined with the sheepish look on her face gives her away immediately. Her doctor takes in a breath to reply but she cuts in first. “I feel fine; I mean I’m tired and sore and uncomfortable, but I’m thirty-five weeks pregnant, that’s to be expected.”
He sighs. “It is, but your BP is a little higher than I would like which concerns me, considering it was at a decent level the last time you were here,” he marks some things down on her chart then gets up and readies her for her pelvic. “You really need to take it easy Sydney so from now on, no eye rolling at whatever Michael tells you. You need to take things easy, even if you are a month or so out from the finish line. Things can still go wrong,” he reminds her.
“I know that,” she responds, moving back on the bed. “I just wanted to get everything finished and ready so I wasn’t worrying about it in the coming weeks. Vaughn has been on my back, I should have listened,” she admits quietly.
We’re all quiet while she is examined further and I wait with abated breath with what else Dr. Quinn has to say. He takes a few minutes and is thorough in whatever he is doing before he pulls back.
“Well your cervix is still intact and everything else seems normal. How have the Braxton Hicks been treating you?”
She inhales. “Nothing much different since last week. They come and go, stop me for a couple of seconds but I get right back on track quickly after. I’m waiting for them to get more intense but that day still hasn’t come,” she admits as her gown is opened and belly exposed.
The doctor prods and pokes and I watch his reaction carefully from my spot directly opposite him on the other side of my wife. Sydney continues to speak throughout her exam not noticing the expression coming from her doctor.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” I ask, stopping Sydney mid speech.
He shakes his head. “No, nothing, it’s nothing serious. Just here,” he offers for me to touch Sydney’s belly where he indicates.
I lean over and rest my fingers just under her ribcage on her left side and Dr. Quinn offers an explanation.
“I don’t know whether you can feel that, but that’s the head. I would have hoped that by now the little critter would be getting lower in your pelvis Sydney. And while it’s nothing to be overly concerned about quite yet, I’d like to keep an eye on it over your coming appointments. If in a couple of weeks he or she still hasn’t made an attempt to turn then I’m going to have you learn a couple of exercises that will help with that.” He wheels the ultrasound machine over as he explains this to us and Sydney looks to me with concern. I stroke her hand to calm her, conveying also with my eyes that everything is okay. Her brown pools ease when they meet mine and I then re-direct my attention back to our physician.
“I just want to do an ultrasound to confirm what I just said; I’m sure you won’t mind,”
he teases, knowing our love to hear and see our baby on the machine.
Seconds later that sound the mesmerized me a few months back when I heard it for the first time attacks my ears and I am again taken away by this miracle. Athump athump athump she goes and my heart swells with love at the grainy black and white picture in front of me.
“Just as I thought,” he confirms for us and then goes on to point out different parts and where they are. “The baby is also facing front,” he announces.
“What does that mean?” Sydney chokes with emotion.
“It doesn’t necessarily mean anything at this stage,” he explains, switching the machine off and wiping the jelly from Sydney’s skin. “Usually when the baby is born he or she comes out back facing up. If he or she is facing upward, the pain experienced in labor is much more intense than it would normally be.”
“Which goes with what you were saying before about not being in position yet,” Sydney comments, rolling her eyes then closing them and running her free arm along her forehead.
“Exactly. But there is nothing to worry about quite yet. Remember what I said. If over the next couple of weeks there isn’t a change then we’ll work on it,” he assures her with a tap on the shoulder. I thank him with my eyes.
“Have you been for that tour in the hospital yet? I hear it’s eye opening.”
I answer negatively for Sydney knowing that she is completely overwhelmed right now. I add this task to the list that I thought was diminishing. I was finally able to convince her on the best amenities on offer at Cedars, even if she was hesitant to begin with. I assured her that I just wanted what was going to be the best for her.
“What happens… I mean, when the time comes, how do I know the difference between a real contraction and a Braxton Hicks one? How will we know when we need to call you?” Sydney asks from nowhere, sitting up on the table. Obviously this has been resting on her mind.
“Oh you’ll know,” Brian tells her, laughing slightly. “When you can’t talk through the contraction, when your toes curl halfway through, that’s when you know something is happening. Even if it is just a false contraction you’re better off making a trip to the hospital, just in case. And remember as well, if your water breaks come straight in; that’s when it’s happening,” he smiles at her reassuringly. “Have you thought about any of the other things we talked about last week?”
“Not really,” she replies. “Last week was pretty hectic. I finished my birth plan though,” she smiles proudly.
“Great, that’s great. Why don’t you bring it along next week, we’ll have a look through it so I can have a look through and get to know a bit about what you’re thinking for this. Sydney, you really are doing great, regardless of anything I might have said to throw you off. I just need to make sure you understand how serious some of the things are, okay?”
“Yeah, no, I know, I get it. I have to behave and do what Vaughn says. You know he’s been waiting for you to give him that power. Makes him feel special,” she grins, pinching my cheek just slightly. I swat her hand away laughing at her.
“Do you have anything else you want to add, questions, anything you’ve thought about?”
I look over at her knowing that she wanted to run an idea by him before she took any action. She gazes back at me before asking. “Actually…” she begins
He grins before she can continue. “Sex after thirty-seven weeks if everything is still progressing well. By that stage anything can happen, so what the hell.”
I can’t help but snort because that totally wasn’t the avenue of questioning she was going to take. “Shut up you, that’s what you were thinking,” she aims at me. “Actually, I was going to ask if it was okay that I went away to a spa resort for the weekend. I know that I should be careful of some treatments and I just wanted to run that by you first.”
He laughs at his mishap but continues anyway. “Sorry, I thought, never mind,” he shakes his head. “I’ve never had any trouble with most of the treatments spas provide; in some cases they are beneficial to the cause. Where were you two thinking about going?”
“Actually, it’s not us. I owe my best friend since she wasn’t invited to our wedding. I want to take Fran to a resort I’ve heard to be amazing in the Ojai Valley…”
“The Ojai Resort,” he fills in. “I’ve only ever heard wonderful things. The maternity package is supposed to be amazing. You’re planning on going this weekend?” We both nod in reply. “Well enjoy it, make the most of it because it could be the last relaxation you have for a long while,” he smiles as he gets up. “If there’s nothing else, that’s about it, I’ll see you guys in a week?”
”You will thank you again,” I say as we say our farewells. He turns and exits, closing the door softly behind him. I get up and move to be in front of my wife.
“Hey, you okay?” I ask her soothingly, still holding one hand in mine while I rest the other on her cheek.
“Sometimes I just feel like I’m not doing enough,” she sighs heavily. “I know that these appointments are for the best but I can’t help coming away from them lately like I never do anything right,” she tells me frustrated.
“Hey, come now, shhh,” I calm her, wrapping my arms around her frame. “You’re doing amazing. I don’t know many other women who would have gotten through this like you have. It’s not long to go now, just a few more weeks then we’ll hold her in our arms and none of this will matter any more.”
“Elizabeth, Elizabeth Abbey for a girl,” she whispers over my shoulder.
I pull back and look down into her eyes. “Elizabeth Abbey Vaughn,” I say out loud loving the feel of that on my lips. It’s beautiful, I love it,” I tell her.
“Really?” she asks.
I confirm. “Really.”
“That doesn’t mean I think you’re right or anything,” she tells me teary.
I laugh out loud. “Come on, let’s get you out of here. You have a new car waiting to be picked up!”
TBC
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: No, I don't own it, I'm just borrowing them for a little fun. Alias and all the characters belong to Touchstone, ABC and the talented JJ. Abrams.
Timeline: To fit in with future storylines, I have changed the time of when SD-6 was brought down. Sydney is now four months pregnant and this fic begins in early November.
Summary: Sequel to No Regrets. Trying to make normal.
Chapter 35
Vaughn POV
“So wait, hold on a second,” Will asks, pointing his finger at both Sydney and I. He starts laughing as he tries to process what we’re telling him. “Let me get this straight. Your mother,” he points to me, “and your father,” he points to my wife, “your father, were having dinner, together.”
The whole table erupts in laughter as Syd and I explain to our friends what we witnessed on our way to the restaurant tonight. It’s my cousin Maggie’s last night in town before she returns to Paris and Sydney and I had to get everyone - Francie, Will, Eric and Maggie that is, the people we’ve chosen to be godparents to our child - together to ask them to be just that while we had this last chance. On our way to the steakhouse that was chosen for tonight’s festivities, we past another fancier, up market place where we saw an interesting, to say the least dinner in operation between my mother and Sydney’s father.
“Well you know, maybe they were just having dinner as friends. Didn’t you tell me Syd that they were friends from way back?” Francie asks.
My wife uses her hands to express herself as she replies. “I don’t know, it didn’t look that way to me,” she laughs. “What about you honey?”
I shake my head, trying to grasp the mere thought of this, a thought that makes me feel slightly disturbed.
“You don’t suppose there has been something between them, you know, in the past?” my best friend chimes in. I give him a look and he defends himself. “What!? I’m just saying that you know, before you two came along, weren’t they all friends?”
“I don’t even want to think about it,” I rub my temple and look at the menu sitting in front of me.
“Me either,” says Sydney.
“Me either.” Everyone looks up at Maggie. “You know, she’s Aunt Amelie. That’s just, the thought of my Aunt…” she trails off displaying her thought with a slight shake of her body.
“So what, you’re going to confront them on it?” Will asks.
I look over to Sydney sitting beside me but she has about as much idea on this as I do. “Let’s just order,” I suggest, more than ready to get my mind of earlier events. Our waitress comes a few minutes later and we place our order.
Sydney gets up when the waitress leaves and excuses herself to the bathroom and I watch her walk through the crowded restaurant, holding her back with one hand as she does so.
“How is she doing?” my cousin asks and I move my attention away from my wife and onto Maggie.
“Yeah she looks haggard, man,” Weiss adds.
I breathe in deeply. “I know she’s not sleeping much at night and she and Maman have been doing a lot this week, but her doctor is pleased with her progress,” I shrug.
“But?” Francie asks.
“But, she doesn’t really talk about how she’s feeling physically. I know this is taxing on her a lot more than she lets on. What can I do for her though if she doesn’t tell me that she’s not sleeping at night? You know better than I do that she is never going to admit if she’s taking too much on,” I comment.
This week my mother and Sydney made the most of their time together and went out every day. Yesterday evening, Thursday, they announced to me that they had finished all of the shopping necessary for the baby, save for a pram that Sydney wanted my opinion on and a highchair that can be bought a little later on. Today all of the furniture that we ordered back in France arrived and is now sitting in various rooms of the house, wherever we can fit it since all of the pieces are made of solid wood and do not require to be assembled. Once the room is painted and completed this weekend we can move the furniture in and Sydney can set to work at getting things set up the way she wants it.
On Wednesday my mother finally pulled in the last straw and convinced my wife that she needed to get a new car, not only for the safety of herself but for the safety of her grandchild. They went together and looked around at a few car yards, Sydney eventually setting her heart on the new model Mazda 3 hatch in copper red. We went to look at it last night so Sydney could see what I thought and after talking things through with the salesman, we agreed to a very reasonable price. We’re picking it up after our doctor’s appointment on Tuesday, by then it will have all of the extras fitted that Sydney ordered. I felt a slight pang of guilt that I’m still driving around in my Government Issue sedan and have myself started looking around for something more appropriate. Right now I’m tossing up between the Lexus RX Utility and the Jeep Grand Cherokee although the Lexus is gaining a slight advantage at the moment.
My mother leaves on Monday morning concluding her brief stay with us. I wish she could stay longer, even until after the baby is born but unfortunately that is impossible for her. She promised to return soon and I know that when I call her to tell her the baby has arrived she will be on the first plane back. Her visit here has been great for Sydney but I know that Sydney will find herself in better shape when she isn’t on the go all the time as she has been this week.
“Don’t take it hard man,” Will begins. “She’s never been the type to complain about any pain she’s been in…”
“Or if she’s not feeling a hundred percent. I remember back in college, she sprained her ankle at the track and she had this massive bruise right down the side of her foot and up her leg. It looked like her ankle swallowed a baseball, but did she complain about pain once? No, she was back at the track the next day,” Francie cuts in shrugging. “It’s just the way she is.”
“Just the way who is?” Sydney asks, arriving back at the table.
“You,” Will tells her plainly. “You never tell anyone how you’re feeling and we’re all starting to worry.”
“Hmmm, well thank you for the concern, but I’m feeling just fine,” she smiles sweetly and turns to me, kissing my cheek. I know I’ll be paying for my concern a little later on. Everyone at the table knows her better than to believe her façade and she knows better than to think their concern has vanished but we move past in anyhow.
We are half way through our meal enjoying light chatter when we come upon the topic of the weekend. Maman was correct when she said she would be speaking with Eric about us preparing the nursery. Not only did she speak to Weiss personally, but she enlisted the help of both Will and my father-in-law as well. When Marcus overheard our conversation about our plans for the upcoming weekend at work the other day he wasn’t one to let his fellow man down and offered to come over and help wherever he can. So, while Weiss, Will, Jack, Marcus and I are painting the nursery and getting ourselves splattered from head to toe in Honeyed Nut and Warm Sunshine - our two colors of choice, my mother, Sydney, Francie and Dianne are taking in a morning of shopping, a relaxing lunch and an afternoon with Hugh Grant at the theatres. It figures.
“You know, I’ve only been here for five days,” my cousin begins, “I’ve had three dinners with you and the three of you,” she points to Will then Weiss and finally at myself, “have done nothing but complain like… like,” she looks to Francie, “what is it in English?”
“I believe it is like girls, which is pretty derogatory since we would have had it done months ago, with none of this complaining,” she fills in, smirking.
“Yes, like girls about this whole weekend. Heaven forbid you should be in Sydney’s shoes and have to carry a five pound baby around all day every day,” she finished.
We all look at one another speechless while the three girls giggle and snicker at us. Will mumbles something in response but it goes unnoticed or simply ignored by the three of them.
“It’s pretty pathetic guys,” my wife adds. I shoot her a look and she holds up her hands in mock surrender. “Anyone would think that you’d be the one pushing this,” she points to her stomach, “out of your body.”
“But I love you for doing that for me,” I joke. She only rolls her eyes.
“Oh you joke now,” she announces pointing at me.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask.
“What honey? Are you scared of what your pregnant wife might do to you?” she asks and I know from the twinkle in her eye she is only joking with me. Francie and Maggie burst out into fits of giggles and everyone else follows.
“Mikey, you were scared there for a second, you should have seen your face,” Maggie tells me.
The laughter dies down and Sydney continues. “Once you guys get this done, I promise, you won’t have to do anymore, the furniture is even pre-assembled.” The other two guys at the table breathe a sigh of relief and there is a pretty typical response from the other three parties.
“Are you excited Sydney?” Maggie questions.
She grabs my hand and looks at me, an unsure smile playing at her lips. “Excited, scared, happy, nervous and any other emotion along those lines,” she laughs. “There is still so much to do between now and the day we take the little one home, isn’t there honey?”
I nod my head as I chew a mouthful food and then swallow. “It seems that way. But I’m sure that by the end of this weekend when we have the nursery ready and some other things straightened out…” I trail off looking over to the beauty sitting beside me. She eyes me carefully, her look questioning if this is the right time.
“What, what’s going on?” Francie asks calmly, looking between the others and smiling at us.
“Uhm,” Sydney says, laughing nervously. Looking at me she starts speaking. “We actually invited you to dinner tonight to ask you all something that is very important to us.”
“Ah oh,” Will comments jokingly.
“Well, as you guys know Vaughn and I have decided that when the time comes we want to have our baby christened in the little chapel at the back of Delorme estate in France,” she continues and I take over the speech.
“Yeah and well we’ve, Sydney and I have been talking about some things; our future, what would happen in the case that something happened to the both of us…”
My wife cuts in, “touch wood.”
“Yes touch wood,” I add. “And if our child was left well, orphaned.”
“Oh, Syd, you know that we’d always be around, right guys?” Francie says and everyone nods in response.
“Yeah, we know, we do,” Syd looks to me and we both nod.
“But what we’re going to ask you; we’re not asking you just in case of what if, we’re asking you this, because the four of you are the closest that either of us have ever had at siblings. You know us sometimes better than we know ourselves” Sydney cuts me off.
“We’ve grown up together,” I cut her off.
“You’re our best friends and that’s why,” she breaks in again.
“That’s why we’re asking you if you would take the honor in being the godparents to this one,” she pats her belly. “And we couldn’t decide on just one of you because you’re all equally apart of our lives and we love you all. So, that’s what we’re asking. Will you be the godparents of our baby?” she asks the occupants of the table rather timidly.
“Well I don’t know about anyone else, but if you guys trust me to do that, then that’s saying something! I’ll gladly be Uncle Eric!”
“Me too,” adds Will happily.
“Me too” says Maggie, a smile going from ear to ear.
We both turn to Francie who is tearing up on us. “Yeah, me too,” she replies, standing up and pulling Syd with her. The embrace tightly and whisper something to one another that is out of my earshot.
Looking around at the table I feel so privileged to be surrounded by a group of amazing people who go above and beyond to stretch their relationship with both myself and my wife to amazing lengths. I feel safe in asking these people to be the godparents of this child because I know that this baby will truly be loved with everything these people can give to them.
“Okay, okay ladies!” Eric shouts out, waving his hands around. “Enough of this crying business, this is a happy night!” he calls the waiter over. “Could you please bring us a round of the best beers on offer and can we have something special for the mom-to-be?” he asks, pointing to Syd. She laughs as she wipes tears of happiness away.
Yeah, we’ve really made a wise decision.
~*~*~
We get through the weekend with ease and find that Monday flies by without even a second’s thought. I find the both of us sitting in the examination room of Sydney’s doctor’s office waiting for Brian who was caught up in a delivery to come in for our appointment. Sydney is sitting on the edge of the examination table in her usual appointment attire with a sheet draped over her dangling legs. She is staring into oblivion as we wait and I just stand at the side of the room watching her, waiting.
“What are you thinking about?” I ask her. She snaps out of her daze and looks at me, smiling gently. “Are you still thinking about it?” I question and she knows what I am referring to.
“Well yeah, aren’t you?” she comments.
Sydney and I plus our respective parents had a quiet dinner at home on Sunday night at their request and during that time they presented us both with their combined gift for the baby. I think we’re both still a little overwhelmed by the generosity of their gift and since Syd and I barely saw one another yesterday, we haven’t had much of a chance to talk about it.
“Well, they’re our parents, they’re going to be grandparents, I’m sure they’re just thinking about the future of their grandchild.,” I offer.
“I don’t know Vaughn. I know I should be gracious for what they’ve given, but it just isn’t settling well with me.”
“You’re feeling like a sponge again?”
She looks up at me, surprised. “Well I know you don’t like to think of it that way, but yeah, I do. I just, a hundred thousand dollars - it’s a lot of money Vaughn.”
“Yes, sweetheart it is, but you have to remember what they said. It’s not for now. It’s a trust fund for when she reaches an age old enough where she won’t waste it.”
“I know, I’m just over thinking, overreacting and being over emotional about this, like with everything else lately, aren’t I?” she admits.
I step closer to her as she speaks. “Ah hmm,” I add, grabbing her face in my hands. “But I still love you. And I assure you, this is a good thing. I mean, it has to be better than what we thought when we saw them in the restaurant.”
She giggles. “I can’t believe we actually thought they were on a date. I never thought that they would be planning something like this though.”
“Neither did I,” I tell her before leaning closer toward her lips and taking her by surprise. “This baby is very lucky and it’s not even born yet, you really need to believe that Syd.” She closes her eyes and leans on me more before opening them slowly and looking up at me.
“I missed you this weekend, and yesterday. I loved having everyone around but I like that we’re back to just us again. Last week was full on…”
“It was. I know you hate me saying it, but you need your rest. I was worried about you going from left to right without a break in between.”
“I know you were, but the big leap is over. The nursery is all painted and ready to go and we have everything we need at the moment. I can take my time now with setting it up the way we want it.”
“And I can worry about paying off all the credit card debt you worked up,” I laugh as she blushes.
“I’m shopped out now, I promise. I’ve had my fun,” she assures me, her smile in full force as she looks up at me. “I love you so much Michael.”
“Hmmm,” I add. “I think I love you more,” I tell her as her sock covered feet snake their way around my legs, inching me closer to her if that is at all possible.
The door swings open and I shuffle madly in an attempt to not make it look like we were middle of making out session, but our doctor only laughs at us.
“Now why is it I always catch you two in a compromising position when I walk in here?” he snickers, entering the room and carrying a file folder in his hand. We are two embarrassed to comment. “Ahhh. So, there is this crazy rumor going around this office that you two,” he looks from me to Sydney, “were hitched are couple of weekends back. Now, obviously, when I heard that I said noooo, that can’t be right because I, as their doctor would have known about this, when it happened,” he raises his eyebrows.
My wife pulls a face and tries to stifle a laugh while I wait for her to respond. “Sorry to disappoint you doc,” she replies and then lifts up her hand to show off her band and I mimic her actions, flashing mine as well.
Brian flips out jokingly “Oh man! You could have at least given me a heads up! There was a huge ass kitty going on!”
By the time we have reached this point Sydney and I are in fits of uncontrollable laughter, merely at his reaction to the whole thing. When Sydney calms down enough to speak she simply asks, “There was a bet going on about when we were getting married?”
“Yep, certainly was,” he comments as he grabs the arm band to measure blood pressure and straps it around Sydney’s arm. “It was up to three grand too,” he admits, shaking his head in disapproval.
My mind wanders at the thought of the inner workings of this office. “So this betting thing, its common place?” I enquire, thinking ahead.
“Not usually,” the other male occupant of the room replies. “The girls will take a liking to couple and things go from there.”
At this comment, Sydney perks up. “So we were one of those couples?”
“Oh yeah, you should have seen them,” he begins mocking them. “Aren’t they just the cutest pair you’ve ever seen. They love each other soooo much. I would kill to have a man like him…”
We can’t help but laugh at him. “So we could start one on when I’m going to go into labor? Because seriously, I could win this,” she tells us both giddily. It’s not a bad idea I think to myself and raising my eyebrows toward her.
A couple of minutes pass while Sydney’s blood pressure is taken and the questions come after. “Have you been resting Sydney?”
Her lack of response straight away combined with the sheepish look on her face gives her away immediately. Her doctor takes in a breath to reply but she cuts in first. “I feel fine; I mean I’m tired and sore and uncomfortable, but I’m thirty-five weeks pregnant, that’s to be expected.”
He sighs. “It is, but your BP is a little higher than I would like which concerns me, considering it was at a decent level the last time you were here,” he marks some things down on her chart then gets up and readies her for her pelvic. “You really need to take it easy Sydney so from now on, no eye rolling at whatever Michael tells you. You need to take things easy, even if you are a month or so out from the finish line. Things can still go wrong,” he reminds her.
“I know that,” she responds, moving back on the bed. “I just wanted to get everything finished and ready so I wasn’t worrying about it in the coming weeks. Vaughn has been on my back, I should have listened,” she admits quietly.
We’re all quiet while she is examined further and I wait with abated breath with what else Dr. Quinn has to say. He takes a few minutes and is thorough in whatever he is doing before he pulls back.
“Well your cervix is still intact and everything else seems normal. How have the Braxton Hicks been treating you?”
She inhales. “Nothing much different since last week. They come and go, stop me for a couple of seconds but I get right back on track quickly after. I’m waiting for them to get more intense but that day still hasn’t come,” she admits as her gown is opened and belly exposed.
The doctor prods and pokes and I watch his reaction carefully from my spot directly opposite him on the other side of my wife. Sydney continues to speak throughout her exam not noticing the expression coming from her doctor.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” I ask, stopping Sydney mid speech.
He shakes his head. “No, nothing, it’s nothing serious. Just here,” he offers for me to touch Sydney’s belly where he indicates.
I lean over and rest my fingers just under her ribcage on her left side and Dr. Quinn offers an explanation.
“I don’t know whether you can feel that, but that’s the head. I would have hoped that by now the little critter would be getting lower in your pelvis Sydney. And while it’s nothing to be overly concerned about quite yet, I’d like to keep an eye on it over your coming appointments. If in a couple of weeks he or she still hasn’t made an attempt to turn then I’m going to have you learn a couple of exercises that will help with that.” He wheels the ultrasound machine over as he explains this to us and Sydney looks to me with concern. I stroke her hand to calm her, conveying also with my eyes that everything is okay. Her brown pools ease when they meet mine and I then re-direct my attention back to our physician.
“I just want to do an ultrasound to confirm what I just said; I’m sure you won’t mind,”
he teases, knowing our love to hear and see our baby on the machine.
Seconds later that sound the mesmerized me a few months back when I heard it for the first time attacks my ears and I am again taken away by this miracle. Athump athump athump she goes and my heart swells with love at the grainy black and white picture in front of me.
“Just as I thought,” he confirms for us and then goes on to point out different parts and where they are. “The baby is also facing front,” he announces.
“What does that mean?” Sydney chokes with emotion.
“It doesn’t necessarily mean anything at this stage,” he explains, switching the machine off and wiping the jelly from Sydney’s skin. “Usually when the baby is born he or she comes out back facing up. If he or she is facing upward, the pain experienced in labor is much more intense than it would normally be.”
“Which goes with what you were saying before about not being in position yet,” Sydney comments, rolling her eyes then closing them and running her free arm along her forehead.
“Exactly. But there is nothing to worry about quite yet. Remember what I said. If over the next couple of weeks there isn’t a change then we’ll work on it,” he assures her with a tap on the shoulder. I thank him with my eyes.
“Have you been for that tour in the hospital yet? I hear it’s eye opening.”
I answer negatively for Sydney knowing that she is completely overwhelmed right now. I add this task to the list that I thought was diminishing. I was finally able to convince her on the best amenities on offer at Cedars, even if she was hesitant to begin with. I assured her that I just wanted what was going to be the best for her.
“What happens… I mean, when the time comes, how do I know the difference between a real contraction and a Braxton Hicks one? How will we know when we need to call you?” Sydney asks from nowhere, sitting up on the table. Obviously this has been resting on her mind.
“Oh you’ll know,” Brian tells her, laughing slightly. “When you can’t talk through the contraction, when your toes curl halfway through, that’s when you know something is happening. Even if it is just a false contraction you’re better off making a trip to the hospital, just in case. And remember as well, if your water breaks come straight in; that’s when it’s happening,” he smiles at her reassuringly. “Have you thought about any of the other things we talked about last week?”
“Not really,” she replies. “Last week was pretty hectic. I finished my birth plan though,” she smiles proudly.
“Great, that’s great. Why don’t you bring it along next week, we’ll have a look through it so I can have a look through and get to know a bit about what you’re thinking for this. Sydney, you really are doing great, regardless of anything I might have said to throw you off. I just need to make sure you understand how serious some of the things are, okay?”
“Yeah, no, I know, I get it. I have to behave and do what Vaughn says. You know he’s been waiting for you to give him that power. Makes him feel special,” she grins, pinching my cheek just slightly. I swat her hand away laughing at her.
“Do you have anything else you want to add, questions, anything you’ve thought about?”
I look over at her knowing that she wanted to run an idea by him before she took any action. She gazes back at me before asking. “Actually…” she begins
He grins before she can continue. “Sex after thirty-seven weeks if everything is still progressing well. By that stage anything can happen, so what the hell.”
I can’t help but snort because that totally wasn’t the avenue of questioning she was going to take. “Shut up you, that’s what you were thinking,” she aims at me. “Actually, I was going to ask if it was okay that I went away to a spa resort for the weekend. I know that I should be careful of some treatments and I just wanted to run that by you first.”
He laughs at his mishap but continues anyway. “Sorry, I thought, never mind,” he shakes his head. “I’ve never had any trouble with most of the treatments spas provide; in some cases they are beneficial to the cause. Where were you two thinking about going?”
“Actually, it’s not us. I owe my best friend since she wasn’t invited to our wedding. I want to take Fran to a resort I’ve heard to be amazing in the Ojai Valley…”
“The Ojai Resort,” he fills in. “I’ve only ever heard wonderful things. The maternity package is supposed to be amazing. You’re planning on going this weekend?” We both nod in reply. “Well enjoy it, make the most of it because it could be the last relaxation you have for a long while,” he smiles as he gets up. “If there’s nothing else, that’s about it, I’ll see you guys in a week?”
”You will thank you again,” I say as we say our farewells. He turns and exits, closing the door softly behind him. I get up and move to be in front of my wife.
“Hey, you okay?” I ask her soothingly, still holding one hand in mine while I rest the other on her cheek.
“Sometimes I just feel like I’m not doing enough,” she sighs heavily. “I know that these appointments are for the best but I can’t help coming away from them lately like I never do anything right,” she tells me frustrated.
“Hey, come now, shhh,” I calm her, wrapping my arms around her frame. “You’re doing amazing. I don’t know many other women who would have gotten through this like you have. It’s not long to go now, just a few more weeks then we’ll hold her in our arms and none of this will matter any more.”
“Elizabeth, Elizabeth Abbey for a girl,” she whispers over my shoulder.
I pull back and look down into her eyes. “Elizabeth Abbey Vaughn,” I say out loud loving the feel of that on my lips. It’s beautiful, I love it,” I tell her.
“Really?” she asks.
I confirm. “Really.”
“That doesn’t mean I think you’re right or anything,” she tells me teary.
I laugh out loud. “Come on, let’s get you out of here. You have a new car waiting to be picked up!”
TBC