G 7 Ch 11 – Fall and Formal | Mmdrgntobldrgn's Blog

In the weeks that followed our conversation Cleveland and I grew to know each other better. I learned that he had sacrificed his dream of working with the science center, in their new research and development department, to stay at home with our children so I could follow my career path. Cleveland’s only regret was that now that he’s an elder it isn’t safe for him to leave our home anymore, and he was hoping to enjoy the return of the warmer weather. I reassured him he wasn’t missing much as it was still snowing and no snow had melted yet like last time.

We discovered that we enjoyed spending our time together. Although I can’t say that our children were handling it well. They would frequently call out “hurl alert” when Cleveland or I would compliment each other.

One morning Cleveland surprised me and dipped me to kiss me. Both Hakon and Hephzibah made gagging sounds and complained that they had just lost their appetite. Hephzibah said we should get a room.

Once I finished helping Cleveland straighten out his back, he really shouldn’t have dipped me, I went down to the council store and poked around. It took several trips but in the end I achieved what I wanted.

Cleveland and I had our own private room. Since we couldn’t move the bed I got creative and put some thin walls up around the bed giving us the illusion of privacy. I even managed to score some stripped wallpaper in Cleveland and I’s favorite color’s, and two doors. We found having our own space was just as refreshing as not having to worry about ghosts.

Fae only complained a little bit when I started doing chores around the house to keep busy. She was the only one who seemed happy that Cleveland and I had patched our marriage. I like to think Gilroy would be happy for us too, if he could properly process what went on.

When I started getting sick in the mornings I was torn between hoping it was food poisoning from bad soup and the hope that maybe Cleveland and I might have another child. A child whose life I would be an active part of, not just a person who comes and goes and is never around.

When my flu like symptoms persisted longer than a few days I accepted the fact that more than likely I was pregnant. I then began to worry if Cleveland would live long enough to see our newest and youngest child grow up. Once I was done being sick I called the clinic and made an appointment for a check up.

After my check up confirmed my pregnancy I went home and told Cleveland the news. The look of joy on his face eased all my worries for a little while.

What I hadn’t told him was the doctors weren’t happy that I was pregnant. They were very worried for both the baby and me. Now that I was in my 40’s there were very real possibilities that my child might not be healthy, and then mix in the fact that I wasn’t the ideal shape for bearing children. No they weren’t happy, and I had to go in for twice as many prenatal exams and take lots of vitamins. The doctors also insisted that I should deliver our child at the clinic when it was time. I had wanted to have this baby at home but the very worried look on the nurses face convinced me to deliver this child at the clinic as well.

When we announced my pregnancy to our children their reactions were a sight to behold. First their eyes went very large then came the comments; “You mean you and dad ……. ” “Ewww! Gross!!” “Isn’t there like an age limit …..” “Gross old people sex, I’m going to be sick”. In the end they came around and told Cleveland and I congratulations, asked when I was due and were they getting a brother or sister.

As my pregnancy progressed so did the warmer weather. By the end of my fourth month it had finally warmed up enough for the snow to melt again. I was amazed to see that so many plants had survived. I would have to ask our children to help me keeping them alive during the warmer months. I couldn’t explain why I felt that the plants survival was important to our survival, but I knew it was. I paused briefly as I headed in, I felt or heard something but it was faint just out of reach of anything I could explain, shaking my head I decided it was hormones and went inside.

Once inside the door I could hear Hadia calling for me. Rushing down the stairs I found her in the children’s room.

“Mom, does this dress look ok?”

I felt my breath catch in my throat. It took me a minute as I brushed away tears that threatened to spill down my cheeks.

“Hadia you look lovely.” I told her my voice catching.

“Thanks mom, I’m so nervous we got special tickets to the formal dance tonight, and I’m worried no one will want to dance with me because I’m not blond like Z’ah.”

“Oh sweetie you are so beautiful in your own rights don’t try to compare yourself to your sister.” I paused “You know one of the reasons why I married your dad was because of his red hair, I thought it made him look very sexy.”

“Gross mom ……..”

And with that our brief moment of mother daughter bonding was over, maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned that I had considered Cleveland hot and sexy when we were younger, but I couldn’t take back what I had said.

Walking out of the room I couldn’t help but feel a certain amount of pride. All three of my children had managed to earn the coveted prom tickets for good grades.

I stood outside waiting for them as they left and used my phone to take pictures of them as they left in the limo provided by the school. I could tell that Hadia was still feeling very nervous about going to the formal dance, Hephzibah looked just as lovely as her sister, and very sure of herself. Hakon looked just as stiff and proper as he did any other time. Watching him climb into the limo I realized that in a few more months he would be a full grown man. As the limo drove off I slowly descended the stairs tears blinding me, my beautiful children were growing up so fast, there was so much I had missed out on.