100 Baby Challenge - Chapter 10 A Life for A Life

Today started off totally normal, except it wasn't normal at all.  Sure the waking up part was normal but that searing wave of nausea that ran through me just as I opened my eyes was not.  After I went racing to my bathroom to throw up what felt like all of my insides, I wiped my mouth and brushed my teeth.  I sat on my bed and all I could do was smile, it was that stupid goofy kind of smile that just can't help itself.  Last night, it was amazing, a whirlwind.  It feels like a dream, I just can't believe that I'm pregnant and with Alejandro's child.  He was amazing, gentle, kind and WILD.  Oh so wild, I hope every time is like that.  I could smell breakfast being made, I will never tire of waking to the smell of moms pancakes, except for right now as another wave of morning sickness hits me.  Ugh, if this is what all my mornings will be like while I'm pregnant, no thank you!!  This is awful.  Once I felt my stomach settle I put myself together and decided some breakfast was in order, oh and I have to tell mom the good news.

"The pancakes were delicious mom! As always you out did yourself."  "Thanks honey, how are you feeling today? Any thoughts on what you're going to do with your first full day as an adult?"  "Well I had thought about getting into the garden, I need to get those fruits and veggies tended to otherwise I'll have to start from scratch on new plants. I also think some time outside and sunshine would be good for me."  I could see my moms face fall for a split second, it was like she was disappointed in me, in my plans but at that moment I realized that I'd almost forgotten to share my good news with her, but before I could she had more questions for me.  "I noticed that you weren't at home last night when I got back from your sisters, where were you?"  "I actually wanted to talk to you about that, I went out last night to clear my head.  Things are getting pretty serious now that I'm an adult and everything in that book was so overwhelming, I needed some time to process and clear my thoughts. I went to Oasis Springs last night."  "Oasis Springs!?!?"  "What on earth would posses you to go there!?"  Mom sounded pretty pissed and I'm not sure why.  "What's wrong with Oasis Springs?  It's really nice there, anyways I don't want to talk to you about Oasis Springs, I have something else to tell you.  I met a man mom."  At this moms face turned from sheer panic to an almost giddy delight.  "I met a man, his name is Alejandro.  Mom, I'm pregnant."  I was smiling so hard I thought my cheeks might come off, mom about fell off her chair she was in disbelief.  She wrapped me up in her arms and squeezed me so tightly.  "Yvette, you do whatever you want today.  I'm so proud of you, I can't believe you are already expecting."  She let go of me, with a spring in her step she went to clean up from breakfast.

 Just as I was getting ready to get out into the garden Trixie called and said she was coming over.  When Trixie arrived I was in full gardening mode so I shared the good news with her and she was over the moon.  Trixie and I chatted and caught up on each others lives.  She told me about her job as a struggling chef and the boyfriend she had who just wouldn't commit.  I filled her in on graduation and she obviously had a lot of questions about my pregnancy.  I gave her some very non-committal answers that were just detailed enough to keep her interest satiated.  She had really came to see mom so she decided to head inside, she wanted to hear more and offered to cook up some lunch for the 3 of us.  Mom had been in a painting frenzy since she found out I was expecting, she finished 3 masterpieces this morning so I knew that's where she would be when Trixie walked in.  I was just finishing up watering the plants, it couldn't have been more than 10 minutes after Trixie walked into the house I heard a blood curdling scream.  It was Trixie, screaming, she was screaming for me.

I barreled into the house, took 3 steps and stopped frozen in my tracks.  "Trixie" I gasped, was sobbing over our mother.  Mom was lying, more like crumpled on the floor in front of her easel, her grey hair flowed around her face.  She looked peaceful and yet so pale, just then I noticed the Grim Reaper was in my living room.




My brain stopped, but my feet took me to the Grim and I just started pleading with him.  I don't even remember what I said, he refused my pleas and took my mother into the afterlife with him and in the spot where she died was an urn.  Trixie and I just held each other for what seemed like forever.  How would I contact all our siblings, what do I say?  I sent Trixie upstairs with some tea to calm her nerves, I told her she could stay as long as she needed.  Trixie lived with Samantha but Sam was a busy medical student and resident at the hospital so she was almost never home.

The next few days just melded together.  I moved moms urn to a different spot in the living room.  I had to scrap her last painting she was working on.  My days were filled with tears, I would cry at her urn, cry myself to sleep, wake up from a dream sobbing.  I was a basket case of emotions and all the while I was preparing myself to become a first time mother, a mother of many but still this was my first baby.  How was I going to do this without my mom?  I just don't know how I'm going to make it right now. 

I tried to spend as much time outside as possible but gardening didn't take my mind of missing my mom for long, then I'd go inside and try to find some inspiration to get my creative juices going but I couldn't sit and paint like mom used to.  I would get distracted and it would take me days to finish a painting.  Finally the day had arrived for me to have my little bundle of joy.  I hope my sadness doesn't impact how my baby is after it's here.  I want my child to know only happiness.  I know my mom had almost all her babies at home, I don't actually remember saying that she had any of us in a hospital.  I had already decided that I would have this baby at the hospital, too many things could go wrong and with having a baby so soon after my moms passing I didn't want to risk anything.  The labor pains started and Alejandro was away for soccer season, it was just me going to this hospital alone.  I wonder if it's a boy or girl, what will I name my baby?  All I know is that mom named us in alphabetical order and I want to do something unique too, I think I'll pick a random letter from the alphabet and have all my kids names start with that letter.

While I was waiting to go back to my room at the hospital I saw a dictionary lying on the table in front of me, it was weird to me that a dictionary would be here but I picked it up and opened it to a random page.  Whatever word was at the top, the first letter would be the first letter of all my children's names.  I landed on the word Persistent.  P, this would be the letter, owowow that contraction hurt.  I waddle up to the front desk and the young lady tells me it won't be long, we're just waiting on the doctor to arrive.

My body won't wait, it's time now I tell her.  The staff usher me back to a room and before the doctor arrives my baby starts to make its arrival into this world.  The doctor isn't here yet one nurse shouts, another says "just deliver the baby, it's not going to wait for the doctor."  I'm a little panicked and the nurse doesn't really seem confident in what she's doing but this baby is coming now and I don't have a choice.  Only hours after arriving at the hospital, the nurse lays a beautiful baby boy in my arms.  He smells new and is so perfect. He has the same complexion as his father but has my lips.  He's wonderful and has all his fingers and toes.






















I'm lost in a day dream when the doctor arrives with paperwork for me.  "Miss, miss!" He shouts.  "We need a decision on the baby's name, do you have one picked out yet?"  "Oh, um. yes.  I think so." I stammer with the words, "Paul, his name will be Paul."

Chapter 9 - Graduation

It's graduation day!  I'm so excited and yet there's this hint of nervousness in the back of my mind.  Today is supposed to be all about going off into the world and making my dreams come true.  Meeting the man I'm supposed to marry and to have a family.  The family part will for sure happen, and I'll not only meet one man but many.  Oh, I just can't think about this right now.  Graduation, today is graduation day.  I get to walk across the stage and get my diploma, that's what today is about.

The last day of school was uneventful, all of us had taken our exams the week prior and it was just a formality to have us at school.  I signed my friends year books and they signed mine, we'll be friends forever I hope.  I haven't told any of my friends what my life is to be like after graduation.  I don't even know how my mom was able to have that conversation with me, how could I tell my friends? We laughed, we cried, we took pictures and savored our last moments that we were going to have with each other before we all moved on to bigger things.  We walked the stage in our blue and gold caps and gowns, 200 graduating students from Plumbob High would go out and start to make our marks on the world.  I don't remember even hearing my name, but my legs just moved me across that stage.  My dad was there, I don't see him much.  He doesn't like mom very much anymore but he and I still talk.  They both were taking pictures from opposite sides of the auditorium.  I'm so glad he's here, not having him around was hard.  I don't want that for any of my kids.  I didn't graduate with honors, but I graduated.  I suppose that's ok considering I won't be going to college or holding any kind of job.

When I arrived home from post graduation celebrations with my friends I was greeted by a big hug from my mom.  She pulled a cake out of the fridge and we had our own private celebration.  I was becoming an adult.  She made my favorite cake, German chocolate.  She knows this is a big day for me and wanted it to be perfect, I think more than I did.

Mom congratulated me, it was kind of perfect, this day.  The last day I would be considered a child.  Mom handed me a book, one she had been keeping since the day she started this journey.  Since I was an adult now she was explaining how the book was her guide through all the rules that we have to live by.   As she was explaining to me things about my new life and what this book holds my sister Maribelle called and asked if mom would come visit.  After some reluctance from mom and some persistence from Mari my mom agreed to go over.

I guess it was all well and good, I could sit and have a bite to eat and go over this book mom just handed me.




This book holds so much information.  I can never marry, my children don't count towards the 100 until they are young adults, if any of them die or get taken from me they don't count, I can never hold a job; but I already knew that, none of my children can have the same father unless they are twins/triplets.  Yeesh, this is going to be crazy.  So many decisions, how will I make my money? When do I start looking for my first guy?  Will I be a good mom?  Where do I start?

"Deep breaths Vette, deep breaths," I said out loud.  "First, lets go explore the town, I think I need to get outside and let things happen."

I decided to go to Oasis Springs, if I can get out of my town and find someone I don't know, it could make this a little easier.    I was enjoying the beginnings of summer, the air was cool and crisp but not enough so that I needed a jacket.  The day was winding down, kids were going inside to their parents, it was that time of day between families settling down to dinner just hours before the night owls come out to play.  The troubles of this new life I was taking on were fading away, I was lost in my thoughts when I literally plowed into this brick wall of a body.  When I stepped back I got a good look at who I had just tried to run over, this gorgeous specimen of a man was standing before me.  His bronze skin, dark eyes and muscled up body had me feeling things I'd never felt before in places I didn't know could feel such things.  For just a moment I stared, my brain processing his strong features and soft brown eyes.  I imagined those arms wrapped around my body taking me into his.  He smiled and I longed for his lips to kiss mine.  Then a noise stirred me out of this short little daydream and I realized I was getting creepy so I had better say something before this encounter got any more awkward.

I decided to introduce myself,  "Uh, hi.  I'm so so sorry that I almost ran over you.  My name is Yvette."  He gave me this coy smile that made my knees turn to jello and my insides to back flips, and replied, "Hi, I'm Alejandro, it's quite alright.  If anyone was going to try and walk through me I'm glad it was someone as beautiful as you."  "Thank you" I replied, I'm sure at this point whole body is blushing, there's no doubt he can see how he's affecting me.  I feel like I'm on fire and half ready to jump out of my skin and onto his.  Oh, my what on earth was that thought??  I decide to get to know this guy, I mean if I'm feeling all these different, magical, intense feelings I might as well let my flirtatious side take over.

Alejandro is a soccer star, and super suave.  We start to walk, talking into the evening and when we reach his home I realize I haven't eaten in a while and I desperately need to use the bathroom.  "Alejandro, would it be too much trouble to ask if I could use your restroom?"  "Not at all, I don't think anyone as lovely as you has ever stepped into my home, I'll make us a bite to eat really quickly if that's alright with you."

My internal self is buzzing, he's cooking for me!! He.is.GORGEOUS!!! I must have him!  I take a few minutes longer than I need in the bathroom, I have to get it together and make something happen.

After a wonderful meal, we were both in a super flirty mood. There was lots of subtle touching of the arms, sexy poses and insanely romantic compliments coming from the both of us.  Things were just winding down when we stood up, I guess I stood to fast because I instantly got so light headed I stumbled and he caught me.  Our eyes met for a split second and then his right arm was around my waist, his left hand cupping the back of my head and an intense explosion of hot, cold and wet as our lip met in the most fiery kiss I think ever existed.  I pushed my hips into his and he reciprocated.  I don't remember much of how we got to the bedroom but after we did it was hours of pleasure, a few moments of pain when we started but the pleasure was nothing I'd experienced before.  I remember my toes curling so hard I thought for a second they were going to be stuck like that in an eternal foot cramp, it was a mess of sweat and bodies as we finished and laid out on the bed.  My brain stopped, my body was completely relaxed and I was spent.  Alejandro rolled over to kiss me and I came out of my semi comatose state and remembered that I had bought a pregnancy test while I was on my walk.  I kissed Alejandro on the cheek and excused myself to the bathroom.  I found my purse along the way and proceeded to take the first of many pregnancy tests.

3 minutes.  The longest 3 minutes of my life right now.  I can hear Alejandro, he's calling after me asking if I'm alright.  "I'm ok" I yell out to him, "I'm almost done."

Ugh, I don't want to look before my phone timer goes off, oh crap there it is.  I look down and there it is, a little pink plus sign.  My life has officially changed.  Oh shit, oh shit this is happening.  Get it together Vette, this is what you've set out to do, it worked.

I rush out of the bathroom and into Alejandro's arms.  I shower him with kisses and he's still in a super flirty mood so I decide at that moment that I will let all the fathers know when they're going to be a father.
"Alejandro, I have something I need to tell you."  He gets this crazy look on his face like I'm going to tell him I'm an alien or something.  "Alejandro, I just took a test and you and I are having a baby!! Isn't that exciting?"  "Really, I'm going to be a dad? This is great news, but what do we do now?  Do you want to move in here?  The house is small but it could work for the 3 of us."  Oh this is heartbreaking, he wants to be around.  I'm going to have to let him down gently.  "I can't move in with you, I'm sorry.  I have to stay in my own home.  I know this sounds weird but we can't ever have any more children together and we can't ever move in together.  I will never keep you from your child, please know that.  You are welcome in my home any time.  You will always be special to me Alejandro, but right now I need to get home."  I kissed his cheek and I walked out.  I could feel the look of utter disbelief burning a hole in my back.  I can't look back at him, I just need to get home quickly.

By the time I got home mom was asleep.  I decided that I would give her the good news in the morning.  I went down to my new room and fell into a deep sleep.  This was really the best day of my life.