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 Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 10:49 pm
Since I gave up writing in a diary awhile ago, I was forced to buy another journal to keep track of things. I didn't want to write any of this in Yana's journal since that's for her. This is more for me. I just... need somewhere to write. Things have been odd lately.
I'm not feeling so well. I've been a bit more tired than usual, and Aiodhan has noticed. He has been so attentive lately, taking over more of the household chores, watching the kids, cooking more meals. I don't mind it at all. It feels pretty nice to have that much help. He is been more attentive to me at night too. He is constantly stroking me, holding me, keeping me close. Despite the fact that I've been tired and without energy, it feels good for him to be so gentle and attentive. Granted, he isn't getting his needs met very often, but he doesn't seem to mind. He knows I'll make it up to him when I can; I always do.
I hate feeling this way. I'm just feeling like a giant slug, and I get dizzy when I'm standing for too long. I've stopped doing my twelve-hour shifts at work, which helps a bit. But being a mother is a full-time job too, so I'm always on the run. The kids getting older and wilder isn't helping, I'm sure.
I just want a nice rest!
~Amyla
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Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 1:10 pm
RP: Getting the Good (?) NewsAmyla Edana Amyla often prided herself on being a practical, down-to-earth sort of person, not prone to superstitions or paranoia. Friday the thirteenth never meant impending doom, and she didn't think her children acted up any more than usual on a full moon. Similarly, she didn't feel it necessary to fret every time she felt under the weather. People got tired, and people got sick. It just happened.
However, when exhaustion became prolonged and was coupled with the fact that she was having the oddest cravings for cashews and baked fish, plus the fact that she was late, she felt that perhaps she might indulge in a bit of paranoia, just this once.
I hope the clinic doesn't mind walk-ins... she thought nervously as she parked her car and strode swiftly up the sidewalk to the clinic entrance. Realistically speaking, the odds of her paranoia actually being on the money were about one in a billion. Still, better to be safe than sorry, she figured, though she looked exceedingly ill at ease when she slipped in through the clinic door into the lobby area. Joirune Kara was sitting at the receptionist desk while Seakin was out on his break. She looked up when the door opened, then glanced at the appointment list. Nothing scheduled for a half hour. Oh well, perhaps this lady needed assistance. "Excuse me miss, can I help you?"
She shifted in her chair and looked at the other female. Something about her seemed off, she looked tensed, almost worried. Amyla Edana Ha. Busted as soon as she walked in the door. Amyla gave a self-recriminating smile and walked up to the desk, trying to shove away the butterflies in her stomach. "Err... I don't have an appointment, but I had another of my children through the clinic. I... ahh.. am having a temporary bout of paranoia that I might be pregnant... again." Oh, gods above, this was embarassing! She felt like such a moron.
It should have occurred to her that the poor female sitting behind the desk was a new employee, mostly because she had never seen a female employee in the clinic. However, fear and anxiety were overriding logic in this instance. "I was wondering if I could perhaps set up an appointment or something just to... put my fears to rest?" she finished, feeling increasingly idiotic. She was so never telling Aiodhan about this; he would never stop teasing. Joirune "Oh, you don't need an appointment for that. I can do that test for you now." Kara smiled. "What's your name, so I can make a note on your chart about it?" She asked politely, pushing the she was seated back a little further before standing.
Her hair was pulled up in lolly curls again, a style that she needed her Bunny's help to keep in proper order and she was dressed in scrubs. Amyla would notice that her figure seemed slightly off, due to a little swelling in her belly. She was pregnant, and even barely showing she was quite glowing and cheerful. Amyla Edana Amyla breathed a massive and quite visible sigh of relief. Oh, thank goodness! She could put this paranoia to rest for good. "Thank you very much. The name is Amyla Raikes. The file may be under my mate's last name, though: Layden." She couldn't remember for the life of her whether Yana's and their chart was under her name or Aiodhan's. Ugh, she hated complicated matters.
Ever the doctor, she instinctively picked up something a bit off by the way Kara moved, and her eyes were drawn to the rounding in the other woman's figure. Ah ha. That would explain the cheerful nature. Much as she wanted to ask, though, she was almost afraid that in her nervous state, the query would come out sounding very wrong. She opted to keep quiet for the moment. Joirune "Mmm...I remember seeing that one." She walked to the shelves of files and plucked one out. "There we go." She smiled and went back to the desk to put up a little sign that said 'Receptionist is currently out and will return shortly.' on the desk just in case anyone else came in.
Then she disappeared from Amyla's line of sight for a moment before reappearing when she opened the door that led to the rooms in the back. "This way please."
She dissapeared again and headed down the hall to an empty room. Amyla Edana If the butterflies had been active before, now they were on massive caffeine highs, zipping around her stomach and making her feel like her torso was about to explode in every direction. Amyla swallowed and offered up a brave smile. Yes, she was just paranoid. Nothing to worry about.
She wondered for a moment where the woman disappeared to before the door off to the side opened. Ah, that way. She should have remembered that. Shifting her purse on her shoulder and trying to look more at ease than she felt, she headed through the open doorway and followed Kara down the hall. Joirune Kara looked over her shoulder at Amyla, realizing she'd forgotten to offer her name. "My name is Kara, by the way. I just started her a few weeks ago." She went to one of the room doors and opened it, stepping out of the way so Amyla could go in. "Go ahead and make yourself comfortable. I'll be back shortly." She had to go collect a few things for a regular pregnancy test, seeing as she was no magician like Julian or the others. Amyla Edana Amyla smiled at Kara. "Nice to meet you, Kara. I was wondering why you didn't seem familiar." Way to be rude, Amyla, by not properly introducing yourself and asking her name... she growled at herself. Anxiety was killing her brain cells and her manners, it seemed. She nodded in understanding and stepped inside the exam room, carefully seating herself on the edge of the exam table.
You could have just done this at home, y'know... her mind nagged at her.
Oh, shut up. Ever since I had Caleb, every one of those at-home tests I've taken has shown up negative, even when I was pregnant with Yana... she grumbled back at herself, trying to ease the nervousness she felt. In the end, she had to cross her ankles, clasp her hands in her laps and sit up straight in a futile attempt to keep from fidgeting. Oh, gods, she hated nerves! Joirune Kara wasn't gone long since most of what she needed to collect was in one place. She grabbed a bottle of water from her office before returning to the room, and Amyla. "I'm afraid this will have to be the old fashioned way, since I'm only an herbalist and not a magician." She blushed a bit embaressed, offering Amyla the bottle of water.
"So, how many other children do you have?" She was a little curious, considering Amyla had mentioned that she might be pregnant again, plus perhaps this woman could give her advice. Amyla Edana Amyla had to chuckle, albeit a bit weakly, at that as she took the bottle of water. "It's all right. I've tried the take-home ones before, but they have always showed up negative, even when I was pregnant with my daughter. Maybe this will work a little more accurately," she said, giving a self-effacing smile. It was frustrating, really, and it only made her nerves all that much worse.
She was surprised by the question but thought for a moment, trying to take count. "Biological children... two, both of whom I carried. Adoptive children... oh dear." She took a few more sips of water to cover the fact that she always lost count. "Ahhh, seven." Joirune "Wow, that's a lot of little ones to be responsible for." Kara seemed a little surprised. She leaned back against the counter and put a hand on her belly. "Little Bunny is my first child." She smiled a little, not realizing she'd referred to the baby as 'Little Bunny' again. "...a surprise too, though my mate and I are so happy about it..." Amyla Edana Amyla nodded, taking another few swigs of water. "It is. Two of my adopted kids are adults, though, and one has a kid of her own. Fully half the kids are in that lovely late childhood, early preteen stage where they think they don't need us. And the rest are young," she said, chuckling faintly. The woman had to stifle a grin at Kara's reference to her child. It was cute, and it was certainly better than the way that Aiodhan jokingly referred to Caleb at times. She just prayed the little dragon-boy didn't end up like Aiodhan had been as a teen. Gods above save her, if he did...
"Congratulations. It's good you've got your mate to support you. I don't know how I could've gotten through my two pregnancies alone." Of course, she wouldn't have been pregnant either time without Aiodhan's assistance, but that was semantics. Pure semantics. Joirune Kara blushed slightly, then picked up Amyla's chart and pulled a pen from her hair to make a note about the test on it. Once that was done she replaced the pen in her hair and put the chart down again.
"I know it'll be a while yet, but I'm already excited and impatient to see the baby." Her blushed deepened a little and she tapped her fingers on the counter. She'd left the cup on the counter beside the door whenever Amyla was ready to go. Amyla Edana Remembering her own eagerness to see her kids before they were born, Amyla chuckled. "I know what you mean. But be grateful for the time you get to spend with your mate now. Your time wil disappear after the baby is born," she said. She and Aiodhan had had to improvise to make time, but they managed. And it was worth the time spent trying to organize the alone-time.
The water bottle was half-empty before Amyla felt ready. "All right. Time to get this done," she said softly, eyeing the cup. Ohhh, she hated doing this. "Is there a restroom that I can use?" Joirune "I bet, but it will be an adventure..." Kara smiled and nodded. "Just further down the hall, two doors down on the....right." She nodded again. "I'll meet you down there in a moment or two, then we can get this test done." Amyla Edana "Definitely," Amyla said, standing and scooping up the cup. "All right. Thank you. Just be a moment," she said, trying to shove the butterflies away as she strode down the hall. Two doors down on the right... there it was!
She re-emerged from the restroom a moment later, the cup carefully sealed with the lid. She really hated having to do it, but it was necessary. Besides, a little indignity was a small price to pay for not having to be paranoid anymore. Ahh, the joys of science. Joirune Kara pulled on rubber gloves she'd brought with her to the room. She hated the things personally, but they were necessary. She smiled at Amyla and waved for her to sit again. "It'll only take a couple of minutes."
She was grateful that she'd brought the other materials for the test to the room, she could tell Amyla was anxious. It was the usual strip test, like the home kicks except a fair bit more accurate.
Once that was taken care of she removed the gloves and sat down in a chair. All that was left was to wait a few minutes. Amyla Edana Returning to the room, Amyla managed a very, very tremulous smile and then sat down again, clasping her hands tightly in her lap to keep from fidgeting. She knew it'd be negative. There wasn't a snowball's chance in hell she was pregnant. But that didn't stop her insides from flopping around like a dying fish.
She nodded at Kara, just sitting quietly for a moment. Not panicking... not panicking... not panicking... she thought furiously to herself. She couldn't panic; there was no reason to! "How accurate are these tests?" she asked curiously, just trying to distract herself. Joirune "97% or so." Kara settled back in the chair and glanced at the small digital clock on the counter in the room. Two minutes. Unfortunately she didn't know what to say to Amyla to offer any sort of comfort, she hadn't had to endure this, Julian had been around to help.
One minute.
She looked at Amyla again, the woman looked as if she would faint from nerves. She rose from the chair again and went to check the strip and smiled, her back to Amyla still. "Well, I have some news for you." Amyla Edana Amyla nodded, offering up a faint smile. Good. They were very accurate, which meant that the odds of it giving her a false positive reading were about one in... well, the odds were very low. She tried to relax a little as Kara got up to check the strip, though she only succeded in fidgeting. Oh dear.
She swallowed. News... news was good. "Ah... okay? I'm not pregnant." It was a statement, not a question. There was just no way in hell... Joirune Kara slipped on a glove again, picked up the strip and turned. "Actually, you are. Congratulations." She smiled at Amyla and walked over, figuring she would want to see the strip just to be sure, since she noticed that the other female was a doctor after all. Amyla Edana Amyla didn't quite pass out, but she certainly looked like she wanted to. She had to grab onto the edge of the table to stay seated upright. She mouthed soundlessly for a moment, looking at the strip and then up at Kara's smile... and then back down at the strip. She couldn't miss the results, but.... but...
"But how?! I... w-w-we had to have help before! How could I be... oh no." Ohhh, yes. Problem! Joirune Kara tried to help steady Amyla with her ungloved hand. "Are you, okay?" She looked concerned. "Perhaps some higher power helped you, this time?" She smiled softly, hoping she was being of some help to Amyla. Amyla Edana Amyla waved a hand and nodded, then pressing the hand against the side of her forehead. "Yes... yes, I'm fine. I just... I didn't think I could get pregnant without us getting... help. We... sort of agreed not to have anymore, at least not for awhile." She paled a bit. This was entirely unexpected.
Then the neurons of her brain formed the necessary connections, and she grinned suddenly. "Yeah, maybe we did get help. Everything happens for a reason, right?" she asked rhetorically, moving her free hand to rest it on her belly. She was pregnant. Again. "Thank you, for... for helping me. I think I might want to set up an appointment."
Yes, and call Aiodhan. Oh, man... this was so not the way she planned for this visit to go. Joirune Kara nodded. "Your welcome, Amyla. Always glad to help when I can." She went to the counter set the strip down and removed her glove. "Have you had problems with morning sickness, or anything like that in the past?"
While she waited for an answer she added the note of the result to Amyla's chart and that she would be scheduled for another appointment. Amyla Edana Amyla, still in a bit of shock, took a few seconds to process. Morning sickness? Ah... did she? "No, no morning sickness," she said quickly, once her brain started catching up. "Not this time and not before. Just... mostly tired and weak for extended periods. And strange cravings." Haha. Strange was a mild way to put it.
Despite her outward state of semi-calm, her mind was still racing in circles. Oh, she needed to call Aiodhan and set up an appointment. And she'd have to make sure she still had some maternity clothes, though she doubted she'd need them for awhile. And then there was preparing a nursery... Joirune "Okay, I figured I'd ask, because I know a few herbal remedies that can ease it." Kara smiled, then set about disposing of the test supplies in the proper biohazard container on the counter. "Lets go up to the front and get an appointment set up for you and you can use the phone there to call your mate, alright?" Amyla Edana "Ahhh. Okay..." Amyla said, getting to her feet whilst attempting still to process the full implications of a positive pregnancy test. She wasn't ready for this... not now. "I... uhh.. I have a cell phone. I'll call him when I'm on my way home," she said, rubbing a hand on the back of her neck, her eyes wide. "But thank you. I think an appointment is definitely necessary." Joirune "Alright." Kara wasn't used to a lot of technology, though she had an idea of what Amyla was talking about when she said 'cell phone'. She walked out of the room toward the front desk, quite grateful they used paper appointment books. The thought of using a computer made her nervous. Amyla Edana Amyla nodded and followed Kara rather dumbly out of the room and toward the front desk. Pregnant. Pregnant again. Oh... crud. "Errr... the last time I came in, they had to do a spell for me to become pregnant. Is it going to be something similar this time?" she asked, trying to get a handle on everything. Joirune "For you, I believe it is just regular checkups, but you'll still be seeing Julian for those, unless he says otherwise. If he's not around though and your having any problems, I can help you out." Kara settled herself at the receptionist desk and moved the sign. Where was Seakin...he was late coming back from his break again.
She flipped the appointment book open, looking for a time in the next couple of weeks. "What days are best for you?" Amyla Edana Remembering Julian fondly from a previous visit, Amyla nodded, smiling all the while and trying to calm down her frantically anxious mind. "All right," she said, fidgeting a bit as she stood before the desk and tried to think of good days. Good days meant... the older kids were at school and Kari and Nieva were home. "Uhh.. Tuesdays and Thursdays are best. Other weekdays work too, if it's after about one in the afternoon," she said, watching as Kara flipped through the appointment book. Joirune "Mm...okay." Kara looked through the pages. "The only opening in the afternoon on a Tuesday is two weeks from now at 2:15 pm. As for Thursday..." She looked a bit more. "Next week, at 1:45 pm." She glanced back up at Amyla. Amyla Edana Amyla nodded an affirmative. "Next Tuesday at 1:45 sounds good. Thank you," she managed a smile, the butterflies fading away to a dull ache that had settled in the pit of her stomach. Oh dear. How was she supposed to break the news to Aiodhan... and the rest of the kids? Joirune Kara penciled in Amyla's name and phone number from her chart. Then she copied the information onto an appointment card and handed it to Amyla. "Your welcome." Amyla Edana Amyla smiled and took the card, trying to disguise the definite tremor in her hand that came from deep-seated nervousness. "I'll see you next Tuesday, then. Good luck," she said, gesturing at Kara's abdomen. She stowed the card in her purse and made her way across the lobby to the front door, noticeably subdued in nature.
How in the name of all that was holy was she going to break this news?
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Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 5:35 pm
Breaking the News Normally, arriving back home after a prolonged excursion meant that Amyla would announce her arrival to the family. Granted, a few hours wasn't exactly 'prolonged', but by the measure of her younger children, it was an eternity. Today, however, she opted to slip quietly into the house, still too shocked by the news to do much by way of speaking. She kicked off her shoes and hung up her purse and coat, careful to put her car keys well out of the children's sight and reach.
She could vaguely hear noise coming from all parts of the house. Dageus was upstairs, reciting something about 'fair is foul'. She had to smile at that. Dageus and his Shakespeare... who would have thought? The faint sound of clashing swords told her that Eown and Kayce were likely sparring in the backyard, and the sound of some really odd cartoon in the family room led her to find Erin, Yana, and Caleb all seated on the couch, watching what looked like 'Peter Pan.' Since they all seemed to be coexisting in peace, she left them be and tiptoed her way to the kitchen.
Her luck did not hold, for the very last person she wanted to see was there at the table, frowning at his laptop screen and typing furiously. At the sound of her footsteps, Aiodhan looked up, his scowl turning into a smile when he saw her. "There ya are. I was beginning to think you ran away and left me with all these terrors," he teased her gently, his deep voice rumbling pleasantly in her ears.
She smiled as widely as she could, trying to cover up her surprise and unease. "Nah, I love them all too much to subject them to that," she teased him back, meandering over to his chair. "They'd never survive."
She knew he was just teasing, but something about the whole situation put her ill at ease. She had given him the excuse of needing a few hours for herself, and true to form, Aiodhan had whined and then consented, giving her an affectionate n** on the ear and brattily telling her to hurry back. Knowing this, she felt awful about betraying his trust and not telling him where she was going.
Aiodhan seemed to pick up on the fact that he was unsettled, for he pushed his chair back from the table and closed his laptop, tilting his head to one side to look at her. "May?" he queried, his brows furrowed in worry.
At the expression on his face, Amyla felt something inside her break. "Hold me," she whispered quietly, immediately curling herself up on his lap, her head nestled against his chest, when he opened his arms to her without hesitation. She held him tightly, glad for the feeling of warmth and security. It had been a trying day. She wasn't expecting to find out that she was pregnant, not so soon after Caleb and Yana and not without planning it first. She had thought herself unable to have children without artificial aid. Apparently, this wasn't so.
Murmuring quiet comforts in her ear, Aiodhan held her close, resting his chin atop her head. "It's okay, May. It's all right..." he was saying, his thumb gently caressing the skin of her arm.
"I'm pregnant."
Amyla felt Aiodhan's whole body stiffen, and she cursed herself a fool. Lulled into a sense of security, she had just blurted it out, without any preamble. She had wanted to say it more nicely, but... apparently her mouth had plans that her brain couldn't comprehend.
Before she could move to correct her mistake, though, she felt Aiodhan's body begin to shake. Surprised, she leaned back and looked up at his face, her mouth falling open when she saw he was laughing.
Laughing.
"Aiodhan! What's so funny?!" she demanded, nervousness shoved aside to make way for shock, as well as a bit of anger. How could he be laughing about this?!
The dragon-man just laughed harder, his deep, rumbling chuckles echoing throughout the kitchen. "C'mon, May... ya gotta admit that's a good one for April Fool's."
Amyla mouthed silently, shocked speechless for the second time in a few hours. April Fool's?! She raised a hand and smacked Aiodhan hard in the center of the chest. "Aiodhan, April Fool's Day was a week ago!" she said furiously, unable to comprehend his apparent amusement.
Still chuckling, Aiodhan shook his head. "Nah, it wasn't, it was-" He paused, looking suddenly thoughtful. Amyla was overjoyed when his eyes widened to roughly the size of saucers. "Oh, gods, it was a week ago." He looked down at his mate on his lap, his jaw looking suspicously slack. "Y-y-y-you were serious?! You're-"
"-pregnant," Amyla finished, watching as Aiodhan's face went through the whole spectrum of emotions: surprise, realization, elation... and then fear. She felt herself warm as his grip on her tightened and he pulled her in close again, his lips pressed to her forehead.
"Oh, May, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to laugh, I just thought you were joking. I mean, I didn't think you could get pregnant without us having gotten help. I don't... awww, damn!" he was saying, stroking her back. "I... I just.. how?!"
Amyla managed a grin, pressing her face into his chest. "Damned if I know. I just went for the test to confirm it as negative. I wasn't expecting it to be positive," she said, almost crying at the pure ridiculousness of it. She sniffed a bit. "Aiod, what're we going to do? I don't know if I can handle another pregnancy, and the kids are going to pull a fit over this," she asked, tipping her head back to stare up at him.
It appeared that Aiodhan was considering the same things, for he looked deeply thoughtful as well as a bit worried. "I don't know, May, but we'll figure it out. Do you want this baby?"
"Yes!" Amyla said emphatically. Regardless of the fact that pregnancies wore her out terribly, she wanted another kid of her and Aiodhan's. No way was she terminating this pregnancy. "I have an appointment... for next Tuesday. You... you want to come?"
"Of course," Aiodhan whispered softly in her ear, shifting her in his lap to cuddle her more closely against his chest. "I love you, you know. Just next time... warn me? And take me with?"
Amyla nodded and then sat up straight, glaring at him with as much strength as she could muster. "And what makes you think there will be a next time?! I didn't even plan for a this time!" she said, poking him in the center of the chest.
The dragon-man chuckled and leaned forward to plant a kiss on her lips. "Fine, fine, fine. But I'm part dragon. Having lots of offspring is natural to me."
After growling playfully at him, she shoved up off his lap and looked around, suddenly feeling hungry and much less distressed.
"May?"
Turning around, she spied Aiodhan still watching her, his odd gray eyes wide and worried.
"If you're not feeling well at any time, you tell me, all right? Promise?"
Amyla smiled. "Promise. Now, are you gonna feed me, or am I going to have to feed myself?"
Aiodhan apparently needed no second bidding for in an instant, he was out of his seat and searching around the kitchen for something to keep her happy. In his haste, he missed the worried look that crossed Amyla's face, a feeling of nasty foreboding borne of unrelieved paranoia. Everything was not well.
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Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 6:27 pm
I stole the journal from May. Haha. She will kill me for it, I know. No, I jest. She won't. Or maybe she will. With pregnancy hormones, who the hell knows? Oh yeah, since she hasn't taken the time to record the event for prosperity, I get the pleasure of doing so: WE'RE HAVING ANOTHER KID! I was so excited and so scared that I nearly wet myself. May is just... it scares me, y'know? She is such a little thing, and after having already had Caleb and Yana, I don't know if she can handle it again. She certainly is tired and cranky, albeit a bit more responsive to attention than usual. Did I mention that she gets unusually cuddly, moreso even than usual, when she's pregnant? She does. And it's damn cute. And nice. Very nice. Since there is the distinct possibility that the kids will find this, I'm going to leave out details. So, yes... she is getting very cuddly, which I don't mind. But I don't like her being so exhausted. She complains that I fuss over her, and then she seems to purr whenever I lavish attention on her. A study in contradiction is my woman. Damn, that was poetic. Hold on while I write that down for future use... Anyway, I'm going to go see what she's up to now, since the house is sounding dangerously quiet. Aiodhan
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Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 9:49 pm
First Appointment
Amyla and Aiodhan attend their first clinic visit. After a brief physical exam, a spell is performed to doublecheck the pregnancy. Everything is determined to be fine, and Amyla is told to come back for a check-up at a later date.
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Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 3:46 pm
Oh, What's in a Name? Enjoying a rare day off from work, Amyla was lounging on the family room couch. It was early evening, and most of the family was home and busily occupied. Caleb was sprawled out asleep in his playpen beside the couch, and his mother was keeping a careful eye on him, though she needn't have feared. He was a big, healthy baby, and if he was upset or hurt in anyway, he let the universe know. What powerful lungs he had!
Vibrations across her side and belly momentarily distracted the woman from her thoughts, and she looked down at the half-grown lion cub sprawled on the couch beside her. Sala'dia had her head and one forepaw resting on Amyla's belly, the rest of her gangly body on the cushions beside Amyla's body. The lioness was making some rumbling, purring sound deep in her chest, and it was reverberating pleasantly across Amyla's abdomen. Amyla couldn't protest; she rather liked it.
Absently stroking Sala's head, she glanced back down at the notebook she had been scribbling on, chewing thoughtfully on the back end of her pen. Since finding out about her pregnancy, she had been pondering names. Leisure time in the house was rare indeed, and she had been spending her time scrawling down names that appealed to her. Thus far, she had a fairly decent list, but she had a feeling Aiodhan would shoot them down.
Speak of the devil...
"Thinkin' up names, eh?" Aiodhan queried as he squeezed onto the couch beside her, fitting onto the cushion between her and the armrest. He patted Sala's head and then pressed his hand to Amyla's barely-rounded belly. "It's a little early, May."
His mate huffed quietly at him. "Never too early," she told him archly before showing him her list. "What do you think?"
Aiodhan looked pained. "What's with the Greek names? Jeeez... on an ancient kick?" He sighed. "Aikaterine is interesting. Dareia is good too. Racelle for a girl is nice. Gabriel or Michael for boys... Eschel. Eschel is good!"
"That's not on my list," Amyla said, frowning. She hadn't heard of that one.
"I know. It's Jewish. Ziva is good too. I like Ziva. But that's a girl name," he replied thoughtfully. "Arash is good."
Amyla just sighed, relaxing back on the cushion. "All good names. Maybe we ought to think of some sort of name with a specific meaning."
"Why? We never did before!" her mate replied, leaning over to rest his chin on her shoulder and enclose her in an arm. When she sighed again, he kissed her cheek. "C'mon, May. We've got lots of time to think. Why the hurry?"
Shrugging in response, Amyla doodled on her notebook. She really didn't know what the hurry was. Maybe if she thought of a name, she'd feel less nervous about the baby's impending arrival. Honestly, she was terrified. She wasn't young anymore, and pregnancy wasn't easy on her. "I don't know. I think when I have a name to call the little one, it makes it easier to bear it all, even if I don't know if it's a boy or a girl."
Aiodhan looked deeply thoughtful and then nipped at her ear. "So... you wanna name the baby now?" he asked, his gray eyes focused on her face.
She responded by tossing the notebook and pen in his lap and throwing her hands up. "I don't know, damnit! I just don't know!" She sighed unhappily and clung to him, hating the hormones that made her feel so whiny and witchy. "I'm just scared. Scared for me, scared for the baby... I mean, what if it turns out unhealthy because I don't take proper care of myself or I'm too old or-"
A hand covered her mouth. "First, don't you ever call yourself old. I'm older," her half-dragon mate informed her, pressing a kiss to the tip of her nose. "And you'll be all right. I'm here to help, and you're a doctor. The clinic is nearby. It'll be all right, angel. It'll be fine," he soothed her, rubbing at her abdomen and letting her cuddle in close. "It'll be fine."
Amyla took comfort in his embrace. She was really worried about this pregnancy. Already she was tired and showing, and she felt very under the weather. She knew her more perceptive children had picked up on it too. Kayce had looked positively murderous, Tanith had been curious, Kari and Nieva were thrilled, Erin and Caleb didn't care, and Yana was torn between excitement and worry. Dageus and Eowyn didn't really seem to comprehend the magnitude of the situation, though, so she wasn't sure how to break the news to those two.
"Meriwether."
Startled out of her thoughts, she glanced up at her mate. "What, Aiodhan?"
"Meriwether," the dragon-man repeated. At her bemused look, he grinned. "It's a gender-neutral name. I don't want to name the baby that, but maybe it'll make you feel better if we actually call the baby by a name instead of by 'the baby' or 'it'. Y'know?"
The logic was inescapable, but the name he had picked was ridiculous, to say the least. But still, it was an idea. "All right. Meriwether. But my child will not have that as a permanent name!" Amyla said, waggling her finger at Aiodhan. "Just no."
The dragon-man smiled and shrugged, sliding down off the couch. The movement startled Sala, who woke up and scampered out of the room immediately, made nervous by his presence. Aiodhan gently pushed up Amyla's shirt and pressed a kiss to her belly. "Meriwether, grow fast and get out soon," he chuckled, grinning as she giggled.
"Not that soon. Labor hurts," Amyla said, her voice taking on a tone of whining.
"MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!"
Both parents winced at the yell came from outside.
"Well, something tells me that someone ticked Eowyn off," Aiodhan grumbled, gently patting Amyla's cheek. "I'll get it. You rest," he said, grinning as she stuck her tongue out at him and settled smugly back in the pillows of the couch. "Fat brat."
He barely had time to get out of the room before a pillow went sailing through the air in his direction. Oh, he shouldn't push the envelope so much...
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Posted: Sat May 05, 2007 8:56 am
Play in the Park Amyla Edana Late morning was Amyla's favorite time of the day. It was plenty warm outside, but the sun wasn't glaring in her face. The early morning bugs were gone, but the sunshine-loving ones weren't out yet. All in all, it was simply wonderful, only made moreso by the fact that she got to sit outside and enjoy it in relative peace. After making sure their kids were settled in their weekend activities and were all well-supervised, she and Aiodhan had escaped with a sleepy Caleb to the park, just to sit and have some quiet time.
Yana had begged to come along, so she was playing by herself on the playground equipment, swinging gracefully from one bar to the next or sliding down one of the many slides. Occasionally, she would halt her playing to wave in her parent's direction and then promptly go back to being a kid again.
"She looks like you," Aiodhan whispered in her ear, curling his tail around her waist. The dragon-man was seated beside her at one of the picnic tables on the grass, twenty yards or so from the playground itself. While Amyla's vision was somewhat blurred at this distance, he could see their daughter just fine, including that wicked gleam in her eye that reminded him very much of his mate when she had something up her sleeve.
Amyla snorted and reached over to stroke Caleb's hair, watching as the infant snoozed in his father's arms. "Yeah, but she definitely got the wings and tail from you." Skysong Keitra Skysong was tired from having her twins, but she was all the same still ready to go and get out of the house. So her mate had opted to go the park. She agreed quickly, hoping the fresh air would make her feel better. Since she was still recovering from having the boys, she had to get another housemate of hers to drive them to the park since Lucius couldn't drive.
Once the small family got to the park and had the twins in their dual stroller - she noticed a family already there.
Lucius glances over at the young girl playing on the playground, smiling softly as his tail sways behind him as he pushes the stroller, not wanting his mate to hurt herself.
Junior just so happened at the moment of slight silence to decide to smack his brother with his tail, making the younger twin jerk awake from his nap and start to cry Amyla Edana Yana, her eyes naturally trained to spot the tiniest of movements, was the first to see the approaching family. She tilted her head to one side to watch them for a moment, curious about the dual stroller they were pushing. After watching for a moment, she shrugged and proceeded to swing across another set of bars, unfurling her wings partway to assist with balance.
Seeing that her daughter had been momentarily distracted, Amyla looked in the direction Yana had been gazing toward, her eyebrows rising slightly at the sight of another family. She saw the stroller and instantly knew they had had twins. Ouch. She was hurting just thinking about it.
Aiodhan waved a wing in greeting at the new family, feeling oddly social today for some inexplicable reason. Maybe he was just in a good mood about being a father all over again. Yes, that was it. He wasn't going soft in his old age. Skysong Keitra Lucius chuckles at the girl and glances over at the parents, waving the same time his mate did before stopping the stroller so that Sky could pick Alexander up.
Sky purrs softly as she holds the younger twin, her arms curling around his tiny figure, careful of his claws and wings mostly so she wouldn't hurt herself or hurt him. The feline curls one of her wings out to shield the infant from the sun. Even just a little bit of sunlight made the twins practically glow.
As soon as his mother had curled a wing about him, Alex was instantly silenced. He loved his mommy and the way she smelled. And to prove this, his tiny fingers curled around her shirt and he clings to her, not wanting to be near his brother just yet. Amyla Edana Aiodhan tilted his head to one side to watch the family, one pointed ear twitching when the crying twin was suddenly silenced. He curled his tail a tad more about Amyla's waist, rewarded when she leaned into his side.
"Y'know, I said before that I wasn't going to go back to those days, and suddenly, we're almost at them again," Amyla said, making a small face. No, she wasn't looking forward to being awakened at all hours of the night or putting up with excessive amounts of crying. True, it was worthwhile in the end, but she wasn't thrilled about it. She was getting way, way too old for it. Skysong Keitra Lucius mumbles something to his mate, the female nodding softly in reply. He smiles lovingly and pushes the stroller over to a shaded bench area, nearby but not too close to the other family. He was polite enough to know not everyone appreciated crying infants or disturbances with 'family' time.
Skysong sits down at the bench, shifting her hold on Alex as her mate hands her a pacifier. She smiles up at him and carefully sticks the object in Alexs' mouth, the boy instantly blinking up at her and sucking away at the object.
Junior coos from inside the stroller, his father going over to pick him up and do the same as Sky did with Alex. Though the older boy cackles and spits the pacifier out, making his daddy have to catch it. Though it seemed from his fast reflex to catching the item that the raptor already had it done to him before. Amyla Edana After glancing at the playground to make sure Yana was still all right, Amyla turned her gaze toward the family seated nearby. She had been right about them having twins, and they were adorable. The woman had a feeling the parents already knew this, but it wouldn't hurt to let them know. "You have beautiful children," she called over, nodding at the twins and giving silent thanks that she had never had a set of twins. She'd have gone crazy.
"May, can you take him for a sec?" Aiodhan asked suddenly, his eyes on the playground.
Surprised, Amyla agreed, and as soon as the sleeping infant was safe in her arms, Aiodhan was off like a rocket, headed straight for the swings where it looked like Yana had just gotten herself into a fight. The woman sighed. "Oh no!" Skysong Keitra Sky smiles softly, "Thank you. Your's are just as beautiful." She glances over at the playground as the other male rushes over, frowning slightly, "Does she do that a lot?" She asks curiously to the other mother.
Lucius blinks and watches the little fight, wondering slightly if he would have to go help out as he wiggles his fingers in front of Juniors' face, keeping his fingers out of reach from the boys hold as the infant cackles and tries to catch the fingers. Sure, the older males only good eye was on the playground but he could sense when his son was about to try and snag his fingers.
Amyla Edana Amyla flushed softly. "Thank you," she said, her attention mainly on the two boys that Yana was currently fighting with. She stood carefully and had only taken about half a dozen steps before both boys, who had Yana beat in age and size, were flat on their backs, one clutching his face and the other his groin. She sighed. "No... that was a first," she said, sighing as Aiodhan finally reached the three kids.
Yana was furious. She hated it when people picked on her because of the way she talked, and there was no way she was going to tolerate the boys calling her a retard and trying to shove her off her swing. Living with as many siblings as she had had given her enough knowledge to kick one in the crotch and throw a fist at the other's nose. Sure, they'd given her a split lip, but it didn't hurt all that badly. She cringed, though, when her father strode up. "Deeey hit me firrrst!" she insisted, even though Aiodhan didn't look appeased.
Her mother groaned. "And here I thought I had one non-combative child!" Amyla said, shaking her head. She shifted Caleb in her arms, watching as Aiodhan commenced to give Yana a thorough verbal and signed chewing-out. Skysong Keitra Sky glances at the mother and smiles, "You're welcome." She looks back at the fight and raises an eyebrow, "Shes' good for a first timer, I have to say that much." She giggles and shakes her head, gently poking Alex on the nose, "These are our first children. But I give you the best of luck with yours."
Lucius winces and looks down at his first born, sighing as the boy gnaws on his index finger, "Boy, you better let go of my finger soon." He winces again, sighing once more as the sharp little teeth from the infant dig into his finger. Amyla Edana Amyla sighed and merely shook her head. "Too good. I was hoping for at least one non-violent children in the family," she grumbled quietly, shifting Caleb again in her arms. She smiled a bit at the other family and wandered closer to peek at the boys. "Congratulations on your two. I wish you luck as well. That little one seems to be a handful... literally," she said, trying not to grin at the way Luciu's finger was being... mauled.
Eventually, the yelling over at the playground ceased, and the two preteen boys had slunk back off to their families, thoroughly cowed by Yana's wrath. Yana wasn't cowed in the least. She was merely sullenly disobedient and following her father back toward her mother, her wings folded tightly against her back. "Deeey hit me firrrsssst!" she insisted again once they got within Amyla's immediate audio range. She wasn't about to get punished for starting that fight; it was the boys' fault, after all.
Aiodhan just growled softly in frustration. [Finished in an MSN convo that I forgot to transcribe. Haha.... my bad.]
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Posted: Sat May 05, 2007 9:00 am
[Reserved for "Life's Little Challenges"]
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Posted: Thu May 10, 2007 8:03 pm
Adjustments "Unnnnh... Aiodhan!"
Aiodhan came awake with a start, surprised by the force with which his mate expelled the words while smacking him on the shoulder. He managed to keep a yawn under control, if just barely, while rolling over to look at Amyla, who was obviously in a great deal of pain. He reached for her.
"Goooooods, Aiodhan, it hurts!" she cried, and he squirmed upright into a sitting position as fast as he could, leaning against the headboard and pulling her into his lap.
He hated it when she hurt. It always made him feel as though someone was stabbing him in the heart, and to see her in pain while pregnant made it all the worse. This was is fault. Again. "I'm so sorry, angel. Where? Where does it hurt?" he pleaded, desperately trying to soothe her. He felt her nestle her head against his neck, her tears wetting the skin there. Glancing down, he saw both of her hands were wrapped around her wide belly. "Oh... baby?"
She simply nodded, and he moved a hand to rest it on her belly, cringing when he felt the child kick impudently against his hand. "I'm sorry, May. I hate to see you like this," he murmured in her ears, cradling her in his arms and rubbing gently at her belly.
She sniffed. "It's not your fault. I just... I'm tired, and I'm huge, and the baby won't stop kicking me. My back hurts, my belly hurts, and the Braxton-Hicks are getting so much worse. I can't do this anymore!" she cried, and then her cries became sobs.
Broken by her distress, Aiodhan held her and rocked her gently, stroking her back, her belly, her face, her hair... pressing his lips against her head and murmuring gentle encouragements in her ear. A sudden thought crossed his mind, unbidden. He wanted to marry her. Not just live with her and sleep with her and play house with her. Marry her. Sure, she was his mate in every way but with the law, but... where had that thought come from?
"I'm sorry, Aiodhan. I'm just such a mess..." she hiccupped, sniffling away tears and snuggling closer into him, one arm still wrapped around her wide belly.
He sighed quietly. That whole scary marriage thing was a concept for another time. "Not your fault, angel. Not your fault," he soothed her, letting her cuddle in as close as she wanted. He wasn't about to argue; he wanted her this close. "Look, why don't we take you back to the clinic for another check-up? It can't hurt, and maybe one of the doctors could figure out why you're having such a rough time."
"I'm getting old, Aiod. That's the problem," she murmured quietly, giving a gusty sigh of relief when his kneading fingers on her back found a sore spot. "Mmmm... right there. Good spot."
Aiodhan chuckled softly. "I couldn't tell," he whispered sarcastically, rewarded for his efforts when she sniffled and gave him a gentle smack on the chest for his impudence. He frowned a little and drew her in closer, still worried. "You sure you're okay, May? Why don't we take you in, get you checked out?"
He expected her to snark at him, or at least make some witty comment, but she simply nodded tiredly. "Yeah. Yeah, I think that's a good idea," she said, curling an arm around him. "I feel terrible."
"I know, May. I can tell," the hybrid said, letting her fall asleep in his lap. He drew the blankets up around them both and got as comfortable as possible. This was going to be a very long night.
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Posted: Thu May 24, 2007 10:03 am
Check-up Appointment
Amyla and Aiodhan arrive at the clinic for their check-up. Amyla is given a brief physical examination, and then a spell is performed to check on the pregnancy. The spell reveals that not only is Amyla close to delivering, but she is also carrying twins. After being strictly told to maintain a steady diet and some exercise, she is also told to remove stress and rest as much as is possible. She will need the rest and energy later.
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Posted: Thu May 24, 2007 2:28 pm
I nearly had a heart attack at our check-up this morning. Now I know why I'm so large this time; I'm carrying twins. We don't know sexes yet, but do we really have to? I'm still trying to recover from the shock that I'm carrying two babies. No wonder my back is killing me! Aiodhan almost carried me into the house and has spent the rest of the day fussing over me. I swear, he is going to make me incredibly lazy before this pregnancy is over.
I can't say that I mind too much, though. Several of the kids have been getting restless and troublesome as of late. Eowyn is torn between her swordplay and her instinct to dress up like... well, like a girl. Yana is getting hormonal, withdrawn, and very cranky, and I'm getting afraid she is going to get started on sneaking out. I do hope not; Kayce gives me enough trouble already. She is supposed to become a teenager soon too.
Aiodhan and I have discussed a few more names for the babies. Oh, gods, that's scary. Babies. Two babies. Not one little child. Two. I wanted to cry with joy and pure terror at the same time. Caleb and Yana were rough enough on me; I don't know how to handle two at once! Aiodhan has been unusually attentive as of late, even before we knew about the twins. I'm starting to wonder what's on his mind.
And I just completely jumped my train of thought again. Pregnancy is killing my brain again.
~Amyla
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Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 4:28 pm
[Reserved for 'Babies R Us' with Sky]
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Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 4:55 pm
May is due soon. She has to be. She's huge. She is at least half again as big as she was with Caleb, and she got big then! She isn't sleeping soundly, and her restless movement and moaning is keeping me up. It's irritating for the both of us. She just wants these kids out, and, frankly, so do I. Her energy levels are at an all-time low, and I think she's just too tired to keep this up for much longer. The good news is that she's getting a lot of Braxton-Hicks, so her body is about ready, even if the damn things make her miserable. I think we'll be going to the hospital for this birth, but we're all prepared in case we have another surprise like the first two. Better safe than sorry, yeah?
I have to say that her belly is pretty amusing. It's like having an alien inside her. When she pulls her shirt up above her belly, we can see the babies moving under the skin. I didn't notice it as much with the first two, but it's very noticeable now. And funny. She doesn't think it's as funny, especially when they kick, but since they seem to calm down when I talk to them (smart kids, knowing who their daddy is), she doesn't fuss quite so much. She's relaxing against me now, and I can feel one of the kids kicking against my hand on her belly. I just hope we don't get two more overly active kids; I don't know if I could handle it.
She just glared at me for writing that. Sorry, May. It's the truth. In any case, I'm ending this entry, since it looks like she's getting uncomfortable and needs to be properly soothed. Massage time.
Aiodhan
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Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 6:59 pm
[Reserved for RP with Aditya]
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Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 10:26 pm
Revenge of the May-ohs.... Round Three Amyla grunted and squirmed, flopped, and somewhat rolled onto her opposite side, curling up into the best fetal position she could manage with her wide belly. After months of being a living incubator for two more children, she was sick and tired of being fat, of not being able to see her feet, of having back pains and contractions. She wanted the twins out, and she wanted them out yesterday. Unfortunately for her, the pregnancy seemed to be dragging on, and the twins were in no hurry to make an appearance.
This was both good and bad for the expectant mother. Good, because she was getting plenty of massages from Aiodhan--who was currently asleep and snoring on the other side of the bed-- and because she had time to prepare for the arrival of two (not one: two) infants. Bad, because she felt like she might explode if she waited one more day. Yet, there she was, still lying there and patiently--or rather, impatiently--waiting for their two little ones to just get the heck out!
She'd been having contractions at regular intervals for most of the night. Since this had happened before, she wasn't alarmed in the least. This was normal. They'd start up, bug the heck out of her for awhile, and then go away with no babies to show for her effort. She was used to it, which was why she hadn't awakened Aiodhan when they'd started. This was the longest they'd ever lasted, though. Normally they went away after a couple of hours or so. It'd been four, with no signs of relief.
After another hour of saintly suffering, Amyla finally got out of bed and went to the bathroom. Afterward, she laid back down in bed and tried to relax. Thirty minutes later, the contractions hadn't stopped, and she had to get back up and go to the bathroom again. This continued for another couple of hours until she was finally able to relax a little without having to get up every half-hour. It was now morning, and she could hear a few of her kids getting up and about. It made her sigh. She hadn't slept a wink all night. How was she supposed to take care of the kids at this rate?!
When Aiodhan woke up twenty minutes later, she gave him a drowsy look. "Stupid things lasted all night. Didn't sleep... kidsareup...." she mumbled. She awoke next to find that she'd slept for nearly half an hour, and the contractions were still coming. Aiodhan was gone... gods only knew where he was.
"Hey, angel. Glad to see you got some sleep." Aiodhan was looking down on her, his smile barely concealing the tension in his face.
She glanced up at him. "Whuh?" It registered in her brain that the door to their bedroom was closed, and then she was distracted by a contraction. She vaguely heard Aiodhan talking to her but ignored him, too focused on what her body was up to. "Huh?" she repeated when her body was done.
Her mate grinned. "You're in labor, angel. Kari and Nieva have the kids, and we're all set up to go in here. I was gonna take you to the clinic, but I figured you'd have fussed at me too much. So... here, it'll be."
Amyla opened her mouth to protest and then snapped it shut as her mildly-recharged brain cells began to work together to form coherent thoughts. Contractions, lasting all night in intervals. Exhaustion. Restlessness. The fact that she'd had to keep going to the bathroom. Damn. She was in labor. Her face, having slowly split into a foolish grin, turned up toward Aiodhan. "Yeah."
The next couple of hours were a bit of a blur. She remembered bickering with Aiodhan about names while she rode out contractions in the bathtub, and she remembered contractions getting more powerful and transitioning toward active labor. She remembered Aiodhan checking her regularly and taking detailed notes on names, dilation, contraction frequency, and just about everything else. She muzzily made a mental note to ask him for the notes later, since everything seemed a bit hazy to her. Being tired could do that to a woman.
By the time she was actively laboring, though, the murkiness was gone, and she was all business. With Aiodhan's support, she was squatting over one of the birth pads on the bathroom floor, panting and struggling with the first of the two infants. Since Yana was in the midst of a sex ed class and had expressed curiosity in the whole business, Amyla had nagged Aiodhan into letting her be present, and the preteen girl was kneeling behind and off to the side of her father, watching the proceedings with mild and slightly frightened eyes. Handicapped by her deafness, she couldn't hear her mother's groans, but she could see the grimace on Amyla's face.
Amyla picked up on it.
"It's all right, Yana," she panted after one powerful contraction. "Not as bad as it looks. Think I'm gonna have to start pushing soon." The last contraction had been sending her a "Pushpushpush!" message, but she opted to ride it out and wait for the next one.
Aiodhan chuckled and shifted his grip beneath Amyla's arms. "She's just a bit freaked out, May," he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "You doing okay, angel?"
Amyla flicked a sort of smile up at him and then turned back to her breathing as she felt the next one coming on. She pushed when her body told her too, letting out a happy sigh as she felt her water break and a bit of the pressure go away. Then she felt a raw pain somewhere on the inside and cringed. "Owwww! Owowowowowowowowowwwww! Aiodhan!"
The dragon-man looked at her anxiously. "What? What happened?!"
"You must've scraped me with a fingernail when you were checking.... it buuuuurns!" she said through gritted teeth as the next contraction arrived, her hands moving to rest on his shoulders.
Luckily for Aiodhan, he never had to defend himself, for the next powerful push made the first infant emerge, and Amyla was too busy panting with relief to bother Aiodhan more. Her insides still stung, and her belly was sore, but she could handle that. "Aiodhan... is-"
"Girl, May. It's a girl. What was your name for a girl?" the dragon-man asked as he carefully cleaned his daughter, who was screeching at him like a banshee and flailing all over the place. "Good lungs."
"Mustbeyours..." Amyla said tiredly, watching the meerkat-faced girl squirm everywhere. Gods, she was gorgeous, and the screeching was most welcome. She wanted to reach out and hold the girl, but another contraction hit, and she was returned to focusing. She dimly realized that Aiodhan had cut the cord and handled the girl to Yana, who was holding her new and screaming sibling very gingerly.
When the contraction was finished, she looked tiredly at Yana, where the girl was tenderly cleaning off the little infant, who was now simply crying. "Lexari. Lexari Sinead."
Aiodhan nodded in approval and gently stroked her belly. "Good name. C'mon now, May. Let's get this over with, yeah?"
An hour later, it was apparent that things were not going swimmingly. After delivering the placenta and nursing Lexari--"Lex. We'll call her Lex," Amyla had declared--for half an hour, Amyla was contracting and pushing to no end. Her insides still stung, but she couldn't blame Aiodhan. The claws on Lex's feet, curved horns on her head, and spikes on her tail were the most likely culprits. No wonder she felt scraped raw on the inside!
She could feel the child moving a bit in between contractions, so she knew that the infant wasn't a stillborn. But for some reason, the baby was in no hurry to be getting out, which both irked and concerned Amyla. Why? What was the problem?
A few contractions later, the answer became apparent when Amyla felt something that did not feel like a nicely rounded head moving down the birth canal. Eventually, Amyla had to stand, hands resting on her thighs, slightly bent over, legs parted. With Aiodhan's support, she panted and pushed through another contraction--"Little pushes, May. Little pushes."--while keeping an eye on Yana holding Lex on the sidelines. During the contraction, she felt something slip into the outside, and she awkwardly reached a hand down to find a tail hanging outside of her.
Before she could register shock or fear, another contraction forced her to push again, and this time, two clawed feet on the end of two little legs appeared, according to Aiodhan. All Amyla knew was that something large was stuck half in, half out of her, and it hurt like hell. Another contraction and much panting later, and a torso decorated with two dark wings, tightly plastered to the back, appeared. One last contraction and a lot of firm pushing, and Girl Number Two was out and being cradled against Amyla's chest as the tired mother, with her mate's help, carefully lowered herself to the floor and sat, still connected to her little one by the cord.
"Aiodhan..." she panted. "What was your name for a girl?" She stroked the dark, wet hair of the infant as Aiodhan carefully cleaned her. This child, though crying, didn't screech like the other one. She just wailed loudly as Aiodhan cleaned her up and plastered Amyla's face with kisses.
"Donelle Mairin. Lex and Donnie..." Aiodhan replied.
**************
"Dad? Is Mum okay?"
Aiodhan looked up at his daughter's anxious voice. He was cradling Lex in his arms, the infant dozing lightly in his secure hold. After having gotten clean and nursed both infants for awhile, Amyla had fallen asleep in bed, completely exhausted. He sat beside her, Yana next to him with Donnie in her arms. He looked straight at the preteen to be sure she could read his lips. "Yeah, Yana, she's fine. She's just tired; that's all. Hard work, being a mom, you know."
The girl bit her lip and nodded, carefully rocking her mildly fussy infant sister. "It was different than I thought. I don't think I ever wanna be a mom. Not pregnant, not having kids. No."
As Lex began to fuss as well, Aiodhan decided a diaper change was in order, for both infants. He glanced at his sleeping mate and then at Yana. "Yup... good plan," he said, standing up. "You know what that means, right?"
Yana made a face and stood up to head for the changing table. "Yeah. No sex."
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