A couple of weeks after my baby bump showed up, Dick and I started telling people. The only people who we told in person would be my sister and her husband, Dick's brothers, Bruce and his betrothed, and Alfred. The rest of the world knew from the picture of me that Dick posted on his Instagram.
People reacted well, fortunately.
My relationship with Dick had gotten better. He treated me so well that it was really freaking hard to be mad at him. He spent a lot of time being with me.
Eventually, people started asking what the gender would be, which Dick answered simply by saying, "So far, we're considering the baby as non binary at least until they 'come out' of their mother's body," with a proud grin. Or something similar, like, "We can't out our baby, the baby have to come out as the baby want. We're not all dicks."
I didn't really know what he meant by the last sentence, but, I kind of enjoyed how people reacted every time Dick said something like that.
Dick and I talked about the previous situation finally after I started my third trimester. We got closer again without the awkward and uncomfortable feelings. Dick's handsiness got worse as if he couldn't get his hands to himself.
Even in public like that one time. First of all, we were at the beach and kids were around. Second of all, my body hadn't been feeling so great lately. Sure, getting touched felt good, but, not all kinds of touch and Dick seemed to have a hard time understanding that.
I wanted to lie down on my stomach so bad, but, I couldn't do that because it felt so uncomfortable and it had been months it almost drove me insane. My back had been hurting and my muscle rarely wanted to cooperate to help me stand up from sitting down. Neck pain made me feel like a student.
However, by the end of the day, Dick was still Dick and he made sure that I would get a good night sleep. He always made sure that I got everything that I needed, including whatever cravings I got at two in the morning. He always made sure that I would be okay.
Rachel had a thing to bond with with my sister now. They now in fact became a part of the older sister club, which I couldn't relate to. Rachel couldn't wait.
The girl had been very specifically around and excited. She went with us every time we got ultrasound. She helped us pick out some stuff for the baby. She suggested a lot of names, but, we told her that we couldn't choose any yet. However, Dick and I had agreed of a middle name.
Then, came today.
At dawn, I woke up in pain. I timed the contraction occurance and it started getting longer and more often. So, when the sunshine started cracking a path underneath the window, I brought myself to sit by the edge of the bed with a barely held in whimper and that woke Dick up.
"Are you okay?" Dick asked.
"I think we should call the midwife," I answered, trying to keep it together.
Dick didn't answer right away, probably still confused of being awake in a sudden this early in the morning.
"Right now?" Dick asked.
"You think?!" I hissed.
Dick literally jumped off the bed and grabbed his phone before he sat himself behind me. One of his arms caged my abdomen while the other fiddling with his phone.
After getting in contact with the midwife and got the situation cleared, the midwife finally said that she was on her way.
"Do you want anything? Something to drink?" Dick offered. "Or something to eat?"
"I don't know. Water should be nice," I said. "I should probably have a shower or something, too."
I would not be giving birth without having the cleanest shower I'd ever have in my life. Why? Because I might not be able to have a nice shower for quite a while after giving birth.
"Water first?" Dick asked.
I nodded.
After giving me some water to drink, instead of a shower, Dick prepared a warm bath for me. He helped me clean myself up and massaged my back gently every time the contraction returned.
By the end of that, the midwife and her crew arrived and Rachel woke up from her sleep.
So, I got back to bed and get checked by the midwife. She said it might actually happen soon. Very soon because as soon as she checked my opening, I felt a stream of water leaking out of me.
"Alright. Mr. Grayson, did you get in contact with the doctor?" the midwife asked.
"I did just now," Dick said, pointing at his phone that he had in his hand.
"Alright. Please, tell the doctor that Roman's water just broke," the midwife calmly said before turning to me. "The same thing happened to Brooklyn if you remember."
"I do," I nodded.
The midwife also took care of Brooklyn when she gave birth to the twins. She was what we could afford and she had been very nice throughout the whole phase. Which was why we decided to hire her for my childbirth.
Rachel walked into the room, looking fresh. She sat by the edge of the bed next to me, looking curious.
"Mommy, is the baby going to come out now?" Rachel asked.
"Soon enough," I answered, hoping that the pain didn't show in my face.
"Can I watch?" Rachel asked.
"I'm not sure. It will look gross," I said.
"I don't mind," Rachel said. "Aunt Brooklyn said you watched her gave birth."
"I did," I confirmed.
"I also watched childbirth videos," Rachel added. "Because people said that it's horrifying and I want to practice before I watch you. It's not as bad as they said, but, the women look very strong, like Wonder Woman."
Of course she would. She might not understand, but, that meant a lot to me. This girl, I would do anything for her.
"Alright," I said, brushing a streak of her hair aside. "However, you have to make sure that you wash your hands, keep everything clean, and to walk out anytime you feel like you need to, okay?"
"Okay," Rachel nodded.
Dick joined us and started off with kissing my forehead.
"Rachel, I have a challenge for you," Dick said. "If you can think of a good name for the baby starting with R and is also a name of a place--"
"Raleigh," Rachel snatched without hesitation. "Raleigh Grayson."
I smiled.
"If it's a boy, we can call him Leigh, too," Rachel added.
"Now, I'm curious to see your list, young lady," Dick said, a little offended.
"It's all in here," Rachel pointed to her temple.
I managed a little laugh.
"I like it," I said. "That's a good name."
Raleigh's delivery went pretty well. I cried before I heard his first cry. When I first held him, I knew that if I should love someone as much as I loved Rachel, it would be this boy.
Nothing beat the face Dick made when he finally got to hold Raleigh. That, with Rachel jumping up and down in excitement to see her brother. Even before, throughout the delivery, Rachel had been ecstatic. She was my private cheerleader, and Raleigh's.
Except probably Dick's reaction when he found out that Raleigh happened to be a boy. He threw his fists up in the air with his eyes closed.
"Yes! A boy! We're going to compete with you two," Dick pointed at Rachel and I. "Better watch out."
"Dad, mommy's about to pass out," Rachel nagged.
Brooklyn came first with the girls and her husband. The toddlers, Asia and Vienna, seemed excited to see Rachel while on the other hand, Brooklyn and Landon went straight to ask the baby gender.
"So far, we have a boy," Dick answered. "His name is Raleigh Grayson."
Dick said that each time someone came and asked the baby's gender or name. Except one.
"Well, Jason, so far we have a boy. So, please, meet Raleigh Peter Grayson. After the place and your middle name and my name," Dick dramatically stated.
Jason looked at Dick and I back to back with sharp gaze before saying, "Shut the fuck--"
"Language," Tim elbowed him.
"Raleigh wouldn't mind," Jason claimed. "Look, Dick, I appreciate that, but, I'm warning you that he's going to grow up and be a douchebag like me. With extreme attractiveness and badassery that will take over the world."
That tickled me.
"It's not too late," Jason added.
"Fine, let's change it to Jason," I played along.
"That's even worse! He's going to be a president of hippies army under the bridge," Jason continued.
"That's what I thought," Dick claimed. "That's why I went with Peter."
"Fine," Jason shrugged. "You've been warned. Both of you."
Another unique meeting occurance happened between us and the B man himself. Having his woman with him, he brought in quite a few stuffs that we might not need.
Everything went well and fine. Until the following nights.
As I predicted, I barely had any shower. Not that I got sleep much either. The boy wouldn't stop crying and not once he stopped looking for attention.
However, compared to what Brooklyn went through, I got to be grateful. I had a baby, she had two. I had by husband, she didn't. Also, my husband provided for me more than I deserved.
Beside that, yes, I got to babysit a lot of babies before this, but, it felt different. Raleigh was my own child and I had never taken care of a child so much more than him. I had never paid so much attention to a child.
I had so many plans for Raleigh's future. I kept them in my head because I knew that they wouldn't happen. Even a mother couldn't plan her children's life ahead as she wanted it to be. However good she thought it would be.
I could be sure of one thing. I would make sure that both of my children would live at least a good life.