Eternal Sunshine

Bloodline

XxXxXxXxX Several years in the future XxXxXxXxX

Ariana studies herself in the mirror. Her once flat stomach is now round with her and Elon's child. Surprisingly, she doesn't hate being pregnant. She had always been a little worried about how she would feel about her body growing. Years of being a child star on TV and having her body picked apart by the media has given her more than a little body dysmorphia. Fastidious low weight regimens had her camera ready for her entire career.

Now she is far from camera ready. Yet she's never felt more beautiful. Partly it's Elon's reaction to her changing body. He's always been vocal about how beautiful he thinks she is. Pregnancy has only revved up his praise as well as his libido. Something that she is eternally grateful for due to her own surging hormones. But it's also her own self love. She's able to see herself as beautiful and for once she doesn't care if the media disagrees.

She rubs her hands along her belly and underneath, cupping the swollen mass. No she doesn't hate being pregnant, but she is ready to have her baby here. In fact she's been ready for quite a few weeks. Her fingers prod at the hard bump. Each day she thinks must be the day, and then another day comes and goes. She sighs deeply.

Ariana struggles to stand up, everything seems to take tremendous effort during these last few weeks. She had hoped the baby would come early but her Noona had proudly claimed that all Grande women carry to full term. With her huge belly weighing her down, she leans back and widens her legs to keep from falling forward.

As Ariana waddles with the heavy weight of her baby pressing on her hips, she curses. The little acrobat in her belly is now more than a week overdue. So much for full term, she thinks as she feels a kick. Her hands grip onto either side of her round middle, hissing as she feels a contraction. They have been coming more frequently each day but not regular enough to signal the end of her wait.

Ariana pauses and leans against the kitchen wall, trying to catch her breath. Heaving around her swollen belly is exhausting. She looks at the calendar. June 27, the day between her and Elon's birthdays. She had tried to induce labor many times over the past week, with spicy foods, with hot baths, with yoga poses. Nothing worked. Elon's son was apparently as stubborn as his father. Ariana sighs deeply.

In a few days, on July 1, will mark 42 weeks of pregnancy. Her induction date is scheduled that same day. She truly can't imagine waiting that long. Ariana already feels like an overfilled balloon. Each day is exponentially more difficult. How much more can her body take?

Up until recently she had had the perfect pregnancy, no complications, no unpleasant symptoms. But after her due date she's been increasingly tired. Apparently her womb is too comfortable for her son to want to leave.

Ariana stares down at her huge tummy. Whispering to her stubborn baby boy. "What are you waiting for, my little prince? It's time to come out. Your mommy can't take much more of this." She holds both sides of her belly, feeling her son wiggling happily inside. Another weary sigh escapes her.

Her body is so petite that her belly takes up a huge percentage of her weight. She had hoped her baby would be small, proportionate to her, but it is becoming increasingly apparent that he is taking after his father. Elon's mother, Maye, had offered her sympathy saying Elon had been over eight pounds and apparently had a huge head. Ariana gulps. Elon's head is gargantuan and that is a terrifying prospect for their son's imminent birth. Especially as he gains weight with each passing day.

She had gained 30 pounds, the perfect amount of weight her doctor proclaimed. Of course that had been a week ago and she's fairly certain she's up to 35 pounds now. All of it in her baby bump. Not that she necessarily wants weight elsewhere but the effect is a tremendous strain on her otherwise trim, petite body. Her back sways with its heavy burden. She feels so top heavy, she can't even stand or walk normally anymore.