Dancing Through Life

Chapter 5

Once I've done tendus to the right and left side, I stretch for a few minutes. I then put my pointe shoes on, admiring them as I tie the ribbons. I got new pointe shoes last week, so they're extra shiny seeing as I've only broken them in. I head back to the barre and do some releves and bourres, then I'm ready to do things in centre.

One day, on the way home from ballet, Mom tells me she has a surprise for us. Six year old me thinks she means some kind of candy, and guesses accordingly. After being told I guessed wrong twenty times, I eventually give up thinking it must be some kind of sweet I hadn't heard of.

How wrong I was, for as soon as we get inside she walks over to the kitchen counter and picks up a pregnancy test. I look closer at it and see that it reads pregnant, however it still doesn't sink in until Mom says it herself.

"I'm going to have a baby!" She exclaims. It looks like she's about to cry. I run to hug her, then it hits me and Rose at the same time and we both start jumping around her and yelling, "Mama's going to have a baby! Mama's going to have a baby!" Dad comes in the kitchen shortly afterwards and hugs Mom. I don't pay enough attention in my own excitement to try and read his expression, but I'm pretty sure it's one of joy.

Nine months later, Maw Maw and Paw Paw fly in. They take me and Rose to their hotel to swim almost every day to give Mom and Dad a break. This goes on for a few days after she's due. Gram comes up to help out as well, and Maw Maw and Paw Paw have to leave shortly after.

A couple of days later, Gram, Dad, Rose and I go out to get lunch to give Mom some time to herself. We're about to get dessert from a cute little cafe in town when we get a call from the midwife saying Mom is in labor. We rush back to the house, and Rose and I give her a hug before settling on the couch to watch a movie. I pay some attention to the movie but I'm also busy running back and forth between the living room and my parents' room where Mom is giving birth. There are two midwives in the room, and Gram is in there as well helping out where she can.

In three short hours, I walk back into the room and see mom and Dad both in the birthing pool in the living room, holding my baby brother. I come over to get a closer look at him, and Rose follows. Then after a few minutes we both get bored and go back in the living room to finish our movie.

The next morning I wake up and crawl into my parents' bed to snuggle with Mom, to find a little squish in my spot! I settle for her other side and peek over her shoulder to see him. Mom beams up at me.

"Isn't he adorable?"  Mom says. I nod emphatically.

"Now we need to find a name for him." I say.

"But we already have a name for him." Dad says from the opposite side of the bed.

"We do?" I say dubiously. I don't remember any conversations about names.

"Yes. It's Wyatt James." Mom says as Rose bursts the door open and crawls into the bed.

"Oh." I frown.

"What's wrong? You don't like that name?"

"No, I do. Wyatt's a good name." I smile and get up, knowing that I can't get back into my spot as Rose steals it, then starts crying and whining.

"I wanted his middle name to be the same as mine!" She cries. I get up and leave since I don't want to listen to her tantrum, passing Gram in the doorway as she walks out.

After thirty minutes of helping console her and explaining why a boy can't have the middle name Mary, Gram comes out with a sniffling Rose on her hip and a dirty diaper in her hand. Dad's still laying in bed as is normal for him. She throws the diaper away and sets Rose down to make breakfast.

A/N: Hey guys! This is a chapter from last week, it's just really late since I was really busy when I was supposed to post it. Sorry about that. Anyways let me know in the comments how you like it. Enjoy!

-Marlee