Rice, Rice, baby

Chapter 30

Author's note: A bit of a filler chapter after what happened on the previous one and what will happen on the next one 👀

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"Did your mum already leave?"

"Yep" Declan says, sitting in bed next to me. "She left us dinner and said that will come back tomorrow so you aren't alone while I'm at training."

"I can be on my own for a few hours, you know? I'll be ok. And I'm sure she has more things to do."

"She said that you would say that, and asked me to tell you that she needs to run a few errands that you can do together so you get a bit of fresh air and movement, and that then she will make lunch for all of us, that my dad is coming over after work."

"She has planned it all, hasn't she?" I chuckle.

"That's my mum" he smiles.

"I don't know how I am going to thank you all for everything you've been doing for me since..."

Since my dad kicked me out of our house. It has been a couple of weeks since the car accident and our argument at the hospital, and nothing has improved. It has only gotten worse, to be honest.

The day I was discharged, my mum called me to tell me that I could stop by and pick up everything I may be needing, like clothes, my toiletries or my beloved pillow, that my dad wasn't going to be at home because Alex's dad had taken him away on a "boys trip" after making a huge scene at work. He had apparently had a big argument with Madders, Micky and Olga, shouting at them and telling them that if they actually were my friends or my big brother as James liked saying, they would have never allowed me to be anywhere near Declan, and definitely not let me get pregnant with his child. He had said all that in front of basically the whole team and part of the staff, so now everyone knew the truth. But according to Olga and Madders, people weren't gossiping too much about it, and most of them actually were glad about Declan being the father. Turns out that Alex wasn't as popular as I thought among our co-workers, and they had always liked the way Declan treated them all when he had stayed there with the national team.

Once I had all my stuff, I moved to Declan's house, his mum basically treating me like a princess. The day I arrived she already had a room ready for me next to the nursery, and every day she comes over to help me finish decorate it and add cute bits or things that could be useful, to cook for us or mostly for me, to make sure I am ok and ask me to share with her all the doubts I may be having about the baby and what is coming, and basically to make me company while Declan is away. She has even started to teach me how to knit and we are making a pair of socks for the little man. She has become a second mother to me.

My mum has come over a couple of times too, one of them to meet Declan's parents, and every single day she calls me at least twice to ask me about my day and how I am. Sometimes during those calls Declan is with me and they get to a chat a bit, getting to know each other. And maybe it's the hormones, maybe it is me wanting it to be true, but I think she already loves him almost as much as I do. Almost.

"Liv, you don't have to thank any of us for all this. Like my mum has told you many times already, you now are part of our family. Both of you are" Declan says, caressing my bump.

"I can't wait to meet him" I say, resting my hand on his and focusing on that to not start crying.

"Same" he smiles. "And before I forget" he says, moving to pick the bag he had left on the bedside table. "This is for you. Well, it actually is for him, but hopefully it will cheer you up too."

"Is it a present?"

"Something like that. Open it."

"Ok" I say, slowly inspecting the inside of the bag. "A teddy bear?"

"It isn't just a teddy bear. It is mine."

"What?"

"That's the teddy my brothers chose for me before I was born, it was their present. They took it to the hospital when they first met me, and since that day I apparently lived glued to it."

"It doesn't look that worn off, tho."

"It actually looked a bit gross, but I took him to a shop that repairs toys. I wanted it to look good for the little man but still like the teddy I loved so much as a kid. I want him to love him as much as I did."

"Aww, Declan. That's lovely. Does he have a name?" I ask.

"Mr. Poo."

"Like Winnie the Pooh?"

"That's what my mum told everyone, but when my brothers named him, there was no h."

"Oh... I see" I laugh.

"Kids" he shrugs. "We can change his name if you don't like it."

"No, no. This is Mr. Poo" I say, caressing the teddy bear. "But if someone asks, we will say the same as your mum."

"Ok" he chuckles. "Do you like it?"

"I love it, Declan. This is the best present I've received so far. I know it is for the baby, but... It is so special."

"I'm glad you like it" he smiles. "Has it cheered you up?"

"It has, yes. Thank you" I say before hugging him.

"You're welcome, Liv" Declan says while hugging me back. A hug that ends with both of us laying in my bed, his arm around my waist (or what's left of it) while I cuddle Mr. Poo and take one of the many naps I take through the day. One where, according to what Declan tells me when I wake up, I was sleeping with a smile on my face.

"That's the power of Mr. Poo" he says. "He always makes you dream of good things."