Fall - A Rocky Lynch Story

Chapter 7

"The only reason I'm even letting you do this is because I love you!" Rydel pointed her finger at me as she curled her hair. Her large baby bump stuck far out from her blue dress she wore.

"And because you have no little boy things." I rubbed her belly and talked to it, "because your mommy and daddy thought you would be a girl!"

"Don't tell him that!" she laughed. "He's gonna get all upset."

"And what happens when your baby gets upset?" I asked her with my arms crossed.

"He kicks too hard an he bruises ribs." She looked down at him. "I am so ready for you to be here. I'll probably get more sleep after you're born!" She laughed and looked her finished self over in the mirror.

"Only three more weeks Del... Ready?" I asked.

"I guess so," she sighed and came out her an Ellington's bathroom.

We walked downstairs in the Ratliff house and right into the hustle and bustle of the pre-baby shower insanity. Family members were setting tables, there was food being set out, and the boys were huddled around the TV to see the score of the football game.

"Is it time for us to go yet?" Rocky asked with his mouth full. "We don't wanna be here when all the girls get here."

"You guys can leave whenever you please," I told him. All of the guys were headed back to our place to hang out and grill burgers. They weren't too keen on the baby shower games.

"But hey, Rocky, can we talk a sec?" I grabbed his hand and pulled him away from the craziness.

"What's up?" he asked.

"Well, I didn't tell Rydel yet, but Ross and and Andi are flying in like right now," I surprised him.

"No way!" he smiled. "That's fucking rad! Do they need someone to go get them?"

"Yeah, that's why I was gonna ask -- Will you guys go pick them up?" I asked him.

"Oh Hell yeah. I'll get Ryland and we'll leave the other boys at home." He kissed me and walked with me into the living room. "Yo Ry, Mase, Car, we're leaving." He grabbed his boys. "Ellington and Riker- just let yourself in and we'll be there shortly. We just gotta go pick something up."

We waved goodbye to them and finished preparing the party decorations. Friends and work colleagues began to show up at the house and soon we had a full baby shower going on. We all ate food and I struggled to keep track of my two-year-old as usual. Luckily Rydel's daughter Alice asked me if she could take care of her and I took her up on her offer.

We ate cake and just before we were about to open presents the doorbell rang. I knew exactly who it was and I heard Rydel exclaim, "I'll get it!" I heard her heels walk to the door loudly and she squealed happily when she opened up the door. "ANDI!!!" she yelled and I walked over to them.

"Surprise!!!" I told her. "I had them both fly out today!!"

"No way!" Rydel started crying. "Oh my God, Ross too? He's at your place?" she asked me. "Thank you so much."

"It's nothing!" I hugged her tightly and then I hugged Andi tightly. "My God girl, we missed you," I told her as we walked her inside.

"How long are you here?" Rydel asked her.

"We were hoping to stay in town long enough for the baby to be born," she put her hand on Rydel's stomach and smiled. "Then we'll probably be gone for another few weeks before we're back for good."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," I stopped her. "Back for good?" I asked. "Why for good?"

"Well, Ross and I were talking. We love travelling and we've had so many amazing memories. But now, the last one of the siblings -- and we thought it'd never happen -- is getting married," she laughed. "And we had this stupid deal, and it's not really... stupid." She looked at both of us. "But we're ready to settle down. Our deal was we wouldn't have kids. We didn't want it. But on one condition, we did wanna have kids. If Ryland was mature enough to actually get married and have a nice, respectable wife, then we were ready to settle down in LA and have kids," she finished telling us.