American Woman: Book 5 (Final)

Chapter 8

As fall approached, Prince kicked rehearsals into high gear. So Mayte and I spent even more time together than normal. My first trimester was almost over and we had still yet to tell them about the pregnancy, even though I was already showing slightly. I tried to wear flowy clothes but Mayte insisted the kids and me come swimming before Lenny and her closed up the pool for the season. "Shit! I can't find a suit that it's not obvious I'm pregnant." I grumble to myself.
"You're pwegnant?!" Devon exclaims. "Shit!"
"Devon! Don't say that word! We've talked about that! What are you even doing in here? I thought you and sissy were watching tv?" I ask, annoyed that she snuck into my bedroom.
"She only wants to watch baby stuff. It's boring! What does pwegnant mean?"
"Um, it means, I am having a baby." I decided to tell her the truth.
"It is a boy or a gir?!" She squeals.
"I don't know yet. It will be a few more weeks before we can find out. What do you want? Another little sister or a little brother?"
"A bruder! When you have him mommy? When?" She begins to get even more excited.
"Well first of all it could be a girl. Just bc you want it to be a boy doesn't mean it will be. God decides that...."
"No!" She pouts, stomping her foot.
"Yes." I say, swatting her bottom slightly. "Stop the whining. And it will be a long time before the baby is here. It will be around your birthday in March."
"Not my birdday!" She continues to pout.
"Devon, God decides that too. I'll try my best to not have the baby on your birthday." I roll my eyes.
"Why God get to deci all the stuff?! It's not fair!"
"Watch your mouth. Bc He's God. That's why. Now go get your bathing suit on. We are going to Mayte's to swim." I order her.
That immediately snaps her out of her fit and she scurries off to put it on. I quickly get Waverly changed into a swim diaper and a suit. "Alright missy. You're almost 2. You'll be two and a half by the time the baby comes. That was almost exactly how old Devon was when you were born. And we had her potty trained. I really don't want two kids in diapers. You better get busy!" I say, and tickle her ribs. She screams in delight, melting my heart. "Actually maybe I don't care. I want you to stay my baby. Will you stay my baby? I don't want you to grow up and get an attitude like your sisters. She's too big for her britches! But she's always been like that. You've always been laid back. I wonder what this baby will be like. Your dad might croak if it's another girl. I might croak if it's another sassy kid, no matter what the gender. Maybe it will be another chill baby, like you babygirl."
"Come on! I'm weady!" Devon walks into the room, with suit on, towel and sunscreen in hand, and putting on her shades.
"Well we aren't. Be patient. Has anyone ever told you you act like a diva, like your daddy?" I laugh.
"Daddy not a demon!"
"I didn't say demon, I said diva!" I giggle.
"What that?" She asks.
"Like a sassy pants."
"I like daddy pants. And his shoes." Devon says, oblivious to what we are talking about.
"Ok. Well how do we look?" I ask, presenting Waverly and myself to her.
"Sissy is coot. Your bewwy is big." She says matter of factly.
"That's bc there's a baby in there. And that's not nice to say. It hurts people's feelings."
"The baby is in your bewwy?! Oh like Mayte's baby! But it died! Remember mommy?" She asked, completely ignoring what I said.
"Yes, I remember...."
"Is this baby gonna die too?"
"I hope not...."
"Let me guess. God decis that!"
"You're exactly right! And remember Mayte got into a car accident and it hurt her belly and that's how the baby died." I remind her.
"Oh yeah. So you can just gib tis baby to her?"
"No. It belongs to me and daddy. It's our baby. Like you and Waverly." I explain. "We don't give our babies to other people. They are a part of our family and we love them."
"How it daddy baby?" She ponders, causing me to freak a little.
"He will just be the baby's daddy. Like he's your daddy and sissy's daddy." I skirt the question.
"How did the baby get in your bewwy? God?" "Yes." I smile.
"So it God baby..."
"Well no. I mean. Um daddy helped it get in my belly, but God..."
"How he do dat? When you kiss?" She giggles.
"Yes. When mommy and daddy love on each other, we sometimes make a baby. Ok let's go." I exclaim, trying to distract her.
I was so dumbfounded by the babymaking conversation I had just had with my four year old that I didn't think to talk to Devon about not telling Mayte about the baby. I did plan on telling her today though, it was going to be hard to avoid once I took my cover up off. But of course it was the first thing she blurts out once we walk in the door. "Mommy and daddy woved on each other and kissed and it made a baby and he help get the baby in her bewwy."
"Is that right?" Mayte chuckled. "Well I have thought she may have one in her belly."
"Really?" I asked.
"Yeah, Lenny and I have been wondering for a couple weeks or so. But we figured if you were, Prince, or you, would tell us."
"I'm sorry Mayte. We didn't plan it. I didn't want to upset you or Lenny..."
"Jensen, it's ok. I don't expect my friends to not get pregnant just bc I can't anymore. I'm really happy for you. How far along are you?" She smiles and reaches out to rub my stomach.
"Well it looks like more but only about 12 weeks. And thank you. You are an amazing friend, an amazing person." I pull her in for a hug and can see the tears in her eyes as we broke our embrace. I admit most of the time I'm a pretty selfish person. I once envied her for being pregnant, but now I wished it was her that was pregnant, maybe instead of me.
It also doesn't help that she is so good with the girls. A natural. And they adore her. As we were getting ready to leave that afternoon, for some reason Devon starts begging to have a sleepover. "No, Devon that is rude first of all. You don't ask. And remember Mayte's still hurt. We have to wait until she's all healed. Plus daddy will be home when we get back. Come on, let's go. We will probably see Mayte again tomorrow."
"It's ok Jen. I mean I'm not trying to override you, but she can stay if she wants. She hasn't had a sleepover in forever. The doctor has cleared me for everything, dancing, driving, whatever. I'm good. Lenny is here too. So he can takeover if I get tired or something. We've got her." Mayte insists.
As I pull up into the drive, I realize Prince has beat me home. As Waverly and I come through the garage, Prince opens the door to greets us. "How's my girlies? Um I feel like one is missing." He laughs.
"Oh really?! Oh my gosh! Devon!" I joke.
"Haha! If you can't keep up with 2, how are you going to keep up with 3?!" He asks, leaning into kiss Waverly and rub my belly simultaneously. "Where's Sissy?" He asks her as she jumps into his arms.
She shrugs her shoulders and begins messing with his ear cuff. "Hey now babygirl. Don't rip it off." Prince scolds and forces her hand away from his ear and begins kissing and blowing into her palm.
"She's spending the night at Lenny's and Mayte's." I respond.
"Oh yeah?" Prince says, hesitantly. "Think that's a good idea?"
"It wasn't mine. It was Devon's! And then Mayte insisted. She said she is cleared for everything and Lenny will be there to help." I explained.
"Ok...."
"I told her I was pregnant today. Well actually Devon did."
"I didn't even know Devon knew, but I think it's about time. Plus don't think you would have been able to hide it very well with that suit on. Our baby is on full display. So beautiful." He smiles. "So how did that go?"
"Really good actually. She again proves to be a much bigger, better, and braver person than me. Devon suggested I give this baby to her. Sometimes I wish I could just not be attached and could actually do something like that."
I sigh.
"Well Devon is a nutcase. We already knew that." He laughed.
"Takes after her momma, I guess."
"Oh stop it." He says, pulling me in for a kiss on the forehead.
"Yeah, she actually acts just like you for the most part." I giggle.
"Hey so I got a call today. Their breaking ground on your house starting Monday..."
"My house?" I chuckle. "So it's not ours?"
"We will see if I claim it..."
"Well you're going to live in it whether you claim it or not." I insist. "I promise it will be fancy and big, just not over the top. Oh and I'm having them put it a pool. The girls have really loved swimming this summer...."
"So you're not running anything by me? I don't know about a pool and children. That scares me...."
"I've already given it a lot of thought. Having a very high fence built around it with a code to be able to open the gate. It will be virtually impossible for them to sneak in there...."
"It needs an alarm on it too." Prince suggests.
"Oh that's a great idea..."
"See you need my assistance." He chuckles.
"We shall see." I smirk as I start pulling things out of the fridge to prepare dinner. "Since Devon's not here, I'm fixing eggplant parmesan and we won't have to listen to her complain."
"Good thinking! And we know this one won't complain!" Prince says, referring to Waverly. "How can our two kids be so vastly different?"
"I have no idea. But Devon's life isn't easy. I think she's becoming more aware that she's 'different'...."
"What do you mean?!!" Prince huffs.
"Well she's been interacting more with new children in the last few months, at the park or the church here or wherever, and I've heard kids ask her what her implant is and it seems each time she has become more frustrated." I explain.
"What does she say?"
"She tells them it helps her hear bc her ears don't work right but the last couple times I heard her explain it she got pretty irritated sounding and I noticed she even tried covering it up with her hair and hands when a new kid would walk up."
"That breaks my heart." Prince sighs. "We need to do a better job of helping her understand to not be ashamed. She always seems so confident with us."
"She is confident but it helps that we, and people that really know her, treat her like a hearing person and know how smart she is. I think kids, and many adults too, see that and think she maybe is mentally challenged. I've noticed in the way some adults have talked to her. They talk really loud and slow and use small words, sometimes even kinda like baby talk." I continue.
"Well it would only take about one minute with her to realize that's not the case. We just have to do what we can to educate people. Maybe it's time to get the ball rolling on all the things we have talked about, helping the less fortunate with hearing impaired children to have access to resources and schools...."
"Ok so between the Vegas stay, building a new house, Super Bowl performance, and having a new baby let's squeeze that in." I laugh.
"We could at least get the initial phases started with Kim and Brian's help. They would be doing most of the work. We can be as hands on as we want, or can be, depending on our schedule." Prince urges.
"Ok. I really need to get back into ASL too. I know I've lost some of it. I want to get certified eventually. Just bc Devon hasn't seemed to need to do much signing doesn't mean a lot of these kids won't. Especially since they won't have had a personal instructor since they were born like she did. We need to show we understand the need for it and that we took the time to learn it too."
"I still remember everything we learned. I could have a full on conversation right now." He gloats.
I decide to take him up on the challenge and sign "Waverly needs changed. Will you do it please?"
He signs back "yes" with a smirk and starts to carry her into the bedroom.
"Wait!" I call out to get his attention. Then I sign "I want to try to get her potty trained before the baby arrives."
"Ok." He signs back.
"I have a feeling you may understand more than you can actually sign." I chuckle. "All you've managed is 'yes' and 'ok'."
He rolls his eyes and signs "Yes I will change her right now and yes I agree having two kids in diapers isn't ideal. We got Devon trained by two and a half and she's a hardhead. Waverly will probably be a breeze. She's my chill baby."
"Wow, I'm impressed." I sign back.
"Thank you." He gestures. Then he turns to Waverly and signs "come on."
I giggle a little. "She probably thinks you're crazy."
"It's hard to stop once you get started. It wouldn't hurt her to learn some basics anyway." He responds. "Let's start with daddy. Look babygirl do this." Prince puts his thumb up to his forehead. Waverly holds out her index finger and sticks it to her forehead, but pokes herself in the eye first.
"She said daddy first. Teach her mommy first in sign language." I command.
"No." Prince fires back while trying to correct her finger position.
I walk over to them. "Waverly, look. Mommy." I say while putting my thumb on my chin. Again she uses her index finger and it makes it to her mouth.
"I think we should be thankful she wasn't our deaf one." Prince chuckles.
"Prince! Are you calling her dumb?!" I give him a stern look.
"No! Of course not! She just doesn't have the fine motor skills Devon did. By almost 2 Devon was having conversations in sign language." He defends himself.
"Bc she started when she was a baby. Isn't it amazing what someone can do when they don't have a choice?"
"Hmmmm. Maybe I should test that theory later. Not give you a choice but to have sex with me and see what amazing things you can do." He chuckles while walking off with Waverly on his hip.