Of Lorenz Theory & Love

HMV: A Quiet Moment Alone

52: HMV: A Quiet Moment Alone

7 pm, Madalena Village, Azores, Epicenter Pico No. 23

At six months pregnant, Macy's bladder felt as though it was the size of a pea. Her feet were constantly swollen, and the intermittent lower back pain she experienced was something she wouldn't have wished on her worst enemy.

"Braxton Hicks contractions," Morgana had called it. Felt more like millions of tiny toothpick-sized swords. On fire. At once. Macy's exhaustion level had reached an all-time high, and even then, she knew it was only going to get worse.

Fortunately, Harry proved to be a doting husband, frequently providing her foot rubs on demand, berry-flavored sparkling water (she grew tired of ginger-flavored after the 1st trimester), and nutritious meals—one veggie side, one carb, one protein—as Morgana recommended. Macy insisted that she was able to look after herself quite well, as she had always done so for as long as she could remember while growing up, but Harry refused to let her traipse about for extended periods of time in the kitchen. Instead, between massages and healthy meals, they spent pockets of time walking about the sandy Azorian beach at sunset, thinking of names for their future daughter, heretofore nicknamed Baby M.

For it was to be a girl. This much was certain, confirmed by a high-resolution ultrasound at the four-month mark. So far, Harry and Macy each had narrowed their list of "M"-letter names to their top three but had not at that moment decided to tell anyone quite yet. Macy had read plenty online of how well-meaning family members tried to dissuade use of a name before the child was even born, creating ample amounts of stress for the expectant parents.

Macy and Harry were now reclining on their sofa in the living room of their condo to watch a movie about a woman who lives forever and remains forever ageless. About twenty minutes into the start of the film, Harry, as if reading Macy's mind, held her hand, stating that they needn't worry about such things. Both he and she, as they were of magical blood, would continue to age slower than the average human being, much like Matias and Morgana, both of whom were in their eighties but were as fit as a fiddle.

Matias and Morgana had come over for dinner the other night, and Harry and Macy watched them interact as though they were slowly but surely becoming a couple once more, even though both denied it, no matter how one framed the question—but Macy knew the looks that passed between Matias and Morgana, and they contained, more likely than not, vestiges of their decades-ago romance. Macy realized that her pregnancy provided an excellent excuse for Matias and Morgana to visit each other, and Harry and Macy more frequently, and there was a sociologically fascinating switching of roles all were privy to in the process. Though Darcy had been Matias' mother and Jimmy had cared for Matias in the brief time he knew the then-infant, it seemed as though Matias and Morgana had taken on the familial role of the older parents and in-laws, rolled into one. Macy and Harry hadn't minded, really, since both of their respective parents and grandparents were long since gone; they often used to wonder what would happen if their future child grew up without any of the usual four grandparents, but now, growing accustomed to Matias and Morgana's visits, Harry and Macy knew they could put their worries at bay.

9 pm, Madalena Village, Azores, Epicenter Pico No. 23

After the movie had finished, Macy rose and went to the kitchen to make a jar of guava jam for tomorrow morning. Mel and Maggie were coming over for brunch, and she wanted to make sure she gave them a literal taste of the tropics. Harry had sprang out of his seat on the couch and offered to help, so she gave him detailed instructions to pull out the five extremely ripe guavas from the fridge, 2 limes for juicing, 1 cup of sugar, and the requisite 2 tablespoons of pectin (per 2 cups of fruit). He did so, mashing the flamingo-pink hued fruit into a soft peak in a stovetop pot, as Macy sliced and juiced the limes, mixing the resulting liquid in the soft guava. Then, Harry added the sugar and pectin, stirring throughout, as Macy turned the stove on high for the guava concoction to reach a boiling temperature, which took several minutes. Afterward, this was carefully poured into a heat-resistant glass jar, sealed, and labelled "guava jam" with the corresponding date. Macy did make a point of taste-testing the jam, spreading it on a thin wafer cracker; she had been craving guavas lately, after all. She gave Harry a bite, to which he responded that it "tasted absolutely divine," while hugging her from behind as he tenderly stroked her prominent belly.

10 am, Next Day, Madalena Village, Azores, Epicenter Pico No. 23

After brunch, which both Mel and Maggie enjoyed, they told Macy to close her eyes and led her to the bedroom. "Open your eyes," they, along with Harry, said together.

She did and found herself looking at a newly-installed crib (the expensive type that would grow with one's baby as they became a toddler, small child, and so on). There were small, artistic prints that Mel and Maggie had put together as well, that were quite tasteful and chic. A small bookcase was there as well, which had the beginnings of a miniature children's library; Macy stepped toward it, recognizing many of the classic tales her father had read her during her early childhood. She turned around, moved several paces, and engulfed Mel, Maggie, and Harry in an extremely tight hug. "Thanks so much, you guys, I love it, and I know" Macy looked up at Harry, starting to choke up, "that our baby will love it too. She's so lucky to have you two as future aunts."

"Know that we love you, Macy," said Maggie, "and don't you ever forget that."