The Bandido's wife

Twenty-Six - The Senora gives birth

Alise had a particularly restless evening, feeling cramps in her legs and her back for most of the night. It wasn't until dawn was breaking the following morning, she felt the pains that accompanied the tightening in her abdomen that grew stronger as the morning wore on, so that Marie insisted, they call the midwife, as she was convinced Alise was at long last going into labour, and would have her child before the day was out.

Marie's predications turned out to be true, as it came into late afternoon, and Alise was now getting the serious pains ripping through her. On learning this Diego, who hovered about down stairs and for once in his life looked slightly anxious, had also had the doctor call on her as well as the local midwife.

It was going into early evening when she finally managed to give birth, after much noisy heaving and pushing and sweating, that had left her exhausted But then as the red-faced little squirming bundle was put in her arms, and she looked down at the son she had carried over these nine months, she suddenly found herself overwhelmed by the feeling and emotions the sight of him caused her, he was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen, and all she wanted to do, was hold him and kiss him and cry, all at the same time.

Up until she had gone into labour, she had still fretted that she would not be able to accept this child, or care for it, because of its father. But now she knew different, she had bonded with him immediately, especially when he opened his dark blue eyes as if to peer up at her, she knew she was lost.

Seeing the obvious joy and adoration in Alise's eyes, as she looked down at her son, had made Marie smile understandingly, and feel a small sense of satisfaction.

She had known about Alise's concerns, and had tried to reassure her, that it would be hard for her not to love her child. After all, she had known Alise since she was a young girl, and even though she was spirited, and independent minded, her compassion and love and loyalty towards those close to her, had convinced Marie, that Alise would have no trouble in becoming a good mother, despite the circumstances.

The wet nurse she had standing by just in case, was now dismissed, as Alise was determined that she would be the one who would solely care for her son in every possible way she could.

It was an hour or so later, when Alise lay back in the bed resting with her eyes closed and dozing, still exhausted from the effort of giving birth, whilst her son lay in the crib sleeping contentedly after his feed, that finally Diego made an appearance in the room for the first check on his child.

Hearing the door creak a little as it opened, and the sound of footsteps, Alise eyes opened again, now becoming alert.

Grudgingly she realised she could not just dismiss Diego under the circumstances, as he moved towards the crib by her bedside, to look down at his sleeping son, so she remained silent, watching him.

"Ah, he looks like a fine strong boy" he finally spoke up with a smug smile, that had Alise wishing momentarily that she had given birth to a girl instead, imagining Diego would not look so full of himself, if that had been the case. Realising now he would be unbearable. But she was not going to let that spoil her own joy, "Yes, actually I think he looks rather like my father" she spoke up with honesty

"But it will be my name he will bear," Diego replied in reminder, as his eyes turned on her pointedly, "He will be called Diego Alexander Marquez junior"

"If you insist" she replied graciously, "but perhaps we shall refer to him as Alex, so that there is no mix up in which is which" she then suggested silkily, refusing to rise to the bait.

"If you wish," he shrugged, finding this detail unimportant, contented that he now had a healthy son, which would secure his legacy.

This happened to be the first civil conversation they had exchanged, from he had found out she was pregnant with his child. Their new found circumstances had made it now impossible for them to go on ignoring each other in the same manner.

But now, satisfied that he had seen his son, Diego seemed in no hurry to hang around for much longer, "I shall leave you to get your rest, the midwife insisted I should not disturb you for long" he informed her, and then with another lingering look down at his sleeping son, he turned and left the room.

Alise imagined him going down the stairs, and probably crowing about what a fine-looking son he had to all that would listen, whilst strutting about pleased with this achievement.

She was just glad she did not have to witness it, Instead, she turned her attention back to her son in the crib, "Ah my little Alex, if I have my way, you will turn out to be nothing like your father, that much I do know" she spoke up softly smiling at his small sleeping form, before laying back in her bed and closing her eyes feeling a little more contented, and now just wanting to get some sleep at last, just so she would feel refresh and energised, for looking after him, feeling she was going to need it.

*****************************************

Alise up and about on her feet again before the week ended.

She had been so frustrated and fed up in the last few months of her pregnancy, with then being week overdue, which had left her not being able to do anything. Now it was all over, she just needed to try and get back to some sort of normality. Not that anything would ever be the same for her again after the midwife had put her son in her arms, because now, her whole world revolved around him, and nothing else mattered.

As she expected, Diego had thrown a great boisterous feast in celebration of becoming a father. And although she put in an appearance at it, she did not stay long, using the excuse she had to tend to her son, to escape the revelries'

She was happy that Padre Mendez was able to perform the christening which thankfully was a more sedate and dignified celebration for her child coming into the world.

 Diego stood by her side, whilst going through the motions of acting like he wanted to be there in the chapel at this more solemn ceremony, when she knew he would rather be elsewhere Such religious gatherings bored him, he had no time for God, but it was hardly surprising when he ran with the devil, Alise realised in slight disdain.

They were still treating each other with civil politeness, Alise was too preoccupied with the delights of being a mother, to care too much about what Diego got up to now. Though now, weeks had passed since the birth of their son, she found herself  pondering would he return to her room to reclaim her body again?

There had been one occasion lately, when she had caught him staring at her with that burning intensity in his eyes that send a hot flush coursing through her body.

But then he had looked away again, as if realising she had caught him out. But still, he had not tried to return to her room or approach her in that way she knew she should be happy and relieved, yet she wasn't sure how she felt, causing her some confusion

Thinking back on that moment when she had told Diego she didn't care if she lost his child, now it made her flush a little in shame as she held her small son, whom she now felt such intense love for. 

But, it had been more to hurt him, and it seemed she had succeeded more than she realised, as it seemed, since then, his pride had kicked in, and he refused to acknowledge she had any kind of affect on him anymore, and he preferred to treat her with a haughty indifference.

 She would have been contented to go on believing that, except in that brief glimpse she had witnessed, she knew that was not the case. What she found more disconcerting was the fact it pleased her vanity  a little that he desired her, still but couldn't act on it,  But it meant she prayed extra hard at nights, to put such fleshly thoughts out of her mind, worried where they might lead too, and not wanting to think of how she might react to having to share a bed with him again.