*****006

We went from counseling on Monday's to swimming lessons. See, I was trying to be as normal of a mom as possible. We actually went to the Ventura Aquatic Center. The kids did swimming lessons, and then spent the rest of the afternoon playing in the splash park area.

I hated the drive.

It was an hour from counseling in HB, to home, and another hour to the swimming pool. While Aidan drove, Felicity and Rein normally, but not always took naps, and I did Virgil's schooling with him. Which had the major effect of making me extremely car sick. Keeva happened to be with us today, so she was able to help him when I couldn't--- her Spanish wasn't nearly as good as mine, but she did her best, and didn't get sick.

I eventually closed my eyes to get rid of the nausea, and fell asleep. That two o'clock nap time thing. We'd meet up with nanny Abbie at the pool.

Sleeping in the car was so relaxing. As a child, I remembered road trips, not many, but a few, we were always traveling, but mostly by plane, since both of my parents were pilots. Either way, the drone of the car or the plane had that buzzy relaxing feeling that lulled me to sleep. Um.... So nice.

I dreamed of the quints for the first time. I dreamed we were in the delivery room, and Eli—the guy I'd just met with the crazy kid Juan--- he was there, and trying to deliver my babies, which were for some reason coming half C-section and half vaginal. The twins were sharing blood vessels in a twin to twin transfusion and needed laser surgery of which only I was equipped to administer. But the single baby had all kinds of birth defects. Which baby to save? They were all important. All equally of value. How could I ever choose?

I woke with a start as Aidan pulled us into the parking lot at Ventura Aquatic center. The kids woke as well, and I gasped, still in the throes of my freaky stress dream. Under no circumstances would I ever want to tell Rafe or anybody about my dream. Consequently, the need to tell somebody was huge!

I felt unsettled, sweaty in the AC, bleary eyed and heavy. I shouldn't have slept in the day, shouldn't have slept in the car, shouldn't have slept at all....

The phone rang in my hand as Abbie got the kids and their gear out of the car.

"Au-ber-rey." It was my ever-loving man.

"Yeah?" I couldn't even think of a clever greeting, I was so sleep befuddled.

"You invited Lance to live with us?"

I opened the car door and the heat of the day bombarded me. I instantly felt chilled and sweaty and very huge prego. I slid to the ground--- since this was a high rider van, and reached to take Virgil's waiting hand. He always escorted me. Abbie had Rein, and Keeva had Felicity.

The parking lot was full. "Yeah, his house is like detoured. They're doing construction."

"I'm not upset. I'm surprised."

"Why? 'Cause he's having issues? Or?"

"No. Neither. 'Cause we've got guests already."

"This isn't permanent." I assured him.

"He likes you."

"Oh for goodness sake, he does like me. I'm his sister!"

"No, he likes you."

"He does not. He's gay."

"No, he's a wannabe gay now. He's thinking of switching and you're his first conquest."

"You're ridiculous. He's your brother."

"Who's better looking me or him?"

"Him."

"Au-ber-rey."

"You're acting like a dummy head."

"Who are you more attracted to? Me or him?"

"Him."

"Au-bre-ey.... Who is your only lover? For now and till forever?"

"Honestly Rafe, you know it's him. It's always been him. You are just the guy that takes out the trash on Tuesdays."

"Who is going to make love to you tonight till we see fireworks?" I knew this was a very toned down version of what he'd been about to say. I could hear it in his voice.

"You." I finally gave in, always a good idea when he made such an amazing effort. My lover had a potty mouth the likes of which you've never heard before he met me.

I heard his sigh. "You really had me going there."

I closed my eyes and shook my head. I knew better.

"You're looking forward to having him there. Admit it. That's why you called. To thank me for my genius in getting you a running buddy, a taekwondo buddy, a live-in jam around buddy. You know you want him more than me anyway."

"Au-ber-ey." Now his tone was low and soft and wheedling, and very sexy. Man, I loved when he said my name that way.

"Why did you call?" I asked quickly, so as not to be drawn into arousal in this terrible sweaty heat, right before I spent another hour on my feet watching Rein in the splash park.

He sighed again, and I could just see him shaking his head and grinning. He didn't actually need a reason to call me. It could just be random. He often called because he missed me. I loved that he did.

"FHE."

"FHE?"

"Kell called. He wants to come do a presentation."

My heart skipped a beat. A what? A presentation? For Family Home Evening? What?

"Him and his whole fam-damily. Tonight at six. They're bringing dinner."

"Pretty sure dinner is already covered. But I better call Laura and make sure there's enough for everybody. She may have to change plans." I looked at the digital screen on the phone. It was almost three---- which is swimming lesson time. "Hon, I gotta go get the kids in the pool."

"You're over-doing."

"Never." I said, texting Laura, our chef. "Love ya."

Clicking off with Rafe was never extraordinarily easy. I felt this weird sense of disconnect each and every time we had to say good bye, no matter if it was a quick phone convo or not.

But right now, I didn't have time to dwell on it. I hurried as much as my waddling body would let me, feeling better with each un-cramped step, more like my awake self, and ready to par-tay.

Virgil was a guppy and went in the next to biggest pool, and Felicity, who had already had swimming lessons was a minnow, and was in the same pool at a different end. Rein played in the splash side, with the little froggy tunnel slide, and the colorful buckets perpetually dumping water. Abbie stayed with us, watching the kids, watching me, ready to spring into action if I needed to sit down, but not pushing it if I didn't want to. Being the granddaughter of a famous Septuagint--- a woman who had had naturally delivered septuplets at thirty-eight weeks with little bed rest and no extraordinary complications, she understood my predicament. I wanted to be my mom. I needed to fulfill my own dream of delivering natural healthy, thirty-eight-week quints. As a neonatologist actually specializing in multiples, it was imperative to me that I deliver, even if I had to do it myself. Abbie knew, and so did I, that I would never endanger my babies--- and I would know--- absolutely know the best ways to keep them safely inside till their overdue date.

My doctor, Gerald Breckinridge was convinced he could keep them in till twenty-nine weeks. That was his target, his hope beyond that was thirty-four, but I was a miracle worker on others, and would be again. I never for one second imagined delivering any earlier than thirty-seven. My one-week leeway, that's it. But it meant eating perfectly, and drinking perfectly, and exercising perfectly.

As I stood watching Rein crawl around in six inches of water, occasionally standing and filling his bucket, and then splashing himself, my mind wandered to Kell's presentation. Had he planned this further in advance I could have prepared better. As it stood, Laura had texted back that she'd have to scrap her original menu, and start over. She, being a cook, was none too thrilled. She being our cook--- expected it.

Kell---

Kell is my brother-in-law. He is nosy, a busybody, a self-proclaimed watch-dog, sheep dog herding the family here and there. He's a meddler, a security chief, and a con-artist. He knows everything--- and informs my dad of everything as well.

And----

He was an orphan. He grew up on the streets. He is the last of a dying breed of do-it-yourself amazing rise to the top from rags to riches stories. He's done it all, literally. If you ask him about any subject, he can tell you. Anything.

And---- he married my sister Maille, (who was adopted), and they have ten amazing children. One is adopted also.

And--- he is the one that hooked me and Rafe back up after a three-month self-enforced hiatus. He also flew to Mazatlán to rescue me when I was injured at a concert while on tour. He is quick--- decisive, and a match-maker, only his match-making works, because he can read people accurately. I cannot.

My eyes refocused on the kids, count, one, two, three, and Abbie.

And Kell--- is a very famous--- very highly talented and highly paid actor. Like many in the entertainment field in my family, except he is probably the most well-known, the highest paid and most talented. Next to my dad, of course, in my mind, dad will always be number one.

And Dad had more Oscars than Kell.

I waded in the cooler water, felt the heat of the late afternoon sun, blessed whoever invented sunglasses and wide brimmed hats with ribbons, that made me feel like less of a freak, and more of a southern belle-- a big fat pregnant southern belle. People around me stared, because I was so big--- not because I was married to a very famous rock and roll icon. Nobody here even knew me. My security team was unobtrusive.

"Hey, are you the mother of that little girl? The one with the long curly pig-tails? Oh, she is so adorable." I heard the deep male voice from far away, looked behind me and saw a man standing in the shallower water than me, wearing khaki green shorts, and a button down Hawaiian shirt. He had on sunglasses and a visor, very touristy--- and not good looking. He had a thick dark mustache--- two decades too out of fashion. And he had a heavy Mexican accent.

I looked over at Felicity just across the way, in another pool, but close by. He really was indicating her.

"Why? Did she do something?" Felicity was known for disrupting the class, for being mouthy, for not listening, and not obeying. I wouldn't put it past her to pitch a fit if crossed, or even hit another kid who she didn't like.

He laughed, this deep guttural laugh that I felt was annoying and creepy at the same time. "No--- nah, I just find her enchanting."

I glanced at her again. She was cute--- even pretty. With roses are red cheeks, and white skin, the feisty twinkle in her dark eyes matched her winning diva personality. "Thanks, I think."

He laughed that yucky laugh again, and I instantly herded Rein in another direction.

I heard the lapping water around his legs as he approached. Ew.

"When are you due?" He stood fairly close, close enough to be considered involved in chit chat with me, but I was turned slightly away.

"Middle of August." I said, and waited for him to figure out that that was still three months away and I looked like I was about to explode. I saw Keeva coming to my aid.

He nodded. "She's not your biological daughter, is she?"

What a strange thing to say. I backed away, moving Rein again, and let Keeva take over, herding the nerd guy away. I try to be somewhat friendly, but I wasn't raised in public places. Honestly, and my only experience with the public was in my practice where everybody who came to me had a reason beyond your little girl is cute—let's talk.

I don't know what Keeva said, but the guy did leave the pool area, and I saw him next heading to the locker room, alone, no kid, which was pretty weird, and I sighed in relief that he was gone. He gave me the creeps.

A few more minutes and it was time to head home anyway. I was tired of being in the sun. 

*****