Waiting Period

Months later...

Chris and Persephone had just walked out of the first appointment with Melissa's gynecologist a little surprised and a little anxious. The two walked hand-in-hand to the parking lot deep in thought.

When they reached his car, he opened the passenger door for her and closed it as soon as she was inside. Persephone locked the safety belt in place and began looking over visit notes the doctor's assistant had given her.

Chris soon slid into the driver's seat and placed both hands in the steering wheel, sitting still.

She noticed he didn't start the car right away. Peeling her eyes away from the sheets of paper in her hand she turned to look at him only to find him staring back at her.

"Are you okay?" He asked her tenderly.

She shrugged and looked back at the instructions. "Honestly, I am a little disappointed that after waiting eight months for this appointment, I have to wait a little longer to have the IUD inserted." She put the sheets on her lap and looked back at him. "But at least you're not against me anymore."

Chris chuckled starting the car and backing out of the parking space. "Yeah, thanks to little Christopher Paul."

Persephone smiled but her disappointment soon crept back. She was looking forward to not tracking her period anymore, albeit at least the fertility tracker proved effective despite her habit of not always tracking the dates of when her menses started. She always had to think back to some event that happened and then subtract two days or add one if she had a heavy flow.

Unfortunately for Chris, the doctor recognized him from the viral videos of the year before and recommended both of them get tested for sexually transmitted infections for the next few years to play it safe.

She reached over to play with his ear lobe. "I guess you need to schedule a doctor's visit yourself."

Chris sighed. "Yeah. Really looking forward to all those intrusive tests," he remarked sarcastically.

If he was looking for sympathy from her, he did not get it. "Well, you just saw what I went through. Don't think even for a moment that was at all comfortable. And I'll have to go through it again when she inserts the IUD in a few weeks."

Their phones chimed at the same time.

Persephone grabbed hers first immediately looking at the screen, seeing it was a family group text from Lisa.

Over the past few months, the two women had become incredibly close. Persephone had even thrown Lisa an elaborate jungle-themed baby animal shower at Chris's home. Knowing she was due to give birth at any moment, she immediately opened the message.

"What? They had the baby?" Persephone voiced as she encountered a cute little newborn's squishy face on her phone screen. She was about to reply when Lisa texted her again. She read the text message out loud. "Head on over to the hospital and come meet little Danny. Eight pounds, ten ounces. Twenty-two inches of heavenly love."

Persephone smiled widely and turned the phone toward Chris. "Oh my gosh! He's so cute!" She gushed. "Big baby though."

Chris looked at the screen. "Eight pounds?" He echoed unimpressed. "I have kettle bells heavier than that."

She scoffed. "Consider the small hole he just came out of, why don't you." She turned the screen back toward her. "Let's go meet him?"

Chris grabbed her hand and kissed it. "Let's go meet him," he affirmed, changing course in the direction of the hospital.

A few minutes later they affixed hospital visitor tags to their clothes and took the nearest elevators to the maternity ward on the fifth floor.

Knocking softly on the door with the room number they were given, Persephone popped her head in as Chris stood behind her. Lisa was in the hospital bed with red cheeks and a messy ponytail. She stared tenderly at the newborn as Daniel sat next to his wife with the baby in his arms. It seemed they were the first ones there.

"Oh, my goodness!" Persephone whispered as Daniel and Lisa turned to her. Both new parents beaming proudly. "May we come in?" she asked.

Lisa nodded motioning to the baby. "Of course! Come meet our pride and joy!"

The visitors walked inside. Persephone pulled Chris toward the sink, she dropped her purse and immediately washed her hands telling Chris to do the same.

Once done, she spun to the newly created trio. "Aww, congratulations," she walked to Daniel's side to stare at the precious little bundle he was holding. "He's so adorable."

"Right!" Lisa affirmed enthusiastically as she crossed her arms. "I thought so, but he just came out of me, so I admit I'm biased."

"Thanks," Daniel said as he stood and pressed the baby into Persephone's arms.

Chris hugged his cousin. "Congratulations, man. How does it feel?"

Daniel put a hand on his hip and another over his heart as his eyes drifted back to his son. "Feels pretty amazing." He put his hand on Chris's shoulder. "I have to make a quick call to the office. Are you going in later?"

Chris nodded. "Send me your workload."

He kissed his wife on the head and rushed out of the room. Chris pulled a seat next to Daniel's newly vacated seat.

As soon as her husband was out of earshot, Lisa announced, "He's been having to drop a deuce for a good while now, but he didn't want to leave us alone."

Chris laughed. "Then I'm glad I didn't follow him."

Persephone ignored the comment as she looked at Lisa for a moment before staring back at the little body in her arms with awe. The baby's eyes were closed as he sucked on his little hands. Instinctively, her body began to sway gently. "I forget how incredible this feels," she whispered with her eyes on the little angel before looking back at Lisa. "How are you feeling?"

The new mother smiled. "Aside from the pain after pushing that little watermelon out," she sighed. "I feel incredibly happy."

Persephone nodded as she put the baby in Chris's arms, making sure he supported the head correctly. He looked nervous but he allowed her to instruct him.

"Why didn't you tell us you were in labor?" Persephone asked leaning over her lover and turning back toward the new mother.

Lisa adjusted the pillows behind her gingerly. "We didn't tell anyone," Lisa answered. "When Melissa gave birth to her kids, everyone was texting her constantly asking if the kids had been born yet - present company included," she admitted. "I wanted to avoid that so I could focus on what I was doing, and I wanted Daniel to be just as focused."

The baby shifted in Chris's arms and a short-lived squeal came out of him. Everyone turned toward the baby.

Chris gasped.

Persephone stroked his muscular shoulder as she stared at him tenderly. "You're fine. Babies make all sorts of noises."

Her words seemed to have reassured him because he nodded and relaxed.

"Are you guys sure you're not ready?" Lisa asked out loud. "Because you look ready."

At that sobering comment, Persephone sat down in the empty seat. "What I'm ready for is mimosas and coconut-flavored booze at the Hawaiian resort Chris and I will be going to when Daniel returns from paternity leave." She leaned back and crossed her legs.

Lisa's phone chimed. She picked it up and read it.

"Oh, babe," Chris turned to her immediately. "Can you stop by the office this week to help Lloyd organize the workload for both offices?"

She nodded. "Of course, we'll go together from here."

"Persephone," Lisa put her phone down. The two women looked at each other. "As a friend I feel it's my duty to tell you Chris's mom is in the building."

"Mom!" Chris immediately smiled.

Persephone shot up from the chair and grabbed the baby from Chris's hold, placing it in Lisa's arms. "Thanks, Lisa!" She grabbed Chris's arm and encouraged him to stand. "Come on baby. We gotta go before your mom sees the baby and her granny timeclock starts ticking."