Living On A Prayer

Eloise moved around the kitchen trying to get things all prepared for the birthing class that she and Brian were hosting. It was still a couple hours away but she wanted to make sure she had food and drinks all set up for everyone beforehand. She could hear from upstairs, loud banging, and idle chatter going on. The guys had come over to help Brian paint yesterday and today they were installing and putting together everything for the nursery. In the living room, Gena and Lacey were playing with James and Owen while Val helped out Eloise in the kitchen.

Eloise thought back to all the classes they had already gone to and how they only had two more left. Brian did better than she expected when it came to everything, except she didn’t know how he’d react tonight. They were going to watch a live birth movie and Brian showed some distain when he had found out. But she was happy he got along with the other men in the group with them. Most of the men were already fathers, they flocked to Brian after Eloise explained their relationship and how it came to be. Only one had known who he was and that was only because of the man’s nephew.

“Val, I was wondering something.” Eloise said quietly as she continued to frost the cup cake.

“What is it?”

“How’s your sister doing . . . with everything?” Eloise inquired since she hadn’t heard a thing since Brian told Michelle that she was pregnant. Val rubbed the back of her neck and smiled.

“She’s doing really good actually. Her and Cody are engaged, they plan to get married up in Napa at his grandparents vineyard this summer while the guys are home from tour.”

“I’m glad,” She set the frosting down and started to rub her stomach.

“Does Brian still think it was her that went to the media?” Val asked quietly.

“I don’t think so, it could’ve been anyone, even my students.”

“Good because I don’t think she did. I think she was just . . . stunned that Brian had found someone and then she found out that person had a kid with the same name as their son.” Val tried to explain.

“Val, it’s alright. It’s all in the past. I just asked because the last I heard was when Brian spoke to her in November.” Val just nodded giving her a smile. “I really do hope that someday she’s comfortable enough to be in a group thing with all of us.”

“Maybe after they get married—”

“Hey girls.” Brian and Matt greeted making Val stop what she was saying.

“We’re almost done with the room.” Brian told his wife as he encircled his arm around her waist.

“Yeah once you guys name the kid, we can get the letters and hang them with the picture frames.” Matt told them as Johnny and Zacky made their appearance.

“Birthing class tonight right?” Zacky asked as everyone else joined them.

“Yep . . . birthing videos.” Brian grimaced making a few of them chuckle.

“Well, we’ll leave you to that. See you guys later.” Matt told them, giving Eloise a hug.

“Thank you guys so much,” Eloise told each them as she hugged them and Brian saw them out. “Alright so James is going to be watched by McKenna right?”

“Yep, dad will drop her off here about an hour before.” Brian told her as he swiped some frosting from the bowl. Eloise swatted his hand away and glared at him. “I’m going to go move the coffee table and push back the couch.”

Eloise let Brian set everything up and get things arranged while McKenna made her way around the house and helped with James. She finished with the cupcakes and pulled the appetizers out of the oven.

“Ellie, I fed him, do you want me to bathe him?” McKenna asked, balancing her nephew on her hip.

“Um . . . he doesn’t need a bath.” Eloise decided as she plated everything. “You can go on upstairs if you want.” McKenna nodded and made her way up to the room that she still had claimed as her. Eloise rubbed her stomach as she put out the trays when the front door bell rang. Pinkly bolted to the door barking making Brian groan as he picked up the little dog.

“Hey Lisa,” Brian greeted as he let in their birthing instructor inside.

“You and Eloise have such a nice house.” Lisa said as she walked further into the house. “Oh this photo of you and James is adorable.”

“Thanks,” Brian smiled as he looked over the photo that Eloise took just this past weekend. It had been a warm day so they went down to the beach. Brian had James on his shoulders while he stood in the water, the waves coming up to them. He didn’t know that Eloise had taken the photo at the time until she had it printed up and in the frame. “Eloise is just right in here, finishing making up some food.”

“Oh Eloise you didn’t have to do that.” Lisa told her as they made it to where Eloise was. Eloise helped Lisa with setting up everything for class while Brian ran up the stairs to put Pinkly with McKenna. As Brian was coming down the stairs, the door bell rang making him sigh. He opened the door seeing a few of the couples were there, smiling. He let them and led them to where they would be doing the class.

The women all went over to the living room setting up their things for the class while the guys went straight for the food and Brian got them drinks.

“So where’s your little guy?” Mitch, also a first time father asked.

“He’s upstairs, my little sister is over to watch him.”

“Little sister?” One of the older men the group, Jorge, already has four girls and is finally having a son, asked.

“Well, half sister, she’ll be fifteen soon.”

“Wow, I remember when my sister turned fifteen, beat up the little punk she brought home.” Tim, a second time father said with a smirk.

“Did that make the guy stay away from her?” Luke, another first time father, asked.

“Nope, she’s married to him with a kid now.” All of the guys started laughing. “Nah but he’s a good guy.”

“I really hope she’s stays away from boys for a long time.” Brian said shaking his head thinking about. “Speak of the monster.” All of them turned to see his sister coming down the stairs with James on her hip.

“Is his water cup in the fridge?”

“Yep, uh his little snack are in the cupboard if you want to bring those up. He might want some between now and his bed time.” Brian told McKenna as she grabbed the sippy cup.

“Alright, say bye James.”

“Bye,” James said quietly then hid his face in McKenna’s neck.

“Make sure you don’t stay up late, you still have school tomorrow.” McKenna just rolled her eyes then left the kitchen.

“Well, you’ll be well read by the time your daughter gets to that age.” Luke joked.

“Trust me, as much as you think you know, girls are a whole different ball park.” Jorge muttered thinking about his four daughters. “Thank God I’m finally having a son.”

“Alright men, enough hen talk!” Lisa called out making all the wives laugh as they sat in a semi circle on the floor. The men migrated over to their wives and took a seat next to them. “Okay tonight’s class, we’re going to watch a live birth video but before that I want to go over birthing plans and what you guys will do with contractions.” All of the girls nodded knowing that Lisa went through all different type of methods. “Tracey, I know you’ve already had four, but will you guys be doing something different?”

“I’m going to try a natural birth. With my oldest daughter I had to be induced then after her was our twin girls and they were a C—Section because one of them was breached then the next I couldn’t handle the contractions so I got one. We never did classes with those pregnancies.” Tracey told them as she rubbed her twenty eight week belly.

“And I know Joan has had an epidural but you haven’t Eloise, correct?” Both Joan and Eloise nodded. While Becca and Isla sat there listening. “Eloise could you share how you handled the contractions?”

“Well with James, I was in labor for about fifteen hours. The contractions weren’t all that bad. I went to the birthing center when my water broke. Then after that it was just a lot of breathing exercises and having a calm mind set.” Eloise tried to explain. Brian just smiled as he started to rub her lower back.

“And you plan to do the same with this pregnancy?”

“Yes I do.”

“Alright, so we’ll go over some things you guys may think are weird but they will help.”

Brian tried, along with the others, not laugh as their wives practiced the different positions that helped ease the contractions. Once they were done with that, Brian helped Lisa with setting up the video and dimmed the lights and pressed play. Eloise relaxed into Brian knowing that he’d probably end up really grossed out. She was right; Brian had a permanent grimace on his face as they kept the camera right between the woman’s legs as the baby was being pushed out. Once the video ended and the lights turned fully on. Brian noticed a few of the guys faces had paled.

“Any questions?”

“Do I have to look down there when my kid is born?” Luke asked, feeling squeamish.

“No, not all fathers do. Some stand at the head of the bed, just holding their partners hand and being there for her. But that is something you have to plan with your wife.” Lisa went on to explain all the stage and what happens after the birth, grossing the men out more. “Now dads, as your wife is coming closer and closer to her due date, you have the responsibility of taking over the household duties. Rubbing her feet, back, shoulder, anything that will help her feel better. Now next class which will be our last, we’ll talk about life after baby. Now, anymore questions?”

“I read in one of the pregnancy books that sex is fine, so is that true?” Mitch asked.

“I can answer that, yes. Just let her run the show.” Brian told him while Eloise blushed and smacked his arm. “What, it’s true! Plus, you’ve got to get use to helping them stretch so they don’t tear. The cervix feels really weird though.”

“Oh my, Brian Elwin,” Eloise scolded making everyone in the class laugh. “Why I married you . . .”

“Cause I got you pregnant?”

“Or just for your money.” Brian opened his mouth then closed.

“Touché.”

“Alright then class, how about we go enjoy the lovely food Eloise had prepared for us.” All of the men helped the women stand up and continued to mingle and eat.

“Eloise you have to give me the recipe for these little tomato basil pizzas.” Joan, Tim’s wife, said as she finished hers. “It’s so good.”

“Sure, if you guys want I can go run copies of all the recipes.” All of the women nodded. Brian chuckled as Eloise went into the office and came out a few minutes later holding copies.

“So have guys picked a name out?” Isla asked as she rubbed her thirty nine week belly. Apparently she waited to do classes until Mitch returned home from overseas to take classes.

“No, we honestly haven’t even begun to think about it.” Eloise answered as she put some of the leftovers in containers for the other women to bring home.

“Really? I think that was the first thing Luke and I did when we found out it was a boy.” Becca told them.

“We’ve been busy meeting with lawyers and all that trying to get the adoption papers to go through and making sure that James trust fund and things his father left him are still going to him. Then his father’s parents decided they wanted to butt in about it even though I haven’t seen spoken to them since Wyatt passed away.” Eloise just shook her head thinking about her former in laws.

“Oh honey, don’t stress over that. Just concentrate on your little boy and girl. It’s not like they can do anything legally.” Tracey advised her. “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call alright? You know I work for the government.”

“Thank you Tracey,” Eloise hugged her but pulled away when she heard a sharp intake of breath.

“Oh my gosh, Isla are you okay?” Joan asked as Isla groaned in pain. “Isla, are you having contractions?”

“I thought they were false . . .”

“Oh that’s common, I’ll go get Mitch.” Tracey just laughed as she went to the men. They went into a panic as she told them. Lisa came over and spoke with Isla, getting her to calm down.

“Mitch why don’t you two head home, stick with your plan. Let us know if anything happens.” Lisa told them as Eloise and Brian helped pack everything and walk them outside. After Isla and Mitch left everyone started to fie out with their food containers in hand and said their goodbyes. Brian smiled as Eloise closed the door and locked it.

“Brian they were right about one thing, our little girl needs a name.”

“We’ll figure that out later okay? Let’s just go get some sleep.” Brian made her go upstairs while he cleaned up downstairs. Once he got upstairs, he checked to see James was in his crib, McKenna was already asleep, and Eloise was curled into her body pillow fast asleep. Quickly changing, Brian crawled into bed and wrapped his arm around her belly and felt a light kick to his hand. “Love you too little girl.”