Chapter 7.16: Secrets to be kept

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From Alba's diary


Olivier: Do you already have some ideas for the name? I've searched quite a bit on the internet, but there are so many to choose from…
Alba: I was thinking of Rowan, it would be good for both a boy and a girl.
Olivier: Rowan… yes, I think it sounds good too.


The more months pass, the closer and more real the reality of a family together seems. Sometimes looking back I'm ashamed of what we did to get here, but the thought of the future that awaits us remains the most important one for me. Right now it's so easy to think about spending my whole life together with Olivier and the baby who will soon be born, I can't imagine any better scenario than this right now.

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The weeks pass, and the end of the pregnancy gets closer and closer. Even Drew's check-ups are becoming less and less frequent, at certain times I almost forget about him. And this makes it definitively easier to focus again on my work.


With this huge belly it's becoming increasingly difficult to move though, for weeks now it has been a struggle to pick up the garbage from the forests as I usually did. In some ways I was lucky that my current job allows me to do more office work on the computer, but I still miss a bit all that time outdoors.


Well, even if these months of pregnancy seem to never end, I have to remember that it is actually just a few more months, and that in the end we're finally going to meet Rowan.

Also, this experience is making me acknowledge my mom's strength even more. I mean, she passed through this three times, I don't think I would ever be able to do the same...

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Luckily for me, winter is not just work, but is also full of vacation days, including Winterfest. What better opportunity than this to reunite the whole family?


This time it was Olivier who was in charge of the cooking. Honestly, I found it quite frustrating to not be able to help him much. I generally really like cooking, but with this huge belly it would have been really hard to put a whole roasted ham in the oven without making it slip into the ground. 


Lily: You really look huge at this point! How are you doing?
Alba: It's not very comfortable, so to speak, but luckily the due date is just in a few weeks!
Lily: What can I say then... Good luck!


Lily: Can I?
Alba: Of course!


Lily: Oh, was it a kick?
Alba: Yes, the baby is always very active when there are many people around, like today.

Lily never liked children too much, in fact she decided not to have any. Yet, she's very clearly happy for us, I'm sure that she will be an excellent aunt to our kid.



Drew: (whispering) Everything seems to be fine, but do you still feel those headaches?
Alba(whispering) ... Ehm... Now that you make me think about it, it seems less frequent than before, I would say.
Drew(whispering) Better than nothing, I suppose...



Drew remains the only out-of-tune note in what would otherwise be a happy family reunion. How can he celebrate like this, pretending nothing happened? And how can he continue to joke with Helios as if we didn't know that Drew was involved in all the bad things that happened to him?

Sometimes I feel so guilty, it's so difficult to keep up this act as if everything was normal...


Olivier: You look very pale, are you sure you're all right?
Alba: ... I'm feeling that weird headache again, no big deal...
Olivier: It's been a long day, maybe you just need some rest.
Alba: Yes, that's what I was thinking too.

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The labour started precisely on the predicted day, but we were still so nervous when we arrived at the hospital. It is really the kind of experience that fills your head with thousands of different thoughts, that's for sure.



Doctor: Don't worry, just another push and...



And, after so much effort and uncertainty, we finally hugged little Rowan. I still can't say whether he resembles me or Olivier the most, but it doesn't matter to us. It's been a real challenge to get to this point, we've had to accept compromises that I never wanted to make, but we're finally here. And Rowan doesn't have to worry at all, we'll do our best to ensure he'll be the most beloved kid in all the Sulani archipelago! 

2 comments:

  1. I'm glad that Olivier and Alba finally have their baby! I have no doubt that Rowan will be extremely loved. I just wonder what Drew will do now, though. Hmm...

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    1. Thanks for today's comments! Drew is extremely hard to read, and it is very easy to expect the worst from him as well (he's the first evil sim I had to deal with in a while, I couldn't miss this chance to write such a character!)

      Anyway, the most important event in this part for Alba and Olivier is clearly Rowan's birth. I have no doubts they immediately entered the "loving parents mode", that's true XD

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