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Gentle paws kneaded the blanket as Petra scritched Nigel under the chin, the black cat emitting a steady purr. Her other hand rested on the large swell of her stomach as the baby kicked and wiggled. Fairy lights twinkled on the Christmas tree as the tv droned in the background, reruns of an old sitcom lost to her as bliss enveloped her on the sofa.
Levi brought the steaming mug in from the kitchen. He gazed for a moment at his wife as she doted over the beloved pet, the very picture of maternal bliss. He allowed the tiniest smile to form on his lips as he watched the scene from the doorway. Not long now. Nigel met Levi’s eyes from his spot on his favourite human.
The cat hadn’t left Petra alone since the early weeks of her pregnancy. Everywhere Petra went, the feline followed. If she sat down, he was there head butting at her stomach. When she lay down to sleep the cat was close to follow, kneading at the blankets covering her midsection. As she’d progressed through the months and watched her feet disappear, Petra had nearly tripped over the cat an alarming number of times, much to Levi’s distress.
“Damn animal’s obsessed with you”, Levi mumbled padding into the room as Petra sat fussing Nigel’s ears.
“He’s just excited to meet his new sibling, aren’t you my little bread loaf?” Nigel shot Levi a triumphant look as he curled his tail round, nestling further into the knitted blanket draped over Petra’s stomach. “Hey maybe he’s kneading at me so much coz he knows I’ve got a bun in the oven? Eh, geddit?”
Levi rolled his eyes. He could hardly talk though. Since Petra had announced her pregnancy, Levi had doted on her. It had revealed his most tender side; rubbing her back during the bouts of morning sickness (which Levi grimly found out weren’t just a morning thing), putting lotion on her stretch marks, massaging her feet when they got sore. Turns out her only major craving had been carrots, but Levi made sure to keep a good stock in the fridge.
The first scan, he was woe to admit, he nearly cried at. Seeing their baby for the first time on the fuzzy ultrasound screen and hearing the sound of its heartbeat opened up a part of his heart he hadn’t been introduced to until that moment.
Sure he was nervous. Not having a father figure in their life would affect any new dad - and no, Kenny didn’t count. But he’d had a strong as hell mother to raise him to be the man he was this present day. He was determined to raise his own kid giving it all the love his mom had poured into his upbringing without the worries over basic shit like he’d had growing up.
Petra eagerly accepted the herbal tea off her husband, “Thanks, I think I overdid it earlier”
Levi gave her a chastising look, “You’re supposed to rest until the brat makes an appearance. Doctor’s orders”
“The baby’s due in just over a week, I think I’m past the point of going into premature labour sweetie”
Levi grumbled under his breath as he settled onto the couch next to her.
***
Since being condemned to bed rest a month ago, Petra has gone into full on nesting mode. More than once Levi had come home to a completely reorganised apartment, the contents of cupboards spilled out across their home as Petra frantically rearranged and re-sorted their belongings. “It just didn’t feel right - I just reorganised a few things!”, Levi stared in exasperation at the now completely re-stacked bookshelf and empty bottles of windex littering the living room. He decided to ignore the rickety ass stepladder propped up against the wall.
“Tch, definitely my kid”
***
They cuddled on the sofa as the rain continued tapping the windows. Spencer rolled in, sporting a small knitted hat as its brushes whirred across the laminate. Levi gave a withering look to his wife.
Petra answered with her own beaming smile, “Oh don’t look at me like that, he just wants to feel festive”
“It’s a fucking Roomba!”
Petra kissed up his jaw, “Shh, don’t shout at the pregnant person”.
____________________
The rain had continued to pour into the next morning. Levi looked out at the miserable sky with distaste before turning back to his wife in annoyance.
Petra scowled back, “Levi seriously it’s just Braxton Hicks, you need to stop fussing”
“And you need to take it easy, stop trying to move furniture!”
“It was getting dusty behind the crib!”
“That’s what the robot vacuum’s for!”. Levi stomped back into the living room.
Petra waddled after her husband, determined to prove that she wasn’t an invalid. Getting her best pout on, she was ready to unleash a month’s worth of bed ridden pregnancy hormones, but stopped when she caught Levi staring at the TV. A local news reporter channel. She watched as horror slowly spread across his face.
“-devastating scenes of Karanes trailer park this morning as flood water swept through the area leaving hundreds without power or-”
Petra gaped at the distressing scenes pictured on the television screen. She opened her mouth to say something but Levi was already rushing to the hallway, digging through the closet for some boots.
Petra shouted down the hallway, “Levi at least call her! Search and rescue might already-!”
But he was gone.
____________________
A few hours later Levi had returned, soaked to his skin but thankfully with a relatively unharmed Kuchel and a small bag of her belongings in tow.
Now the three of them sat at the kitchen table, steaming mugs of tea in hand. Levi’s foot tapped against the tiles as he prepared for the incoming argument.
Kuchel set her cup down on the coaster, “You don’t have to fuss honey, I really am fine”. He would have believed his mother if she hadn’t started sneezing immediately after. He offered her the tissue box, “Tch like hell you are, I told you that something like this would happen eventually”. He muttered darkly about ‘damn idiots building on flood plains’ as he went to refill their mugs.
Petra reached across the table to hold her mother in law’s hand, “It really wouldn’t be any trouble Kuchel, we’d love to have you and we’d definitely feel better knowing you’re safe and dry in the apartment rather than in a trailer park prone to flooding”.
“I know what you’re saying sweetheart, but I really can’t impose on you like this. You’re gonna have a little one to take care of very soon and the last thing you need is for me to be in the way”
As if to prove a point, Petra winced as the baby kicked.
Levi’s jaw tensed. He turned back to his mother.
“You’re staying here”, Kuchel opened her mouth to protest but Levi held up his hand and carried on.
“The park is flooded with no electricity and by the time it dries out it’s gonna be damp for weeks, maybe months if the heating doesn’t kick back in. You’ll get sick. You’re staying with us until I deem the trailer inhabitable for you or you find an apartment. End of discussion.”
Kuchel’s eyes softened towards her son, “Thank you sweetie, though I could always give Kenny a ring”
“You are not living with that psycho”. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he exhaled deeply, sliding back onto the wooden chair, “Just let yourself be taken care of for once, please”. Petra’s hand squeezed his knee under the table.
Petra turned to the older woman, “Look, let’s talk more about this in the morning. It’s been a tough day for everyone and the main thing is that you’re safe and dry and more than welcome to spend the holidays with us at the very least ok?”.
Kuchel smiled at her daughter in law, conceding the argument for the evening, “Only until I find an apartment”.
Three empty mugs later and one mother settled onto the pull out sofa for the night, Levi finally rolled into bed with Petra. Sleep didn’t come. His mom was incredibly caring and grateful, but stubborn. She was too used to working herself into the ground if necessary for the things she had and Levi hated it.
The alarm clock ticked its steady rhythm.
He shut his eyes and fell into restless slumber.
_____________________
The next morning, brought little resolution. Every avenue they looked into pointed to one blaring conclusion. They were gonna need a bigger boat. Or in more actualistic terms, a fucking mortgage and more square footage. Visions of sleazy estate agents trying to glaze over poorly hidden structural issues flooded Levi’s mind. Petra had spent the morning trying to soothe her husband’s nerves.
“You know it could actually be a blessing, we could find a house with a garden”. Petra stretched her back, “And it’s not as if there’s a massive amount of stuff between us all, we could always have a garage sale…minus the garage”.
Levi leant against the counter and let out a heavy sigh. It was true that they would certainly be hard pressed for space if his mother came to live with them and there was definitely going to be arguments about how stuff was done around the home. They’d have to set clear boundaries and rethink the nursery to accommodate a spare bed while they searched for a house. But the thought of having his mother go back to the ruined mobile home with no guarantee that it wouldn’t flood again made bile claw up his throat. No. His mom had had it rough raising him on her own. She’d sacrificed so much for him growing up. All the clothes she’d mended, the jobs she’d worked, the jewellery she’d pawned to make sure they always had food on the table. She’d even sold her car to help pay for his tuition to get into a good college. No way. He was not gonna send her back to some damp ass trailer no matter how much she protested. It was the least he could do.
A loud splash broke him out of his thoughts.
“Damn cat! Knocking shit over”, he groused as he grabbed the tea towel to mop up the mess.
He paused.
Something was off with the scene in front of him. He’d expected to be met with a mess on the table cloth, maybe even a chipped glass, and a startled cat. However Nigel was perched on top of the fridge, innocently cleaning his asshole. The table cloth remained intact, no stain to be seen. Petra’s empty breakfast bowl sat on the placemat ready to be washed up.
The full glass of water sat resolutely on the table.
Levi’s eyes tracked down to the puddle on the floor directly under Petra’s feet now soaking into her slippers.
He watched as his wife doubled over letting out a hiss of pain.
Oh.
Fuck.
_____________________
The next few hours seemed to happen in a millisecond and in slow motion all at once.
The drive to the hospital was a blur. Then there was the checking in and the anxious phone calls from his mother. Then the waiting. And the waiting. And the waiting…
And finally, in the late hours of Christmas Eve, Rowan Ackerman entered the world.
Levi sat in the chair next to the hospital bed as Petra slept, cradling his son. He pulled back the blanket a little as the infant squirmed, a little tuft of jet black hair sticking out. The baby yawned and tiny amber eyes gazed up at him briefly before settling back into slumber. God he couldn’t stop staring. Minute fingers curled themselves round his own as Levi readjusted the blanket (lovingly knitted by the newly appointed Grandma). The colours were a little uneven and the edges were stretched to an odd shape but it didn’t matter. ‘This way I can give my Grandbaby a hug every night’, Kuchel had told him as she handed it over at Petra’s baby shower.
Anxiety at his mother’s (and by proxy their own) living situation tried to claw its way up but found no purchase. For the first time in the last 48 hours Levi found nothing but peace staring back at him. It would all work out. Levi looked at his family and his heart filled over.
Between all the drama and happiness and hurt and surprises along the way, they would be still be here.
And Levi couldn’t be fucking happier.
END