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For the umpteenth time, Allie was coming home from a three weeks absence for a filming. As she made her way through the airport concourses with her heavy suitcase, her steps were quick because she was more eager than ever to see Dean again.
She spotted him though the crowd thanks to his tall stature and blonde hair. Blending into the crowd, she wasn’t visible to him yet.
“Dean!” She called happily as she was just near him.
He turned, smiled broadly, enveloped her in his arms and leaned down to kiss her. She let herself get lost in his embrace and in the softness of his lips . God!! She had missed him so much it hurt!
He finally pulled back.
“Hi Allie-Cat.” he sweetly said.
“Hi, sweetheart. I am so happy to be home.”
"I really thought those three weeks would never end…" Dean said in a gloomy tone. Then he noticed her pale face. “You seem pretty worn out.”
“The hard life of being an actress…”
She laughed and took his hand; he instinctively picked up her suitcase, and they made their way back to their car to head home.
Once they were at home, she took some time to sort through her things and changed into something more comfortable. The jeans felt tighter than usual when she’d put them on that morning. This was probably down to her poor eating habits and all the stress during filming. So, some proper home-cooked meals would be more than welcome. She happily swapped her jeans for her cosy sweatpants and joined Dean in the living room.
*
For a few days since she’d come back home, she felt nauseous every morning. First, she thought she had some digestive problems. But it wouldn’t ease with time and on some afternoons, she’d fall asleep on the couch for one hour while she had some time off. Of course, the filming was always exhausting but this time it was way worse.
For now, she had said nothing to Dean and he hadn’t noticed . That was a relief because he already had enough on his plate lately. It would get better in few days anyway.
Days turned into a week, and still nothing changed. If anything, she felt more drained than before.
But today she had decided not let this cloud her day .
She took a quick shower and put her bra on. Her breasts were quite sensitive. Maybe she was going to have her period. Her eyes went wild. She took her phone and checked the calendar, counting the days: she was late, almost two months . With everything happening on set, she had totally forgotten, so engrossed in her work.
Her heart beat faster, what was she going to do?
She took a deep breath and tried to pull herself together. She needed a pregnancy test!
Half an hour later, back from the chemist’s, she locked herself in the bathroom. She took the test and set the timer.
Those were the longest three minutes of her life. She paced back and forth in front of the washbasin.
When the timer finally went off, she stopped dead in her tracks, not daring to look or pick up the test to verify the result.
She finally decided to look at it: pregnant, she read.
Well, this explained certain things, that was for sure.
Now she would have to tell the news to Dean. Would he be thrilled, or not? Was it the right time? She didn’t know what to think.
And about herself? She smiled: their baby! She was ready for this new life.
Her mind drifted back to that evening, months ago, when they’d first talked about it.
That night, as they were enjoying each other company on the terrace in this cool weather, Allie’s phone rang with an incoming text.
“Awww … Gigi and Wyatt are so cute.” Allie said.
She handed her phone to Dean.
“They’ve grown up so much already.” he said sweetly looking at the picture Hannah had sent to Allie.
She looked at her husband and there was something in the glimpse of his eyes.
“Do you think we could start a family?" she asked timidly.
Dean took her in his arms and placed his hand on her cheek.
“I would be so proud and happy to have beautiful babies with you.” he said fondly.
She kissed him with all her love.
Since that day, she had stopped using contraception and they had decided to let nature take its course.
She looked down at the test, a faint smile playing on her lips.
She slipped it into her bedside drawer. The rest of the day was going to drag on; she hated having to keep things from Dean and rarely managed it well.
Around ten, they were both in bed and Dean looked at Allie over his book. She shifted slightly beside him, unable to sit still.
“You have been a bit too quiet and touchy tonight. Is there something wrong, Allie?” he asked, a hint of concern in his voice.
She didn’t say anything nor looked at him for a few moments.
“I have something to tell you…”
She turned toward her nightstand and took a little box from the drawer as he was putting his book away.
“What is it?” he said, his worry deepening.
She handed him a white little box with a golden bow on it, he noticed her shaking hands.
He looked puzzled. His eyes kept shifting from the box to her face, unable to make sense of it.
“For goodness’ sake, Dean, are you going to open it or not?”
She was starting to get impatient.
He chuckled and slowly opened the lid then he pushed the white tissue paper aside.
His eyes went wild and then flew to her face.
“You’re…”
“Yes!” Her voice choked with tears.
“Our baby…” he whispered, moved, taking her face in his hands and kissing her sweetly.
Then she pulled back just a little, resting her forehead against his.
“You gonna be such an amazing dad.”
“And you, the best mum. I love you so much, Allie.”
“Me too.”
He released her for a few seconds putting the box on his nightstand. Then he opened his arms and she cuddled against his chest as he kissed her hair. They fell asleep , smiling .
*
The next week, she had her first appointment with the OB-GYN to check everything was fine and get more information about the baby.
Allie looked at the clock on her phone once again. Where was he? It was almost time and she was there alone in the waiting room. He couldn’t have forgotten; it wasn’t like him. Her fingers tapped impatiently against the plastic of the chair, doing nothing to calm her nerves. But she couldn’t help herself. Just then he suddenly appeared, out of breath, his cheeks flushed from the cold and the frantic run.
“There you are! I thought you had forgotten!” She stated sternly.
“Sorry, Allie…” he whispered, pecking her on the lips .
“Mrs. Di Laurentis.” A voice called.
He didn’t have time to say more.
She stood up and he dragged her to the place where the woman was standing and waiting for them. It was time to meet their baby.
*
She was already twenty weeks pregnant and today they were going to find out the baby gender. At first, Allie had said she didn’t want to know, but Dean did, which had led to a small disagreement between them. But the more time went by, the more she became eager to know. What’s more, one of Dean’s arguments had really hit home: it would make it easier to choose a name and get the baby’s room ready.
So here they were waiting. He had her hand in his and he was drawing circles with his thumb on the back of her hand.
She was nervous while Dean was impatient.
A few minutes later, lying on the examination table, her OB-GYN applied a little ultrasound gel to her small, round tummy. “Are you ready to find out the baby’s sex?” she asked them.
They both nodded, whilst Dean gently squeezed Allie’s hand, which he was holding in his own.
The doctor placed the probe on her tummy and, instantly, the sound of the baby’s heartbeat filled the room.
She moved it around to check everything was as it should be and turned to face them.
"We’re in luck. The baby’s willing to show itself. Congratulations, it’s a healthy little boy."
Allie’s eyes filled with tears , Dean smiled and leaned to kiss her forehead.
After this amazing news, the doctor gave them the ultrasound scan.
On the road to their flat, neither of them talked. They kept smiling. Allie sent a few texts to families and close friends to tell them.
When they entered, Allie put down the scans on the kitchen counter and went into the nursery next to theirs. She stayed there against the doorframe, looking at the room that they already began to prepare. She could perfectly picture herself in the rocking-chair feeding their baby boy. She smiled.
“What are you thinking about?” Dean asked behind her as he placed his hands on her five-month belly.
“I already see our baby boy here with us…” she murmured, a bit moved.
He smiled.
“This baby will need a name …”
She extracted herself from his embrace and headed to their bedroom. She came back a few seconds later with a folded paper. She handed it to him. It was the list she kept since the beginning of her pregnancy.
“I can see you’ve already taken care of things…” he joked.
She chuckled.
“Read it and tell me if something rings a bell for you.”
“We must also take into account the association with the surname. Di Laurentis is long and not so easy to wear.” he said.
He unfolded the piece of paper and read it. She waited.
“So?” she asked hesitantly.
“Well, there are some good choices but I don’t know. It doesn’t exactly click.”
She understood perfectly his feeling. She had thought the same when she wrote it. Then she put a hand on his chest and looked at him.
“There is another name I didn’t put on that list that I thought about but … I am not sure you will agree with it…” she added, her voice trembling a little.
He frowned.
“What about … Beau?” She suggested a bit hesitant, gauging his reaction.
For a few seconds, the hurt crossed his features first. Then the idea seemed to be gaining ground
“Beau Peter Joseph Hayes- Di Laurentis… “Dean spoke in a barely audible voice, his eyes glassy with tears.
She smiled.
"When he’s old enough to understand, we’ll be able to explain why he was given that name and just how brilliant his uncle Beau was…" she added, still hesitantly.
Without warning, he took her in his arms, held her very tightly and buried his face in her neck.
“Thank you so much, Allie-Cat…,” he said in a choked voice.
He pulled back just enough to look at her, pressed her against his chest and kissed her as if his life depended on it.
*
She was three weeks away from her due date and she couldn’t wait to meet their son. These past few days, he kicked her and moved around her belly often.
This Sunday afternoon, Dean was working on the finishing touches for Beau’s room. Right now, he was assembling the crib his parents had offered them, despite their objections.
She stood there, in the doorway, stroking her round belly.
“Is there anything I can help you with?” she asked him.
“No , Allie-Cat. Is your suitcase ready for the big day?”
“Almost. I have to grab some things for the baby that are in the drawer.”
He stepped aside to let her pass, taking the opportunity to stroke her round bump. Ever since they’d found out the baby’s sex, Dean had become even more affectionate than before, and more protective too.
She retrieved it and went back to their bedroom. She placed it on the suitcase and closed it. Just as she was about to lift the suitcase off the bed and set it on the floor, Dean’s voice rang out behind her.
“Certainly not!”
He took it out of her hands and placed it near the bedroom door.
She blushed a little and thanked him. He came closer and sweetly kissed her.
“Anything for my baby’s mum.”
He went back to the nursery. She smiled.
She looked at her belly, stroked it and whispered.
“Everything is ready, Beau. We are waiting for you now.”
The baby kicked and she beamed.
*
Since morning, she could feel Beau move much more than usual. It was probably because her due date was in five days.
She rubbed her swollen belly.
“What’s the matter this afternoon, baby boy, have you decided to come and meet us? We are impatient to see you, you know.”
As she talked, the baby gave her another kick. She smiled.
Then she went back to her house cleaning. Half an hour later, she felt a contraction but she didn’t really pay attention to it because she’d already experienced Braxton Hicks.
An hour later, another contraction hit — stronger this time. Then another, closer than the last. She stopped what she was doing, one hand gripping the back of a chair, and waited for it to pass. She hissed from the pain.
Over the next few hours, she experienced more contractions like this one.
At the end of the day, she decided to ring Lori Di Laurentis. She picked up on the second ring.
“Allie? Is everything all right?” she asked, worried.
“Labour’s started. I thought they were false contractions, but they’re regular and a bit painful.”
“Have you phoned Dean?”
“No, not yet, I’ll ring him after I hang up with you because he’s at training at this time of day and he probably doesn’t have his mobile on him.”
“I’m on my way. I’ll be there shortly.”
Allie opened her contacts and called Dean; as she’d feared, she only got his voicemail.
“Good evening, darling, I am in labour. I’ve called your mum; she’s coming to pick me up to take me to the clinic. Come and meet me as soon as you can. I love you.”
Then she hung up and went to collect her suitcase near their bedroom door. She just had to wait for Lori calmly on the sofa.
During this time, Dean was at the rink with the girls preparing their next match. He had trouble staying focused, his mind constantly on Allie as the birth drew near.
Finally, after the last of the girls had left and all the equipment had been put away, he checked his phone. His heart skipped a beat when he saw that Allie had tried to call him. He listened to her message as he rushed off the ice to fetch his car.
When he arrived at the clinic, he rushed straight to the maternity ward.
His mother had sent him the room number, so he burst in, out of breath and with his hair all a mess.
Lori was sitting on the edge of the bed, chatting calmly with his wife. When she saw him, Allie smiled.
He kissed his mother on the cheek; she stood up to make room for him. She slipped out quietly to give them some privacy.
“How are you feeling?” he asked, worried.
“My waters broke a little while ago and things are progressing as they should. We just have to wait now, it’s likely to be a long night. But he’ll be here in our arms soon,” she explained gently, leaning in to rest her forehead against his.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
“I love you so much, it makes me lose my mind sometimes, and this little sweetie you’ve given me just makes me love you even more,” he said gently with so much emotion in his voice.
She didn’t reply and let herself sink against his chest as far as her rounded belly would allow. Suddenly, her fists clenched the back of his jacket; she closed her eyes and gritted her teeth.
“Allie?”
She waited a few moments, stood up straight and smiled tenderly at him.
“Just a contraction.”
“Oh.”
“It’s only just beginning.”
He stroked her back and settled himself in the bed so she could lean against him.
The night unfolded like this, between conversation and contractions, until the first light of dawn.
At around five o’clock, her OB-GYN came in to check on her progress.
“Mrs. Di Laurentis, it’s time.”
Dean and Allie exchanged a glance: the moment to meet their son had finally arrived.
“Mr. Di Laurentis, the nurses will get you ready and we’ll meet you in the delivery room.”
Dean took Allie’s hand and kissed the back of it.
“See you in a moment,” he murmured, not taking his eyes off her.
And they each followed the doctors and nurses.
An hour later, Allie was holding her son in her arms. She was exhausted but over the moon. Dean had his arm around her shoulder, gazing lovingly at their son.
“He’s so beautiful,” Allie gushed.
“He’s the spitting image of his father,” Dean joked.
She gave him a gentle nudge in the ribs and they laughed quietly so as not to wake Beau.
“I’m going to make a few phone calls to let everyone know. You should get some rest.”
She placed the baby in the cot next to her bed as Dean left the room.
Much later that morning, during visiting hours, Dean was holding him in his arms, standing by the window, whilst Allie had fallen asleep.
There was a soft knock at the door, and then his parents appeared.
He motioned for them to come in quietly, his gaze fixed on Allie. His mother put her hand to her mouth, tears in her eyes, and approached him.
Pride was clearly visible in her eyes. She held out her arms and he placed the baby in them. Peter, in turn, pulled Dean into a hug, patting him on the back.
Allie stirred and opened her eyes.
“Hello, everyone,” she said, smiling sleepily.
Dean instinctively went and sat down beside her. Lori approached and handed her the baby.
“Hello, Allie. How are you feeling?” asked Lori.
“Tired, but happy.”
“I understand that better than anyone,” agreed Dean’s mother, looking proudly at her son as memories of giving birth to Dean himself came flooding back.
“And what’s this little lad’s name?” Peter Di Laurentis asked.
“Beau Peter Joseph Hayes-Di Laurentis,” Dean announced proudly.
Peter, taken aback, finally smiled, his eyes glistening, while Lori beamed beside him.
Visits continued in quick succession for the rest of the day: Allie’s father, Garrett and Hannah, Logan and Grace, Tucker and Sabrina, Nick, and Summer.
*
It had now been about ten days since they’d come home from the clinic. The new little family was slowly settling into a routine.
One night, at around one o’clock, the baby monitor picked up the sound of Beau crying. Dean woke up immediately. He quickly switched it off so as not to wake Allie and left their bedroom, closing the door behind him.
He picked Beau up.
“What’s the matter, son? Are you already hungry?” he whispered gently to Beau.
He rocked him gently to see if that would soothe him a little before considering a bottle, in case he kept fussing.
He walked quietly around the room, with Beau pressed against his chest, gently stroking his back. Little by little, the baby seemed to calm down at his father’s touch. He hadn’t fallen back to sleep yet. His eyes were wide open, as if he were paying close attention to what was going on around him.
Dean turned towards the cot and noticed Allie standing in the doorway.
“Go back to bed, you need some rest,” he told her gently.
She smiled but walked over to them, gently planting a kiss on Beau’s head as he was beginning to finally drift back to sleep.
“The spot next to me is too cold. I can’t sleep,” she cooed.
Dean chuckled and put the baby back in his cot. The baby’s eyes fluttered for a few more moments before closing.
Dean went back to Allie, put his arm round her shoulders and pulled her close as he left the room, leaving the door slightly ajar behind them.
“I need to sing you a lullaby too.”
She giggled.
“The warmth of your body against mine and your reassuring embrace should be enough to calm me down so I can fall back to sleep.”
They snuggled up against each other and sleep quickly overtook them before the baby woke up again.
Around 6 a.m., Dean, half-asleep, turned around and felt the cold and emptiness beside him.
Allie was up, probably because of the baby. This time, he hadn’t heard anything.
He decided to get up and went to the baby’s room. He stopped dead on his tracks: the scene before his eyes was breathtaking. Allie was sitting in the rocking-chair, her head bent slightly toward Beau, breastfeeding him while humming softly, her features soft with exhaustion and love all at once, the morning light dancing on her hair and her face.
He took a few discreet steps back to get his phone. And then he captured a few pictures of her and the baby.
Then Allie looked up and saw him. He put his phone down on the chest of drawers and crouched down at her feet. He placed his hand gently on Beau’s head, then his gaze met hers.
Not a word was spoken; they didn’t need one. A smile was enough for them.