Zelink Short Stories - Chapter 11: Chapter 11

As requested I don't know how long ago. No warning, just cuteness.
There he is. Sleeping peacefully while I forgot what a good night's sleep feels like. I want to hit him with my pillow. Or better yet, kick him in the ribs so he knows how it feels.
Before I can attack my husband, he reaches out with his eyes closed, patting his hand on the sheets in an attempt to find me. I only rolled away last night because I got too hot. He might as well be an oven while he's sleeping.
"Where are you?" he mumbles, half his face still smashed in his pillow. I scooch my way over slowly until his hand lands on me. "Goodmorning beautiful," he says, wrapping his arm around my waist to crush me against him. The cuddles will never get old.
"Goodmorning." I snuggle as close as I can with my beach ball of a stomach. Forty-two weeks is ridiculous. At least we know who she's taking after. Link doesn't like to get out of bed either. He still likes to be a pain as well. He's going strong with the teasing he started after we met. Just the other day he sat on the floor to eat my cookies because I wouldn't be able to reach.
"How are my princesses?"
"She's content," I say, receiving a small kick in return. I wish she'd be this calm all the time instead of using me as a bouncy house at night. "I'm exhausted."
"I'm sorry." He kisses my forehead. "She'll be here soon." He plants another kiss on my face, nuzzling into my plump cheek. Out of all my pregnancy symptoms, my face getting chubby is the most favorable. Link definitely loves to tell me how adorable I look.
"And then she'll be waking you up too."
"It'll be worth it." He rubs his hand over my belly, feeling for any kicks while kissing my entire face until I'm grinning.
"I just wish she'd get out. I want to see her."
"Me too." He takes a break from the kisses to give me one of his mischievous smirks. "Wanna make a bet?"
"A bet about what?" I say, propping myself up on my arm.
"About when she's going to make her dramatic entrance." I hope her entrance is anything but dramatic. But she does take after her dad. "I say by tonight." I would have to go into labor within the next couple hours for her to be here by tonight.
"I doubt it. She's already refusing to come out." Thoughts of surgery and inductions creep back. If she's not here by the end of the week, I have to be induced and if that doesn't work, I have to have surgery. I don't want either and Link knows it. He's made it his mission to distract me from those possibilities.
"You dare question my guessing skills?" he jokes. "Last time I checked, it was me who correctly guessed the annual snowman's fate the last few years." I roll my eyes. He won't let it go. He's been on a streak since the snowman we made the day he proposed. He seems to think it makes him a fortune teller. It doesn't help that he guessed our baby was a girl as well. It only grew his ego.
"No, I'm saying she's stubborn. Like you." His jaw drops.
"Rude." The baby kicks particularly hard near my ribs like a warning shot. Link raises his brows, another smirk forming. "See? She's on my side."
"Because she knows you're going to spoil her." I sit up and lift my arms, stretching out my stiff back. Nothing could prepare me for how heavy my belly would get.
"Obviously. Princesses are supposed to be spoiled." I smile and shake my head. She's going to be a daddy's girl for sure.
She kicks me when I go to stand, something I've gotten used to by now. She's an active baby and I bet she's going to be even more so once she can kick those little legs of hers freely. But if she wants more space, she needs to come out, something she's not working very hard for.
I get up to waddle my way to the bathroom; the third trip in two hours. I can't wait for that to be over.
I wash my face with cool water to feel more refreshed and brush my hair so I don't look crazy. I'd love to get a full night's sleep. Just one. But that won't be for a while. Although Link's mom did say she wants to babysit. She's been itching to get her hands on the baby. After we got married, she started dropping not so subtle hints that she wanted grandkids as in more than one. I'd like to get through this little munchkin first and enjoy at least a year of getting to lie on my stomach before I think about the next one.
Waddling back out of the bathroom, I follow the scent of breakfast. If I didn't already love him to death, my husband's cooking would be enough to make me fall head over heels. I find him in the kitchen with one of my claw clips in his hair and a chocolate donut in his mouth while he rolls a breakfast burrito like a professional. It's the only thing I've been wanting to eat all week. There's also a smoothie waiting for me. I'll never complain about how fast he can cook.
I grin, reaching for my plate and smoothie while taking a bite from his donut. I need something to hold me for the walk to the table. "Thief," he says, his voice muffled and brows furrowed. I simply kiss his cheek, leaving chocolate frosting on his face before going to the table with my breakfast.
"I love you." I plop into my chair, taking a heavenly bite from my breakfast. "I love you a lot," I say with my mouth full of eggs and cheese and peppers.
"Love you too, baby." He makes himself a practically overflowing bowl of cereal, joining me at the table as he scarfs down a second donut. It's a wonder he doesn't look like me when he's done eating.
I switch to my pineapple smoothie, sucking down half in record time. I enjoy the view in front of me at the same time, soaking in his shirtlessness. Years ago, I would've turned red at even the idea of him being shirtless. Now I hold no shame and drool when I please. I've heard of the 'hot dad walk' leaving the hospital after having a baby and I can't wait to see how true that is. But if she won't come out soon, I'm going to be in too much pain from surgery to enjoy Link's hot dad walk out of the hospital. My doctor has already been holding out on scheduling a c-section just because of how adamant I've been.
"Are you okay?"
"Just a little nervous," I admit. "I don't want anything to go wrong."
"Nothing is going to go wrong."
"But she won't come out. What if there's something wrong with her or what if I have to have a c-section?"
"She's just comfy. And that's not going to happen because she's going to want to come out by the end of the day and you're going to be a boss at pushing."
I smile without noticing. "A boss, huh?"
"Oh yeah." He takes a giant bite of cereal. "You're going to evict her like an angry landlord." I laugh, squeezing my thighs together to keep myself from having to change my shorts.
"Don't make me laugh!"
"I'll do what I want, woman." I roll my eyes and return to my breakfast, trying to ignore the fact I'm going to have to push her out. Newborn clothes don't look so small anymore.
"You didn't make your bet," Link says after only a few seconds of silence. He chugs the milk in his bowl next but he's probably not full yet.
"Do I have to?"
"What kind of question is that?"
"Fine." He said by tonight and I'm just not so sure about that. Even if I go into labor soon, I heard it can take awhile with baby number one. But I guess it doesn't hurt to hope. "I say by tomorrow afternoon."
"That's so far away," he whines.
"She's been in here for nine months and you're complaining about an extra day?"
"First of all, those nine months felt like a century. And two, I need a Super Smash Bros buddy since somebody never wants to play with me." It'd break his heart if I told him she wouldn't be able to play for several more years.
"I'm just bad at it-"
"Excuses. I taught you how to play."
"Maybe I need a refresher." That's all he needed to hear.
He leaves his bowl in the sink and practically runs to the living room to set up our Switch. He's adorable. He even rolls my birthing ball close to the couch for me to sit on and still be close to him.
I return to the last few bites of my burrito and attempt to rub out the sudden tightness in my lower back. I had a few of these twinges last night. At least they don't last long.
I join him in the living room, taking my controller and plopping onto my birthing ball. I've been watching and copying all sorts of movements that supposedly help labor start. Link has offered up his own solutions, one including spicy food and the other being how I ended up like this in the first place. It's only a matter of time before he suggests it again.
He chooses a stage, then we pick our characters. I stick with Yoshi because he's cute and Link goes with one of the characters with a sword. Now I know I'm doomed.
"If I win, can we go with the name I picked?" he says when the round starts. He goes after me like we aren't married. Where's the loyalty?
"No-" He throws me off the stage and I turn to glare at him. I'm going to beat that smug smile off his face.
"Why not? I like it."
"Because it's my middle name." I eat him and put him in an egg. I don't care what the game says, that's a point for me. "I don't know how to feel about naming her after me."
"But that's why I like it so much. Your name is pretty and she's going to need a pretty name too." He can still make me blush like I did on our first date. "And guys name their sons after them all the time so I don't see what the problem is."
"Maybe." I need to see her first.
"That's not a no," he says in a sing-song voice while knocking me off the stage again. Yoshi doesn't deserve this kind of treatment.
The match ends with him taking the glory. Again. I massage my back while he picks another stage. I really wish these random twinges would stop. My back hurts enough as it is.
"Ready to lose again?" he taunts.
"Maybe I'll win this time." Doubtful but I'll still try.
Our pure white fluff ball of a cat jumps out of one of our many unpacked boxes when the match starts. She meows loudly and trots her way over to Link to cry in his face. I've never seen a cat be so needy. She loves to perch on his shoulder and meow incessantly, slapping him in the face occasionally when he doesn't give her the attention she wants. The baby may be on his side, but the fur child is on mine.
She climbs onto his shoulder and cries, meowing to the fullest extent of her lung capacity. "Stop it," he says, attempting to ignore her. Until I hear the dull slap of her paw against his face. "Navi!"
"Good girl," I praise her. "Keep him distracted." He stops attacking me in the game and I glance back to find him trying to untangle her claws from his hair. Now is my chance.
I beat him up with Yoshi until he falls off the stage. He runs out of time to redeem himself. After all these years, I finally did it.
"Ha! I won!"
"Because of the cat!"
"Doesn't matter! I still won!" I stick my tongue out at him and Navi agrees by slapping him in the face again.
"Take your cat," he says, holding out the crying furball to me. The second she's in my arms, she stops.
"Don't be mean. You were the one who wanted to get a cat." She nuzzles her face into my neck and purrs. She never yells at me. I only get purrs and massages when she decides to make biscuits on my baby bump. "She just wants attention."
"I give her so much attention but she doesn't know what she wants. We should take her back and get a dog." She hisses at the mention of replacing her with a dog. "Yeah I said it, you little sh-"
"Link!" We're about to have a baby; he needs to watch his language. He's gotten particularly bad ever since his college roommate moved to the same city. I've come to accept that them insulting each other is their love language, if I can even call it that. It's safe to say our wedding was interesting considering he convinced Revali to be his best man. The more wine drunk they got, the more entertaining it was. I'll never delete the videos no matter how much they beg.
"I'm sorry." I know for a fact he's not sorry at all.
"Sure you are." I kiss Navi's fluffy head and hug her tighter. I hope she doesn't get jealous when the baby comes. She's going to have to share the cuddles and kisses.
"You know me." He comes over to give me a kiss, ignoring the cat's protests. Maybe she will be jealous. "I'm going to take a shower."
"Good." I give him another kiss. "You need one." He pulls back and looks me up and down with fake disgust. I bat my lashes and give him a cute grin.
"Someone chose violence."
"I love you."
"Uh huh." He kisses my forehead and walks off towards the hall, swinging his hips in what I assume is a seduction attempt. Maybe it would work if I didn't feel like a whale. I'm so big that the cat can use my belly as a bed. It's a very convenient table though when Link and I are watching a movie and need a place for our snacks. But those days are almost over. Hopefully.
I carry Navi under my arm and go to the nursery. I should be unpacking more boxes but I don't feel like going through so many random things at the moment. We moved here months ago and just haven't gotten around to unpacking everything yet since we've been so busy with doctor's appointments and work. Now we're going to have a newborn and I still can't wrap my head around it.
The nursery is bright and airy when I step inside. We stuck with pale pink, white, and hints of brown for the colors. It's not a very big room but there was plenty of space for her crib and dresser and a nursing chair for me. The chair in question is calling my name.
I sit down on the soft cushions and admire the room while Navi settles next to me. I started buying things for it the moment I made it to the second trimester. Link had to ban me from online shopping after we were getting packages delivered almost everyday. But I think it turned out perfect in the end. The last thing it needs is a perfect little girl.
I poke my belly until she pushes back. I had burst into tears the first time I felt her move. I was eating a tub of ice cream at my mother-in-law's and she kicked just hard enough that I could feel it. I about gave Link a heart attack with the way I bawled my eyes out but that was the moment it felt real. There's nothing like realizing you're going to have a baby with the person you love more than anyone.
"Are you going to come out soon?" I whisper, rubbing my hands over my belly. I get two small thumps in return. "I'm going to take that as a yes. We can't wait until you do. Especially your dad. He needs a video game buddy." I smile at the soft kicks and settle further into the chair. If she's being calm then I have a little while to just relax without her abusing my ribs. I should get as much sleep as I can anyway.
I wake up to loud meowing and stretch before I open my eyes. Link is lying on the rug with his Switch in hand and Navi sitting on his back, smacking his head and crying at him. "Would you shut it?" he whispers. "You're going to wake her up."
"Too late," I yawn. I don't think I've slept that good in a while.
He looks up from his game and cringes. "Sorry. I was trying to keep her quiet."
"It's okay." I rub out the tight feeling under my belly and blink as my eyes adjust to the bright room. It wasn't this bright when I fell asleep. The sun is shining directly through the windows when it had been slanted. "How long have I been asleep?"
"A few hours." I almost don't believe him. I thought it was impossible to sleep for longer than an hour at a time. "How are you feeling?"
"Just stiff." The tightness goes away after a few moments and I attempt to get up. "Help," I say after failing. Whale indeed.
He evicts the cat from his back and holds my arms to pull me up. Once I'm on my feet, I feel a warm trickling down my thigh. Did I just wet myself? I look down to inspect and Link follows my gaze. "What? Are you okay?"
"I just need to go to the bathroom." He doesn't let go of my hands when I go to take a step. More liquid streams down my leg. Link's eyes widen and I follow suit soon after.
My water broke.
We stare at each other, the panic building in both of us. I've been waiting and begging for this to happen and now that it is, I don't feel ready. I feel like I know nothing and only found out I was pregnant yesterday. My mind blanks on everything I'm supposed to do. My doctor had said something about counting but I don't remember the numbers I'm supposed to remember. It was one of the most important things I was supposed to remember!
"Hospital?" Link squeaks, his voice abnormally high. I'd think it was adorable if I wasn't losing my grip on my composure.
"I don't know."
"What do you mean you don't know?"
"We're supposed to count contractions or something."
"You've been having contractions and didn't tell me?!" he shrieks.
"I didn't know I was! I thought I was just sore!" I didn't even stop to question if those random pains I felt all morning were contractions. It's like I've skipped the entire beginning.
My belly tightens, the pain a little worse than before and I'm not sure if it's because I know what they are now or because my water broke.
"That wasn't that bad," I say when it passes. I hadn't realized I was holding my breath.
"Was I supposed to time it?"
"Maybe?"
"My god woman, tell me what to do."
"But I don't know what to do."
"You're supposed to be the smart one." I forget about the panic for a moment.
"You think I'm smart?" I say, grinning.
"An absolute genius." He gives me a quick kiss on my head that calms me more than he knows. "Now am I Fast and Furiousing it to the hospital yet or no?"
"No, I think we still have some time. And I want to eat and take a shower." They won't let me eat at the hospital until our little one is here. It could still be hours until then.
"Go get comfy then and I'll pack the car." I nod and hug him through the next contraction. He rubs my back, adding just enough pressure to ease some of the tightness. I breathe slow, focusing on the smell of his soap rather than the pain. And then it's over as quick as it started. I can do this.
He collects our bags and pillows to take to the car while I steal a pair of his sweatpants and his Nintendo shirt to wear after my shower. I admire my belly one more time in the mirror. It's strange to feel like I'm not ready to meet her when it's the thing I want the most. I wonder if my mother felt the same way about me. If she was scared at all. I never got to ask.
The warm water feels heavenly and Link checks on me a few times to make sure I'm not giving birth in the shower. Like I wouldn't be screaming for him if that was happening. But I can't wait to turn him into a dad. He's been so excited for her. I'll never forget the joy in his eyes when I told him, the tears when we heard her heartbeat during the ultrasound, or the hug he crushed me in when we found out it was a girl. He's been taking care of me the entire time, reassuring each worry with soft words and kisses. He's an amazing husband and I know he'll be an even better dad.
He's stress eating when I waddle out in his baggy clothes, my hair piled on my head in a messy bun. I'm about to push a baby out of me, not attend a fashion show.
"Are you still feeling okay?" he says when I sit down to enjoy my last meal while pregnant. He made me boxed macaroni and cheese with a cut up hot dog in it. Another thing I've craved my entire pregnancy. I never even liked hot dogs before.
"I think so. It's hurting worse but it's not that bad." He knocks on the table and shovels another bite of ramen noodles into his mouth. Based on the empty packages left on the counter, this isn't his first bowl. Or third for that matter.
Navi chomps on her food in the kitchen, reminding me of a slight problem. "What are we going to do about her?"
"I'll just give her enough food and water for the next couple days. She'll be fine."
"No she won't. She'll be sad here all alone."
"She's sad when we're home too. I think she'll survive." I pout at him. She doesn't like being alone. "Fine," he sighs. "I'll ask Ravioli to stop by but I can't guarantee he'll say yes."
He calls his frenemy and sets his phone on the table while it rings. And rings. Just before I think he's not going to answer, he picks up, giving Link a rude and vulgar greeting.
"Chill, you're on speaker," Link says. I can only imagine what they say to each other in private.
"What do you want?"
"Can you keep my cat company for a few days? She gets lonely."
"Why?"
"The wife is in labor."
"So?"
"So the parasite is on her way and we won't be here to watch the cat." I let my jaw drop. He did not just call our daughter a parasite. "Can you just do it please?"
"How asinine," Revali mutters. "Fine."
"Thanks, I love you!" Link drowns out his friend's gags by making kissing noises before he hangs up. He takes pride in being annoying.
We call our parents next to let them know. Father sounded panicked while Link's mom was speaking in Japanese so fast that I couldn't pick up on anything she was saying. Even Link seemed to be struggling to understand and he's fluent.
I get a particularly painful contraction when I finish my mac and cheese, one that lasts longer than the others. "We should probably go now," I say before I get through the entire pain. Maybe we have less time than I thought.
Link pales and rushes to grab our last few things like chargers and snacks while I hobble my way to the car. I recline my seat in an attempt to find some relief from the contractions but I think I'm past that point now.
After what feels like an eternity, Link comes out eating a sandwich. He made a sandwich while I was waiting. In pain. I'd beat him if I hadn't found a somewhat comfortable spot already but that doesn't save him from my glare.
He pauses mid-bite with fear in his eyes. "I'm stressed, okay?"
"You're stressed?" He only blinks slowly, finishing taking his bite. "At least let me have some."
He holds it out for me but I don't get to finish the bite before I'm hit with another contraction. I squeeze his arm while he backs out of the driveway faster than he should. I'm not sure if it's supposed to hurt this much so early. Although I could've been in labor for hours and didn't notice.
I lean back and close my eyes, focusing on breathing rather than Link's illegal speeding. This is not how I imagined it. I was hoping for it to be calm and slow. This is the opposite. This is dramatic and it's happening too fast. But this is what I've been waiting for. And I can't help but be terrified.
Link gives my thigh a reassuring squeeze. "How are we doing, mama?" I wish I could say that I'm fine and prepared. That I'm ready to take on the task I never got to learn about from my mother.
I cover my face with my hands when I can't stop the tears from coming. "I don't know."
"Hey," he says softly, rubbing my leg. "It's okay." I wish I felt that way. "Does it just hurt?" I shake my head under my hands. I'm supposed to be stronger than this. "What is it, baby? Talk to me."
"I don't have a mom." I say it before I even realize that it's the true root of my fears. Not because of what I'm about to go through or the fact that I'm going to have a baby of my own soon. It's because my mother was supposed to be here for this. I was supposed to have her to learn from. She was supposed to be here to help me through the unknowns and listen to everything I was excited about. And I missed out on it all. We both did.
"I know, I'm sorry." I try to focus on his hand on my leg. The only rational part of me wants to tell him he should have both hands on the wheel while he's driving so fast but I need his touch more. "I wish my dad was here for this too." Another wave of tears. I never even stopped to think how he must be feeling.
"I'm sorry. I didn't even think about that."
"No, it's okay. They'd both be here if they could." He parks the car and turns to me. I didn't notice we were already here.
He wipes a tear of his own face before taking mine in both hands, giving me a soft smile that slows my tears. "What if my mom came?"
"What?" I lean into his hands, feel the coolness of his wedding band against my cheek. It's gold with a carved braid in it the same shape as mine like our rings used to be one.
"Well I know for a fact she wants to get her hands on our little munchkin as soon as possible." I smile and manage a small laugh. "But maybe you'll feel better if she came to help." Maybe I do just need someone I love who has done this before. She may not be my mother but she treats me like her daughter. She filled a place in my heart that had been empty and aching.
I nod, my breaths slowing the longer I let it sink in. "Okay."
"Okay," he repeats. He doesn't bother to wipe away his tears and rather smiles through them. "Now come on. We have a little girl to meet."