Chapter 6: Not Now

Cassandra's saving gace may have been that she slept soundly during the night but she never woke up in good mood.  Every morning Cassandra woke up screaming.  She woke up screaming from her naps too.  Bella had attempted to wake her up from her nap early once, but she and Mortimer had regretted that decision for the rest of the day.  Mortimer had asked the pediatrician if there was anything they could do to help Cassandra be less demanding but  they were told they just needed to let her outgrow her fits.

Most evenings were easy for Mortimer so he wasn't quite sure why Bella was having a difficult time.  However, he didn't doubt his wife.  Cassandra could be a handful and he knew it.  Mortimer approached teaching Cassandra like a scientist.  He tried a little of each activity with her to see which came the easiest and which she liked the best.  He quickly learned that if the timing was right Cassandra took to the potty chair very well.  Mortimer started with having her sit on the potty right before bedtime, then added more times throughout the day.  Bella was even able to get Cassandra to cooperate during the day a few times but she didn't push the issue if Cassandra was being resistant.

Once Cassandra was set in a schedule Mortimer decided to get her to start talking.  It would be much easier on everyone if Cassandra could just tell them what was bothering her.  At first she was not interested in speaking at all.  She just screamed and whined.  Mortimer thought that if she was comfortable at her potty chair, he could introduce some words after she finished up.  Combining the tasks would be easier.  It took a little time, but one day Cassandra responded back.  It wasn't what Mortimer had been expecting.  He was working on 'mama', 'dada', 'ball', or 'cat'.  She looked up at him with the sweetest face and babbled 'diamond' at him.  So she started with a three syllable word.  No wonder she wouldn't talk, she was being as picky with her words as she was with her food.

Once Cassandra broke through the verbal dam it wasn't long before many other words followed.  It was becoming easier around the house, but Cassandra still loved a good scream-fest.  The only difference was that the screaming was accompanied by words.

"Mama!  Booooooooook!!!" she would scream.  Bella could be down a floor and across the house and the scream was still eardrum shattering.  Bella could hardly stand it and would usually try to head off a tantrum by grabbing a book from the nearest bookshelf.

Aside from going to the park, Cassandra loved to be read to by anyone who would give her attention.  Bella felt content to read as much as Cassandra's heart desired.  She finally started to feel like she was getting to a place where she could really enjoy her daughter.  It had been a tough road but since the family was strong they got through it together.  Cassandra was mellowing out.  Mortimer and Bella eventually put her in a three day preschool program to help her socialize with other children her age.  Cassandra's fits really started to be few and far between if she was worn out from other activities.

It wasn't long after Bella found her sense of normalcy that she started feeling nauseated for no specific reason.  She didn't need a magazine to spell it out for her this time.  She had finally relented and decided to let nature take it's course.  Bella just figured that it would take much longer than this since it took such a long time to conceive Cassandra.  Bella had hoped that Cassandra would be well into childhood before they welcomed another child into the family.  Obviously she was going to have another baby a lot sooner than she thought.

 Gunther was feeling lonely as of late.  He did what he could to help out his son but for the most part they had their family all squared around.  Bella announced that she was pregnant again.  Mortimer had done what he could not; Mortimer's family was happy and growing.  Gunther thought about retiring.  The idea wasn't really appealing.  Being Leader of the Free World was how he kept in touch with people.  It wasn't long after Cornelia's death that he noticed the obituaries in the paper mentioned one of his friends a couple of times a week.  Then it became almost a daily ritual to see which of them had passed on.  Yet there he was, still breathing, still living, and enjoying dinner alone.

Gunther often arrived home late when he was out to dinner by himself.  He didn't like to disturb his family on the evenings they had together nor did he want to interfere with Cassandra's bedtime routine.  It was on one of these late nights that Gunther saw his beautiful Lolita again.  He could remember each and every time she appeared.  The last had been when Cornelia had over heard his confession.  She was coming to him again, though this was different.  Gunther gasped as Lolita reached out to touch him.  He felt the hairs on his arm stand, his skin tingled.  Gunther wasn't afraid.  Lolita still said nothing.  Gunther wished so much to hold her.  Her hand didn't move.  He wondered if his end was near and if Lolita came to take him with her.

"Is it my time?" he asked.  "I'm ready, there is nothing here for me.  There is only you."  Lolita slowly moved her hand up around his shoulder and pulled him close.  Every inch of him felt tingly.  Her electricity pulled him in.  The sensation was not painful, but exhilarating.  Tears of joy streamed down his face.  It had been 80 years since he had last touched her, yet she was there doing what he thought to be impossible.  Gunther couldn't ever imagine letting go.  He would gladly die in the spot he was standing if that meant Lolita never had to leave him.  He hoped her embrace would swallow them both into the afterlife.

Despite his objections Lolita released him.  It seemed what she could do Gunther could not.  As he reached for her to pull her back in his arm felt nothing but air.  Lolita took his hand.

"It is not your time, my love," she whispered into his ear.  Gunther could feel the slight crackling and popping of electricity in her words.  He closed his eyes and took in the very sound of her voice.  The words were bittersweet.

"Please," he pleaded.  "You must be here to take me with you.  I cannot have you go without me again."  His voice was faintly a whisper but Gunther knew she could hear him.

"No, Gunther, that is not why I have come."  A tear slid down his wrinkled cheek.  He didn't understand.  "I have come to give you life.  You are fading my love.  Do not give up.  Your granddaughter will need you.  She will be to her parents what your son was to you.  Your influence will restore the family name to greatness.  It is through you that she will learn what it is to be a Goth.  The baby Bella is carrying will need you as well.  He is a special child and will be misunderstood.  It is you that can help him understand he belongs here."

Lolita's energy was spent.  She had nothing left to maintain her contact and Gunther's hand once again touched nothing but air.  There was nothing more he could do to get Lolita to speak.  She followed him into his bedroom.  Gunther's last vision before he drifted into sleep was the beautiful face of his Lolita.  She watched the steady rise and fall of his chest as he slept.  She was his guardian in the night.  Gunther would never know that she came to watch over him every night while he was sleeping.  Morning came and Lolita returned to the spirit world before Gunther could wake and see she had stayed through the night.

Bella was coming to the end of her first trimester and the morning sickness was almost nonexistent.  Cassandra's favorite game was to pat Bella's growing belly.  Bella bought Cassandra a teddy bear and she started showing Cassandra how to be gentle or how mommy was going to hold the baby.  She even let Cassandra help change the teddy's diaper.  Cassandra's new favorite word was baby.  She often squealed and giggled as Bella rubbed her tummy and talked about the baby.  They hoped that Cassandra's good mood would last and the prospect of a new baby would give their little girl something to look forward to.

Cassandra's pediatrician was amazed at the progress she had made.  The validation by the pediatrician made Mortimer and Bella realize all the hard work was worth it.  Now that Cassandra was potty trained and talking they just had to teach her how to walk.  Bella wanted to have that done before the baby arrived.  She went back to working with Cassandra during the day.  Occasionally Cassandra reverted back to being stubborn but Bella quickly side tracked her with letting her feel the baby.  During the ultra-sound Mortimer and Bella decided to find out the sex of their baby.  They were going to have a boy.  It was so exciting to bribe Cassandra across the room with her brother.

Bella caught up with Mortimer after he came in from the garden.  "I think she is almost ready to walk on her own," Bella announced.

"That's amazing Bells!"

"I really think this is going to be okay.  I'm just so glad this wasn't like last time."

"How is our little guy today?" Mortimer asked.

"He's a little quieter than usual, but still moving around a little."

Mortimer rubbed his wife's belly.  They were going to be blessed with a boy.  It was lucky they were going to have one of each.

Bella was in the 32nd week and was feeling quite huge.  Cassandra was walking on her own for the most part but she still wanted to be carried around.  However, Bella was having a difficult time picking her up.  Bending over the tub to give her a bath was no picnic either.  On this evening Mortimer took over getting Cassandra to bed.  Bella went out to the garden for some peace and quiet.  She couldn't really get on her hands and knees to weed, but she wasn't going to be useless either.  Bella picked up the watering can and went to work water the plants.  She became lost in thought with all of the baby names that they would have to go through in the next eight weeks.

She hadn't really noticed at first, but then the pain started coming hard and strong.  Bella was scared.  These weren't the Braxton Hicks contractions she had been experiencing.  She wanted to go back into the house but every two minutes she was held captive by the pain.  A million thoughts ran through her mind.  This cannot be happening right now.  Where is Mortimer?  He's not ready yet....

Bella's pain was intensifying and coming faster.  Giving up on getting to the house Bella let out a scream of her husband's name.

Mortimer knew that scream was not over some garden spider or garter snake.  Something was wrong.  He scooped Cassandra out of the water and handed her off to his father.  Mortimer ran out to the garden to see Bella doubled over in pain.

"Bella, what happen?  Are you hurt?" he questioned as he came closer.

"It's...the...baby" she panted.  Her teeth clenched and she let out a moan as the pain gripped her again.

"Oh jeez, Bella.  I'm calling the ambulance. Stay calm," Mortimer told her as he pulled out his cell phone.  Bella grabbed his hand and cluched his arm.

"No...time...Car...get...the...car."

Mortimer saw the color drain from his wife's face.  Without a moment to lose he lifted her into his arms and ran as best he could to the garage.

Bella was taken to the maternity ward before they could even be seen in triage.  Dr. Jolina attempted to stop the labor with medication.  It would have been better to keep the baby in the womb for a couple more weeks, but the medication didn't stop the contractions.  Two hours later Mortimer and Bella welcomed their little boy, Alexander, into the world.  Unfortunately, little Alexander required a respirator.  He was taken to the NICU and placed in an incubator.  The next two days seemed to have went by too quickly.  Before they knew it Bella was being discharged to go home but their son still needed to stay in the NICU.  Bella sobbed the entire way home.

Bella took some extra time off at the diner and spent most of her time at the hospital.  Alexander was improving but he was still small and had trouble breathing.  Time slipped away from Bella.  She barely remembered Cassandra's birthday was coming up.  She wanted to give Cassandra a cake at home with just the family so she could get back up to the hospital as quickly as possible.  Gunther objected and took it upon himself to throw Cassandra a birthday party.  She didn't have one when she became a toddler so Gunther thought she deserved to have one as she became a child.  Bella did her best to focus on Cassandra's special day even if her mind was at the hospital.

Mortimer's birthday wasn't far off into the future so Gunther bought a second cake and turned the event into a double birthday party.  The party turned out to be good for the family as a whole.  The mood had been tense around the house and the festivities lightened the mood.  Gunther felt less alone with so many people in the house to talk with.  Mortimer reflected on how far he came at the lab and how perfect his family life was, even with the slight troubles they had.  Bella felt joy and sadness as her little girl went to the next stage of life.  There had been some challenging moments between the two of them, but Cassandra always brought a smile to Bella's face.  Of course, Cassandra didn't understand why the party was so important, she was getting attention and presents.

Cassandra grew into a beautiful little girl.  While the presents were exciting Cassandra was most excited to go to the hospital to meet her new little brother.  She didn't know why, but her parents wouldn't let her go with them until she was a child.  All of the grown-ups were so busy talking to each other she didn't want to interrupt.  For some reason she didn't know there were no other kids at her birthday party.  Didn't her parents know any kids?  Cassandra kept busy as best she could without being a bother.  As soon as the party was over Cassandra begged her parents to take her up to the hospital.  It was all that she really wanted for the the whole day.

The party was a nice respite from the norm, but the next day it was back to the usual routine for everyone.  Cassandra started school, though there was hardly anyone in her class.  Bella eventually had to return to work so she spent her time between the diner and the hospital.  Cassandra's mostly spent time with her grandfather.  It was a special treat when her dad would come home early enough for them to spend time together.  Mortimer knew it meant a lot to Cassandra if she got to spend time with her parents.  Since Bella was so busy he stepped up to make sure Cassandra didn't feel ignored.

On the days he was home early Mortimer spent all of his time with Cassandra.  He would quickly help her with her homework so she could be done and have the rest of the evening free.  While they did anything they could, their favorite was playing catch in the backyard.  It probably wasn't the most respectful way to use the family graveyard, but catch turned into an extreme sport if they started running around and hurdling the gravestones while catching and throwing the ball.  Most of their evening got away from them and the only reason they stopped playing was because it was too dark to see the ball.  Mortimer tucked Cassandra into bed and she was practically asleep before her head hit the pillow.

Two months had passed since Bella had Alexander.  The doctors were confident he would be able to go home soon.  He had been out of the incubator for some time, but he still struggled without the respirator at first.  Alexander's lungs were getting better with each passing day, which gave Mortimer and Bella hope it would be soon that he was released.  One morning, just as she was getting ready to head to the hospital, Bella got a phone call.  The pediatrician cleared Alexander to be discharged home.  Mortimer and Bella would have to keep him away from anyone who had a cold since he could easily developed RSV or pneumonia.  They would also have to keep him on a breathing machine, which would turn on if he stopped breathing, during the night.  It was a lot to take in, but it was the best news Bella had heard in two months.