The Bloomer Legacy: 8.27 Welcome Home

“Oh my, how long have you been gone for?” Yenn stared at Pauline’s belly when the honeymooners returned.

“I guess the household will grow a little bit,” Pauline smiled sheepishly. “Would you like to feel the baby?”

A grin crept on Yennefer’s face when she felt the baby kick against the palm of her hand. The ninth generation of the Bloomer legacy. The seventh she would get to meet. She truly was blessed.

“Welcome home, honey,” she said to Pauline warmly, wrapping her in a hug. “I can’t wait for your child to join us. Have you thought about names yet?”

In the next few days, Yenn barely left Pauline’s side. She wanted to make sure all of her needs were met, and that the new generation would arrive as smoothly as possible.

Leo would joke than Yenn was trying to replace him, though he did appreciate the help. He did decide to switch his writing job for one in the culinary field after his talk with Candy and Paolo. He still wanted to do writing on the side though, so he kept rather busy. With his long hours (as a dishwasher at a diner in Willow Creek, but it was a start) combined with morning typing away furiously meant Yenn’s involvement was more than welcome.

Not that Pauline was slacking off in the career department by any means, in spite of the late state of her pregnancy. She played her way through to becoming a professional pianist. She figured the music would soothe her baby anyway, so really it was two birds in one stone.

Though the baby definitely didn’t seem to be enjoying this particular piece, Pauline thought. She gasped with pain. Maybe she was wrong, she realised. Seemed the baby was enjoying the music so much it decided to join them…

“Leo… I think it’s time…” She said to her husband, panic in her eyes.

For a moment, Leo just stood there without as much as a blink, stunned. Finally, he hugged his wife.

“Let’s go have a baby!”

His excitement filled Pauline with warmth, in spite of her pain. They were about to become parents!

The delivery went smoothly, and the couple brought their beautiful baby girl from the hospital not too much later.

“Welcome home, precious one.” Pauline couldn’t take her eyes off of her daughter.

She gently placed the baby in the crib, almost afraid that she would break her. And the little girl stared right back at her.

“Seraphina Bloomer, first of her generation,” she smiled.

“She couldn’t be more perfect,” Leo gushed.

“You’re right. She’s our perfect little princess.”

The new parents continued to stand above the crib in silence and admire their daughter for a long, long time.

***

Parenthood changed several aspects of Pauline and Leo’s life – from little things like Pauline dying her hair back to her natural colour so that she wouldn’t have to spend time on constantly colouring it; to big things like Leo no longer taking late night shifts at the diner to spend more time with the family.

But some things stayed very much the same; the two still couldn’t keep their hands off of each other. And with a screaming baby on their hands, finding time for each other became more of a challenge, so they had to be… inventive.

“Anybody home?” An unmistakable voice called out at the worst moment imaginable.

“Peyton!”

“I’m home!” Her sister announced, beaming. “Wait, you look frazzled. You do remember that you asked me to move back in with you, right?”

“Of course… it’s just… not the best timing.”

“Oh,” Peyton burst out laughing. “Well I’m glad you two are still in honeymoon mode…”

“That is the first thing you think off?” Pauline’s cheeks turned crimson.

“There’s a number of things we could have been doing,” she recovered. “We’re parents now. Responsible adults.”

“I’m sure you were being very adult,” Peyton couldn’t stop giggling. “Ok, I’ll stop. So where is my niece?”

“Hey there, tiny one,” Peyton greeted the baby. “It’s about time someone responsible joined the household, right?”

“I’m Peyton. And I’m gonna be your favourite aunt!”

She paused.

“Actually, your aunt Hallie was born today, so I guess I can’t say that anymore. Plum… Err, don’t tell your mom and dad I said plum in front of you… See? We’re accomplices already! You and I are gonna have a great time!”