Chapter 2.4: Could It Be?

Claude and Varinia make time to jam together every day. It helps them feel more connected in a way that others don't always understand.

Michael really enjoys being handy at home.

Amira knows better than to practice spells outside her home. Or really anywhere near her home. She practices outside work instead.

And when she can't put out the fire she started she has to call her dad for help. Amira shines bright with the chill of the ice spell that backfired on her.

Claude's magic is not enough to quell the raging fires and soon he has to break out a fire extinguisher.
He pants as the last of the fires dies out, "What have I told you about practicing when you are tired and weak?"
"Don't." Amira replies sheepishly.
"Right."

Nothing can pull Michael away from his soaps, not even his mother in law gabbing away on the phone.

"Is there a grandchild on the way?" Varinia asks. "I have a feeling my sixth grandchild is coming. I mean if the noises coming from your room are anything to go by."
Michael chokes a little on his sandwich while a furious blush rushes across his face.
"What. . . ghmp. No. What?"
"Mom!"
"I really don't want to know." Claude admits.

Michael sleeps on the couch because that family dinner was just too awkward.

Amira builds a snowman while waiting for her coworkers to show up.

She takes a jog to Selma's after work. For some reason her stomach is just really unsettled.

"I got a promotion," Amira says,"Michael still doesn't really know what I do."
"You should probably tell him."

"So sorry to cut this short but I think Jess is up from his nap. I should tend to him."
"Let me," Amira says. "I haven't met him yet and I could probably use the practice."
Amira climbs the stairs quickly as Selma calls out behind her.
"Why would you need the practice, Amira? What are you trying to say? Are you pregnant? ARE YOU?!"
"I don't know." Amira calls down the stairs.
She can almost feel the beaming smile on Selma's face.

Jess calms down the second Amira picks him up.
"This isn't so bad. I could do this maybe. Probably? What do you think?"
Jess gurgles and smiles.
"That's a yes? It sounded like a yes."

The last inch of doubt over whether or not she was pregnant disappears when she rushes into Selma's bathroom and throws up for what feels like hours.
"Well I guess I don't have a choice now."
Amira washes her face and steels herself for what is to come.

"You look really good right now," Michael says.

"And now?" Amira asks?
"Are you? Is that?"

"I'm pregnant. I'm definitely pregnant."
"Oh my! This is real? You are!"
Amira just nods and grins.

"This is so awesome. Like so very awesome!"
"You're going to be a great dad."

Amira can't hold in the news.
"So, um, mom was right. I'm pregnant!"

"That's great, honey!"

Varinia writes a song for her grandchildren.

"Can we really do this? Is it going to work?"
"Of course it's going to work, Amira. We love each other and we'll love this baby too."

Amira has never been able to figure out how Michael always knows what to say to calm her down.

Time to fix up the house now that there's a baby on the way.

Five more. Just five more. I can do this. I have to do this.
Amira works out to help keep her figure.

This is how Varinia and Claude celebrate the news.

"Babe, you really did a great job fixing up that toilet!"
Amira gets excited over the smallest repairs.

Push! Power through!
Amira feels like this is labor training.

And it's not a moment too soon.

Chapter 2.3: Parties! Weddings! Babies?

With Michael moved in, Amira sets some money aside to redecorate her room. She sets up a computer area for Michael. He spends several hours a day just sitting there playing games. She doesn't get it but if it makes him happy then who is she to criticize, right?

She also added a pull up bar so that now she can workout in the comfort of her bedroom while spending time with Michael as well. Sure beats heading out to the gym alone all the time.

Just a couple of musician's jamming away.

"Come here," Michael says. "I want to try something."
"Try what?" Amira asks wearily.
"This thing I read about online. Stand here and give me your hand."
Michael babbles some nonsense while pressing his hand into her head.
"Interesting," he mumbles.
"What?"
"I think I'll go fix that running toilet now."
"What?"
Michael leaves her standing in the room completely confused.

Moira and Marques throw a reception at their home following their impromptu private wedding. They refuse to say they eloped even though that is exactly what they did.

"So good to see you!" Amira hugs Selma tightly. "How have you been?"
"I've been good, you know, just trying to find a steady job. I did meet someone though. He is so amazing."

"We'll have to see one of your shows soon," Michael says.
He's trying to show some interest even though he'd rather be enjoying his honeymoon time with Amira instead.

No one thinks twice when Leila disappears. They assume she's gone home. She's been pretty down since her recent break-up with Jesse, Marques' older brother. No one suspects that Jesse has used his wiles to lure Leila once again.

This cannot end well but for the moment, Leila is thrilled.

"It's so hard not to cry sometimes," Amira admits, "I mean weddings are just so nice! And then before we all know it we'll be raising our own children. I mean, look at Maeve! Sally is almost a teen! Salvatore is head of his class and Barnaby will be talking soon. Can you believe that?"

Michael is finally able to tear Amira away and they take a cab home. They're the only ones there and the emptiness is exciting.

"C'mere."
"What? More weird head touching?" Amira asks jokingly.
Michael pulls her into a kiss swallowing the last of her laugh.
"I had something else in mind."

"Are you sure about this?" Amira asks.
She doesn't want to admit that she's nervous but she is very, very nervous. They haven't had a chance to go this far yet and now, well now she wasn't exactly expecting this.
"Are you sure?"
Michael waits anxiously for Amira's okay. Amira takes a deep breath and nods.

It goes off without a hitch. Michael briefly wonders if he's doing it right but then Amira purrs in his ear and drags her fingernails across his back and he's pretty sure he's doing well.

A little post woohoo workout to work out the last of her buzzy excitement.

Roman invites everyone over for Spooky day. Claude is a giant hot dog while his son is a chef.

This is the first time Claude has been able to make it out to meet his twin granddaughters, Diana and Windy.

Roman's wife, Nikia, is a great hostess considering she has two toddlers underfoot.
"Make yourself at home," she says. "There's an angel food cake and some hors d'oeuvres on the counter. There's also fresh squeezed juice in the fridge."

Maeve is still wearing her maternity clothes from her last pregnancy with Barnaby. She's not ready to trade in her comfy pants for a business suit yet.
"Hi honey!" Varinia calls. "How are you? How are the kids?"
"They're good."

Michael and Amira take advantage of the fact that her parents are enjoying Roman's party. They're on a roll.

"Do you have to wear those when it's just the two of us?"
Michael blushes furiously.
"I. . . please, I just feel more comfortable."
Amira's face softens and she hugs Michael to her.
"It's fine. Whatever makes you happy."

Selma invites everyone over for a Sunday brunch. She's absolutely beaming. She gathers everyone on the front porch of her new house. Her boyfriend, Morgan, stands next to her and they announce their marriage.
"We got married yesterday," Selma gushes. "I'm sorry we didn't invite you all but it was spur of the moment."

"Congratulations on your wedding!" Claude says.
Though it's hard to see all of his children starting their own lives, he's so very proud of each and every one of them.

Moira is trying to figure out why Leila looks different to her. Amira introduces herself to Selma's new husband.

"Congratulations on marrying my sister. Treat her well or else I know some people that will make your existence rather painful."
"Um, thanks, I guess." Morgan says nervously. "I plan on treating her very well."

Leila can't contain her secret anymore.
"I'm pregnant. It's Jesse's. He's not sticking around. I don't know what to do," she blurts out.

"Have heart, Leila, you can do this. We are all here to help you," Varinia says. "I raised the five of you girls on my own with just your dad as a support though he wasn't always around. Look around you, you have this amazing family all happy to be here for you now."

It's just the thing that Leila needs to hear.

"We could have a baby," Michael says. "I've always wanted to be a dad."
"Don't you think we should both be a little more secure in our careers? I just started at the shipping company and you don't even have a job yet."
"Maybe you're right."
Amira can't help but notice the sad look that crosses Michael's face.

Crap! Crap! Varinia's going to kill me if she sees this.
The effects of playing with spells is not always what you intend.

Michael has been working hard at proving his worth around the house especially since he still hasn't found a suitable job. Nothing he's seen in the paper or on the job boards seems like a good fit.

He gets the call late one night just as he's heading to bed. A local video game startup received his resume and they are interested in hiring him. The job sounds perfect!

He shares the news with Amira first thing in the morning.
"Maybe we can start thinking about that baby now."
"That sounds good."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Generation 2 Rolls:
Marital Status: Couple
Children: ?
Primary Career: Criminal (Thief) 
Secondary Career: Video Game Designer (Engineer)
Generational Goal: ?
Miscellaneous Fun: Opposites Attract/Perfect Match