Chapter 9.5 – July 2023: part II – Just a walk in the park..

Sofia needed her sleep and was still in bed by the time Palash had gone down to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for them.. thinking he would change it up a bit by making waffles instead of pancakes, which is what he assumed she wanted to eat.. but he dared not change it up to much, in case he would receive an unfortunate reaction to the meal.. ;)

 

His breakfast making was interrupted by a phone call already. It was his mom, Laranya, who wanted to know everything about how they were doing, and the upcoming baby.. It wasn't just Palash and Sofia who were anxiously expecting!

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Sofia was in a good mood when she woke up this morning, enjoying her pregnant appearance while still in her nightwear.

Palash excused himself for having made waffles and not pancakes, but Sofia didn't mind.. it was almost the same thing anyway, and she was much to hungry this morning to care about such insignificant details.. ;)

Since todays weather was on their side, unlike that of yesterday, the decided to go to the festival park to enjoy their day.

Sofia rewarding Yumi with dog treats after the scary car ride. ;) Yumi is still just a puppy, but she's gonna have to get used to riding cars eventually...

Palash wanted to play the gnubb game, and Sofia wanted to fill up her belly with some deliciously yucky sweet stuff...

She sat down to enjoy it on a bench in front of the Summer Festival music stage. No band was playing, but the speakers still blasted pop music at full volume for everyone in the park to hear. ;)

Sofia went and got herself another ice cream before she went over to the fountain to relish in the deliciously sweet tastes again, when suddenly Palash had to stop his playing.. it was just as if he saw a ghost.. No that couldn't be, probably just his mind playing a trick on him.. Ghosts.. aren't real...

Sofia went for her third ice cream.. aiming for a sugar high for herself and the Unborn one..
"Oh, I know I shouldn't be eating this much ice cream in one day, but I just can't help myself.. there are so many different flavors... and it doesn't matter how many I eat, I always want more..."

Palash was approached by Sol Skurchk. She had noticed him at Mariannes funeral, and now she tried to make romantic advances on him. Doing his best to keep the peace he didn't outright rejected them, but always made sure to turn the conversation onto other things...

Then it was his turn to get an ice cream as well. Sofia got a little upset and blamed him from sneaking in the line as he blocked her from eating her fourth or fifth ice cream in a row..

He was just about to head over to practice some football when his phone rang. It was his mother again.. She wanted the latest update on Sofia.. how was she? Was she showing signs of going into labour? When was the baby going to arrive?

"I've been out shopping.. I just found this lovely bodysuit the other day, and I just had to get it, it was so cute..."

 

"Oh.. yeah, that's great. Sofia's doing good. We're at the park right now, and she's probably on her sixth ice cream by now.."

Yeah, after the phone conversation with Laranya, Palash went over practicing football.. and Sofia ate ice creams...

 

Palash then went for the skating rink..

 

..and Sofia ate ice creams..

 

..until it got late and the festival closed for the evening. The finally met up to discuss the baby once more, before getting in the car to go home for the night.

 

They were still both positive about the baby, no more apparent disagreement about kids.. Sofia knew that it could start any moment now, but so far she hadn't felt anything all day..

The only water that was 'breaking', as far as she had noticed, was the water leaving the faucet as she filled up the bathtub to get a warm relaxing bath before going to bed...

..which would be just what she needed, but... oh, hold on... what was that? Was she getting cramps from eating to much ice cream or was it..? Well, it was probably just the ice cream.. Maybe she overdid that just a little..
    "Oh!".. but then it happened again, this time just a little stronger. She automatically found herself moving her right hand to the lower parts of her stomach region..

"Not now..." she thought, "...can't you wait until morning..?"

..but the baby doesn't wait, the baby does what the baby wants! And right now the baby is probably tired of being second-hand fed a diet of only pancakes and ice cream.. and wants out..

There was no doubt, it was coming. The pain paused long enough to allow her to get out of the tub and put her clothes back on, before it was at it again. This time it was for real. No time to waste, she had to get to the hospital...

Meanwhile Palash was taking a bath of his own, in his own goofy way... blissfully unaware of what his wife was going through, just one floor up..

..but he realized something was up when he heard the front door open.. it wasn't natural for Sofia to go out again at this hour..

"I think my labour has started! I'm going to the hospital...I've already been on the phone to let them know we're coming.."

Palash was in a rush to get inside, and was the only one of them that could run comfortably, so he had to wait in the hallway for Sofia to make it inside..

The way to the maternity ward is through the doorway to the left, then down the elevator or stairs from there, before doing a sharp right turn when exiting the elevator..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The contractions seemed to have stopped again for a while, as Sofia was doing just fine on the way walking there (ignoring some slight back pains, but that was all).

 

In the hallway just behind that door, the midwife was already waiting for her. Sofia was happy that the strange doctor from their last visit was, seemingly, nowhere to be found.. that doctor was a woman she wouldn't want to meet again – ever – and especially not now, when she was about to give birth to her firstborn child...

Sofia felt reassured by the midwife, how she in a gentle, calm and professional way explained the procedures to them, and walked them through the steps of what was to come.. Palash needed to hear everything a second time though.. just to make sure he hadn't missed anything important..

    "They're starting up again" Sofia said as the contractions came back. The first one felt like a gentle push on either side, just below the ribcage.
    "I'll walk you in", Palash said, supporting her back with his hand and guiding her in to the delivery room..

The second one hit much harder, and if Palash hadn't been there, she was sure she would've fallen on her knees... Palash did his best to calm and soothe her, telling her that it would soon be over, or well, atleast that's what he hoped.. This was a scary and new situation for both of them, and though Palash had been reading the books about pregnancy several times over, he still felt lost and helpless..

 

Sofia eventually managed to stumble on to sit down on one of the fitness balls, aided by the two midwifes that were now present. The contractions seemed to have leveled off for now, as they went on for another hour...

"Why isn't anything happening?" Sofia wanted to know. "Why isn't the baby coming?"

The midwives answered Sofias question, saying they would need to wait a little more, but that everything was under control. They calmed her down saying this was perfectly normal, and sometimes it would just take a little longer.

 

The contractions eventually started to get worse, still happening at the same regular interval. "Please help me up.. I want to lie down on the bed..." Sofia said to the midwives "I think it's really starting now.. oh.. I'm so scared... I don't want to do this.. I don't... ow..."

Palash thought he could feel just how nervous she was, he almost felt nauseous and wondered if he should follow them, or run to the nearest bathroom...

..but he couldn't do that! He had to be there for Sofia.. this, this was the moment.. The midwives confirmed, it was now ongoing, as they instructed Sofia to push...

"Oooh, I don't know if I can do it..."

"Just hold your breath.. and push.. we know you can do it.." the midwife said.

"I can see the head! You're doing great... one more push!"

..at this point Sofia was making sounds she didn't know she was capable of.. sounds she would later think of as 'the growls of a walrus', though Palash could assure her, it wasn't all that bad... and as she kept breathing and pushing on, her sounds became mixed with the sounds of a human baby drawing in it's first breath of air..

    "Last one now, oh.." the midwife exclaimed "..oh! Look.. here she comes!"

    "Great job, Sofia! She's out! It's a girl!" the midwife said as she handed over the newborn baby to Sofia. "Congratulations.. mom and dad!" The midwife let Sofia hold the newborn for a while, before she had to quickly (but gently!) take the newborn to a nearby bench to wrap her in a pink blanket, while the other midwife made sure to wrap a hospital gown around the new mother before she was given back the baby...

    "I did it, Palash, I did it..." Sofia said, her pronounciation being a little slurred... "I gave birth... I gave... birth, and it's a girl..."

    "Yes.. you did.." Palash was almost speechless from the relief, the joy and the pride.. there she was, in the arms of the most beautiful woman he knew.. his firstborn child, his very own little baby girl..
"I'm going to name her Rose..." Sofia said "Rose Marie.. after my great grandmother..."
"Then Rosa Maria it is!" Palash said, before kissing Sofia on the forehead. "Rose Marie it is!"

After the parents had gotten some time to calm down and the hospital had made sure everything was good with the mother and the baby, they admitted them to go home to their own house to finally get some rest...

It was around 5 in the morning when Sofia could finally leave the hospital with Rose Marie in her arms..

Palash was as happy as a man could be.. he got two of his wishes fulfilled all at once, to have a child, and to have that child be a girl..

..and though Sofia was very exhausted from having been up all night giving birth, she immediately knew that her little girl was hungry...

Her fathers fire hydrant trophy which she valued so dearly now had to give way to something that for now would perhaps be even more important...

Well, Sofia is still being herself, though, because she decides to go sleep in another bedroom and leave Palash sleeping with the baby alone..

..just in case her baby girl would decide to wake up crying and interrupt her beauty sleep.. of course..

Well, good night... ;)

New Sim: Rose Marie Chitrakaar

Personality traits: Insane, easily impressed.

Date of birth: 29.07.2023.

Parents: Sofia Chitrakaar, Palash Chitrakaar

Grandparents: Laranya Chitrakaar, Deepak Chitrakaar, Pixi Karlsen, Konrad Karlsen II

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Chapter 9.4 – June 2023 – part II: The funeral portrait..

                                         Song: Otis Redding – I've got dreams to remember

The news of Mariannes death was, of course, a hard hit to the three remaining members of the household..

Max especially seemed to take it really hard, and would occasionally faint at the thought of his long time wife no longer being there.. They were only teenagers when they first got together, and though it was against their will, and their marriage had it's ups and downs, over the years they both learnt to respect and even love one another.. 70 years is a long time to be married..

Three days later they decided to host a small funeral ceremony, only inviting some of their closest friends and family before her urn would be placed inside the family mausoleum..

A stone and a plaque to her memory was already in place in their backyard, along with the flowers and wreaths they had been given as expressions of condolances and grief by the local community.. She may have been rumoured to be a criminal, but that doesn't mean people would be unwilling to show their last sign of respect... Bad guys feel sorrow too..

Bill and Julienne were still griefstruck on the day of the funeral...

..and not to mention the now only remaining head of the family, Max, turning to the Watcher to get some relief from the pain he felt, before serving the food to the guests that were soon to arrive..

Supper was served while the stereo in the background was playing Mariannes favourite soul records from her younger years when they sometimes would spend their weekends out on the town enjoying the local nightlife.. those were dreams to remember..

All these people, the music.. it was still a little to much for Bill to handle after his mothers passing, so he picked up his meal to eat it inside. That was just the way he wanted to handle his grief, in private.

Palash had also shown up at the party, though he was uninvited. The Skurchk family may have a sketchy reputation, but they were neighbours – and being the family oriented man that he is, he couldn't let this opportunity to show support to the family in their time of sorrow pass him by...

He walked over to Max's table to sit down with him and was met with a low grunt from Max where he thanked him for the consideration, but he would rather eat alone.

 

So Palash had to turn back and sit with the other table alongside the rest of the guests. And as it would be, the Skurchk family couldn't even arrange a funeral without having a paparazzi come in and crash the event..

The paparazzi didn't even have the decency to dress in all black formal wear, but chose to just show up in his everyday attire.. no respect from that lot.. Normally, Max would have gotten up to tell the paparazzi to get the hell out of there and stick the camera up a place where the sun never shines, but now.. he just didn't bother...

If the general public wants to feast on stories about an old man grieving, then let them...

After supper was over Pattina Knekknes, Juliennes mother, and Julienne walked over to look at the condolence flowers and say their last goodbye to Marianne, but both found themselves unable to do so without bursting into tears...

Rosa and Rikard Rikerud somehow found it more fitting to display romantic affection towards one another instead.. A part of them knew that their relationship with the Skurchk family was mostly based on them being affluent mostly, so though they were saddened by the passing of Marianne, they had no issues keeping their uh.. composure...

After finishing his meal and mourning for a while on his own inside, Bill finally felt ready to join the others and let his emotions show..

Father and son spent a moment grieving together, while the guests of the party do their best to talk and mingle..

Dudleif had, for obvious reasons, not showed up, or even been invited to the ceremony, but he wasn't the only one of Mariannes sons absent this evening. Though his wife, Sol, was there, Bills twin brother Dennis was lacking in attendance... "He just couldn't make it" Sol told Bill as they slowed dance to another one of Mariannes favourite soul tunes. "I.. I really tried to encourage him to come over with me, but.. he just shut down and locked himself into his office and refused to speak to me..."

Bill looked away. He thought he knew how his brother felt..He didn't at all blame him for wanting to keep to himself. "We were not..... he uh.. he probably just needs some time alone" Bill said with a soft voice. "You know.. it was always like that..."

"I know." Sol said, giving Bills left hand a gentle squeeze. "I know..."

Over by the swimming pool things were a little more dramatic...

    "I never asked for your condolances!" Max scoffed at Palash. "What makes you think you can just come in here, grab a plate of MY food and ask to sit at MY table and pretend to be oh-so-sad about..."

"Just get the hell out of here before I whoop your ass, you little punk! Get the hell out of here and go home to your mistress! If it was up to me, we should've done her in too!"

"Wow, chill there Max.." Palash said with surprise. "I only came here to pay my respect, you know.. and what was that last thing there...?"

"Just get off my property before you end up at the bottom of the river there!"

    "Fine! I'll leave! But know that I heard everything you just said!" Palash shouted back, before turning on his heel and heading for the door. Now, Palash knew that Skurchks were a little dubious to say the least, but he wasn't expecting to receive death threats directed at both himself and his wife.. and what sounded like an admittance to murdering someone.. but whom? Was there something there that Sofia hadn't told him...?

Max was frustrated and angry now, still riled up from the confrontation with Palash as he walked back over to Pattina to berate her for wearing a sleeveless and open back dress at his wifes ceremony..

That didn't receive much understanding from Pattina as she snapped back at him. "Look! We're all grieving here, and I'm deeply sorry for your loss, I really am, but that doesn't give you the right to act like a dick the way you're doing!"

Julienne overheard the quarrel between her mother and her father-in-law, and stepped in to change the topic. Not necessarily a more lighthearted one, but still one she hoped would cool things down a bit, as she began to talk about placing Mariannes urn at her final resting spot in the family mauseloum.
    "She's going to feel right at home there, right next to several generations of this wonderful family" Julienne tried. "She'll love it, and I'm pretty sure it will give her all the peace she wants."

Pattina agreed, and continued in the same vein, talking about how beautiful it was to have everyone in the family gathered in the same spot like that..
    "Wow... wow, ladies..." Max was a little freaked out by their conversation... Sure enough, he was convinced there would be no better place for his wife now, then inside the family mauseolum, but.. did they really have to talk about this now...?

It was getting late and all the guests except Pattina had left by now, and Bill had stood for a while by the poolside overhearing the arguments and strange conversation and decided it was time to go to bed and get some rest... It would be a hard day tomorrow as well when they would – in private – put Mariannes urn at her final resting place....

He could hear his father lashing out at Pattina once more for being disrespectful towards his wife as he walked up the steps to the back door entrance to go inside..

Pattina decided enough was enough and offered them both a brief goodbye and goodnight, before she went back to her car to drive back to her own estate just a few blocks down the road...

Max knew he had crossed the line maybe once or twice, and apologized to Julienne for his behaviour, and Julienne offered him an apology in return. "I'm sorry, we probably shouldn't have talked about... the mausoleum... "
"I should've known it would be upsetting.. Marianne.. she sure had her ways, but.. she was always good.. she was always good to me, and I..."

"...I always felt welcome in this family you know, and I'm just so.. grateful..." Julienne struggled to keep her voice from cracking "...grateful for every.. for everything... you know.."

"I know..." Max whispered, and for a split second he almost gave Julienne a hug... "I know.... now, if you don't... if you don't mind.." he said "..I would like some time... some time alone with my... ...with my wife..."

The last three words were almost inaudible, but Julienne felt she knew excactly what he meant.

"I understand..." she whispered quietly as she turned to walk back to the house with her tears being a secret shared only between her and the absence of light by their backyard swimming pool..

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