"I'm glad you'll love her," Daizi said softly, sitting down to eat while Dark gave Xander a look for interrupting the conversation, "She can see, you know. Or at least, she can see better than I can. We tested it last night--Alec, you should probably eat or cover your ears, or find a way to do both--that's what the flashlight was for, her eyes are developed enough to perceive light. So she won't be blind like me."
"But she will still be Daizi's daughter so... We are going to need all the help we can get," Dark teased, and Daizi scowled at him, which really only amused him more.
The rest of that day, week, and weekend were otherwise unremarkable, and then Monday came around. It was only the first day of her 23rd week, so she didn't personally feel much different than she had the day before, although the personal milestone of managing to stay pregnant for an entire additional week was more exciting to Daizi than her actual birthday was. Birthdays she had experienced before--23 weeks? Never. The second half of her pregnancy felt infinitely more exciting than the first half, because it was all new and uncharted and it really felt like this eggplant sized person inside of her (who, apparently, was gearing up to double in size over the next month) was going to be a person she'd get to meet. Dark, meanwhile, had gone through the weekend with a mild sense of panic, because he had been doing the readings too, and one of the websites directed him to a "How Prepared Are You?" quiz, and the answer was--not very prepared at all. But another website said the baby could start hearing his voice, now, if he spoke close to Daizi's belly. When he tried to verify it, he saw conflicting information, but just in case, on that very first day (after taking the time to say good morning and shower her with love and affection and birthday wishes), he lay down on his stomach, and while gently caressing her bump, took the time to give his love and affection to his baby, too.
Daizi sighed, finding the moment sweet (if a bit amusing, since Dark, despite his naturally very deep voice, put on a lilting baby-voice to talk to their fetus), and ran her fingers through his hair until he was content. As always, she reported on the movements, since annoyingly, he still hadn't been able to feel anything. Soon, hopefully, soon. Daizi swore it would be soon. Of course, Dark trusted her implicitly. He doubted the baby. Some websites said between 20 and 24 weeks. Others said between 28 and 32 weeks. And although he was normally very patient, he felt like he had been waiting since he was in his twenties. But at least he could speak to her, now, and he planned to do it often. At least every morning when he woke up, and every night before he went to bed. Sometimes what Declan had said about men being able to just walk away and forget still rung in his ears. That would never be him.
Eventually, Daizi had to simply shove him away and order him downstairs while she got ready for work, knowing he was too excited about this new development to leave her side otherwise. Not that she wanted him to leave her side. And not that he wanted to leave hers. But unfortunately, even though it was her birthday, she still had places to be... But so did he, and the twins, so putting up a show of being disappointed, her kissed her and slipped downstairs.
The moment the door was closed, he assumed a completely different affectation to what he had with her, because as he walked into the kitchen, he knew the plot he and the twins had put together was ready to be set in motion.
