Chapter 11

The birth of Stephanie’s baby was scary yet intriguing to me. I’ll start with the intriguing part. Bringing life into the world is a truly beautiful thing. After the baby was born I saw a side of Stephanie that I had never seen before. She was so happy and the love she had for her baby was something anyone could see.

Now the scary part of this for me really started with the fact that she didn’t get anything to help with the pain. And I was the one holding her hand.

While squeezing my hand Stephanie yelled, “Get this baby out of my freaking body now! Why the hell do women even do this?”

The pain shooting through my hand and other parts of my body may have made it so I didn’t understand everything that Stephanie and the hospital staff were saying. So later on I filled in some of the gaps with some family-friendly stuff. Which is strange because some of the things I’ve done since becoming Heather haven’t been for the entire family to know about. Things like having sex with my brother and wanting to have children with him.

After the baby was born they tried handing the baby to Stephanie. But she was too weak and tired. She told them, “Let Heather hold my daughter.”

“What? Me, holding a baby?” I don’t know-how,” I said.

Stephanie giggled, “I was the same way the first time my Aunt asked me to hold my baby cousin. He was so adorable. Holding a newborn is so magical. You’ll need to learn how to hold one someday. Unless you and your boyfriend don’t want any. Or can’t have them.”

That last part I could tell she was definitely teasing me. But she did have a point.

“I ... I ... guess you have a point. He will make a wonderful father,” I replied.

The nurse looked at me skeptically then said, “You look a bit too young to be talking about having babies.”

“Oh, I am. I’m only 17. I think Stephanie was talking about when I’m in my twenties. Or even in my thirties. After what she and my hand went through today I think I really would wait till then. I think I even had some sympathy pains too. It almost felt like I was delivering that baby,” I told the nurse.

“And that good nurse is why I wanted her in there with me for the birth. I’ve seen the eyes she and her boyfriend make at one another,” Stephanie said.

The nurse nodded approvingly then guided me on how to hold the baby and how to move around with her. Even how to put her down when I needed to.

The baby scrunched her face and made a cute and funny noise. I couldn’t help but smile.

The nurse said, “Your niece loves you already. I think you’ll be a wonderful mother when you’re ready.”

“She will. Like you said to the nurse, that won’t be for a while. Not until after you turn eighteen, at the earliest. Do you understand?” Stephanie said with a chuckle.

I was still looking at the baby and said, “I do love babies, and I understand.”

Shortly after that, the nurse left so she could tell our family and friends that the mother and baby were ready for visitors.

“I never really took the time to notice how beautiful the world could be. But I feel that today is truly a beautiful day. Don’t you?” Stephanie said.

I looked out the window then back at the baby in my arms, “It is beautiful. Especially with a new baby arriving.”

“Do you want to know who the father is?” Stephanie asked.

I wasn’t sure I was ready to know. But I said, “I do.”

“It’s Steven,” she told me.

I finally looked away from the baby and asked, “Are you sure?”

“I am. Can I hold my child?” I gave her the baby. “I did tell you my appearance was partially because of whom had gotten me pregnant right. It’s still possible I could have been like that all because of my other half. But if you had been the father this would have happened when you held the baby.”

The baby started glowing. The beautiful glow lasted for several seconds.

“Is that why you didn’t want to hold your baby at first?” I asked.

Stephanie shook her head, “The nurse wouldn’t have been able to see the glow. Only those closest to me are able to see it. It would have been nearly blinding if you had been the father. I need to tell you something else. Those sympathy pains you felt during my birth. Those weren’t actually sympathy pains. I may have unintentionally sent some of my birthing pains into you. It was a pain my body wasn’t used to so the magic inside of me found a way to lessen it for me by sharing it with you. And for the baby’s fast growth. I was a virgin when we had sex. And my daughter shouldn’t be ready to be born for months yet. The magic helped to speed up her growth. It also ensured that my first baby would be born female. That’s how it is with most firstborns in my family.”

“This magic stuff really isn’t like what I’ve seen in the movies. It’s kind of strange and confusing,” I told her.

A few minutes later Candy walked through the door followed by Josh then Keith.

“Keith? What are you doing here?” I was now even more confused. And somewhat aroused to see him.

I was now picturing the process of making a baby with him. It started with the wonderful act of sex. I’d be on my back or we’d be doing it doggy style or any other number of ways of his huge member thrusting in and out of me. I’d be calling out his name as we’d reach our mutual orgasms. It was as if I could actually see his sperm penetrating my egg and the baby would start to form.

In my imagination, the baby’s growth had reached the point it could now move its hands when Keith brought me back to reality and said, “Candy called me and let me know what was going on. What’s this I hear about Stephanie claiming you as the baby’s Aunt?”

“I thought that was the only way they’d let her stay with me. I was scared. I needed someone familiar with me. I can let them know the truth if you’d ... like,” Stephanie yawned and motioned for me to take the baby.

Josh and Candy smiled when they saw me holding the baby. Keith smiled too but he looked kind of funny. I had to try not to give my surprise away when I realized why. I’d have to talk to him after we got home.

Candy got about two feet away from the baby and asked, “What’s her name? Oops,” in a whisper, “I think it’s time to go.”

Stephanie had fallen asleep. Since I was the only one awake with experience holding a newborn baby they had me put the baby in its little bed. We informed the hospital staff that Stephanie was asleep and that we were leaving.

In the hallway, Josh said, “I think this is a time to celebrate. A new baby has arrived.”

“That sounds like a great idea. Heather, Keith do either of you care to join us?” Candy excitedly asked. She was practically bouncing with her excitement.

“I think I’d rather skip this. She and I never really knew each other. I’d feel like I was the odd man out or something. But she was my brother’s favorite teacher and the two of them got along so well. So I would like to get a present for them. Do any of you have an idea what would be a good gift?” Keith said.

“I’d love to help but I have no idea when it comes to babies. Josh? You have a few younger siblings. Do you have any ideas?” Candy said.

“I actually.” he made a weird noise and rubbed his arm and said, “Not really. My younger sister is close to my age and the only other younger siblings I have are brothers so I wouldn’t know what to get. Maybe Heather could help you with that.”

He sounded unsure about that last part. I wasn’t sure if I should be insulted about that or not.

Candy moved around and gave me a look and mouthed go on girl, so I said, “I can help you with that. I saw a cute baby outfit that quoted Yoda. It said, ‘Judge me by my size do you?’ That can be one gift for the baby.” Keith and I started to walk away. “We can figure out what to get for Stephanie while we’re out.”

I heard Candy teasingly call out, “Hopefully not Star Wars related.”

Josh added, “Unless it’s a matching outfit. Oof.”

I looked back and Josh was clutching his stomach. And glaring at Candy.

In Keith’s car, I asked, “We’re not going shopping for presents are we?”

“I’m not so sure. How could you tell?” Keith asked.

I looked at him for a few seconds before answering, “I could see how you were looking at Stephanie. And you really tensed up when Candy suggested we go out to celebrate the birth. You seemed to really relax when Candy accepted you not showing up. So I have to ask why don’t you want to celebrate or get presents?”

He shrugged at first, “I think part of me blames her for what happened to Wade. Part of me wants to believe she’s innocent. At the trial, I could see that she truly does care for all of her former students. And even if she was purely innocent there’s the fact that she had sex with my brother while he was her student and may have just had his baby. I, I know that makes me seem like a hypocrite. I am having sex with you while I’m your guardian. Maybe if Wade were still alive I’d feel different about things. I don’t know.”

I rubbed his shoulder, “I have no doubt you would. Listen. There’s something I should tell you.” One deep breath later. “While I was alone with her, Stephanie told me that her baby’s father wasn’t Wade. She had gotten pregnant by her brother. They didn’t realize she was pregnant before she was forced to have ... relations with him.”