Chapter 20: The End of an Era

Only a little bit longer, and I’m going to be a grandfather.  As we all await D-day (the name we use for Aurora’s due date), all of us get more excited.  Sophia’s been feeling a little cooped up lately.  Jeff and Aurora have things pretty well in hand so far.  Her and I talked a few things over.  The spa went up for sale after the first owner decided they were going to sell it.  We decided to buy it.  It’s now called the Dragon’s Lair Spa.  Sophia has decided that she’s going to run it, at least part time during evenings.  She figures it still gives her plenty of time to be here at home for when the baby comes.

When the weather’s nice out, ‘Rora’s been out on the deck as much as she can be, often reading.  Her and Jeff are both still reading a fair number of pregnancy books.

I have to rib on Jeff a little bit for that one.  After all, he’s the doctor, or he will be.  He’s pretty close to getting his residency already.  He’s as giddy as a school boy about the prospect of being a father.  Aurora can’t stop smiling either.

Oh, Megara has joined her mate in elderhood just today.  She’s feeling a little creaky, I think.  But even the dogs sense the excitement in the air.

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Being a police officer for as long as I have has not prepared me for everything, it seems.  I thought seeing my pregnant girlfriend go into labor was bad.  Seeing my daughter, my little girl (despite her not being little any more), was so much worse.  I tried to remain calm, really I did… At least Jeff and Sophia kept their heads.

Jeff loaded her into the car and took her to the hospital.  Sophia and I followed behind them.  I wanted to go in the same vehicle, but Sophia overruled me… she said that Aurora didn’t need a- hm, what had she said?  I think it was “…she doesn’t need some psychotic drill sergeant yelling in her ear to breath.  Really dear… what am I going to do with you?”  In hindsight, she was right.  We made it to the hospital without incidence.  Jeff stayed the entire time in the room with his wife and Sophia ran back forth, between me and checking on Aurora.  I was too nervous to stay more than a few minutes in the room, particularly with her abilities seemingly heightened with the pregnancy.

After a few hours of hard labor, my granddaughter, Luna Eris Wyvern, was born.

It seems so surreal… but then I look down at that beautiful little baby, smell the fresh powder, see those beautiful red eyes, and it hits me all over again.

I remember when Aurora was this age.  I had been terrified.  I was little more than a kid myself.  How was I supposed to take care of one?  I knew my parents would be there, and Sophia.  Still, I hardly slept, could barely eat.  There were equal parts of terror and joy as the day slowly approached.  Then, Sophia had gone into labor.  The drive to the hospital seemed to take forever and being there, in the room with Sophia… I was even more of a wreck.  And then they handed her to me…  Everything in me stilled.  The storm that had been brewing seemed to have died in that one instant.  Seeing my little girl go through the same thing was tough.  But holding Luna, looking down at the little bundle smoothed everything out once again.

And watching her mother and father with her is another kind of miracle.

My wife loves having another baby in the house.  I have a feeling our little Luna is going to be rather spoiled.

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Jeff and Aurora decided to get married in the evening.  There had been talk before of having the ceremony before Aurora gave birth, but it was decided that after was soon enough.  So it was that Jeff and Aurora got married where her mother and I had, at the edge of the property, overlooking the water.  First, of course was the fittings.

As Jeff and Aurora stood under the arch, I sighed and pulled my wife to me.  I’m not ashamed to admit that we were both teary-eyed.

They exchanged vows and rings, looking as if there was no one else in the world.

Then they sealed it with a kiss, the half-moon in the sky shining down on them.

There was clapping and cheering from their family as we looked on.

Then it was time for them to cut the cake.

Falkor and his brood stayed for a while, congratulating my daughter and son-in-law, both on their marriage and their new addition.  The two couldn’t wait to get back to their little one.  Aurora had brought Luna out to the living room to show her off, still dressed in her finery.  “I’m so lucky,” she murmured.  “I’m now married to the love of my life, and look at this child.”  I watched her look into her daughter’s eyes and felt my throat close up with emotion.

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I can’t believe how time flies.  Is that a product of aging, I wonder?  Maybe.  Or maybe it’s just that when one is immersed in their life, it’s hard to keep track of said time.  There I go again… going off on one of my tangents.  Can’t seem to help myself.  Anyway, before we all knew it, our little Luna was becoming a toddler.  Aurora had the honor of bringing her to the cake.  I could see the tears that she refused to let fall.  Still, there was pride there, too.

Aurora leaned down and blew out the candles.

The sparkles surrounded her as she laughed and cooed.  Then our little Eclipse (my nickname for her) was no longer a little bundle wrapped in pink.

Now that our line is continuing on, not just in my daughter, but now my granddaughter, I think it is time to hand this off to Aurora.  I know she keeps her own journal.  But I think it is now her right to record the family history for this new generation.  To those who will read this later: I am Draco Wyvern and I am so very proud of you.  May the Watcher and our Mother bless you.

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