"Shes so small, look at her!" Ray beamed as he poked a finger at the sonogram Mikey was holding.
They had just returned from the clinic for their ultrasound, Gerard was babysitting their eldest, Grace. Grace hadn't really shown much interest when Mikey announced he was pregnant at Thanksgiving. She didn't care, she didn't want a sibling.
"We're home!" Mikey announced into the house, finding Gerard sitting on the sofa, tapping away on his phone. His own daughter Bandit was spending time up in New Jersey with Franks family, Gerard didn't want to travel around, and he wanted Frank to spend time with his parents, so he stayed back in LA.
"Grace, come look at your baby sister!" The curly haired man said with a grin. Grace just ignored him and continued to read her comic.
Ray helped Mikey to take his jacket and shoes off, pulling him back onto his aching feet when his shoes were off. Pregnancy was a pain in the ass, but Mikey was loving it. He missed being pregnant with Grace, so he and Ray decided it was time to have another.
Gerard stood up from the sofa to see the little image in Mikey's hand. "Oh wow, shes so small. I'm really happy for you guys, you're already good parents."
"Mommy's not." Grace spat, very suddenly. Everyone turned to stare as she continued to read.
"Why isn't he a good parent?" Ray asked. He had never seen or heard Grace act like that.
"Because he's having a stupid baby and i don't want a stupid sister. Mommy is replacing me and its not fair!" Jealously. The reason Mikey was afraid to try for another.
They would've thought Grace would be excited to be a big sister, clearly they were wrong. She became so distant from Mikey and it was killing him. He just wanted his first baby and his next baby to love each other. Grace was not listening. She didn't care, she just wanted her mom and dad to herself.
"Grace, your mom and i wanted the new baby. Don't you dare call your mom stupid. What has gotten into you lately?" Ray spoke in a calm tone.
"You're always talking about the dumb baby! Like Rowan needs more toys or We gotta paint the nursery. And you're always talking about mom! I-I can't play on the slide with mommy anymore because you said he can't slide because he's gonna hurt the baby! Its not fair!"
Mikey hated saying no to his baby girl. He hated that day when he had to say no to Grace when she asked him to go down the slide, or play on the trampoline with her. When Grace wanted to go in the hot tub with Mikey, Mikey had to say no, his doctor told him no. Grace was really hurt and upset.
"Grace-" Mikey tried to interrupt.
"Go away mommy! I hate you! I hate Rowan, i hate you all!"
Grace picked up her book and stormed up the stairs, slamming her bedroom door loudly and with so much force that the pictures on the wall shook. Mikey was just seconds away from bursting into tears, thanks to Rowan making him so damn emotional.
Gerard picked up his coat that was lying over the arm of the sofa. "I'll uhh...I'll go now. Let me know how this goes, 'kay?"
Mikey just nodded. Gerard left the Toro household after seeing the little fight between Grace and her parents. Mikey's pregnancy hormones weren't making this any easier.
"She'll calm down soon, i think we should just leave her while she lets off some steam."
Ray always knew how to handle a situation. The man with a plan.
-
It was dinnertime when Grace finally came down the stairs, not glancing over at the scene in front of her. Mikey with his shirt pulled up, and Ray talking lovingly to the baby. It weirded her out when they did that.
