Imperfect Desires

Xiu had smooth sailing in her first pregnancy but it ended when she entered her third trimester. The little tiger started making her realize his presence within her. She was always short of breath. 

The worst part was the frequent visits to the bathroom and just this short trip would leave her panting like an old woman trying to catch her breath for a long time. She even complained about it to Darren and said, "Why don't I just live in the bathroom? I don't want to move anymore!"

Darren was also really helpless regarding this. He couldn't do much to ease her pain either. But what he could do, he'd always do. For instance, he'd help her soak her feet in cold water and massage her ankles and feet to help with the swelling. He even started applying moisturizer on her body to help alleviate the itchiness that she felt because her skin had stretched and dried out.

Leaving aside her usual tiredness, in the third trimester, she was really the epitome of tiredness. There was not a moment when she wasn't feeling tired. So, apart from doing yoga, exercise, and a bit of walk, there was nothing else that Xiu did in the last few weeks before the birth.

Whatever energy she was left with was gone once she went into labor. She thought the false contractions were the worst part of this pregnancy. But when she had to go through the long 38 hours of labor, she realized what really could be described as the worst.

Holding Darren's hand, she kept trying to breathe like she was taught in those paternal classes but it really didn't help. However, she didn't cry. No matter how much pain she felt, she refused to cry. When asked why, she answered, "I don't want to welcome my son with tears into this world."

But the same couldn't be said for Darren since this mister couldn't help feeling pained for his Sweets and even shed some tears. Xiu was truly amused by that. She even tried to coax him, "Baobei, if you cry, how am I gonna become strong? Stop doing this to me, eh?"

Darren shook his tears away saying, "I can't see you in pain. Don't you know that?"

"I know but this is nothing," she tried to reassure him but it wasn't really believable with the way she was sweating, it was quite obvious for anyone to see how much pain she was bearing on her own.

Although she said that, she truly didn't think like that. She was someone who had even come back from death. But still, she had to say, this pain was truly something else. It hurt so much that she wanted to spew out all the profanities she knew of. However, her vocabulary was quite limited when it came to such things.

After over 38 hours, her long wait was over and her dear son chose to make an appearance. Hearing the first cry of her son, Xiu felt relaxed and happy. 

Even though everyone knew that Xiu was about to give birth, only Darren was allowed to make an appearance at the hospital to stay with her. The rest were not allowed to show up. For some reason, Xiu wanted to follow the traditions.

When she first held her son in her arms, she looked at that tiny round face that looked like a cooked shrimp and chuckled at her own thoughts as she poked her son's cheek, "Look at you! Little devil! Thank you for coming to this world and not killing me in the process of doing so."

Darren placed his arms around them and said, "Say something nice."

"I'm a nice person, I only say nice things," argued Xiu and Darren couldn't argue with her.

For the next month, not a single person apart from Xiu and Darren had seen their son. Both mother and son rested at home for the full month. And during this confinement period, she continued to eat restorative foods to build up her health.

After a full month of confinement, they organized a 'Full Moon Celebration' Banquet for their son. And this was the chance for the whole family to finally see this new family member.

One night before the full moon celebration banquet, Xiu was holding her little son's soft and plump body in the baby tub that was filled for his bath. She washed him softly like she was caressing his skin with a feather. She couldn't help it, she didn't want her baby's body to get any bruise. 

Darren also walked inside and sat on the opposite side, saying, "Mama said, she has arranged everything. All we have to do is appear at the banquet with our little tiger."

  Xiu hummed in reply and looked at her sleepy son. "I think he has inherited my laziness. He loves to sleep. Here, I'm washing him up and he is dozing off."

Darren laughed at her, "He is still small. All he can do is eat and sleep for now."

Xiu pinched his tiny nose saying, "That's why he is my favorite. He loves all those things that I love. Eating and sleeping. I can already see how good of a friend we'll make in the future."

Darren could only laugh harder when he heard her say that. 

"Sweets, if he is your favorite, what am I?"

"You?" Xiu pretended to think about it for a while before telling him, "You're a part of me. How many times I have to tell you this?"

"I like hearing it again and again," he replied cheekily as he held up their son in a towel and patted his dry softly. The little one was so obedient that he didn't mind what his parents did to him. As much as he tortured Xiu during the third trimester, he was trying to gain brownie points now by being a good baby.

And to this, Xiu had said, "He is scheming like his mother." She had no qualms in calling herself scheming.

Darren took the baby out of the bathroom which gave Xiu enough space to take a bath and change her clothes. As she came out to the bedroom, she found her baby curled up on the chest of his father. His diaper-clad butt was raised up while his small hands laid on top of his father's chest. 

This scene before her was so warm that it filled her soul to the brim with warmth. Her two precious babies were just too adorable. Handling one's charm was deadly enough and now seeing them together, it was instant kill!

Slowly as the little baby had grown in this one month, one could finally see a faint image of his father in him. The little tiger had really taken after his father. He not only had those signature grey eyes, he even started to look like his father. Xiu could already tell he was gonna become a split image of his father.

Darren was lightly patting the little baby's back with his eyes closed. Xiu took light steps over to their side and pushed Darren's hair away from his forehead. Her husband had also chosen to lock himself in the house with her and their son for the whole month. And because of that, his hair had grown longer than she was used to seeing. 

With her touch, he opened his eyes and blinked at her.

"Tired?" she asked.

Darren shook his head, "Not really. I'm fine."

Xiu picked up her son from his chest who moved slightly but soon curled up in his mother's arms. Babies do have some kind of affinity with their mothers since even though the one to always hold him was Darren, this little tiger still knew how to act spoilt with his mother and garner her attention and love.

In the corner of the room was set up baby's nursery. They hadn't chosen to give him a room of his own yet. First, he was too small, and second, both of them were too overprotective of their son. 

Xiu put him in the crib which was made with love by the little tiger's uncles. Xiu knew how many blisters and cuts both Xiao Li and Ah-Si had when they were learning to build a crib from scratch for their son. Even though she said there was no need, they had insisted on doing it this way.

Although Xiu loved the gesture, she felt distressed seeing her brothers in pain. 

As she fixed the blanket for the baby, Darren came to stand behind her and wrapped his arms around her. They both gazed at the sleeping face of their baby and both of them had a soft and gentle smile on their faces. For some reason, that smile had become permanent since this little one had arrived. Just looking at his face, they both found their happiness.

Xiu had been true to her words which she told the baby when she first held him in her arms. She was thankful. It was her blessing that this little tiger chose to appear in her life.