I couldn't believe I was pregnant again. I worried about putting my career on hold yet again, and Benji was still spending the bulk of his time off pursuing fame and fortune. One think I knew, and that was that things had to change.
Telling Benji there was another baby on the way was the easy part. I cornered him the the shower one morning before he left for work.
He was suitably thrilled about the news. Now for the hard part.
"Benji, you know I love you, and I never really worried before about not being official and all that. But I don't want to have another baby out of wedlock. You remember how bad the media reacted when Robin was born. It was awful! I want to get married. Will you marry me?"
"Mali... I don't want to get married.." My face fell, and I could feel the tears starting.
But then he continued, " No, Mali.. oh, please don't cry. You didn't let me finish. What I meant was, I don't want to get married just because of the paparazzi, I want to marry you because I love you and want to spend the rest of my live with you. And I don't want to get married unless you feel the same way."
"Oh, I do feel the same way. I love you Benji."
"I love you too, Mali."
We celebrated our engagement in the best way.
After that, Benji was always home in the evenings. One night as we sat out in the yard enjoying the cool night air, he leaned over to whisper in my ear.
"You know what? Let's get married. Right here, right now."
"Are you sure?" That is what I had wanted from the beginning, but I thought he wanted a big party for all his celebrity friends.
"Never been surer."
So we said our vows only to each other...
... with only the stars as witnesses...
...and shared our first kiss as husband and wife.
From then on, Benji was a changed man. Robin was overjoyed to spend time with her daddy.
And I never got tired of him telling me how beautiful I was, even at the end of my pregnancy when I was as big as a house.
Finally the big day arrived, and he was just as big a baby about the whole thing as he was last time. I could hardly believe it when he put me in a cab, and said he'd be along in a little while, he had to take care of something first.
It was a fast delivery, and although I tried to wait for him, our little son arrived without his daddy there. Just as I was leaving the hospital, who should show up running in his workout clothes but my tardy husband.
He was all out of breath, and thrilled to have a son.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there, Mali.. you won't believe what happened..."
I was in no mood to listen to his excuses.
I walked right past him into the limo he had called, and refused to look at him all the way home.
He knew he was in the dog house - he mumbled something about being needed down at the station, and left for work as soon as we arrived home with little Bluejay.
When he arrived home that night, he was all smiles.
"Mali, I'm sooo sorry about the workout thing this morning. I don't know what came over me. I want to make it up to you. I was thinking, we should take a trip, just the two of us. When Bluejay is older, of course. What would you think about going to China?"
I just had to smile at that. I'd been wanting to go to China for just about forever, but things never seemed to work out. We talked all night about our plans. We'd go as soon as Bluejay was old enough. Rain had already agreed to watch the kids. I could hardly wait.
But first, it was Robin's birthday. I decided to have a big party for her, and even invited some of Benji's celebrity friends.
I definitely didn't invite that Blake Grayson, but she showed up anyway.
Robin grew up to look a lot like Benji, and all she could talk about the whole evening was getting a dog. I'm not sure where that obsession came from all of a sudden, but I told her if she was good for her Auntie Rain while we were in China, she could have one when we returned.
It turned out that Blake had showed up because she was a huge sports fan, and wanted my autograph. I gave it to her, along with a quiet warning to stay away from my husband.
The party was in full swing; Marina was having a blast dancing with Dennis Chesterfield, the rest of the guests were in the hot tub, and I ducked into the kitchen for a few seconds to take care of the cake plates.
Suddenly I stopped short as I heard voices in the front hallway. I froze, plates in hand, listening.
"Sooo, Benji," I heard Veronica's voice, low and sultry. "What's a handsome guy like you doin' later tonight?"
I didn't dare breathe, waiting for Benji's answer.
"Excuse me, Veronica? You do realize I'm a married man, don't you? I love my wife very much, and I think it's time for you to leave."
I sighed a huge sigh of relief, and clattered the dishes in the sink. My Benji has his faults, but I know he loves me.
Later that evening I had my own birthday. Getting a little older wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be.
And shortly thereafter, it was Jay's turn for a birthday.
"You be good for you Auntie Rain, little guy. We'll be back before you know it!"
Notes
Sorry it took so long for this update. My excuse is SWTOR beta. But it's over now, so I'm back to simming. A really weird thing happened when Bluejay was born. Benji autonomously started to take Mali to the hospital, but he dropped the action before he got in the car, and wandered off to work out while Mali had her baby. I thought it was pretty funny that she wouldn't look at him all the way home.
And I was so proud of Benji for rejecting that flirt :)
