Chapter 4: Babies and the Creator

          The arrival of her first son, Eddie Harper, was overshadowed by what Finley experienced in the delivery room. She couldn’t remember any of it, the pain, the doctors, or the first cries of her baby. She felt as though she’d never been in that room. As soon as she was wheeled through the entryway, she was transported somewhere else. In spirit at least.

          Finley had been with her beloved creator. She couldn’t see them, but she could hear them. It’d been blissful. They’d taken away all the pain of childbirth and replaced it with their love for her, their creation. And they told her things. They answered why they wanted her to have children, many children. Only, she couldn’t quite remember it. She’d felt so far away at the time and everything had been so magical in the moment.

          Now Finley was back home in reality. Her young son often filled their small home with his ear-piercing wails. While she’d been with her creator, it’d all seemed so simple. Being apart again left her feeling odd. When she held her son, she wasn’t sure if she was feeling the way a new mother was supposed to. There was a slight disconnect. She hadn’t been the one to name him Eddie, that’d been the creator. Finley wasn’t sure on her stance towards this.

          Perhaps she wasn’t dissatisfied with motherhood. Any internal conflict might have stemmed from the feeling of abandonment she harbored. One moment she’d been with her maker, knowing how loved she truly was, and then in the next she was at home with a crying baby she hadn’t named and carrying quite a few leftover pregnancy pounds.

          Manu moved into the house. She wasn’t sure if they ever had a conversation officially coming to this decision or not. She had complained about not being able to leave the house to make a few simoleons though. Now whenever she needed to get out for a while, he was there to watch Eddie at least. He didn’t really do any of the harder work—feeding, changing—but he’d stand at his bassinette and make ridiculous faces until the baby stopped crying. It was almost cute.

          To be perfectly honest, Finley didn’t use the majority of her free time for fishing or digging up things to sell. She actually made more simoleons from her garden than anywhere else. Most of the time that Manu was left home alone with the baby, Finley was off trying to lose some weight. She didn’t so much mind the bit of extra middle she had, but her enlarged chest was killing her. Then again, she wasn’t so sure that exercising could help that.

          Her jogging around the neighborhood and trips to the gym helped her gain peace of mind. She needed time to consider the recent developments in her life. Time to ponder about her creator.

          Finley didn’t need to get away to think about her situation with Manu. She could do that anywhere easily. They weren’t officially a couple despite sharing a home and child. This bothered her, but he was turning out to be a better guy than she once thought. Well, maybe. He was good with keeping Eddie entertained. And her frequent woohoo sessions with the man were always terrific fun. But he didn’t help bring in any simoleons. In fact, he’d often just stand and watch her working at the garden. Manu said that he was helping though. He’d disappear for a few hours every here and there, occasionally bringing back a large salmon for dinner. Finley didn’t question his outings, since he didn’t hers.

          Over time, Finley did become more attached to Eddie. She could spend hours holding him close to her, feeling his tiny heart beating strong in his body. It was hard to believe that she had made him. “Well Little Guy,” she breathed. “I suppose having another one of you wouldn’t be so bad.” Whether she actually wanted a second baby or if simply wanted another chance to regain the words her creator gifted her, she couldn’t be sure.