Baby On Board

Charlie parked his car at the diner looking over next to him at Talia and smiled.

"It will be great seeing Aurora again huh?" Charlie asked Talia as they stepped out of his corolla into the chilly air. "Does she still wrestle or anything?"

Charlie knew Talia barely talked about family so he didn't force the issue. His family was a horrid trainwreck, so he figured she couldn't possibly have nuttier relatives than he did. He held the door open for Talia as they made their way inside, looking for her sister Aurora who had invited them out.

Talia wasn't sure how to feel about the meeting. Aurora had wanted to talk in person, which wasn't all that unusual. But she had said it was important, and that was rare. Was she leaving? It had been awhile since Aurora had wrestled. Or maybe something else was happening, probably something with their mom or dad. She hadn't asked if she could bring Charlie but she brought him anyways.

"Yea, it will be," Talia laughed lightly as she squeezed Charlie's hand as they walked through the cold air. It was an american style diner just like from home. Although it was probably not actually just like the american ones. She bet it was going to be more like Japan's take on american fare, which she didn't mind all that much. "Not that I know of...not since her match with Cassie so long ago." That did support the theory that she was leaving.

Talia spotted Aurora as soon as they entered. "Hey Aury!" she shouted across the busy room towards her sister who looked up from her phone and waved back. There was an odd look to her. She had let her hair grow really long and was wearing heavy, winter clothes and a jacket even though she was sitting down. It may had been Talia's imagination, but her skin seemed oddly radiant. She didn't think too much into it though.

"Hey there Tal," she said back without getting out of her seat and instead gesturing for her...and Charlie when she noticed him to sit across from her. "Hey Charlie, how have you been?" she quickly added not wanting to be impolite. "It's been awhile since I've seen you two. What have you been up to?"

Charlie smiled and waved as he saw Aurora. "Hey Aurora! We've been well, trying to keep busy how about you?" Charlie asked. He wanted to tell her about Talia moving in, Talia making a return to Tension, and them being a tag team. Charlie just figured all that would be better coming from Talia herself.

As they sat down, Charlie put an arm around Talia and held one of her hands with his free hand. He barely got to inow Aurora although he was closing in on a one year anniversary with Talia in a few months. Hell he only found out a couple weeks ago that they had a brother! Still, if Talia's family was half as amazing as she was Charlie would have fun in-laws.

Wait.... why did Charlie think of them as in-laws? Things were going better with Talia than any of his previous relationships by far..... Charlies mind began to wander as thoughts of Talia being "the one" popped into his mind..

Talia couldn't help but turn to Charlie and smile as he wrapped his arm around her and squeezed her hand. She wanted to kiss him and say she loved him right then and there, but Aurora was three feet way from them and she didn't want to make her sister feel to awkward. So she settled for squeezing his hand right back.

"I've been good...really good actually. I've kept busy in my own way," she added while watching the two lovebirds. "How's the office?" she asked as she picked up a menu and pretended to gloss over it.

"It's been good," Talia lied. She didn't want her sister getting involved in her wrestler career again. The last time that happened, she made an already bad situation even worse. Even though she had a problem with it, it was her own issue now and she had Charlie to help her anyhow. She didn't need to drag her sister into it as well. "So...what's up?" she asked generically, hoping Aurora would get to the big picture.

The blond sister smiled and took a deep breath. "So..." she stopped and looked out the window just for a moment. "I thought you should know that I'm about to have an important change in my life." Aurora wasn't really sure how to put it so she leaned forward towards the table, her long hair touching the white granite. "So I'm pregnant, and having the child hopefully in about a month from now. I know I should've told you sooner but...well I wasn't really sure what to tell you!" she added with a genuine smile. She was happy to tell the news but things had always been tense between the two sisters.

At least at first, Talia didn't share the excitement. Her jaw dropped. She didn't say a word and just stared, completely caught off guard and shocked by what she had just been told.

Charlie smiled, genuinely happy. He loved kids, part of him saw himself as a glorified, overgrown 5 year old! "Thats awesome Aurora, congrats!"

Charlie didn't know Aurora had a boyfriend. He knew she wasn't married. Again, he decided not to ask certain things or bring up certain points.... such as who the father was. Charlie saw the surprise in Talia, and squeezed her hand again. Charlie was closing in on 28.... was he dad material himself? The way he whimsically went about his business filled him with doubt. He would be better than his dad. A rock would be better than his dad.... maybe that wasn't a great way to judge fatherly success.

"Hey, does Alaina know? She loves kids and would babysit for you if ya ever needed it." Charlie said as he recalled Alaina and Aurora being friends.

Aurora stared at Charlie for a second in hesitation. She hadn't spoken to Mamouru about Alaina and she never really considered who could've been hurt by their decision. Certainly her friend would be, and she doubted she'd understand if Aurora told her the truth. "Umm. Yea, I haven't told her yet but I will!" What was there to say? I married your boyfriend and already have a child on the way? "And thank you. I'm really excited for it. We're going to be raising the child right here in Japan so I'm sure you two will get to see her often!" She wasn't opposed to the idea, but she imagined from her face that Talia was.

Her sister's face had shifted from shock to unhappiness. She didn't say any words at first, mindlessly squeezing Charlie's hand far harder than she should have been. Then something crossed her mind. "We?" she asked hesitantly. Did she actually want to know the answer to her one word question?

Aurora nodded. "Yea, the father," she cautiously answered. She didn't want to say too much at once, especially since it involved someone who was sour with her sister. "We want to give her the best chance possible." Aurora managed to keep the smile planted on her face. She was, after all, genuinely happy about how things were working out even if things were a little tense. "So how have you two been? Anything new with you?"

Charlie was still thrilled at the news, smiling and nodding. "Thats great! It would be awesome to see you and the baby more!"

It was then that Charlie noticed Talias facial expression and tight hand squeeze. She was upset. Why be upset about this? Isn't this great news? Although.... the fact that Aurora didn't mention anything to Alaina was a bit strange. Oh well, right now Charlie had to calm Talia down and keep things light.

"Tal just moved in with me a few weeks ago and everything has been amazing since then, right babe?" Charlie asked as he looked over at Talia.

Talia's squeezing hand slowly relented as Charlie held onto it. This was all a big shock to her. When did Aurora get pregnant? And with who? Aurora was entitled to a life of her own but this was a huge deal. It was like getting married or-

"Wait-" she looked at Aurora's hand and noticed a ring on her finger. "You're married? When did this happen?" she continued while trying not to sound as upset as she was. She didn't even know why she was so angered about it.

Aurora nodded. "Yea we got married about a month ago." She casually dropped that topic though trying not to give her sister a chance to ask who. "And that's great. I'm happy for you two. You've always seemed...perfect together to me. Moving in together is the ultimate test. If you can put up with living with each other then theres no telling how far you'll last together."

"Test? Its been a pleasure so far and Talia makes it easy. I am the luckiest guy in the world." Charlie said as he kissed Talia on the cheek.

He did find it odd that Aurora got married without telling her own sister however... Charlie could sense the odd tension between the sisters. He felt like Aurora wanted to include them in the news, but was apprehensive about her husband. "Where is your lucky husband? He couldn't make it tonight? I would really like to meet him sometime."

Talia was suddenly anxious about the whole thing. Aurora was really married? Was she just not invited to the wedding? She couldn't believe her sister had just...gotten a life like that. Something else was up. She suspected something dire, and her suspicion was right though only speculation at that point. She bit her lip, about to ask Aurora if it was true.

Then Charlie kissed her on the cheek and she felt her tension melt. For a fleeting moment, she forgot that there was anything wrong at all. But some of the negative feelings returned as the seconds passed. Aurora seemed to sense this, and deflected the topic once more. "He couldn't be here, he's working today." That much was true. "But...you'll meet him one day for sure," Aurora added with a smile.

Talia, on the other hand, seemed to withdraw from the topic altogether. After all, what did it matter? She had Charlie now, and Aurora didn't. "I'm sure your husband is as good to you as Charlie is to me," Talia added with a genuine smile. Genuine in that she was genuinely happy. Not genuine in her certainty. Aurora sensed the tone but didn't acknowledge it.

"So how're things for you in tension Charlie?"