Chapter 29 - A New Beginning

Delia and Nicholas began to plan their wedding when Delia discovered she was pregnant. The all too familiar morning sickness was a dead giveaway. A pregnancy test once again confirmed what she already knew. This would be her fifth child and she had begun to recognize the signals sent by her body. 

Delia so knew better than to not be protected and had taken precautions. Then she remembered the Arboretum. It seemed so spontaneous that neither of them even thought of anything but loving each other. Yes, she and Nicholas were going to be parents. 

This baby would be a new beginning for her. A child with Nicholas. Delia was happy and expected Nicholas to be happy as well. When Delia told Nicholas the news, he just stood there with his mouth open in shock. He totally hadn't planned on kids. She wasn't so sure he was happy at all about this turn of events.

They decided to go ahead and get married quickly before her baby bump was too noticeable. Delia didn’t want to have to explain things to Francie – or the neighbors. She knew she was already labeled a home wrecker by some of the town's people. They would just tell everyone the baby came early. She didn't want any other labels attached to her. 

They had a quickie wedding in her home.  It was a lovely evening wedding. She and Nicholas said their vows and danced under the moonlight. Fortunately she was just able to squeeze into her gown.

As it turned out, Nicholas was quite helpful.  He stayed home and kept the house in order. He especially loved tending the garden and was an excellent gardener. 

One thing she wasn’t prepared for however was his cat. When Nicholas moved in so did Coal, Nicholas’s black cat. Fortunately, Francie and Coal became fast friends. 

When they announced the upcoming birth, Francie was thrilled at the prospect of having a brother or sister.  Things were good and Delia was very happy being Mrs. Nicholas Riverhawk. She felt like she could actually live a quiet and normal life with Nicholas, Francie and her soon to born child.

Delia’s pregnancy progressed smoothly with no issues. As the birth of their baby was looming, Nicholas mentioned that they probably should move into a larger home. Of course, Delia hadn’t told Nicholas about the secret room and had no plans to do so. He was way too inquisitive about her job and mystic abilities. She didn't want anything to get in the way of their new happiness. So when he started talking about moving she quickly mentioned they had room upstairs to enlarge.  She took care of this, just as she did when Francisco was alive. She actually enjoyed making room for the new arrival.   

Delia went into labor and Nicholas could be seen through the curtains totally freaking out. Of course, this was the first time for him, but for Delia, this was old hat.  She calmed both Nicholas and Francie enough that Nicholas managed to get her to the hospital in time for the birth of their son, Aiden Riverhawk. 

Delia and Nicholas brought Aiden home to his new room, all aquas
and browns that Delia had lovingly prepared much as she had prepared Francie's pink room.

This was a new beginning for Delia and her daughter and now her son Aiden. Francie had a father, who she was beginning to adore, and a little brother. A real family. This was bittersweet for Delia. She couldn’t lose sight of why she was in Hidden Springs with the daughter of a ghost. Delia missed her boys so badly but this was best. Things were not always as they seemed and she still had a lot to figure it out. But for now, she had her hands full.  

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