Page 19 of Raising Riker

A lot.

Riker watched with appreciation and a whole lot of humor as, after her post-coital nap, Gia sat up and struggled to wrap the remains of the tattered wedding dress around her. The woman was a walking contradiction, not an hour ago she was riding his dick like a rodeo queen, and now she was too shy to walk ten steps across the room to get her suitcase.

“Stay right there, I’ll get it for you.” Riker said chivalrously.

While Gia rifled through the suitcase, Riker tagged his own clothes off the floor. “So… I was talking to Prosper and he said since the lake house was empty, he’s offering it.”

“Really?” Gia squeaked out from under her sweatshirt. She popped her head through the neck hole and gave him a big smile. “We can stay in the lake house?”

Riker grinned at her exuberance, then nodded. “Yeah, if that’s what you want, sure.”

“Yes. Oh, hell yes.” Gia pulled on a pair of yoga pants. Then she zipped up the suitcase quickly and stood beside it. “I’m all set to go.” Then she looked at him with guilt, as if suddenly remembering her manners.

“I mean, not that this wouldn’t be okay, too. I mean if you really want to stay here…”

Riker took the bag from her. “Not on your life. Let’s get the fuck outa here.”

Atense-looking Gia and an eager-looking Riker sat next to each other in Doctor Gideon’s office. It was a small, homey space with a paisley, overstuffed couch, a beautiful, mahogany antique desk and ornately carved bookshelves. Classical music lilted softly through walls papered with photographs of the hundreds of newborn babies that Doc Gideon had delivered over the years. By the look of some of the pictures, many now curling at the edges and yellowed with age, Gia guessed that a good portion of those newborns were now old enough to have children of their own.

“Congratulations!” Doctor Gideon greeted them enthusiastically, “It looks like you’ve not only made it through the first trimester but also tackled that nasty bout of GH like a champ! How are things going?”

Gia frowned slightly in thought. Then she spoke hesitantly. “I think I’m doing okay. I’m feeling a little less tired, and the nausea is gone.”

The doctor looked from one to the other and smiled kindly. “Excellent! No need for a pelvic exam this go around, but I can tell you that at this stage your baby is as…”

“Big as an avocado.” Riker interrupted. “He’s probably about 4 1/2 inches long and weighs about 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are becoming more developed, and his head is more erect than it has been.” Riker paused as if searching an internal page of Wikipedia then he continued. “In the next few weeks the little guy …”

“Or the little girl.” Gia interjected.

“… is gonna double his or her size.” Riker continued. Then he grinned at Gia “It’s just a pronoun, babe, either one is fine with me.”

Doc Gideon’s bright blue eyes twinkled at Riker in surprised amusement. “Well, I am impressed. You certainly are keeping well-informed about fetal development.”

“Riker ordered a book on the stages of pregnancy and he’s been reading ita lot.” Gia made no effort to keep the exasperation out of her voice. When Riker responded to her comment with a frown, it became evident that the book had become a point of contention.

“And there’s nothin’ wrong with that, right Doc? Inquiring minds want to know and all that happy bullshit.” Riker scowled at Gia. “She keeps telling me I’m driving her crazy, but I keep telling her it’s good to be well-informed. How the hell else are we gonna learn? Am I right, Doc?”

Doctor Gideon gave them a kind smile. “Well, I’d say you’re both right. It can be helpful to know what to expect, but those books can be a little overwhelming, even scary at times. And of course, you want to make sure it’s good information. Do you happen to remember the name of the book?”

“Remember the name? Who needs to remember the name, Riker carries it with him all the time.” Gia rolled her eyes.

“Damn straight I do.” Riker bent down and pulled a thick, shiny book out of his leather backpack. He thumbed through the dog-eared pages. “The book says that Gia has to take the necessary supplements along with making sure she eats a nutrient rich diet. The book says that it’s important for healthy development that the baby gets enough minerals like folic acid, iron, calcium and zinc.”

Then he paused and looked up at the doctor and shook his head in apparent disappointment. “I put out those prenatal vitamin with her orange juice every morning, but Gia dumps the juice out and drinks chocolate milk instead. Imagine the balls on her? Doesn’t even wait until I’m out of the room. I make the effort, she can at least pretend she’s drinking it.”

“The orange juice gives me heartburn.” Gia lifted her nose in the air.

“I’m calling bullshit on that one, Doc.” Riker ground out. The woman is a chocoholic if I ever saw one. The book says it’s fine in moderation but too much is not okay. It also says that dark chocolate has even more caffeine than the regular stuff and she’s chowing that down by the boat load. The book says it’s not good for two reasons…one is weight gain and the other is all that caffeine. It says that when we’re at this stage in the pregnancy…”

Before Riker could say another word, Gia let out a small cry of outrage. Then without any hesitation at all, she got up, grabbed the book right out of Riker’s hand and stuffed it right back in the backpack. Then she zipped it up tightly and threw it in the corner of the room—and out of his reach.

Riker volleyed a look from the back pack to Gia and gave Doc Gideon a look of masculine disappointment and exasperation.

“Don’t do that.” Gia said to him.

“Don’t do what?” Riker deflected.

“Don’t give Doctor Gideon that look that clearly sayssee what I have to go through. Because I have a book too, Riker and you know what my book says?” Gia arched an eyebrow and threw a hand on her jutted hip. “My book says that it’smewhose nipples are now as big as helipads, and that it’smewho’s going to have to squeeze a person the size of a small turkey out of my hoo-hah. My book sayswedid not spend the last few months heaving our guts out. That wasmetoo! My book says that cold- cuts have too much nitrate in them, tuna fish has too much mercury and that I can’t even think about having a shot of that beautiful, clear, ice cold vodka that’s sitting in my freezer. But you know what my book also says? It says that dark chocolate is good for me and that a recent medical study says that by eating dark chocolate regularly pregnant women can actually reduce their risk of having…” Now she paused and looked at questioningly at the doctor. “Clampsia something or other?”

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