PINK OR BLUE? (Chapter 107)

A week later, Sophia and Warren walked into Sophia's house. Ellen, Dan, and Kate were all there waiting.

"Well?" Ellen asked.

"Well, what?" Sophia grinned.

"Didn't you have an ultrasound?"

"Yup. I saw it," Warren confirmed. "We have pictures. The hands were wiggling and the feet were kicking, and everything."

"Great," Ellen said. She waited a beat, glaring at them. "Well?"

"Well what?" Sophia said, grinning.

"Did you find out what it is?"

"Yeah, it's a baby," Warren said deadpan.

"Oh, you!" Ellen threw a dishtowel at him.

"We had to, Mom," Sophia said, wrapping her in a hug, "but we won't keep you in suspense any longer. Congratulations, you're going to have a granddaughter."

"Oh, honey," Ellen smiled up at her.

"Yeah, they were ninety-nine percent sure," Warren supplied. "She gave them a pretty good look, and they didn't see anything dangling."

"Now can I admit that I wanted a granddaughter?" Ellen said.

"Sure. But you would have been happy no matter what," Sophia teased.

"You're right."

"I, for one, am thrilled it's a girl," Dan interjected.

"You are?" Ellen asked.

"Yup. I don't know if I could have dealt with a step-grandson named Nomar Pedro Kelleher."

"One day, you will anyway," Warren grinned at him.

"So, do you have any girls names in mind?" Kate asked.

Sophia and Warren grinned at each other, and then said, simultaneously, "Jessica!"

"Do I hear my name being taken in vain?" Jessica was walking in the door at that very moment.

"Hiya, Jess!" Sophia said to her.

"Yo," Warren said. "No, we were just deciding we were going to name the kid Jessica She-Devil Kelleher."

Jessie grinned at him. "So, I'm going to have a Goddaughter, am I?"

"Yes you are," Sophia confirmed.

"Cool. You're not really going to name her Jessica, are you?"

Sophia grinned. "Probably not. We've joked about that forever."

"Good. You don't want to give the poor kid a name that's too hard to live up to, you know."

"Of course," Warren grinned.

"Nah, you're going to be the godmother," Sophia said, "you don't get all the honors."

"So, what are you going to name it?" Kate persisted.

"Katherine, of course," Warren teased her. "I dunno. Svetlana? Yoko? Crash? Nomarita?"

"What he's trying to say--I think--is that we haven't decided yet." Sophia said.

"I still think we should go for Yoko," Warren maintained.

"Riiiiiight."

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That night, they were lying in bed after making love.

"I can not believe how horny I've been lately," Sophia exclaimed. "Thank you, Snugglebear, I needed that tonight."

"All those nasty hormones," Warren teased. He ran his hand along the slight rise of her stomach. "It really is amazing to watch little Pedroella make you grow like this."

"Pedroella????"

"Well……" Warren grinned at her.

"Go back to Yoko, I think," Sophia grinned back. She looked down at him, as he looked at her. "You really do like seeing me like this, don't you?"

"Yeah. I do. It's a turn on, I admit it. This…" he reached his hand up to her breast "… and these, too."

"You're incorrigible."

"Yup."

Sophia grabbed the remote and turned on the TV. "Let's see if there's anything good to watch while we cuddle." She flipped a few channels. "Oh, look! I forgot! The Champions on Ice broadcast is on tonight."

"Cool!" Warren agreed. They watched for a while, cuddling.

After a few minutes, Sophia sighed. "This is probably the only regret I have about this baby--that we couldn't do the tour."

"I know. Next year."

"Yup." They watched for a while. Liz Cushman came out to skate.

"I love this program," Sophia said. Warren nodded agreement, and they watched their friend skate on the TV. Suddenly, Warren went, "Hmmmm."

"What, Snugglebear?"

"Hmmm. Elizabeth Kelleher."

"Hmmm," Sophia thought about it. "Elizabeth Kelleher. Liz Kelleher."

"No. Betsy. That's my favorite nickname for Elizabeth."

"Elizabeth Kelleher," Sophia thought about it. "Betsy Kelleher." She thought some more. "Or, even Beth. Beth Kelleher." She sat up and stared into space. "You know what? I like it."

"I do, too."

"It's sure better than Pedroella." Sophia teased.

"Pedroella Yoko Kelleher, dear."

"Oh, right."

"I suppose Elizabeth Kelleher or Betsy Kelleher rolls of the tongue better."

"No doubt."

"We don't have to decide right away, Pookie, but I think Elizabeth just went to the top of the list."

"Yeah. Liz will be thrilled if we do decide on it. And, we have to think of a middle name, too."

"Yup." They settled back into each other's arms to watch the skating.

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A week later, they were coming back home from doing some shopping. Sophia's little sister Tara was waiting for them at the front door.

"Guys! Guys! You have to see this!" Tara exclaimed. "You got a huge package in the mail!"

"Really?" Sophia said. Tara led them through the front door.

Ellen emerged from the kitchen. "She's not kidding, guys. It's enormous. And the return address is from Moscow."

"Moscow?" Sophia said. They found the package in the living room, and tore it open. Tara and Ellen, and Kate--who had come flying downstairs--watched them. Sophia reached in and withdrew a wooden doll. She opened the hatch on the doll, and found another, smaller, doll, inside. This also opened to reveal an even smaller doll. "Look at this!" She exclaimed. There were six in all, the last one almost impossibly small.

"Matrioshka dolls," Warren supplied. "Very traditional Russian child's gift." He looked at them closely. "These are hand-made," he said in wonder. "Traditionally, they are hand-made, but the hand made ones nowadays are not cheap. These are fantastic."

Kate took a closer look. "Look at the workmanship in this painting! This is incredible!"

"What a wonderful gift," Sophia sighed. "What else is in there?"

Warren reached in, and giggled. "Look. Baby rattles with pictures of St Basil's Cathedral on them."

Sophia withdrew a few woolen sleepers. "These are darling!"

"Look," Warren said, "A woolen blanket, with the Russian flag on it."

"A tee shirt. What does that say, Warren?" Sophia asked, gesturing towards the writing.

"It says Moskva. Russian for Moscow. That must be the Moscow skyline."

"Look at this!" Sophia said, withdrawing a music box. She opened it up, and a ballerina appeared on top of it. "This is great!" she enthused. She wound up the music box, and the ballerina spun on top of it, while it played a tune. "Swan Lake!" Sophia realized.

"Check this out!" Warren said to her. He held up a tiny baby-size version of the traditional Russian fur hat.

"Wow! Look at all this stuff!" Sophia said. "Is there a card? There's got to be a card."

Ellen and Warren reached into the box. Ellen found a card, withdrew it, and opened it up. "Well, yeah, there's a card, but it seems to be in gibberish."

Warren peered over her shoulder. "Nope, that ain't gibberish, it's Russian. Different alphabet and all that. Let me see." Ellen handed him the card. "OK, I think my translation skills are up to this. 'Dear Warren and Sophia. I see…..no, I hear I am to have a new American niece. This is to'…..hmmm…I think it means 'this is to make sure that my new American niece is a little bit Russian.' Yeah, that's it. 'I hope everything is well with you, and you will make sure to let me know when the baby comes.' Or something like that." Everyone laughed at that. "'And you send pictures of new baby!' And then it is signed, 'Love, Olga Bradochkina.'"

"Wow." Sophia sighed.

"Olga Bradochkina? Olympic Champion Olga Bradochkina?" Ellen asked in amazement.

"The same," Warren replied. "She is one special lady."

Sophia sighed and then stared into space suddenly. "Warren." Warren looked at her. She turned to him and smiled. "Elizabeth Olga Kelleher."

"THAT'S IT!!!

----End of chapter---