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Two weeks had passed since Enterprise and Irving found out that they were having a son. Irving and Enterprise were busy, getting the nursery ready for Olin. Enterprise and Irving were reading book after book about parenting.
Yorktown and Hornet were also busy helping their sister with the nursery. They were just as excited as Irving and Enterprise for their future nephew.
Irving and Enterprise painted the nursery a mix of dark blue and olive green. Enterprise figured that those colors went well together, and it could help to calm Olin.
The day of Enterprise’s baby shower arrived. Since they already revealed the gender to everyone a few weeks prior. They figured everyone would have enough time to get some gifts for Enterprise and Olin.
Enterprise placed a hand on her belly, feeling Olin kick against it. She giggled.
“He kicks like Maria. He kicks against your palm if he likes you.”
Irving smiled. "Sometimes, I can see Olin move."
Enterprise blushed as she covered her belly.
"I don't want the kicks to scare the other shipgirls. It kinda looks like a monster movie when it happens."
Soon, they finished painting. The room looked beautiful to everyone. The colors matched each other perfectly. Enterprise heard the doorbell ring.
“I’ll get it!”
Enterprise and Irving walked to the door to see who was there. When they opened it, they saw it was Malcolm and Oklahoma, with Louis in her arms.
“Hey Mal! Glad to see you could make it!”.
Malcolm and Oklahoma smiled in return. They sat on the couch in the living room. Irving smiled at Enterprise.
“I’ll be the doorman Enty. You focus on relaxing. After all, it is your baby shower.”
Enterprise nodded. “Sounds like it’s gonna be a busy day today.”
Soon, the other guests arrived. First was Bismarck and Heinz. Heinz waved at Irving.
“Hi, Irving!”
Then Fritz and Tirpitz arrived. Samuel and New Jersey followed them up, with Arizona and Warren in tow.
The last guest was a surprise to both Enterprise and Irving.
It was Zuikaku. She was carrying a large box with dark blue wrapping paper.
“Do you need help?”
Zuikaku shook her head and placed the box in the living room. Soon, all the guests were there. Enterprise looked at the guests.
“Who wants to go first?”
Oklahoma raised her hand. “Since I was the one who gave birth the most recently before Enterprise got pregnant, I believe I should be the first one.”
Enterprise smiled. The group nodded in agreement. Oklahoma handed Enterprise her present.
Enterprise opened the small cardboard box. Inside was a blender. Enterprise smiled.
“Thank you, Okie.”
Oklahoma smiled in response. “It’s a gift from both Malcolm and myself. I had a feeling you would want to make your baby food as well. I’ve also got you my list of recipes that I made.”
Enterprise smiled as Oklahoma gave her an envelope. She placed the envelope next to her. Hornet and Yorktown each gave Enterprise a small flat cardboard box.
“These are from us!”
Enterprise opened the small, flat cardboard boxes. Inside were two onesies, a navy blue one saying “Mama’s little corsair,” and the other olive green saying “Little Grim”.
Enterprise smiled. “I know you guys are excited to become aunts.”
Bismarck and Heinz gave the couple their gift.
Enterprise removed the gift wrapping from the medium-sized box. She saw it was a box of diapers.
“Believe me. You’re gonna need it.”
Enterprise smiled. She knew Bismarck knew what she was talking about as she and Heinz had Helga and Joachim.
Tirpitz and Fritz gave Enterprise their gift. Enterprise opened the small cardboard box. Inside were some toys for Olin.
“Enterprise, don’t make the same mistake we did when we had Moritz. We did not have many toys for him as he was our first, so I had to use the tin copy of my Iron Cross as a toy for him.”
Enterprise smiled as she listened to Fritz’s story. New Jersey blushed as she gave Enterprise her present.
“Here you go Enty. It’s from Sammy and I. Sorry if it is embarrassing.”
Enterprise removed the wrapping paper and blushed when she saw what it was.
It was a breast pump. Enterprise covered her eyes in embarrassment.
Oklahoma laughed. “Enty, relax, it is natural. It honestly kinda tickles.”
Enterprise took a deep breath. “Thank you, New Jersey and Sam.”
New Jersey and Samuel nodded. Oklahoma smiled as she closed her eyes.
“Just don’t do what I did when I got mine and milk too early. Breast milk only lasts a short time, so I would recommend doing it a few days before your due date.”
Enterprise nodded. “Thank you, Okie.”
“That only leaves one last present.”
Zuikaku grabbed the large box with dark blue wrapping paper. She smiled.
“This is from Akagi and I. She would have given it to you in person, but she was too busy in a meeting to do so.”
Enterprise nodded and removed the wrapping paper. When she saw what was under the wrapping paper, she got up and hugged Zuikaku.
It was a white crib.
“Thank you Zui! Irving and I were about to go shopping for a crib, but it looks like you got us covered."
Zuikaku smiled. Enterprise stopped smiling when she felt something move inside of her.
“Zuikaku, would you like to feel Olin? He’s kicking.”
Zuikaku nodded and placed her hand on Enterprise’s belly. She felt a kick against her palm. She smiled.
Enterprise giggled. “Olin kicks the same way Maria and Louis did. If he kicks your palm, it means he likes you.”
Zuikaku closed her eyes and smiled. “Olin already likes me?” she thought to herself.
Enterprise smiled at the group. “Thanks for the gifts, everyone. Irving and I appreciate it.”
The group heard a commotion outside. Enterprise got up to open the door and noticed Prince of Wales and the Commander were standing at the front door.
“I hope we are not too late!”
Enterprise smiled. “No, you’re alright, come in!”
The Commander and Prince of Wales walked through the door. They each had a present for Enterprise. The Commander smiled.
“Here, I’ll go first.”
He handed Enterprise a small box.
Enterprise opened it and saw that it was a couple of blue pacifiers of Olin.
“Thank you, Commander.”
Prince of Wales gave Enterprise her gift.
Enterprise opened the box. inside was a book with the words “Parenting 101” on the cover.
“This book was very helpful for me when I had Matthew, so I figured I would get you a copy as well.”
Enterprise smiled. “Thank you for the book.”
Prince of Wales smiled as she gave Enterprise the final gift.
“Here. I know it is not much, but I figured it would help. It's from Belfast. She would have given it to you in person, but she was busy.”
Enterprise opened the small envelope. Inside were coupons for a few free items from Akashi’s shop.
“I have a feeling you’re gonna need them more than me.”
“Thank you, Commander.”
Enterprise and Irving sat down on the couch together.
“Hey, can I take a photo of your two?”
Irving and Enterprise nodded as New Jersey took out her phone to take the photo.
“Thanks!”
“Irving, you got the chocolate cupcakes, right?”
Irving nodded and got up off the couch to get the cupcakes. They were chocolate with both dark blue and olive green icing.
Enterprise grabbed two cupcakes and ate them, one after the other. “Sorry. I’ve been craving chocolate.”
Irving giggled. "I have a feeling Olin will get my sweet tooth for chocolate.
Soon, the guest left one by one. Yorktown, Hornet, and Zuikaku were the last of the guests to leave. Yorktown smiled as she embraced her sister.
“Congratulations Enty.”
Hornet and Zuikaku smiled. "You mind if we join the hug?"
Enterprise smiled and nodded as Hornet and Zuikaku joined in the hug.
Soon, only Irving and Enterprise remained. They sat on the living room couch together. Enterprise smiled as she placed a hand on her belly.
“You want to go to the nursery with me?”
Irving nodded and picked up the crib. Once they reached the nursery, Irving placed the crib on the floor.
Irving took the crib out of the box, but he was stopped by Enterprise.
“Irving. I want to sit with you.”
Irving smiled and sat on the rocking chair. Enterprise sat on his lap and placed his hand on her belly. Irving rocked the chair slowly.
“I know that in a few months, I’ll be spending a lot of time in here,”
Irving smiled and kissed her on the forehead.
“We can build the crib together tomorrow,”
Irving nodded and he felt Olin kick against his hand.
“It looks like Olin is excited to have his daddy nearby.”
Soon, the couple fell asleep in each other's arms, feeling Olin slowly stop kicking as he joined his parents in sleep.
“Malcolm was right. Moments like these are magical.” Irving thought to himself, as he drifted to sleep.
Irving awoke to see that Enterprise was still asleep in his arms. He saw in the window that it was nighttime.
Irving looked left and right and got up carefully, trying not to wake up either Enterprise or Olin.
Irving carried Enterprise to the bedroom and gently laid her down. He sighed in relief.
Enterprise did not wake up. She looked so peaceful when she was asleep. She looked like an angel with her long white hair.
Irving sat on the bed and stroked her hair. He smiled.
Irving lay down and covered both himself and Enterprise with the blanket.
“Sweet dreams, honey.” He kissed her on the forehead.
Enterprise smiled as her eyes opened.
Irving's eyes went wide. “Sorry honey, I didn’t mean to wake you.” .
Enterprise giggled. “You didn’t wake me. Olin did. I can feel him kicking.
Irving smiled. Enterprise lay down on his chest. She placed his hands on her belly.
“Try talking to him. Vestal and Oklahoma told me it’s important for the baby to hear both the mother's and the father’s voices.”
Irving giggled.
“Hey, kiddo. It’s your daddy. I can’t wait to meet you. I love you.”
“Why are you trying not to laugh?”
“It’s kinda weird. It feels like talking to a ghost or something,”
Enterprise chuckled. “Don’t worry, kiddo. Your daddy loves you, as does your mommy, but we are both tired, so can you let me go to sleep?”
Olin stopped kicking as if he understood what his mother had told him.
Enterprise smiled. “He already can recognize my voice. I think, given enough time, he will recognize yours.”
Irving yawned. We should get to sleep. We have an eventful day ahead of us.”
Enterprise yawned in agreement and soon the couple fell asleep.
In the morning, Irving was busy cooking breakfast. Enterprise smiled as she sat at the kitchen table. He served her scrambled eggs and sausage as the couple sat next to each other.
Irving smiled. “I was thinking of hosting a 4th of July party. You want to do it?”
Enterprise nodded. “Sure. It’s been a while since we had a party around these parts.”
Irving nodded. “We’ll both have to do the cooking, and I have to make sure the backyard is clean.”
Enterprise chuckled. “Don’t worry about it. I’m sure the party will go well.”
After the couple finished eating, they sat on the couch together. The couple both had a hand on Enterprise’s belly. Irving smiled.
“I wonder if Olin and Louis are going to be friends.”
Enterprise smiled as she kissed her husband. “I’m sure they will be.”
Irving nodded. “Have you heard anything from Marsala and Vittorio Veneto?”
Enterprise chuckled as he got off the couch. “You want to visit them? I heard they are on base.”
Irving nodded. The couple got dressed and drove to the Sardinian Empire part of the base. They arrived at Vittorio Veneto’s house.
Vittorio Veneto greeted them with a smile. “Hello again you two! I’m glad to see you again!”
Enterprise and Irving nodded as they walked into Vittorio Veneto’s house. Marsala and Vittorio Veneto were sitting on the couch. Vittorio Veneto was holding Maria in her arms. Illustrious, Fabio and Littorio were sitting at a table playing Blackjack.
Littorio smiled at the couple. “Glad to see you guys again.”
Enterprise smiled. “Glad to see you too.”