お誕生日おめでとう河川ちゃん

Sachiko went into labor just before ten that morning and it took another twelve hours before her child was born. Which was absurd -- little Hiroya came so easily, so why was her second taking forever!? 

She cursed her husband out the whole time, blaming anything from his genes to the fact that he didn't come to the hospital until well after noon because he had to finish up a photo shoot. Nevermind the fact that she had screamed at him just this morning that he better not leave his work early like he did the week before when she had a false alarm.  Sachiko was rather fickle at the moment, but she was pregnant, the ultimate excuse for being so. 

Labor was long and agonizing and she was honestly considering going abroad to get her tubes tied because she never wanted to go through this again (why did she think having another child would be a great idea? Thinking of her dad and serious son was a great reminder).

But then it was done and over and Sachiko was holding her squirming newborn in her arms and all she could do was smile. And if there was a note of unease in her gut, it was just symptom of the prolong labor, nothing more. Hank and Hiroya were tittering around, trying to get a better look at the baby. 

"Hmm, so are we going with the name we picked out?" Hank asked, gently petting her head. 

Sachiko chuckled, brushing against her husband's hand weakly. "It was all I could do from giving her a ridiculous name, like 'Afon'." Hank made am indignant sound that she chuckled at. "She'll be Kasen," a caste kiss to the child's crown, "our little river in heaven."