by J Marie
Zara dragged Donatello with her. He’s a silver fox, so he has to be close to his late thirties. Hawt, girl. I think to myself, remembering her telling me about what he’d made her do for him at the club. I’ve seen him once or twice in the bar, but he’s more up close in this intimate setting.
Trevor stands with his arm wrapped around Macy, smiling. Trevor’s parents, Lucille and Maxwell, stand off to the side looking on. I can’t tell if it’s a legit smile or if they just have gas. You can never tell with those two. They’re a weird couple.
A couple of servers from the bar are there—Sidney and Serena. Wyatt and another girl stand to the side. This must be the infamous Kaylen. Behind everyone, gifts are lined up across the bar—everything in little boy and girl colors. Brooks must have spilled the beans about the colors we’d chosen—gifts in blues, purples, greys, and black. I sneak a quick, narrowed eye at Brooks, and he winks.
“You…”
“Me?”
He put his hands up in defense.
“How did you?”
He shakes his head and nods at his co-conspirators. He’d happily throw them under the bus, and I’m sure it was technically their idea… He looks so happy tonight. The smile on his face spreads the whole way to his eyes. It’s real, I see the love when he looks at me. The spark of life in his eyes when he talks to our babies. Hard to believe that a few months ago, I thought love was just a myth.
“Zara and Macy practically held me at gunpoint and made sure I followed their demands. Don’t blame me. Blame them for sure.”
Arms crossed in front of her, she sticks out her hip. “Uh huh.”
We clink our glasses together and take a sip of sparkling grape juice. I miss my liquor but going without is worth it. Now that I have this wonderful reason not to drink. Eddie grabs some beers for the guys from the bar, and everyone else seems to be hanging out, mingling with each other. I’m sure Brooks is thrilled about the beer. He hasn’t been drinking on my account, and I feel bad that he’s missing out because of me. Even though he told me it doesn’t bother him.
“I think this is the first time I’ve been in a bar and not had alcohol. It’s weird, Mia. Super weeeirrrrd.” Zara stretches out the word making Macy and I giggle.
“Oh hush, it’s not that bad. If I’ve had to do without for almost nine months, I think you can survive one teeny tiny night. Plus, I believe you were the ones who planned this little ordeal…”
“Brooks had a part in this too. He wanted to do something nice for you. That man is a total goner for you, Mia. There is nothing he wouldn’t do to make you smile, to make you happy forever. You found a good one, finally, AND he’s sexy as hell, girl.” My eyes drift to where my man is standing with Wyatt, Charlie, Donatello, and Willie. Our eyes lock at the same time so effortlessly. He winks, and my heart beats just a little bit faster. A tiny foot kicks my gut, and I wince. A look of concern mars his face and he mouths, you okay?
I smile back. Baby is kicking. He raises an eyebrow as if he has no idea what I’m saying, then excuses himself from the guys.
Quiet catcalls leave Zara’s mouth as she turns to watch him walk our way and the blush that crosses Brooks’ face is absolutely priceless. I’m pretty sure she still makes him uncomfortable.
He walks up to me and leans down to kiss my head. His breath sending light touches against my ear as he whispers. “Did you ask me to go fishing?”
I groan. “Good Lord, man, we’re gonna have to work on your lip reading…let’s think this through, shall we? Have I ever mentioned going fishing before? Can you picture me hooking and gutting a fish?”
He laughs. “That’s an excellent point you have.”
“The babies are kicking, Brooks. A tiny little foot… oomph. There he goes again.” He lays his hand gently on my baby bump and smiles when the one of the babies kicks again. His eyes twinkle deep brown every time it happens. It’s one of those priceless moments we won’t have again, unless we have more kids, which we haven’t even discussed yet. “How do you know who’s kicking?”
“I don’t. I’m just guessing.”
“You guys are so adorable, it’s sickening. Hold my non-alcoholic drink while I politely barf, Macy.” Zara jests smirking at my other best friend.
Donatello walks up behind Zara, slips a hand lightly into her hair, and pulls her head toward him. “Do I hear you being a bad girl over here?”
She smirks. “Uh huh. You planning to do something about it, big man?”
“I should give you something for that mouth of yours, but I’m guessing this party is a little more appropriate than that so…” He looks up, his eyes meeting Brooks. “You guys got a bathroom or stockroom around here. Apparently, my lady needs to learn some manners.”
Brooks tilts his head with a smile toward the hallway. “Bathrooms that way. Make sure you lock the door.”
One nod is all Don gives Brooks. Zara puts her hand into Don’s outstretched one, and they leave us watching them walk away.
I’m feeling all sorts of hot and bothered just thinking about the few things he’d said. I want bossy Brooks again. He hasn’t been bossy with me for a while, and I hope that I can talk him into it later. He does owe me after springing this little shindig after all.
Macy stands up. “Okay, everyone—gifts or games?”
“Gifts!” everyone shouts back. I’m thankful. I’d heard of the games played at these events and am horrified at the idea of them. Like melting candy pieces and putting them in diapers for people to identify… who does that?
Macy pulls two chairs in front of the bar helps me as I sit down even though I protest. I understand the reason. I’m the size of a barn, and I’m front heavy. Brooks helps her move the gifts to the floor beside me so I can easily reach them. He stands beside me as I open the first couple of gifts. It’s annoying me, and I need him to be on my level.
“Brooks, want to sit down?”
“Nah, I think I’m good here.”
“Brooks, I think you should sit down.”
“Seriously, I don’t mind standing.”
“If you do not sit down, I will go pregnancy crazy on your ass… do you really want to see that?”
I watch as he slowly walks over to the chair and sits down, arms out in defense as if I’m a wild animal ready and poised to take him out.
“Okay, I’m sitting. Happy?”
“Tickled pink.”
By the end of all the presents and then games. Yeah, so much for thinking I was getting out of that situation. I’m ready to pass the crap out. I’ve never been so tired as I am being pregnant. Then again, carrying extra weight around on the front for eight months and constantly feeling like you’re going to tip forward and sink like the titanic doesn’t help much either.
Most of the guests help clean up all the wrapping paper, and Eddie sticks around to help load the gifts into the back of his truck and bring them to the apartment. They won’t fit in my Miata without multiple trips. It’s nice seeing everyone, and I appreciate all the love they showed for Wesley and Piper. They’re going to be two spoiled little kiddos for sure. We say our goodbyes, thanking them for the gifts.
Macy drops down in the chair next to me and huffs. “I didn’t realize how much work went into coordinating one of these things…”
I reach over and give her a hug. “Thank you for doing this.”
A tear sneaks its way down my cheek, and she smiles. “There’s the girl with feelings. I like her. You should bring her out more.”
“If you tell anyone, I will cut you.”
“And there’s the Mia I know and love.” I stick my tongue out at her, but I’m so thankful for her. After college, I’d stuck around for Macy. She needed me after her mom died, and then again when her dad died. We’re best friends, and that’s something you just can’t replace.
I rub my hand over my belly, feeling Wesley and Piper moving around again. “So when are you and Trevor planning on having a horde?”
“Well, first off, we are not alie
ns, so no horde.”
“You sure about that? Trevor is so strait-laced that I sometimes wonder if he’s even breathing. Like I want to legit poke him just to make sure he flinches.”
“Mean…”
“Truth.”
“He’s not that bad. He just… doesn’t understand the concept of fun at times. He grew up with Lucille and Maxwell…”
“That explains a lot. She smiled at me earlier, and I couldn’t tell if it was a legit smile. She’d had too much Botox, she was constipated, or just had really bad gas…”
Macy bends over laughing and I can’t help but join her.
“I have that same problem sometimes… figuring out if she’s smiling, that is. Not the whole gas part.”
“I can imagine. But seriously, though, I thought you wanted kids right away after you got married?” I lean over and bump her with my shoulder.
She shrugs. “I did… but I’m still in school and helping with the shelter part-time. Trevor’s running the shelter. We don’t really have time right now to settle and do the whole baby thing. But I do kinda have baby fever… like I can’t wait for Wesley and Piper to get here so I can love all over their cute little squishy faces.” She moves her fingers up like she’s squishing something.
“Did you just talk about my children like a dog’s floppy cheeks? You have serious issues.”
“Hey, they may be chunky, you don’t know…”
“Compared my sweet bundles of joy to a dog and then called them fat. Winning friends right now, Macy. Winning friends…”
“Hey! That is for whacking me along the backside of my head and calling me dumb when I didn’t realize how bad Trevor had it for me!”
“Fine, I’ll let it slide.”
She nods. “Thank you. I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready for kids. It seems like just yesterday we were in college and now you’re having not one, but two babies. I mean, it’s insane.”
I rub my belly. “Yeah, I didn’t think I was ready either. Most days, I’m still scared shitless. But you see that man over there?” I point to Brooks, and he waves at us. “He’s the reason I can do this, and I can’t imagine having it any other way. Doing it with anyone but him.”
“Did he ask you to marry him again yet?”
“Nope, I think he’s scared now.”
“Well, you did kind of freak out on him and run…”
“I know, but I’ve been giving him hints, Macy. Leaving things up on the computer that say bride or obviously watching movies with brides in them, and he’s still not getting it.”
“Honey, boys are dumb. Sometimes you need to go Bam Bam Flintstone on their butts until they get it.”
She looks at my hair and then smiles. “Have I told you how good motherhood looks on you? I love that you let your hair go back to its normal color. I always thought you looked pretty as a strawberry blonde.”
“Don’t get used to it. Dr. Morgan had strict orders that I couldn’t dye it until after my first trimester, and then I just kind of forgot to get it redone. Once these babies are out, though, it’s blue, pink, and purple for me again.”
Macys hands reach over, and I feel her fingers weave through my hair. “Why not just leave it the way it is, though? It’s so pretty. Plus, it is so silky and smooth. I could totally, totally just sit here and pet you all day.”
“Haha, like the day I got to pet a penis? I wanted to stroke it all day long.”
“That’s what she said!” she teases.
I laugh, but then remember my reasoning for wanting to remain a cotton candy color, haired lady. “Because Macy, this strawberry blonde is the old me. It’s fighting parents, smoking, and fucking boys who broke my heart. But blue, purple, and pink… it’s the new me. The bold, confident woman who fell in love with a man and who’s having his children. This cotton candy color hair kind of brought me my very own happily ever after.”
“I get it, Mia. It’s you now. The post family drama you. The grown-up, I’ve got my shit together, and I’m having a twins with the man of my dreams, you.”
“Exactly.”
I look down at myself. “You know what else I like about this pregnancy? This rack. I mean look at my boobs, Macy. Look at them. They’re huge.”
“I’m sure Brooks is enjoying the perks of that.”
“Oh, he totally is! Let’s just say this whole pregnancy, I haven’t really been able to keep my grabby little hands off him. He’s just so damn sexy, and then you take off all those clothes and I’m a total goner. Like put a dick in me, and I’m done.”
“Interesting twist on the stick a fork in me quote…”
“Isn’t it, though? Totally thought of it and ran that sucker hard.”
My mind travels back to Brooks, making love to me last night. The scratchy ends of his beard, rubbing me raw and leaving marks across my thighs and between my legs. He’s always so enthusiastic when he makes love to me with his tongue, going over every inch of my skin, making sure no spot goes untouched by his love. A smile crosses my lips, and I squirm in my seat.
Out of the corner of my eye I catch Brooks walking toward us. A small box in his hand. The same box I wondered about when he first moved in. When he gets to us, he pulls over a chair in front of me.
“Where have you been?” I ask curiously.
“Had to run home for my gift for you tonight.”
“And you waited until everyone left?”
“Yep, this is a special gift, and I didn’t want to share it with everyone.”
Macy gets up and tries to excuse herself. “You don’t have to leave, Macy. You can stay.”
She looks to Brooks, and he nods in agreement. “Okay.” Sitting back down, she crosses her legs, placing her hands folded over them, waiting.
I open the box on my lap and look inside. Wooden toys, baby shoes, and other random baby items greet me. “What is all this?”
“I’ve been saving this stuff for when I had my own little one, and now I want to share it with you. The wooden toys I made when I was younger and didn’t have any other entertainment than a knife and a piece of wood. A horse, since they were my favorite animals when I was growing up. I’d sit and watch them frolic around and play when I was a boy. I never got to actually ride them. I was told I was there to help where needed, and riding horses never came into play. So I watched them from afar, admiring them. Much like I admired you.”
“It’s true you were quite the stalker…”
“Hey now, I never stood outside your apartment like a creeper, I just admired you from across the bar, hoping that one day you’d grace me with your presence.”
“That’s almost sweet.”
“It’s true. The day you asked if I wanted to move in with you, I almost passed out. I was scared to death that you were going to chew my ass up and spit me out.”
“I was not like that.”
Macy took that moment to laugh. I raise my eyebrow. “Why are you laughing?”
“Well, it’s true. You do have a tendency to throw off this leave me alone, or I’ll cut you vibe sometimes. I don’t mind it, but to an outsider, I could see it being intimidating. You know when she first mentioned you, Brooks, she wouldn’t shut the hell up about how hot you were and how you had a nice package, right?”
Brooks laughs, his eyes finding mine. “Oh, really?”
“Yep and looks like I was right all along. Looks good, smells good, has a pretty package.”
He harrumphs. “My package is big and manly, not pretty, never pretty. Mia, do you remember what I promised you in the car earlier if you didn’t behave?”
I feign ignorance. “Um, no. Care to remind me?”
He shakes his head and then leans in, hot breath against my skin. “I will spank you. And you will like it.” I take in a big whoosh of air. Damn.
Trevor walks up behind Macy. “Alright, Mace. Eddie and I got everything loaded into the truck. You ready to go? Got an early morning at the shelter, and you have classes.”
“Sure do.” She sta
nds up, and I slowly follow suit. “Guess that’s goodnight for me. I am so proud of you, Mia. You’re going to be a great mom. I can’t wait to meet your little ones in a few short weeks.”
“Thank you for all this, Macy.”
“You’re welcome, mama. I wanted you to know how much we all cared about you.”
Eddie follows us back to the apartment, and Brooks helps bring in all the gifts from our friends. Not expecting a baby shower has me feeling so many things with how many gifts we received tonight. The love is overflowing for Wesley and Piper.
Onesies, a double stroller, car seats, bottles, milk pumps, bibs, identical high chairs, and so many other gifts litter our apartment. Where we have room for all of this stuff is beyond me, but I don’t want to give up this place. It’s my home for years, where I feel the most comfortable in the whole world.
“Thanks so much for helping us bring all this stuff home, Eddie,” I say with a sleepy yawn.
“No problem at all, Mia. I don’t mind a bit.”
“Alright, I’ll get outta your hair. See you in the morning, Brooks.” And with that, he’s gone. Finally, some alone time with my man.
“Geez, I’m beat! This mama needs some serious beauty sleep time.”
“You’re beautiful enough.”
“I’m still sleepy, Brooksy.”
He comes over and gives me a hug, kissing my head. “Go to bed, Pixie girl. I’ll get this all into the nursery, then come and join you.”
The room is dark, and I’m hot. It’s now the middle of summer and thank goodness I spent most of my pregnancy in the cold because I could not handle it now. I’m glad Brooks isn’t joining me now, or else I’d be hot for sure. He’s a death by cuddles kinda cuddler, and I wouldn’t be able to breathe.
“Hey, Brooks. Can you turn down the AC for a little while? I’m hot.”
“Sure thing, Mia.”
I hear the rustle of the air kicking on and know that I’ll be feeling much better shortly.
I shred my leggings, shirt, and bra and slip under the cool covers. This mattress Brooks got has some sort of cooling technology that helps me from burning up all night long.
