Jumping Puddles

by Rachael Brownell

  Hill Talent Agency

  The moment realization hits, Blake’s face lights up with a huge smile. “Really?”

  “Yeah. I know you never liked the business, but I fell in love with it. I don’t want to be the model anymore, but I do want to help others achieve their dreams. This is how I plan to do it.”

  “This is amazing, Charlie. I’m so proud of you.”

  “This is why I need to be here.”

  Waving the key in front of my face, Blake unlocks the doors, and I show him around. We walk directly into the lobby and waiting area. All the furnishings will be delivered after the parking lot is complete. My contractor, John, was afraid the delivery truck would get stuck if we didn’t wait.

  I show him the room that will be my office. There are three other offices that will eventually be filled with other agents. People I need to hire still. There’s a huge dressing room and the back of the building is one large room that will eventually be set up to host runway shows. I won’t be hosting any right away, but it’s a great space for the models to practice walking in.

  The building is so much larger than I thought it would be. I imagined maybe a building half the size, even after I picked the construction plans. It wasn’t until the building started to go up I realized the size of it. I’m still floored every time I walk in here. It’s going to be amazing once it’s finished.

  “What do you think?” I ask Blake as we lock up behind us.

  “I think you’re amazing.”

  “And the building?”

  “I love it. Which one of those empty offices is mine?”

  “Um… what do you mean?”

  “Well, I’m assuming you haven’t hired a photographer yet, so I’m giving myself the job.” A cocky smile presents itself and, just like old times, I have a witty reply at the ready. Too bad Blake doesn’t let me get a word in. “I’ll take the one closest to you.”

  “What if I wasn’t planning on hiring a photographer?”

  “Look at it this way, Charlie. I’m not planning on letting you out of my sight ever again. That means I’m moving here, you’re going to agree to marry me, and we’re going to start the rest of our life together. That includes all of this,” he says, motioning to the building. “I’m not giving you a choice. Puddles, remember?”

  “Puddles,” I reply, shaking my head.

  If this is how the rest of my life is going to be, I couldn’t be happier than I am right now. I get to spend it with my best friend, the love of my life, and the man of my dreams, jumping in puddles.

  IT’S BEEN A WILD ride. I don’t know how else to explain it. Blake and I have been on the journey of our lives for more than a decade. There have been ups and down, highs and lows, but at the end of the day, I’m so glad we took the ride together. I can’t imagine a better partner, lover, husband, or father by my side through it all.

  The Agency took off like wildfire that first year we opened. We went from only a handful of clients to an overwhelming number in less than six months. Not only did we need to hire two additional agents to work for us, but we also had to expand the building, running out of room, something I never saw coming. It’s a good thing we expanded, too. Blake decided to start his own magazine, Southern Fashion.

  With two businesses successfully off the ground, I thought it was time we finally made our relationship official. In October 2004, we said our vows in front of our friends and families. It was a small ceremony, held at the church next to the cemetery. It was the closest my parents would get to being able to attend my wedding.

  When we started traveling for work, my first concern was we would run into Zach or Aubrey. After successfully avoiding both of them at New York Fashion Week and again in Milan, I found out Zach had been blackballed from the industry. Apparently, I wasn’t the only scam he was running.

  Aubrey, on the other hand, was found innocent of her crimes. I’m sure she wasn’t as innocent as she appeared to be. I didn’t share my story or my opinion with anyone. I wanted to on numerous occasions, but I knew it would only make me look bad if I spoke ill of either of them.

  After a few years of traveling, Blake and I both decided to take a break for a while. We were barely home. We hadn’t seen our families in months. Most importantly, we wanted to start a family ourselves. Both of us knew we wouldn’t be able to do that and travel like we had been. We had to prioritize.

  Family first. Always.

  No matter how big our dreams were or how successful our businesses became, nothing was ever going to be more important than family.

  I wanted two kids. Blake wanted three. At least, that’s what he thought he wanted. When we found out we were pregnant with twins, he changed his mind. Two at once was going to be enough for him. At least for now. Me? I wanted to have another one right away. I loved being a mother. It was the most rewarding thing I had ever done with my life.

  Now that the girls are in kindergarten, we’ve been talking about having another baby. Blake wants to practice, but he’s not fully committed to the idea yet. When we talk about it, he makes valid points as to why we should wait another year.

  Our life is definitely busier than either of us imagined it would be. Between work and the kids, their activities, and traveling, there’s not much time for anything else. It would have been best to wait another year, maybe two, but we don’t really have an option at this point.

  Today is our ten-year anniversary, so I’m going to surprise him over dinner. I know it’ll be a shock to him, but I’m hoping he’ll think it’s a good thing. I know I wasn’t convinced at first. Children may not always be planned, but they are always a blessing.

  Lost in my own thoughts, my intercom comes to life, startling me.

  “Mrs. Collins. Mr. Collins is waiting for you in the lobby.”

  Pushing the button to reply I say, “Tell him to keep his pants on. I’ll be there in a minute.”

  “Um… he heard you.”

  I laugh. I can imagine the look on Blake’s face right now. He’s probably rolling his eyes at me and shaking his head. He hates it when I make him wait. He hates it, even more, when I tell him to keep his pants on. It’s an inside joke only we get, so it irritates him when I say it in front of other people. I love it. It’s the only way I know how to get under his skin and get him fired up.

  I want him fired up today. The kids are going to a friend’s after school, so we have the house to ourselves for a few hours, hence the reason he’s impatiently waiting for me.

  My office door flies open just as I’m sliding my arms inside my coat.

  “Let’s go, woman. I want to get out of these pants.”

  Laughing, I slide my arms around his waist and kiss him gently on the lips. “We have dinner reservations first, Blake.”

  “Screw that. I want to work up an appetite first.” He’s serious. I laugh and push against his chest, grab my purse, and push him out of my office, locking the door behind me.

  “How about dinner and then dessert?”

  Arching his left brow suspiciously, Blake agrees without a snarky comment.

  Our table is ready and waiting for us when we arrive. Blake orders us each a glass of my favorite wine, merlot. I know it’s okay to have a few sips, but I still fake it, allowing the sweet red to touch my lips but never enter my mouth. If I don’t pretend to drink it, Blake will know something is up.

  Just as dinner arrives, Blake gets a call from one of his layout designers. I tell him to take the call, knowing it has to be important. Everyone at the office is aware it’s our anniversary, and they wouldn’t be calling if it weren’t an emergency. At least, they better not be calling and interrupting us if it’s not an emergency.

  “Everything okay?” I ask as he returns to his seat.

  “It is now. Ginger was having issues with one of the ads. She couldn’t access the account to retrieve the artwork because I changed the password and forgot to tell her.”

  “Why did you change the password?”

  “Because I
accidentally typed it in wrong too many times, and it forced me to change the password. I was so frustrated I forgot to email her. Sometimes I hate technology.”

  “It sounds like, sometimes, it hates you,” I reply, grinning from ear to ear while looking him directly in the eyes. I need to get him riled up a bit more before I break the news to him.

  “Are you picking on me, Mrs. Collins?”

  “Maybe. I’m allowed to pick on you whenever I want, Mr. Collins. After ten wonderful years, I’ve earned that right.”

  “You know you’re turning me on right now, right?” His voice is barely above a whisper. I know no one around us can hear him, but I still blush.

  “I’d take that as a compliment, but it doesn’t take much to turn you on.”

  “Not when it comes to you.”

  Time to break the news to him. “Thank you. I feel the same way about you.” Pausing, I maintain eye contact with him.

  “What are you hiding from me?” he asks, searching my eyes for answers.

  “What do you mean?” I’ll play innocent for as long as I can. It’ll make it more interesting.

  “You have a secret. I can tell. Spill it.”

  “Would I keep a secret from my husband?” I feign insult, putting my hands over my heart to be a little more dramatic.

  “Yes. The good kind of secret. What aren’t you telling me, Charlie?”

  Damn. He’s good. I thought it’d take him a little longer than that. “Hmmm. What could it be?” I tease.

  “Woman, you know I don’t like the guessing game.”

  “And you know I don’t like to be called ‘woman.’ Five guesses, and I’ll tell you if you don’t get it right.”

  “Fine, but I get to ask one question first.”

  “Deal. What’s your question?”

  Picking up his fork, Blake cut off a piece of his steak, chewing it as slowly as possible. He’s stalling. Damn him. He knows he’s going to drive me nuts. I want to blurt it out, and that’s what he’s going for. Keeping secrets has never been my strong suit.

  “Does it pertain to work of personal life?”

  “Personal life. First guess?”

  “Give me a minute. I only get five.”

  “If you don’t get it after five, I said I’d tell you.”

  “I know, but you know I like to get it right.”

  Silence falls. I wait a few beats before I begin eating. As soon as I have a mouthful of food, Blake makes his first guess, and I almost choke on a mouthful of broccoli.

  “We’re pregnant.”

  Taking a sip of my wine, forgetting I wasn’t actually going to drink any of it, I clear my throat, but don’t respond.

  “Am I right or not? I have a few other ideas.”

  I smile, shaking my head at him. “You suck at this game.”

  “Really? We’re going to have another baby?” There’s a mixture of shock and excitement in his voice. I expected both. This is the same reaction he had when we found out we were pregnant the first time. When we found out we were expecting twins, the excitement was missing and there was only shock.

  “Yep. We’re gonna have another baby.”

  “When?”

  “I don’t know, I just took the test this morning. I haven’t seen the doctor yet. I figure I’ll call her tomorrow and schedule an appointment.”

  “But… we were only supposed to be practicing.”

  “Well, Mr. Collins, it appears you didn’t need practice. You’ve mastered your craft.”

  “Oh, you’ve got jokes, huh?”

  Laughing, I shake my head at Blake and take the last bite of my steak, placing my napkin over my plate. I reach for my wine, realizing I no longer need to pretend to drink it. The secret is out.

  “So are you ready for this? It’s going to be a whole new adventure. We know a thing or two this time around. If we handled two at once, what’s one more?”

  “What if there’s two in there again?” he asks, pointing to my still flat stomach.

  “We’ve done it once; we can do it again. It’s not like we don’t have the room.”

  Shaking his head, Blake grins at me from ear to ear. “Apparently, you’ve forgotten about the sleepless nights, the poopy diapers, and constant crying.”

  “Nope. Haven’t forgotten. I also haven’t forgotten the 3 a.m. feedings only I could provide for them or the fact that one of us is super crabby after a sleepless night.”

  “Hey! I was fine after a cup of coffee.”

  “Or three.”

  We both share a laugh as the waiter approaches, clearing our plates and offering dessert.

  “No thanks,” Blake replies. Making eye contact with me, a devious grin spreads across his face. “I have dessert waiting for me at home.”

  We decide to wait to tell the girls and the rest of our family. I want to see the doctor first, and Blake wants to make sure it’s not twins. I don’t think he understands how rare that would be. First of all, twins are not common is either of our families. Secondly, the doctor said it was very uncommon we had twins the first time, identical twins at that. Fraternal twins would have been more common.

  It takes almost a month to get an appointment. My doctor is able to squeeze me in only a week before Blake’s mom is coming to visit for Thanksgiving. We want to be able to tell her while she’s here. The look of excitement on her face last time was too priceless. I can’t wait to see it again.

  My parents are coming for Christmas this year, so I’ll have to wait to tell them. They’re spending Thanksgiving at Georgie and Bethany’s new house. Bethany is nine months pregnant with their third child and shouldn’t be traveling. If Judy wasn’t already coming here, we would have been joining them. It’ll be a quiet Thanksgiving for the first time in years. I’ll miss the sounds of the kids running around.

  Thinking about it makes me smile. Next Thanksgiving, there will be two babies in the house. The twins will be six years old. Georgie’s boys will be five and three. Brenden’s little girl will be three. It’ll be noisy and crazy and amazing. I love it when the entire family gets together. Alice and Scott love it, too. They light up at the mention of their grandchildren.

  “Hello again, Charlotte. How are you feeling?” Doctor McNealy asks as she enters the room.

  “I’m good. Nice to see you.”

  “You too. You look a little worried, Blake.” I love our doctor. She doesn’t beat around the bush. She reminds me a lot of Blake. She calls it like she sees it.

  “I am. I’m not sure if I’m ready for another set of twins.”

  “That was a pretty rare thing, you know. I doubt you’ll have twins again, but why don’t we see if we can find out.”

  Pulling her stool up next to me, doc lifts my gown and squirts the ice-cold jelly on my stomach. I flinch, causing Blake to grin. He knows how cold the jelly is. After teasing me about being a sissy the first time, I convinced the doc to squirt a little jelly on his stomach. He flinched, too.

  Moving the camera around on my belly, spreading the jelly, the doc searches for the baby’s heartbeat. It echoes through the room moments later. I listen intently, waiting to see if I hear a second heartbeat. When we were pregnant with the girls it wasn’t obvious there were two heartbeats at first. Not until the doctor pointed it out to us. Then I heard it loud and clear.

  Looking to the doctor for answers, I wait patiently while she stares at the monitor. Her smile is making me nervous. I wish she’d tell us what she sees. I’m not a patient person when it comes to things like this.

  “Well?” Hearing how nervous I am, Blake takes my hand, giving it a small squeeze while we wait to find out how many babies we should expect this time.

  “It looks like there’s only one in there.”

  “Really?” Blake asks, sighing in relief in the same breath.

  “Yep. I want to measure the baby to see how far along you are, and then you two are free to go.”

  Almost ten weeks along, the doctor gives me a due date of June 14th. Another
summer baby. The girls were born at the end of July. At least, this time, I don’t have to deal with the heat and humidity for as long. I was miserable the last two months I was pregnant with the girls. I didn’t want to leave the comfort of the air conditioned house. Every time I did, I felt like I was going to pass out from heat stroke.

  We make our next two appointments before we leave. One before we head to my parents for Christmas and another after the first of the year so we can find out the sex of the baby. I’d love to have a boy this time. I think Blake would like that, too. He dotes on the girls, but I’m sure he would love to have a mini-Blake to play trucks and go fishing with. The girls aren’t interested in anything that requires them to get dirty yet. They still want to be princesses and play dress up.

  As we make our way back to the office, we talk baby names. Blake throws out a few ideas for girls but doesn’t mention any boy names like I expect him to.

  “Do you think we’re having another girl?”

  “I don’t know. Why?”

  “You haven’t mentioned a single boy name. You were all about boy names when we were pregnant with Sophie and Stella.”

  “I guess I just figured if we have a boy we’d name him Blake.”

  “Blake junior? BJ?”

  “Oh,” he replies, stunned. “I didn’t really think that through, did I?”

  Laughing, I don’t bother to say anything. He didn’t think that through, and neither did I, but I still like the idea. We have plenty of time to figure it out. We won’t find out if it’s a boy or a girl for another few months, and we didn’t decide on the names for the girls until close to when they arrived.

  “Well, just for the record, I hope we have a little boy.”

  “You do? You’re not scared of having a little me?” Blake teases.

  “Nope. It would be nice to have another boy around the house. Plus, little boys like to pee on you when you change their diaper. I can’t wait to get that on video the first time you change him.”

  Laughing, Blake pulls into the parking lot of the office and turns to me. “What makes you think he won’t pee on you, too?”

  “Little boys don’t pee on their mama’s. We’re the one who feeds them,” I state confidently. The reality of the situation is I’ll probably get peed on, more than once, but so will Blake.