I need you. I need us.
Okay. With that being said—the secret.
All will be revealed once you open the picture.
So dramatic. :-P
[1 attachment]
He touched the attachment and waited while it downloaded and then opened. His hand went to his mouth as he stared at the picture—a collage of pictures of her ever-growing belly, the last picture the ultrasound of a baby. She had labeled each little picture, starting at seven and stopping at sixteen. All this time, she’s been pregnant. He started to cry even harder. She was almost four months along now. Almost half her pregnancy he had missed. This was what she and Luke were talking about at her birthday party! He understood why she didn’t say anything. She needed him to tell her things that he probably wouldn’t have if he’d known she was pregnant so he wouldn’t upset her. He would have been overbearing and she’d needed to think. She couldn’t do that with him there.
God! His head fell back as he realized that the night she came back from her European tour, she’d been pregnant. He had been so rough with her. He’d had so much anger at himself for what he did with Kristen and at Mia. He’d been mad and felt like Mia had pushed him to it. So he’d taken his anger out on her. He’d needed to get lost in her, to shut out what he’d done.
She may have forgiven him, but he couldn’t forgive himself for the way he’d treated her that night. That would never happen again.
His finger traced the outline of her belly. Week to week, he could see changes but if he just looked at week fourteen—the last time he saw her—she did not look pregnant. That weekend, he’d been happy that she looked to be regaining all that weight she had lost for the movie. It had been two weeks since he had last seen her. A lot had changed since then.
He saved the photo to his phone and then returned to the email.
So, did you expect that? I sure as hell didn’t. I was so surprised when I started putting the pieces together while still on tour. And when I did, I couldn’t wait to get back to you and find out together. I annoyed and pissed off a lot of people to get to you sooner. We both know what happened next. No need to rehash that here.
I found out that day. I was throwing up like crazy but not as bad as I had with the boys. I’ve been going to the doctor. I am taking care of myself. Don’t worry. Stop all the questions racing through your mind. Just read this. You can worry later because I know you will. I need that.
This baby needs you, as do your sons. They need us together as a family.
You are it for me, Ethan Christopher.
I love you. I can’t wait to say that in person. I love you.
I just hope my realizations have not come too late. I hope you can forgive me for my part in all of this. Do you still want me? Do you still want this family?
Think on it and then let me know.
~Mia
Yes. One simple three letter word and he would have his world back. His wife, his kids, a new baby. His family.
Yes. He would have the love of his life back.
He started his car and left the players’ lot and drove to the highway to take him home, but as he approached the exit, he sped up and kept driving north on I-65. He didn’t care that it was past midnight. He would be spending the night in the same house as his pregnant wife and his two wonderful boys.
Mia
Mia woke up, her stomach growling enough to get her out of bed in the middle of the night. She glanced at the clock on her bedside table—three eleven. She couldn’t make it until morning. Patting her rounded belly, she made her way downstairs to the kitchen.
“I definitely don’t look fat anymore. Just very pregnant,” she said aloud before debating what to eat. A bowl of cereal sounded good, but so did fried chicken. Maybe she’d have the chicken tomorrow. Tonight she’d raid her secret stash of Cocoa Puffs. She grabbed a bowl and spoon and went to the fridge for milk.
She hopped up on the counter which was really getting harder and harder to do lately. With the first bite of her cereal, she moaned happily, loving the baby’s way of making sure she gained the forty pounds the doctor ordered her to put on. She had gained eighteen pounds so far—most of that the past month.
Mid bite she heard a jangling noise come from the backyard and before she had a chance to get really scared, the back door opened and in walked Ethan, his bag in hand, dressed in his suit, tie loosened, top button of his shirt undone.
What the hell was he doing here?
Looking up, his tired face softened when he laid his eyes on her. He took a few more steps into the house before he spoke. “Whatcha eating, suga?” he asked. His voice had never sounded so good. He dropped his bag on the chair by the stairs and walked into the kitchen.
“Cocoa Puffs,” she answered, holding up a spoonful. “Wanna bite?”
He nodded and opened his mouth for her to feed him. He chewed for a moment, then swallowed, his hands resting on the counter on either side of her. His eyes studied her face … never going any lower.
“Is this a craving?”
“Yes,” she answered simply. He’d read the email!
“And?”
“Fried chicken,” she admitted.
He laughed. “Fried chicken and Cocoa Puffs.”
She set her bowl down to the side. She wanted her hands free. To do what, she didn’t know yet. “Ethan, what are you doing here?”
A small smile came to his face and she breathed a sigh of relief that he wasn’t angry. His eyes finally left her face and stared at her stomach. Cupping either side of her belly, his smile grew wider. “I needed to be with my wife and family.”
“It’s three in the morning.”
“I know. I’m feeling it.”
“Come on.” Jumping off the counter, she took his hand and they walked up the stairs to their bedroom side by side. He shut the door and stopped at the bed. Turning on the lights, her husband returned to her and bent down, taking a hold of her nightgown. She briefly closed her eyes while taking a steadying breath. He started to slowly pull the garment over her hips and then her protruding belly. She smiled at the soft groan that came from him as the fabric went over her breasts. Yep, he liked the larger breasts. She lifted her arms to assist and then he tossed the nightgown aside. He knelt down before her and kissed her belly. So many emotions went through her pregnant mind—joy, sadness, and … rightness. They may not have had the earlier months of this pregnancy together, but they had now.
“Get in bed,” he said, leading her over to her side. She did as he ordered and leaned back against the pillows and watched as her husband began to remove his clothes, starting with his tie, before continuing on to his dress shirt. His hands went to his waist and unfastened his pants, letting them fall to the ground, leaving him in only his boxers, and holy hell, was he beautiful.
“Did you leave right after the game?” she asked as the boxers fell to the ground too.
He nodded and climbed into bed next to her. “I felt compelled to be with you tonight. I had something important to say.”
“You’re pregnant too?” she joked. It was the first time that the elephant in the room had been actually addressed. Her eyes filled with tears as she watched the tears of joy fall from her husband’s eyes.
“No,” he said with a small laugh. He opened and closed his mouth as he attempted to get the words out. On an exhale, he spoke the words. “I’m so sorry, Mia.”
She caressed his hair, gazing into his eyes. “I know, Ethan. I am too.” She could have said more, but those three words were enough.
He moved to lay between her legs. “It’ll never happen again. I swear to you.”
“I trust you, Ethan.” And God! She meant it. She took the leap of faith and it felt so right.
“You sure you want me back?”
She chuckled softly. “Very sure.”
“Lay back,” he ordered. He cupped her belly with his two large hands and then rested his head gently on it. “Hi, baby. It’s Daddy,” he said. She told herself not
to get emotional, but there was her husband, talking to the baby, tears falling from his eyes. She couldn’t stop the flow of her own. “I just wanted you to know how excited I am for you to be a part of my life. Your mommy made me the happiest man alive tonight when she told me about you.”
He kissed her belly and rested his head back down upon it. She couldn’t resist running her fingers through his hair, stroking it softly.
Home.
“Just one, right?”
She laughed. “Just one.”
“One,” he said, smiling at her belly. He sat up and pulled her so she was facing him. “How are you?”
“I’m good.”
“Your blood pressure?”
“Excellent so far.”
And she could tell that bit of news was a huge relief to him.
“Boy or girl?”
“We may be able to find out on Wednesday.”
He grinned at her use of “we” and she couldn’t wait for that appointment … to have him there for that. Though she was sure he’d probably ask a million questions, but she was completely fine with that. She’d have her husband by her side.
“You’re okay? Really okay?” The fear he felt crept into his voice. She grabbed his face and swallowed.
“Yes. I’m really okay. I feel great. Hungry all the damn time.”
A smile covered his face as tears fell from his eyes. She wiped them away and kissed his lips before leaning back and looking into his eyes and saying the words she’d been fighting for way too long. “I love you, Ethan.”
“I love you too, Mia.”
She couldn’t help kissing him again. They loved each other and were going to work this out and spend the rest of their lives together. Years and years of moments like these, sitting between her husband’s strong thighs, feeling so very happy—and turned on. “So … Mr. Christopher, would you happen to want to make love to me now that you know I’m fat and pregnant?”
“Even more so, Mrs. Christopher,” he said, his eyes raking over her face while hers snuck a peek at his lap. He was wonderfully ready for her. “You are one beautiful pregnant woman,” he remarked, his hand resting on her stomach.
“Bah, it’s just my belly.”
“Carrying my child. God, I should have known. Your hair, your breasts, your skin. You were glowing and I thought that was from me making love to you, but no, pregnancy gets to claim that.”
“You’re not going to make love to me right now, are you?” she pouted, listening to him get all worked up and feeling his cock soften.
“Just give me a minute. I’m in awe of you at the moment. I have some performance issues I need to get under control first.”
“You? Performance issues?”
“Yeah, I know. Ridiculous, right?”
“It better not happen!”
“Don’t worry. Stamina is my middle name,” he said with a wink.
She laughed and captured his mouth, her demanding lips caressing his, teasing his, until they parted and her tongue touched his. That’s when his calm shattered and the hunger of his kisses pushed her to the bed, his body between her legs. When she lifted a leg to pull him closer to her, Mia felt his cock come to life and broke the kiss. “Ahh! There it is!” she exclaimed, rubbing against him, needing him to make them one. “Now, make me scream, suga.”
Mia
Indianapolis, February 23, 2018
Life together now with Ethan was different but only in the best way. Who knew that open communication with her husband would actually be good for them? She’d told him her fears. She’d shared it all with him and he hadn’t run away. She should have trusted him a long time ago. She thought that telling him about her past was enough, that that was enough trust. She had never been so wrong. And she didn’t know that until she decided to trust him after his affair, to trust in his love.
The only time in the past three years she didn’t want to confide in him was during the delivery of their daughter. She knew almost straight away that something was wrong. She’d experienced it before with the birth of Pierce and Rory and she knew the moment her daughter came into the world, all hell would break loose.
In this she was right. As her daughter’s shoulders passed through her opening, she knew. She might not make it through this. She did not panic. She turned towards her husband and told him she loved him.
“No! Don’t you say that! Please don’t say that. You’ll be fine! Please, Mia!”
“I’m sorry, Ethan,” she spoke. Then things got fuzzy. Her body began to shake. God, she hated the shaking. She knew she was losing a lot of blood from the mumbled commotion around her. She felt the hands of her doctor working on her and she heard Ethan telling her to fight as the white light pulled at her. She’d remember his tortured screams for the rest of her life. Her doctor eventually brought her back.
Twice this had happened to her.
And here she was, sitting across from her husband, about to be interviewed by him, with news she was afraid to share. She was pregnant and it felt so much like her first and second pregnancies … the ones with twins. The crazy nausea, the all-encompassing exhaustion. She was afraid. No, terrified. But she would tell him, confide in him, and together they would handle this.
She looked over at him across from her on the sofa. The setting was casual, but not the reason. It was still weird to see him as this sports reporter and not have him on the football field. Even weirder to be interviewed by him.
Finally, as Reid, the owner of the Flash, liked to say. She was performing the half-time show at the UFL Championship game. And as part of the media crazy circus she said she’d join in came responsibilities. One of those was interviews. Who better than her husband, the current on-air football analyst for the UFL sports network?
And it was a big score for him. She’d been a bit of a recluse the past few years. No movies, no tours. She did just release an album. But pretty much she’d just been a mother to 7-year-old Pierce and Rory, and 2-year-old Stella. And a wife to Ethan. He’d retired the season they’d gotten back together. They’d enjoyed all the time they had with each other as husband and wife, totally trying to make up for lost time. Mia was surprised that she hadn’t gotten pregnant long before.
She needed to tell him now. So when the makeup artist stepped away, Mia crooked her finger at Ethan. His smile lit her up as he leaned forward.
“Hey, suga.”
She knew her body would so react as it did now to his pet name even when she was old and wrinkly—a delicious tingling in her stomach. Returning his easy smile, Mia cupped his face with her hands before kissing his cheek, her lips lingering near his ear.
“I have something important to tell you.”
“OOOH! A scoop?”
“This is just for you, suga,” she said, using his name for her.
He turned his head slightly so their eyes locked. “What is it, Mia?”
“Well … I just happen to be pregnant. That’s all.”
She loved how his eyes crinkled when he grinned big and wide, like he was doing right now. But she saw the flash of fear in his eyes first. Even so, she knew she could lean on him. She would have to, if what she thought was true, that she was pregnant with twins again. And seriously, what the hell was up with all these twins? Were her eggs all lining up to get cozy with her husband’s sperm? Maybe it was her body’s way of making it easier to get to that goal of five children.
Mia thought about that Skype conversation over a decade ago when they had first discussed children and couldn’t help but smile.
“How many kids do you want?”
“Kids?”
“Yeah … those little humans.”
“Five.”
Pierce, Rory, Stella, and now these two babies that she was certain she was carrying.
Five.
“I love you, Mia,” he said, wrapping his strong arms around her.
“I love you too,” she replied and wound her arms around his neck. Placing her lips on his cheek, she smiled think
ing about how far they had come. “I’m so happy to be going through this with you. There is no one else I can imagine being on this journey with.”
“You’ve always been it for me suga. It was always you.”
Dream attained.
~~~ The End ~~~
Mia Devereux ~ Lead Singer for Last Star
Ethan Christopher ~ Starting Quarterback of the Indianapolis Flash
Matthieu Devereux ~ Mia’s Father
Nurse Melody ~ Nurse at Michigan hospital
Reagan Essie ~ Wedding Planner
Allie Kellmeyer ~ Manager for Last Star
Luke Stapleton ~ Public Relations, Indianapolis Flash
Kaitlyn Stapleton ~ Luke’s daughter
Evelyn Christopher ~ Ethan’s Mother
Marty Locke ~ Lead Guitarist for Last Star
Todd Hendricks ~ Drummer for Last Star
Clark Lindon ~ Bassist for Last Star
Mémé ~ Mia’s Grandmother
Dr. Garrabrant ~ Emergency Room Doctor
Dr. Moore ~ Emergency Room Doctor
Joshua Carstons ~ Actor in Burn for You
Austin Panner ~ Actor in Burn for You
Dr. Kendall ~ Mia’s OB/GYN
Tom Myers ~ Furniture Designer
Pierce Christopher ~ Mia & Ethan’s Oldest Son
Rory Christopher ~ Mia & Ethan’s Youngest Son
Langston Avery ~ Allie’s Personal Assistant
Bridgette Lindquist ~ The Christophers’ Nanny
Cambry Fields ~ Mia’s Personal Assistant
Wes Ryson ~ Musician with Star Amp Records
Kristen Ostermann ~ Sideline Reporter
Marc Kerr ~ Reporter
Lizzie McCullough ~ Tom’s best friend; Marc’s ex-girlfriend
Sydney Locke ~ Marty’s Stepdaughter
Stella Christopher ~ Mia & Ethan’s Youngest Daughter
I can’t believe I’m at the end of Mia and Ethan’s story. Ten years I’ve been at this. Ten years that I’ve had these characters in my head. Ten years crafting this story. I’m not gonna lie … it’s kind of hard to say goodbye to them, to shut this door on these two characters that have had such an impact on my life. I’m sure they’ll make surprise appearances every now and then—they better!
Never Over You Page 41
