Love Happens

by Claudia Burgoa

  Since I’m Matt’s agent, and his wife’s, I feel the need to defend the reasons why he has rarely been home.

  “Hey, he’s been busy executing the awesome deal I got him last year.”

  “Trey has been keeping me busy,” Matt grouses before taking a swig of his beer.

  David stabs at me next. “You’re too busy getting those deals to ever be home.”

  “I’m an agent. I have to go to my clients most of the time. When I’m not traveling, someone has to be getting these fools their endorsement deals.” I point to Matt in particular.

  Julio steps up to defend himself. “Just because I’m always with Emily, doesn’t make me a ‘manny.’”

  David is glaring at both Matt and me as if ready to strangle us.

  “Dude, we’re just messing with you. You don’t have to get all butt hurt about it.”

  “You think I don’t know?” he muses. “But your mocking doesn’t ease my fear of fucking up with my kid.”

  “Trust me, you can’t be any worse than Trey,” Matt teases. Holding up the bird to him, he wags his brows in response. “You know you love me, or else you wouldn’t be getting me the majority of those endorsements.”

  David easily diverts the subject. “Speaking of endorsements, if we have a boy, I expect a shit ton of gear from both of you.”

  “And if it’s a girl?” I test.

  He smiles. “I’d be just as happy. But I know your wives will spoil her instead.”

  “Of course they will. Either way, your baby will have someone new to play with in about eight months,” Matt beams.

  Confused at his comment, Julio helps me decipher the message by asking, “She told you?”

  Lids lowering, Matt replies, “Abigail said she hadn’t told anyone.”

  “She didn’t tell me. It wasn’t hard to figure out myself with all her symptoms,” he admits, deflating Matt’s bitterness. “I knew she’d want to tell you herself.”

  As I sit dumbfounded over the news, David is the first to cheerfully congratulate Matt, while I forcibly smile when congratulating my best friend as I’m internally filled with envy. The moments I’ve spent with Madden have always left me with the urge to beg Victoria to try for another baby. Having a big family with the woman I love would bring me nothing but joy, but I’ve held back, knowing it would be selfish of me to ask so soon.

  As David pointed out, in the past year, I’ve struggled to remain at home more than a couple of days at a time during the week. My hectic schedule has me constantly traveling and away from home. I’ve noticed how exhausted Victoria can become practically being a single parent, but my stubborn wife has refused to hire a nanny—even with my constant insistence she consider it.

  Keeping the forced smile plastered on my face, I remain yearning and tell myself to simply enjoy my growing family, because there is no way my wife is going to budge.

  ABIGAIL

  Panic rises as I call out, “Emily.”

  The entire house has been in a frantic state while searching for her. Out of all the times for her to think of entertaining us with her little game of hide and seek, today is not one of them, or the location.

  Victoria descends the stairs with her son, asking on the way, “Have you found her?”

  Biting my lip while shaking my head, my heart nervously pounds in my chest.

  Matt enters from the front door, and from the crestfallen expression he wears, I already know what he’s going to say. “The guys are still searching, but David and I tried entering through the back door and it doesn’t open. She couldn’t have left through there.”

  “Thankfully, I didn’t try coming in through that door when we arrived. I would have peed my pants,” Victoria mutters.

  “We were all in the living room the last time we saw her playing with Madden, so she couldn’t have left through the front without us noticing,” Kelly points out.

  Julio’s mother enters from the kitchen to share, “I searched all the cabinets and she wasn’t in any of them.”

  The sunken feeling is clearly visible in my features as she places her hand on my shoulder. “This isn’t the first time she’s decided to play with you. We’ll find her, mija.”

  Matt marches over to the coat closet at the front of the cabin, determined to search in it. “I already checked in there,” I declare, but he ignores my comment and opens the door to peek inside.

  Ready to release my frustration on my husband for doubting me, he raises his hand, warning everyone to be silent.

  Cocking his head to better hear, Matt playfully chimes, “Where can Emily possibly be?”

  Within a second, I hear the faint sound of a giggle. I cannot help but hold my breath, as if it were to increase the volume of her laughter. Listening for a clue as to which direction it came from, I’m ready to take my first step in search of our daughter when Matt shoots me a glare to remain still. Glaring right back at him, I unwillingly remain frozen, knowing it’s for the best.

  “Bonita …” Matt chimes in the same singsong voice. As expected, it entices our daughter and her giggling becomes louder.

  Realizing where it came from, I quietly rush in the direction of a buffet table in the dining room. Opening the doors, Emily smiles up at me as with delight that I’ve found her. Scooping her up in my arms, my heart finally feels as if it can properly beat. Matt approaches us from behind, wrapping us both in his embrace as he places a kiss on Emily’s temple then mine.

  Emily may be happily giggling, thinking this entire occurrence is nothing more than a joke, but from the very first day she wandered into the backyard and hid in a large bush for hours, sending Matt, me, and Julio into a panic, we’ve refused to acknowledge it as just a playful pastime.

  “Again, Mommy!” she states with excitement and claps her hands.

  Kissing her once more, he relays, “Maybe later, Bonita.”

  “Don’t encourage her!” I snap, spewing my pent up emotions. “She really needs to stop, and you laughing along with her isn’t going to help her comprehend the message,” I scold, tears threatening to emerge.

  Peering down at Emily, we find her lips in a pout, one that we usually cannot resist kissing away. Matt looks torn between defending our daughter and agreeing with me.

  “She’s just a child who thinks it’s a fun game, Beautiful. Don’t be so hard on her.” It’s the same excuse he states every time he defends her, regardless of the many times we have sat her down to explain the consequences.

  Placing one more kiss on my temple, Matt states, “I’m going to go let the guys know we’ve found her,” leaving me with the girls as they begin to hover around us.

  Julio’s mother is already at my side, taking Emily from my arms, and gently lecturing her in Spanish of how frightened she had us all. The tender kiss she places on her cheek won’t convince our daughter she’s in trouble with her adopted grandmother.

  Victoria and Kelly, both with an arm around my shoulder, try to comfort me.

  “The joys of motherhood,” Victoria taunts, making Kelly whimper in despair.

  “Wonderful. So looking forward to it,” she sarcastically chimes.

  “If I were allowed to drink, I’d be pouring myself a glass right about now,” I find myself complaining.

  Lightly laughing, Kelly urges, “We won’t tell your trainer you’re cheating. Have one for me, too.”

  Struggling to keep from beaming, I disclose, “It’s not because of my trainer.” Kelly and Victoria peer at me with curiosity. Pointing down at Kelly’s bump, I reveal, “It’s for the same reason you can’t drink.”

  Jaws drop before they release a bout of squeals. All three of us become wrapped in one large embrace as they congratulate me. When we pull apart, Kelly faces Victoria and says, “You need to hurry up so you can be next.”

  Victoria coyly bites her bottom lip before she gushes, “Actually, I’m already there.”

  My eyes grow wide with Kelly’s this time. “Oh my God. Are you serious? Trey hasn’t said anything.”<
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  She frowns. “He doesn’t know yet. He’s hardly been home, but I had planned to tell him while we were here.” Her eyes become glassy, causing a chain reaction from Kelly and me.

  Hugging her, she croaks, “Gosh, hormones suck sometimes.”

  Kelly and I both laugh when we agree, “They do.”

  Pulling away, her smile returns full force. “Our babies will be so close in age, the guys are going to go crazy trying to keep up with them,” she jests.

  “Better them than us,” Kelly taunts, causing us to laugh all over again.

  My heart is ready to burst with the thought of knowing my family is growing—a family I wouldn’t have if Matt’s sister had never led me to them.

  DAVID

  “Harder, David. Fuck. Me. Harder,” Kelly pleads.

  Her moans are desperate, greedy for more. I’d been fearful of hurting her in her condition, causing me to hold back. Eager to grant her requests, my hands grip her hips and thrust faster, just as she had demanded.

  A few strokes later, Kelly’s back arches and she cries out with her release. The feel of her warm walls deny my shaft of any mercy, drawing a release of my own within seconds.

  Slamming my hand down on the bed to catch myself from collapsing on my wife, the feel of her body shivering against my chest fills me with pride. Tenderly placing a kiss on her spine, she reacts with a giggle.

  Pulling myself from her warmth, I collapse on the bed at her side. Bringing her as close to me as her stomach allows, my hand immediately finds the swell of her belly to caress it.

  Still panting, I breathlessly say, “I wasn’t expecting that. Not that I’m complaining, but totally wasn’t expecting it.”

  She giggles at my remark.

  Kelly had not wanted to make love last night when I’d come to bed after drinking with the guys. I wasn’t going to force my wife to have sex with me, so I’d fallen asleep with a stiff dick. Throughout the day, she’d complained of a backache, coaxing me to give her a massage when I’d come to bed. Rubbing all over her body must have lit a flame because before I knew it, she was urging me to fuck her. She didn’t have to ask twice.

  Kelly tosses her leg over my hips, and as I’m drifting off to sleep, I feel a trickle of fluid skimming across my thigh before she rapidly sits up.

  “Go turn on the light,” Kelly orders. Seconds later, the room is full of light.

  We both stare at the center of the bed where she is sitting near a large wet spot.

  Hoping it isn’t what I’m thinking, I still ask, “Did you pee?”

  Considering how my wife’s bladder has been the size of a pea since we discovered she was pregnant, it’s the only explanation I can conjure.

  Kelly has an opinion of her own. “I think my water broke,” she croaks, turning me ice cold.

  “You’re not due for another three weeks,” I squawk.

  “Tell our child that!”

  Panic rises as I begin to incoherently babble, “Oh God, did I break your water with my—” I can’t even finish the sentence as I glance down at my limp dick before looking back at her.

  Kelly rolls her eyes. “Get over yourself, David. You’re not that endowed down there. Our baby is probably impatient and wants to come today.”

  I’m frozen in place, trying to accept her remark. It’s her command to get dressed that has me snapping out of my haze. Rushing around the room for my clothing, I find my shirt first, shoving my arms and head into it. Two mismatched socks catch my attention. Without caring, I shove my feet into them, losing my balance as I crash into the dresser. It makes a loud thump against the wall, along with a groan I release from the pain radiating throughout my shoulder.

  The next few minutes are spent mindlessly searching for the last piece of articles needed to dress before we can leave. Dropping to the floor at Kelly’s feet to search under the bed, she confusedly questions, “What are you looking for?”

  “I can’t find my shoes!” I holler, frustrated I cannot find them.

  A knock at the door briefly distracts me from my hysteria.

  “Is everything okay in there?” Abigail questions from the other side.

  No. Everything is not okay. My wife’s water just broke and I can’t find my fucking shoes!

  “No!” Kelly painfully shouts out, alarming me into another panic.

  The door flies open as Abigail rushes in. “What’s wrong?”

  “I can’t find my shoes,” I bellow to Abigail as Kelly interjects. “I think I’m in labor.”

  Abigail rushes to Kelly, whose hand is clutching her abdomen, while I’m still on my hands and knees crawling around the room.

  “David, your shoes are on your feet,” I hear Kelly growl.

  Looking at my feet, sure enough, I’m wearing my shoes. I was unaware I’d put them on. One by one the doorway begins to fill with my friends all peering into the room with concern.

  “Is she in labor?” Matt dumbly questions seconds before my wife hunches forward, releasing an excruciating scream of pain.

  “Oh, yeah. She’s definitely ready to blow,” Trey remarks.

  I want to punch the asshole. Thankfully, his wife issues payment on my behalf by smacking him upside the head.

  “Ow, woman!” he bellows as he rubs his skull.

  “Has your water broken?” Abigail questions Kelly.

  Without thinking, I blurt out, “Her water broke right after we had sex.”

  “David!” Kelly scolds, followed by Trey jesting, “You gave it to her rough?” Realizing his mistake, he ducks before his wife can give him another blow. Matt had begun to laugh along to his comment, until his own wife pierces him with a glare.

  Lupe pushes herself through the barricade at the door, making her way over to Kelly. “How far along are the contractions, dear?” Lupe calmly inquires, receiving a screech from Kelly as she struggles to answer.

  “Oh, goodness. They’re not that far apart. We need to get you to the hospital as soon as possible,” Lupe insists.

  “I’m going to get the car,” Julio announces, followed by the sounds of his footsteps rushing down the stairs.

  “You two,” she orders, pointing to Matt and Trey, “go get some thick blankets and pillows so she’ll be comfortable on the ride there.”

  Speaking to Victoria next, she says, “You keep watch and make sure those buffoons stay away.”

  Completely focused and calm compared to the occupants in the room—mainly myself—Lupe encourages Kelly to practice her Lamaze breathing while she orders me to put some pants on.

  Looking down at my legs, I find them bare. Shit. I was so concerned about finding my shoes, I’d forgotten to put on pants. Thankfully, I didn’t forget to put on boxers or the entire room would have gotten a sideshow.

  “Kelly, honey, we should get you downstairs,” Lupe encourages, but Kelly rapidly shakes her head, refusing to move. “It hurts to walk,” she cries.

  Screw my pants. Rushing forward, I scoop my wife into my arms. She releases another ear piercing scream as she demands to be put down—her nails digging into my forearm and back.

  Ignoring her, I insist, “We need to get you to the hospital.”

  “I don’t think we’re going to have time,” she argues.

  Lupe draws my attention with a pat on my shoulder. “Put her down for a moment so I can check her.”

  “You’re not checking anything. She needs a doctor … at a hospital.”

  Fists firmly on her hips, she blocks my way to the door. “It just so happens I used to be an obstetric nurse. I’m fully qualified to check how far along she is. It’s best we do so before we drive her anywhere.”

  “A what nurse?” I ask, confused out of my mind at this point.

  “David, she’s a damn vagina nurse, so put me the fuck down before I grab the balls that put this baby in me and rip them from your body,” Kelly threatens, sounding like something out of The Exorcist.

  Valuing my balls very much, I do as they have ordered and gently lower Kelly on
to the bed. Lupe is already requesting that Abigail help remove Kelly’s leggings and underwear while she rushes to wash her hands. Within a few minutes, she returns and my wife’s legs are spread wide open, giving me the perfect view of her most intimate body part. I’ve been down there plenty of times, yet at the moment, knowing what will soon be exiting has the room spinning.

  “David, you should sit down,” I hear Victoria advise, yet feel too lightheaded to move.

  Lupe’s worried expression as I lock eyes with her is strong enough to briefly pull me from my haze.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “She won’t necessarily deliver within the next few minutes, but soon. I estimate her to be dilated between six and seven. Too far along to risk driving her anywhere ourselves, which is why it’s best we call an ambulance instead.”

  Dilated.

  Risk driving her.

  Ambulance.

  It’s all too much for me to absorb and the room starts spinning again.

  Suddenly, I feel a sharp pain radiating on my cheek. Blinking away my fog, I realize Victoria has slapped me. Gaping at her, she orders, “Buck up, David. Kelly is about to deliver your baby and she needs you right now.”

  Shaking my head of its foggy haze, realization comes to me that she’s correct, and I rush to my wife to take Abigail’s place at her side.

  Abigail is holding out her hand and says, “Let me have your phone so I can call an ambulance.” Without thinking, I toss her my phone.

  Abigail steps out of the room with Victoria, leaving me alone with my wife and Lupe.

  “David,” Kelly whimpers, pulling my attention.

  Taking her hand in my own, I bring it up to my lips to kiss the back of it. Tears cascade down her cheeks as she cries. “Baby, it’s going to be okay,” I tell her, as if I can predict the future.

  Lips trembling, she nods, but just as suddenly shakes her head.