by J. O Mantel
“They know how to build up the hype, don’t they?” Sienna said, wriggling around in her seat.
“What’s wrong?” Ivy whispered.
“Nothing. I think I’m getting a cramp and I’m getting a sore butt, these seats are so uncomfortable.”
Jimmy called for an ad break, and announced that Lightning Ridge would be performing when they returned.
The audience starting clapping and cheering, indicating the ad break had finished.
Sienna and Ivy watched as Jimmy interviewed Lightning Ridge. Tonight Live was their first ever television appearance and the band nailed it. Jake was brilliant, confident, calm, practically a natural. Sienna knew he would do well.
Jimmy thanked his guests and one by one, while Lightning Ridge got into their positions to perform. Finally, Sienna was about to hear their debut single, Tame.
The song was definitely Jake’s style, Sienna could clearly see why it was chosen as their first single. A powerful rock ballad, full of angst, power and passion.
The audience cheered loudly, as Lightning Ridge finished their performance. They were a hit. Sienna and Ivy both stood up, clapping their hands and smiling at Jake. Jimmy displayed Lightning Ridge’s debut album on his desk, and announced their tour dates and the release of the upcoming single. He wished his audience a goodnight and Lightning Ridge closed the show with the chorus.
Sienna couldn’t wait to get out of the studio. Her back and feet were killing her, as she had been sitting for almost three hours.
It was some time before Jake and the rest of the band joined her and Ivy. After congratulating them on an amazing performance, Ryan suggested they head to the local bar for drinks, but all Sienna wanted to do was go home.
“I might sit this one out,” Jake said.
“What? No, Jake. Just because I want to go home doesn’t mean you have to cancel your plans, I’ll head home with Ivy. Go out and enjoy yourself, you were amazing. You deserve it.”
“Are you sure?” Jake asked.
“Jake Cooper, stop worrying. I’m fine.” She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. Ivy did the same and the two of them headed home.
The following afternoon, Lukas had Joseph pick Sienna up and drive her to the studio, where he was waiting for her. This time, Sienna was sitting in the front row. Lukas kissed her on the lips and made his way backstage and joined his band mates. Besides Dark Falkon, the other special guest on the show was Whoopi Goldberg.
As Sienna sat in the audience, she watched as Whoopi and Jimmy spoke about acting, hosting a talk show and what it’s like being in show business. Sienna started to fidget, she was already getting restless. After Whoopi was finished, Jimmy did some comedy routines and then announced that Dark Falkon would be next on, for an interview and to perform.
When Dark Falkon finally did come out, Jimmy commenced his interview. Sienna was completely embarrassed when Lukas said that his girlfriend was in the audience, and the cameras zoomed in on her face, she hated being the center of attention.
After their interview, Dark Falkon performed their new single. Lukas looked at Sienna, winking and giving her a smile every now and then. As she sat there, she couldn’t help but get emotional. Of course she’d seen Lukas perform before, but for the first time, it meant something to her, like she was seeing Lukas for the very first time all over again. Maybe she was overthinking it, or maybe it was just her crazy pregnancy hormones telling her she was exhausted and needed a rest.
At the end of the show, Lukas ran off the set and over to Sienna. He grabbed her by the hand and they headed backstage.
“Where are we going?” She asked.
“There’s someone I’d like you to meet,” Lukas said, as he led them through a door and down a long passage. A slight chill brushed over her and Sienna shivered. Lukas placed his hand around her belly as best he could and pulled her toward him. They stopped outside one of the doors, a star in the center, with the words Jimmy Fallon.
“Wait!” Sienna said, pulling herself back.
“What?” Lukas asked.
“I don’t want him meeting me like this. Not in my maternity wear and flip flops,” she said, horrified.
“You look gorgeous,” he pulled her in and kissed her.
“I’m far from gorgeous.” Lukas kissed her again before opening the door and the two of them stepped inside.
Jimmy was relaxing in a large armchair in the corner of the room, he looked up and saw Sienna and Lukas.
Lukas introduced him to Sienna and the three of them started talking.
Sienna was really struggling to keep her eyes open. She couldn’t stop yawning, her feet and back were killing her. Lukas could see that she was in pain and barely able to stand.
They said goodnight to Jimmy, then Lukas grabbed Sienna’s hand and he helped her to the car. Matt, Dave and Tyler left with Matt, while Lukas and Sienna rode with Joseph.
Sienna woke the following morning in her bed, dressed in her pajamas. She must have passed out, because she couldn’t even recall how she managed to get herself into bed. She rolled over, lying beside her was a rose and a note resting on the pillow.
You were exhausted last night. You fell asleep in my arms right after Joseph dropped you off. I asked Jake to make you some breakfast for when you wake up, and to also make sure you take it easy. Don’t overdo things, you need to rest. I’m heading to the penthouse for a few days to do some writing before the promotional tour starts.
I love you,
Lukas xx
She picked up the rose, threw the covers off her and sat up. Yawning, she put her hair in a neat ponytail before heading into the living room.
Jake was standing in the kitchen, with a dishcloth thrown over his shoulder. Sienna could smell the fresh scent of bacon, eggs and pancakes as she walked through to the kitchen.
“Good morning” she said, kissing Jake on the cheek.
“Morning,” he replied with a kiss of his own.
“Well, I see Lukas has put you to work” she said, pouring herself a glass of milk.
“Yeah. You were totally out of it last night. Clearly your partying days are well and truly over,” he laughed.
“I’m pregnant, Jake. Not ancient.”
“So you keep telling me.” He placed his plate on the table.
“And I wasn’t partying, I was with Lukas.”
“I know. Here, sit” he said, placing her plate in front of her on the table.
“Jake, you know I can look after myself.”
“I know that Sienna. But I’m just worried about you, and so is Lukas.”
“Worried? Why? I’m perfectly fine.”
“You’re only weeks away from giving birth and you’re still running around like your Wonder Woman or something. Sienna, you need to just stop and slow down and let Lukas and I look after you. That’s what we’re here for.”
“But, Jake-”
“Don’t whine at me. And stop being so selfish. Admit that you’re tired, run down and exhausted and make this easier for all of us.”
Sienna didn’t say a word. She carved into her pancakes and ate her breakfast, quietly.
“Thank you,” Jake said, as he too made a start on his meal.
The two of them enjoyed a pleasant and quiet breakfast. When they were finished, Sienna picked up her plate, but Jake was quick to grab it out of her hands. She made her way over to the sofa and sat down, with her feet on the chair.
“What are you doing for the rest of today?” She called from the sofa.
“Making sure you do as you’re told,” Jake laughed.
Sienna turned around and faced Jake, as he washed the dishes.
“I was thinking, it might be time to start planning the nursery” she said.
“I hadn’t even thought of that. I’ve been so busy with the album and the tour, it completely slipped my mind.” He turned to face her.
“No time like the present. We could make a start on it today,” Sienna said.
“Didn’t
you just hear me tell you, not even a half hour ago, that you need to relax and slow down? Or was I just talking to myself?”
“Oh Jake, seriously. This is one of the best parts about being an expectant parent. You get to have fun preparing things, like a nursery, for when your child arrives. And besides, you’ll be doing most of the work, I’ll just tell you what I want.”
“We haven’t even discussed living arrangements once those twins are born,” Jake said.
“What do you mean?”
“For starters, where are we going to live? I mean, this place is okay for a couple of years, but what happens once the twins get older? We’re going to need a bigger place sooner or later.”
Sienna hadn’t even thought about the living arrangements. If the twins turned out to be Lukas’s, the two of them would no doubt live in his apartment. But if Jake turned out to be the father, she just assumed the four of them would stay where they are.
“I guess Lukas and I need to have a talk about that. But what about you, Jake?”
“What about me?” He asked.
“Would you want to stay here if you turn out to be the father?”
“Well, I think it’ll be okay for the first couple of years, as I said. But after that we would need to seriously think about getting a bigger place. The lease would be over, so that won’t be a problem.”
“Then I guess we’re staying” she said.
“So have you given any thought as to what sort of theme you want?” Jake asked.
“I was thinking, Beauty and the Beast. I mean, we don’t know the sex of the twins and if they turn out to be either a boy or girl, or one of each, at least the room is unisex.”
Jake thought about the idea. Beauty and the Beast would be a perfect choice.
“I think it’s perfect,” he smiled. ”Do you know of any graphic designers or artists who could sketch it on the wall?”
Sienna remembered the Dark Falkon tattoo on Lukas’s back, she recalled Lukas telling her about the graphic artist who had designed it for him.
“Actually, I think Lukas might know someone. I just spoke to him earlier, but he’s going to call me back tonight, so I could ask him for her number.”
“That sounds great. In the meantime, I think we can make a start on colors and where exactly we’re going to put everything. I mean, how much stuff did you and Ivy buy? That closet is overflowing.”
“You haven’t seen what Ivy bought.”
“Yeah, but she’s the godmother, and this is Ivy we’re talking about.”
Sienna showered and changed into a pair of coveralls, while Jake changed into an old tee and jeans. Sienna showed Jake a cut out picture of what she wanted the nursery to look like. It was detailed, colorful, and definitely unisex; in Jake’s opinion, it was the perfect collage you could ask for in a nursery.
He went to the garage and returned with some trays and paint brushes. There were a few tins of paint left over in the garage from when they repainted the living room, but they needed some more colors to complete the project.
“We’re not going to have enough paint, I’ll have to head to the hardware store and get some more. Do we need anything else while I’m out?” Jake asked.
Sienna made a list of supplies and handed it to Jake. When he had gone, she went into the kitchen and prepared them a quick lunch. She called Lukas and told him their plans for the nursery, surprisingly enough, he was actually pleased that they had decided on the Beauty and the Beast theme.
“That was my favorite movie growing up as a child,” he said.
“What? Are you serious?” Sienna asked.
“You sound surprised.”
“I am. I never figured you as the Disney princess type, Lukas. I always thought you were more a Pokémon or Ninja Turtles kind of guy.”
“Ninja Turtles? Oh my God, Sienna. I used to watch that show every day after school, now you’re really making me feel old. And I’m not a Disney princess type, I wanted to be the Beast.”
The two of them laughed, and Lukas told Sienna that he was making some renovations to his penthouse.
“Oh, before I forget, Ivy wanted me to ask if we could use your apartment for the baby shower. I know you’re going to be on tour but your place is a lot bigger than mine, I just simply don’t have-”
“Of course you can use my apartment.”
Sienna went silent for a moment before replying; “You’re sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure. I’d be honored for Ivy to host it at my place.”
Sienna smiled, and then she went quiet again. There was something that was on her mind, something that she really wanted to tell Lukas, but she was scared.
“Babe? You still there?”
“Yes, sorry.”
“Are you okay? Is Jake looking after you?” Lukas asked.
“Yeah, I’m fine. And believe me, when I tell you Jake is looking after me. I’m actually just waiting for him to come back from the hardware store, so we can get a start on the nursery.
“Well, I have to head out and stock up this fridge, otherwise I’ll be eating passionfruit and strawberries for the next few days. Have fun with the nursery and I’ll speak to you again tonight.”
“Okay. I love you,” she said.
“I love you too,” and he hung up the phone.
Jake returned from the hardware store about an hour later, he actually managed to get everything that Sienna had asked for on the list.
The two of them went into the spare room. Jake grabbed some old sheets from the garage and together, they lay them out on the floor in the bedroom. They covered the windows and applied some painter’s tape around the edges, to prevent any paint getting on the glass.
Later, while Jake was in the garage preparing the colors for the wall, Sienna spoke to Lukas about the graphic designer. He’d spent most of his day looking over sketches that his architect had sent over for the renovations to the penthouse in LA. He was redoing the entire kitchen, bathroom, master bedroom and repainting the walls.
“Sheridan.”
“What?” Jake asked.
“She’s the graphic artist that I was talking about. She can be here tomorrow around 2.”
“That’s perfect. I’ll be done with Stuart and the band then. You know that we start our promotional tour on Monday?”
“What? Already?” Sienna asked.
“Yes, the album is released in two weeks.”
“Shit, that approached quickly.”
“It did. Anyway, I hope she can sketch this thing in a day or two, I’d really like to have it finished and painted by the weekend before I leave.”
They both headed to bed early. Sienna was exhausted and Jake’s meeting with Stuart was early, and then the two of them would spend the afternoon with Sheridan while she sketched the nursery.
Surprisingly, Sienna had the best night’s sleep she’d had in months. She slept right through the night and by the time she woke, Jake had already left for his meeting. She quickly showered and changed into the coveralls, she had worn the previous day, and made her way to the kitchen. Jake had prepared her some French toast, and left a note telling her he’d be back before the designer arrived.
She spent most of the morning relaxing on the sofa, watching movies and reading trashy teen mags. It was just after 1:30 when the front door opened, Jake had returned from his meeting.
“How’d it go?” she asked.
“It was good. Our first leg of the tour is Europe, and then we head to Asia before heading back home.”
“How long will you be gone this time?” Sienna asked.
“I’m not too sure, possibly two weeks.”
Sienna sighed and faced the television.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. It’s just that I’m only weeks away from giving birth, and I know the three of us have discussed this already, and it will be the last tour you’ll do until the birth, but it’s just not ideal timing I guess.”
Jake had to admit that the timing wasn’t ideal
. However, he had made sure that this would be his final trip with the band before taking leave. Even if he didn’t turn out to be the father, he was still going to stay home for the first month. He had been working nonstop for months, except for when he and Sienna went on their road trip, and although he enjoyed every aspect of his evolving career, he was really looking forward to his break. He quickly changed into his painting gear, and it wasn’t long before there was a knock on the front door.
Sheridan introduced herself to Jake and Sienna. She was a lot younger than Sienna imagined, but everything that Lukas had described. They showed her to the nursery, Sienna handed her the sketch and she got to work immediately. While Sheridan was in the nursery, Sienna took the opportunity to rearrange the living room, well she instructed and Jake moved. Having twins around the house was going to require some alterations, so they needed to make adjustments to accommodate for them.
After lunch, Sienna could barely stay on her feet any longer. She sat on the sofa while Jake continued rearranging the rest of the house on his own. It didn’t take her long before she fell asleep.
It took Sheridan almost two days to completely sketch the entire room. Jake and Sienna thanked and paid her for her work, and after wishing Sienna all the best, she left.
The two of them only had one day to paint the nursery before Jake left for his tour. Even though Sienna assured him there was no urgency, he didn’t want to leave it half finished.
They finally made a start on the painting, Sienna painted all the easy sections, while Jake used the ladder to get up higher. They had been at it for hours and Sienna was feeling really hungry. She ordered some pizza for dinner and put on her Shania Twain CD. By the time the pizza arrived and the two of them sat down to dinner, it was after 9pm.
Sienna was exhausted, but she didn’t want to go to bed and leave Jake to paint the nursery on his own. She joined him back in the nursery, but as she continued painting, she could feel her eyelids closing.
