by Tammi Lynn
“Roman! Don’t even start with the clothes.” She slaps my arm lightly. “I. Will. Hurt. You. All of my summer clothes are too small and it’s so fucking hot.” She throws her hands up in exasperation before fanning herself. “I had to borrow your shorts, and this is the only tank top I could get to not roll up from the bottom. We’re going shopping after, I can change then. ” I barely see it, but her knee lifts a little. She was so going to stomp her foot. She’s so freaking cute when she’s angry.
Taking the shirt back from her I throw it on the bed and pull her to me, squeezing those beautifully offending tits between us. “Not that I want to let you out of the door myself with these two on display, but do you think Cade will let you out of the door in that shirt?” Her eyes widen in panic. If I reacted, he’s sure to make her walk right back up those stairs, pick her up and carry her if necessary.
“You have to hide me! Please, Roman?” Her arms go around my waist and her head hits my chest.
A chance to piss Cade off a little? Don’t mind if I do. “Hold on.” I walk out my door to the edge of the stairs and yell down. “She said for you guys to get in the truck and put the ac on to cool or she’s not coming down.” A chorus of grunts comes up the stairs before I hear the door open and then shut. “Okay, Angel, now we can get down the stairs and I’ll just wrap my arms around you from there. Let’s go see who’s in that belly making you so feisty.” A huge grin spreads across her beautiful mouth.
Holy shit. This. Is. Real. There’s a little human in her growing belly and I could be the dad. Fuck. I know she told me not to worry or dwell on the what if’s, but it’s all I’ve been able to do since we found out. I can’t help but worry that I could possibly pass down my mothers schizophrenia to my child. How could I handle that? Seeing what my mother went through and how it affected the ones who loved her.
“What’s wrong?” Lost in thought I hadn’t noticed Mia start to leave. She turned at the door and is looking worriedly at me.
Making myself smile away my fears I walk to her, leading her downstairs. “Everythings good. Your Doc is still that lady right?”
“Yes, at your guys insistence, I am staying with a lady doctor.” She laughs. We may or may not have put our foot down with that one. Definitely caused a foot stomp from her.
We get to the door and after opening it I wrap my arms around her from behind making sure to shield her chest. After closing the door behind us I walk with her that way to Jayson’s truck, I see Cade sitting up front so I open the back and help her in. When I get in behind her and sit she snuggles into me to shield herself. We aren’t far enough away from home yet for her to be in the clear.
“Beautiful, you always look gorgeous in everything you wear, but how did it take you so long to pick out that?” Her head whips around to Jesse sitting on the other side of her so fast. I don’t have to see her face to know she’s giving him one of her best evil glares. Her best cute as fuck evil glares, almost sad it isn’t directed at me.
“I wouldn’t, Brother.”
He smiles at her and I feel her relax against me. She’s just too fun to pick on. “I love you, Beautiful.” He flicks her chin before leaning back into his seat and she snuggles back into me.
I’m anxious the entire way to Seattle where Mia’s OB is. Pins and fucking needles I could literally throw up, my new, real, and very now, future has started. I’m not too proud to admit that being a dad scares me shitless. How do I even know if I’ll be a good dad? I am Emma’s favorite Uncle, hopefully that means something.
“We’re here.” Jayson pulls into a parking spot near the front of the building and we all open the doors to get out.
I help Mia down and go to put my arms around her again but she stops me. “Can you please grab the black gift bag in the back? It has the pink and blue powder bags in it.”
I’m just getting back out of the truck after grabbing the bag when Cade notices Mia’s tank top. “What the fuck? What are you wearing, Baby Girl?” He pulls up on her top to cover her but it only makes the bottom of the shirt go halfway up her belly.
Her eyes flash and she slaps his hand away, pulling her shirt back down. Grabbing my hand that’s not holding the bag in one hand and Jayson’s in her other, she leads us into the building. Looks like Cade’s going to get the silent treatment. Won’t last long. him and Jesse walk up behind us, all of us taking seats as she signs in. When she walks over to us Cade pulls her into his lap and wraps his jacket around her shoulders.
She stands right back up from his lap, letting the jacket fall as she does, and walks over to me and sits in my lap. That’s my girl. She must know I need her close right now, the only thing that soothes me, keeping my anxiety level down, and my feet from running back out that door. I couldn’t do that to her though, leave, I’ll stay by her side no matter what.
“Ms. Evans, we can see you all now.” The whole office has been alerted to our ‘unique’ situation and the nurse calling us in doesn’t even bat an eyelash as we all stand with Mia to follow her.
We’re taken to a room with a hospital bed in the upright position and a large screen tv on one wall. The room is big and we easily stand two to each side of the bed while Mia starts to undress from the waist down to get under a paper sheet on the thin mattress. I honestly wasn’t planning on bolting but she reaches over and grabs my free hand again and squeezes it. I give her a smile and squeeze back. Here we go.
“Good morning, Mia. Gentlemen.” Doctor Young walks in the room and claps her hands together to rub. “Shall we get started?” Doc is an older lady close to her sixties, six feet tall, and has an amazing sense of humor. She says our situation is the best gossip her office has had in years.
“I’m ready.” Mia sits up a little straighter and grabs Jayson’s hand on her other side. I can feel her shaking a little through her fingers.
Doc sits in a stool and scoots it between Jayson and Cade, rolling a machine behind her. Lowering the paper sheet to below Mia’s belly she squirts a jelly like goo, smoothing it around with a wand in her hand. “I’ll start with the babies head and body first for you to see, then I’ll warn you to turn around before I go lower to find out the sex.” She turns the device on and an image of what appears to be an elbow comes onto the big screen tv hanging on the wall.
I swear you can hear a pin drop we are all so quiet, watching as the doc moves the wand around to get in position for the best head shot. Wow. How can I even describe the feeling that coursing through me for the baby on the screen. Different than the love I feel for Mia, but no less intense, is all I can feel for this little person I’ve never even met yet. One that might not even be mine. Nope, no matter what they’ll be mine too.
Jayson lets out a sniffle, his eyes getting a little wet and Mia looks at him in concern. “You okay, Jayson?”
“Yeah, Sweetheart. These things just always get to me, it seems like so long ago it was Emma I was seeing for the first time on a screen.”
The sight of a plump cheek pressed against a small hand, full lips pursed in a pout worthy of its mothers, and a forehead scrunched in a scowl appears on the screen and we all look toward Cade. That scowl. Granted the picture still isn’t the most clear but you would still have to be blind to not see the exact same expression mirrored on the baby and Cade’s faces. He’s still moping over Mia’s earlier rejection and has his brows furrowed in a glare.
“What?” Cade looks clueless as we all, Doc included, laugh at him.
“Doc?” She turns her head to me. “Even though it looks like there’s a good chance I’m not the father, I still need to know. My mom was schizophrenic, and well, I mean, is that something that can be passed down? Even skip a generation?” I let out a breath, scared for her answer. Mia squeezes my hand tighter and pulls me a little closer to her side. I’ve tried to keep these worries away from her.
“Roman, that’s a perfectly understandable fear, and although it does tend to run in families there is no scientific proof to say that it is passed down through ge
nes. There has even been a case study with identical twins who share the same exact DNA, where one is in perfect mental health and the other has been diagnosed with it. If for any reason this baby or any others becomes diagnosed with a disorder it is of no fault to you, or Mia.” Holy shit.
The weight that lifted from my shoulders at her words was like a clamp being released from my airway and I could finally breathe easier. I needed to hear that. Jesse clamps a hand down on my shoulder and grips. He’s the only one I really let out my fears to over the past month, and I know he’s just as relieved for me as I am.
“Alright, all of you guys turn around now, Mia, close your eyes.”
“Wait. Roman hand her the bag.” Mia tells me and I hand it over to the doc and she takes it from me peering inside. “Whatever color isn’t the right sex, if you could just throw in the trash? There’s a roll of tape in there too so if you could close and seal it with the right one in the bag.”
“You got it.” She motions for us all to turn around and we comply as Mia closes her eyes. “Mm hm, yup okay, this will be perfect.” She’s going to drive me crazy with her soft ramblings as it heightens my excitement. I want to know now. Out of the corner of my eye I can see Jesse start to peek at the same time I do when the screen goes black. “Nice try boys.”
“Jesse!” Ha! A good thing about having a prankster brother is he always gets blamed before I do.
“Roman too!” Fucking lagger.
“Roman! You guys only have to wait a few more hours.”
“Sorry, Angel.”
“Sorry, Beautiful.” We both apologize.
The doc is having a good laugh at our banter before stopping. “You can turn around now.” We do and she has the black gift bag closed up at the end of the bed. Damn, she taped that shit up tight. A few hours seems like forever.
“So, Doc? Care to give me a little hint?” Jesse wiggles his eyebrows at her, trying to flirt his way into an answer.
“No.” Everyone in the room says at once to Jesse.
“Everything looks really good, Mia, we’re sticking to our October 20th due date as you’re progressing nicely. Schedule your next appointment at the desk on your way out and I’ll see you next month.”
“Thank you, Doctor Young. I’ll see you next time.” Mia takes tissues offered to her by the doc and starts wiping the jelly from her stomach.
“Thanks, Doc.” I shake her hand and she gives me a knowing smile. She put my fears at bay today.
The doc leaves the room after more handshakes and Jayson helps Mia up to dress. I’m about to grab the gift bag from the bed when Jesse snatches it up in a hurry. Looks like my brother might have the same idea I had. The anticipation is killing me.
When we’re back outside and getting in the truck Cade ushers Mia into the front between him and Jayson, and Jesse and I climb back into the back. We’re about halfway to the clothing store when I feel Jesse tap me lightly on the arm. Looking over at him he has a sly grin on his face and the black bag in his lap. I grin back and nod.
“Hand it over.” Jesse was just about to see if he could pull the very edge of the bag open to peek inside and see what color of powder is inside, when Mia startles us from the front seat. Looking back at the both of us through the rearview mirror with a grin on her face, she’s apparently enjoying seeing us squirm.
Guilty as a kid, Jesse and Mia would now say racoon, with his hands caught in the cookie jar, Jesse hands the bag over the front seat to her. “I was just making sure the doc taped it up good enough.” Nice excuse, Jesse.
“Sure you were.”
We get to the baby/maternity store a few minutes later. This store is fucking huge. Everything you could need from pregnancy to toddler years, in here, clothes, furniture, car seats, you name it. The others head to the cribs to see styles and I walk with Mia over to the maternity clothes. I feel like I can’t get close enough to her today. We’re going through the summer clothes, throwing things in the basket when she stops and holds up a pair of shorts.
“How about these?” They’re fucking short as hell. Dark blue cut off jean shorts with the bottoms frayed and rips on the upper thigh they have a wide blue band that would hold them comfortably over her stomach. She’s testing me and it’s sexy as hell, her mischievous smile turned up at one end. “They would be perfect for -”
“For staying home and going nowhere else?” She laughs. “You can wear those around the house. You know what? Grab whatever you want, Angel, and we’ll get it. We’ll save the argument for later.” I wink at her and she blushes.
We’ve grabbed just about all we can grab when the guys run over with a cart of their own full of stuff. “You guys ready to go?” Cade says smiling. Now that’s something I think we can all get used to seeing more of.
“Yeah. What is all this stuff?” I get closer to the basket and see it filled with all kinds of toys and clothes for both a boy or a girl. They even have a sports walker in there hoop on one side and all, boy or girl we’re keeping that.
“Aww, you guys. These are so cute.” She’s holding up a pink onesie with a tutu around the middle that says Daddy’s Little Girl across the front. She picks up a blue one after that with a baseball on it and starts laughing. I have to get closer to see what that one says. Daddy’s Home Run.
“I picked out that one.” Jesse says taking it from her. Figures that would be his choice. “There’s another one that says Daddy’s Slam Dunk.” My fucking brother, love that asshole.
“You guys are too much, you know you’ll just have to return half of this later.”
“We can just save it for the next one.” I look around to see everyone looking at me. Oh, did I say that out loud? Shit. Now that I’m not as scared about the whole baby thing, if this one doesn’t turn out to be mine, then I wouldn’t mind trying again.
“Now I don’t know about another one unless you’re going to carry it for me Roman, but come here.” She grabs my shirt and pulls me too her, wrapping her arms around me tight. “I love you, Roman.”
“Love you to infinity, Angel.”
∞∞∞
Our house is fucking packed. Twice as many people are here than we had for the Super Bowl, taking up the house and backyard. Cars are parked all the way down the street from our various guests. Mine and Jesse’s parents are here along with Cade and Jayson’s mom’s. Jayson’s mom brought Emma with her and Miklo and Killian are around with his brothers somewhere. Dre and Lisa are talking with Jayson, and the rest are our various friends amongst us all.
The last two that are here are Mia’s Aunt Cathy, and her boss Jim. They’re the ones she entrusted to place the powder into Cade’s bike exhaust pipe without letting anyone else finding out what color would be smoking out. Cathy blocked Jim as he put it in and when she turned around she had a tear in her eye with the biggest smile on her face and ran to give Mia a hug.
Everyone moves to the backyard when everythings ready. The front and street were already too packed with vehicles so Cade wheeled his bike back here for the reveal. We all gather round the bike with its tail end facing the trees. I wrap an arm around Mia and Jesse takes her hand from the opposite side.
“You ready, Angel?” I sure am.
“As I’ll ever be.” She lays her head against me and waits.
“Cade! Get the fuck on with it.” I’m just about to hit Jesse upside the back of his head when I see our dads hand reach out and do it for me. Ha! Go dad.
Cade swings his leg over his bike and straddles it before turning it on. “You ready, Baby Girl?”
“Hit it, Cade.”
He revs the engine, it roaring to life, and a huge plume of colored smoke comes out the back of his bike, raising high into the air and out around us. The thick clouds completely engulf Cade, before we see him start walking backwards out of them, the bike having gone quiet. Everyone’s cheering and laughing giving hugs and pats on the back while the five of us just stare.
Cade continues to walk backwards, being stopped by Jayson just bef
ore he runs into Mia. “It’s a girl.” Mia’s voice says in a low awed voice from beside me, bringing me out of my trance and having me look down at her. Placing a hand on Cade’s back she runs a hand through his black hair and shakes her hand out making another cloud of pink powder release into the air.
Holy Shit. A girl?
Jesse sweeps her up in a hug and spins her around. The toe length pink dress she bought earlier fanning out around her. “A baby girl, Beautiful!”
When Jesse puts her down, Jayson pulls her into a hug of his own and kisses her. “A beautiful girl, just like her Momma.” Beautiful like her Momma…
“Fuck. When is it too early to buy shotguns? This little girl won’t be dating till she’s thirty.” No way. No way is any horny teenager, like I was at that age, getting anywhere near our daughter.
“More like forty.” Cade turns and kneels down in front of Mia, kissing her belly and leaning his forehead against her.
We’re all swept up in the crowd after that, the reality of our future sinking in and then blossoming.
Chapter Twenty
House Arrest
Mia
“So you’ve known your having a girl for a month now, you guys have to have thought of names.” Felicia whines from her desk to my left. It’s just her, Jim and I in the office today since Cassie is mysteriously absent again. She’s gone a lot now and still won’t tell me or Cassie what’s been going on lately.
“We’ve talked about a few, I have my favorite but they have theirs too. I’m sure they’ll cave in and choose mine, just need to get one on my side and they all fall.” I may derive a little too much pleasure in that fact.
“So what’s yours?”
“You’ll just have to wait and find out.” I don’t want to reveal the full name until she’s born, I’m almost positive, and can just feel I know who the dad is in my heart, and since my chosen middle name involves that man, I want to be sure.