“Ha!” Nine laughed as he walked in, holding his baby. “I thought I was the only one.”
Danica smirked, holding a clean baby wipe to her nose to try and mask the smell. She worked quickly to finish before she gagged again and possibly threw up. When she was done, she threw the dirty diaper in the diaper bin. “All yours,” she said, lifting the baby from the changing table. Normally, she would’ve happily swapped with him and just changed his baby for him after hearing him say it made him gag. But there was no way. Instead, she left to get the baby his sippy cup in the kitchen but did come back to the nursery for at least some moral support. She sat on the rocking chair, handing the baby his sippy cup as he leaned against her absolutely tender breasts now. “You getting the hang of it?” she asked as she caressed Oreo’s head, who she was sure would be falling asleep.
“Piece of cake,” he said just before he gagged. “This is probably the hardest part.”
She wanted to assure him he’d get over it eventually, but she was afraid he’d question why she was still doing it after all this time. Byron peeked his head in the door. “That chick did call the shop asking for me.”
“The one in the Chevy Cruise?” Byron nodded at Nine with a smile. “I told you she would. She eyed you the whole time she was there. So, what happened? You gonna hook up with her?”
“Fuck—” Byron seemed to catch himself, turning to Danica. “Sorry.” She shook her head, smiling because he was the only one who ever bothered to apologize about his language. “Hell no. She’s probably still in high school. Way too young.”
“But . . .” Nine glanced out the door, lowering his voice. “She was hot as fuck, and so what if she’s in high school. You just turned nineteen, dude. What’s wrong with you?”
Shaking his head obstinately, Byron even closed his eyes as if to really drive home his point. “Younger girls are no-can-do’s for this guy. They’re wishy-washy and full of shit. I stay as far away from them as I can.”
Despite enjoying the man talk, Danica got enough of it at work, and the baby was out now, so she got up. “I’m putting him in the crib in our room, Nine. This way if he falls asleep”—she motioned to his baby still on the changing table—“and you want to put him down, you could use the one in here.”
“Got it, thanks.”
Danica had been right. After putting the baby down, it was easier than she’d thought to dodge being alone with Orlando the rest of the night. Even after her sister and Dominic left, she’d been able to avoid him because some of the guys from the shop were still there, playing pool. She walked to the kitchen and poured herself a tall glass of milk and mixed it with chocolate. Out of all the food in that house, it was the only thing she was craving, and it was absolutely heaven. She walked back with it to the bedroom to check on the baby, who was now down for the night. She felt completely spent. After checking on him, she took another long swig of her chocolate milk then sat down on the edge of the bed. About to put the glass down, she thought better of it and downed the rest, before lying down just for a minute to take a breather. She allowed herself to close her eyes but only for a minute.
Orlando
The coughing and choking sounds woke Orlando as Dani sat up abruptly. Sitting up with her, he was scared as fuck because she was still trying to catch her breath. But the brown liquid coming out of her nose and mouth had him grabbing his phone. “Breathe, baby,” he said, patting her back and fumbling with his phone because he was still half asleep. “I’m calling 911.”
He heard her catch her breath harshly, but she shook her head. “No,” she said hoarsely. “I’m fine.”
“What do you mean you’re fine?” He asked as he hit the nine. “What’s that brown shit coming out of your mouth and nose?”
“Chocolate milk, I think.” She licked her lips as she got out of bed, wiping her face with her shirt. “Yep, I had some before falling asleep.” She glanced around. “Last night? What time is it?” She started to the bathroom. “It came up my throat and nose. Oh my God, worst feeling ever.”
Orlando stopped dialing, getting out of bed as well. “You sure you’re okay? What the hell was that about?”
“I don’t—” In the next instant, he heard her throwing up. She wasn’t dry heaving like she said she was yesterday because he could hear the loud gushes of liquid she was spewing into the toilet.
He could kick himself now for not following up yesterday after he heard her then. His pounding heart had him tapping on his dialer again. “I’m calling, babe. Something’s wrong with you.” He walked to the doorway of the bathroom and saw her on her knees at the toilet, throwing up more of that brown stuff. “You were out so hard last night when I came into the room. I didn’t have the heart to wake you even so you could change. But this isn’t like you. We at least need to get you to urgent care.”
She shook her head even as she continued to throw up. “No,” she said between heaves.
“I’m calling your sister then,” he said, feeling completely helpless. Maybe her mother hen sister would know what to do because he was at a loss, and Dani was being uncharacteristically stubborn. She held up her hand when she had another break in heaves and shook her finger no. She finally took a few very deep breaths with no more throwing up or heaving.
His heart raced as he stood there worried sick. “Baby, please.” He got down on his knees next to her, rubbing her back. “You’re not well.”
She finally turned to him, sitting back against the tub with her hand on her sweaty forehead, and she closed her eyes. “I’m fine.”
“How can you say that?” He squeezed her leg as he too sat down on the floor next to her. “Look at you.” She opened her eyes, but the minute they met his, she closed them again. “Baby, you’re scaring me.”
“Don’t be scared.” She rubbed his leg but still didn’t open her eyes. “It’s nothing bad.”
“How can you know that?” he asked as his heart continued to pound, and he felt so tortured. “You wake up choking with shit coming out of your nose and mouth and then throw up like crazy. You looked so drained yesterday too.” His voice actually broke with that last sentence, and she opened her eyes and looked in his, sitting up a bit straighter.
“No, no,” she said, shaking her head caressing his face. “It’s not that bad.”
Feeling his heart spike, he searched her eyes. “Something’s wrong with you and you hadn’t told me?”
She squeezed her eyes closed again before slumping her shoulders. “I can’t be sure, Orlando. But I think I’m pregnant.” Nearly choking on his own saliva, Orlando coughed loudly. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
“What?” he said, turning to her. “Sorry?”
“This is so unexpected, and I know it couldn’t have come at a worse time, but I have all the symptoms, and we haven’t exactly been careful.”
Orlando stared at her for a moment in shock. But then he got up on his knees and cradled her face. “What are you talking about, Dani? I’m marrying The Baby Whisperer because this is it. Even with us right next to a toilet full of puke, your shirt full of that brown shit you spewed from your nose all over your shirt, whether you’re pregnant or not, I’m asking you to marry me, right here, right now. Will you? Please?”
Her face scrunched as her bottom lip began to quiver, and her eyes filled with tears. “Yes, of course, yes! But you’re not mad?”
“Are you kidding me?” He kissed her. “If you’re pregnant, you’ll not only be the adoptive mother to my son, who I see every day how much you live for, but you’ll now be the biological mother to my next baby. I’m ecstatic. I just pray it’s why you’re feeling this way and it’s nothing else.” They took a quick passionate shower together before the baby could wake then lay down in bed again since the baby hadn’t woken before she passed out again. Orlando took advantage of her passing out to go out and buy a home pregnancy test. He called his mom on his way and asked her to pray it’s why Dani wasn’t feeling well at all.
When he got back, D
ani was already in the kitchen with the baby. “I was about to text you to see where you were.”
He pulled the pregnancy test out of the bag in his hand. “Figured we needed some confirmation.” He kissed her on the forehead. “Can’t believe you’d think for a minute I might be mad.”
“Well, Oreo isn’t even one yet.”
“I don’t give a shit. Babies come when they come, and I plan on being with you forever, so what does it matter?” She smiled, her eyes welling up as he handed it to her. “Go take it. I’ll finish up here.”
She walked out of the kitchen, test in hand as Orlando took over breakfast with Oreo. Less than ten minutes later, she was back in the kitchen, looking completely broken up, and his heart spiked. “What?” he asked as he pulled the baby out of his highchair, feeling his insides knot up.
“Oreo’s gonna be a big brother.”
Pulling her to him, he hugged her hard, kissing her head. “This is so much better than what I’d begun to think this morning when I almost called 911, baby. You got this. We got this. Thank you.”
She looked up at him. “Thank you?”
“Thank you for making me the happiest man in the world.” He smiled, kissing her lips again. “The perfect girl, the love of my life, and The Baby Whisperer is having my baby. What the hell else could I’ve asked for. My life is complete.”
She stared up at him in disbelief. “My life is complete, too.” She sniveled. “I love you so much.”
“I love you more.”
The End
Note to my Wonderful Readers
Just to give you a little something about what you can expect from my upcoming books. I’m currently working on two.
First, I'll be working on Moreno's, the epic love story of the Moreno parents and their journey from Mexico to the US to realize their dream of opening their own restaurant. Bit of a tearjerker, so be prepared.
The other story is Not Even Close, Byron's story and first in my new yet-to-be named series. It will feature crossovers from second generation characters from 5th Street and Moreno Brothers, maybe even Fate, but I'll wait and see what comes to me. I'm halfway through and it's been SO much fun. Byron will be FAR more intense than he's been portrayed so far, since it will take place years later, after some tragedy in his life.
I'll start hinting at possible release date for these two when I get closer to finishing them! Thanks again for your continued support and patience!
If you haven’t already downloaded my two new free releases, grab the links here:
Blindside (Fifth Street)
Tall, Dark & Obnoxious (Moreno Brothers)
Acknowledgments
As always, I'd like to thank all my loyal WONDERFUL readers for all your patience. I know this one was a long time coming, and yet you’ve stuck with me all these years! Hopefully, I’ll get my next one out a LOT sooner. I can’t wait to tell you all about it very soon. But, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for your continued love and support. As long as you keep reading, reviewing, and enjoying, I'll continue writing!
Thank you, Mark, my “assistant,” my everything, my inspiration for so many of the funnies in my story. Especially this one. LOL We've had a tough last couple of years, but thanks to you, I've managed to stay positive. You're my rock and I love you with all my heart and soul!
I lost a few beta readers this year because life happens. But I’d like to thank my longtime STILL WITH ME beta readers: Stace Nicholson, Emily Lamphear, Breanne Nelson, Theresa Wegand, and Teresa Mangrum. Your input is always appreciated and SO helpful.
Thank you to Theresa (Eagle Eyes) Wegand, my one-stop superhero, beta reader/editor/formatter, listener to all my whiny rants/vents and obsessive worrying. As always, your work is impeccable, and I can’t say enough about it. Thank you for sticking with me, too, even with everything that’s changed. Here’s to many more years of doing this together!
Thank you to Amanda Simpson of Pixel Mischief Design for my cover art. As always, you’re amazing! The cover had all my readers’ ovaries exploding. LOL Can’t wait to reveal the cover for Moreno’s. No surprise you did a fantastic job with it.
Shout out to my street team “Reyes Royals” and to my admins, Leslie Cary, Jenn DaSilva, Delashawne Acevedo, and Sarah Mannering. I look forward to meeting you all in person again very soon! Thank you for all your work and continuing to be part of the team. I COULD NOT do it without you, ladies! MUCH LOVE!
Lastly, como siempre, gracias a mi “par de consentidas DRAMATICAS” for making me laugh so much and ALL your love! This year has been a tough one all around and your support when I needed most is much appreciated!
About the Author
USA Today Bestselling Author Elizabeth Reyes was born and raised in southern California where she lives with her husband, Mark and their two adult children, Mark & Megan, her Great Dane named Zorro, and one big fat cat named Tyson.
She spends most her time in front of her computer, writing and keeping up with all the social media, and loves it. She says that there is nothing better than doing what you absolutely love for a living, and she eats, sleeps, and breathes these stories, which are constantly begging to be written.
Representation: Jane Dystel of Dystel & Goderich now handles all questions regarding subsidiary rights for any of Ms. Reyes’ work.
For more information on her upcoming projects and to connect with her—she loves hearing from you all—here are a few places you can find her:
Website: www.ElizabethReyes.com
Facebook fan page:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Elizabeth-Reyes/278724885527554
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Email [email protected]
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She enjoys hearing your feedback and looks forward to reading your reviews and comments on her website and fan page!
Orlando: Boyle Heights #4 Page 31