Home Is Wherever You Are

by Rose von Barnsley

  She shook her head no. “Genny will be up in about five minutes,” she said, pointing to the ceiling where their room was.

  I walked over and kissed her softly. “So, Abraham is teething.”

  She just groaned. “Yes, I don’t like this teething crap, cute and giggling…heck, even poopy diapers and spit up I can do, but teething, no, not something I want to do, especially without your help.”

  “I gave him another dose of his medicines at five o’clock this morning. He should be good for a little while. Are you okay with me going to bed?” I asked.

  She walked over and kissed me softly. “Please tell me you’re not going in to work later.”

  “No, I’m not. I was thinking of taking the rest of the week off to be with you, maybe give you a hand with our little vampire?”

  She chuckled softly. “Can we afford to do that?”

  I buried my face in her hair. “We can, I need to talk to you about what I was doing this weekend.”

  She pulled back and looked at me worried. “What were you doing?”

  “I bought a house and sold it to Josh. I used up all of our savings to do it, but I replaced it and made a forty-thousand-dollar profit.” She looked at me stunned, not saying anything. “He wants me to do it again,” I said, rubbing my face tiredly.

  “Do what again?” she asked.

  “He finds a house that’s a good deal, something I can fix. I fix it, and he buys it for fifteen thousand dollars under its appraisal, so we aren’t risking anything. I wouldn’t risk our savings, baby,” I said, pulling her back into my arms. I didn’t want her to be upset with me.

  “You did a whole house in one weekend?” she asked.

  “Well, all of Friday and Monday as well, but yeah. I worked nonstop and didn’t sleep much. I wanted to get back to you quickly.”

  “Mom!” I heard little Genny call.

  “Down here, baby, come have some breakfast,” she said and then let out a groan. “What am I going to feed her?”

  “Cereal?” I offered.

  “We’re out of milk. I didn’t have a chance to go shopping this weekend,” she pouted, sagging into my side.

  “I picked some up along with a box of cereal this morning. I had to feed the kids something.”

  She looked up at me and kissed my lips lightly. “Thank you for getting them off to school and letting me sleep a little longer.”

  “You’re welcome,” I said, feeling a tug on my leg.

  “Daddy!” Genny said, trying and failing to climb up me. I picked her up, and she kissed my cheek. “Wan bretfas?” she asked.

  “Sure, why not.”

  I sat down with Genny, and Addy brought us over some clean bowls out of the dishwasher, along with the milk and cereal. She kissed my cheek again. “Thank you for doing the dishes.”

  I pulled her into my lap, making her giggle. “Anything for you, babe.”

  She kissed me again, and Genny complained she was hungry, so we made her bowl of cereal first. After breakfast, I went and crashed on the bed, falling asleep almost as soon as my head hit the pillow. I thought I heard Abraham wake, but I was sure Addy had taken care of him. Sometime in the afternoon, I felt her snuggle up next to me. I pulled her close into my arms, kissing her deeply. I missed having her next to me. She surprised me by deepening the kiss and running her hand down the front of my pants. She didn’t have to ask me twice. I glance up at Abraham’s crib to see he was asleep, and Addy whispered that Genny was napping, too. It took some major restraint not to yell, “Yee haw!” as I stripped her, attacking her body. I needed her so badly, and I finally felt home as we connected.

  When we lay cuddling, she looked up at me. “So, no more condoms?” she commented.

  I leaned down and kissed her lips lightly. “If it happens, it happens,” I said with a shrug, causing her to smile.

  “Thank you,” she said and started moving like she was ready for round two, but then Abraham started to fuss.

  I swear I was going to make that boy’s dating life a nightmare.

  Chapter 42 - Just a Little More

  We had not been trying for a baby for six months now. I said not been trying, because it was very different from when we had been trying the first two years we were married. Addy seemed content and didn’t worry if she was pregnant or not. Like she said…if it happened, it happened. The problem was I wanted it to happen. I mean come on, I should have been able to knock up my wife, right?

  I did my best not to show my frustration, but Kyle talked nonstop about his wife being pregnant. He complained most of the time, so I guess it helped me not to feel too bad about Addy not being pregnant yet.

  After talking with Addy more about it, we decided I should flip one house a month. I wouldn’t have done it if it wasn’t a sure thing with Josh buying it. The other change we made was I would do it during the week, when the kids were at school. I guess it was easier to handle if she had some time alone, and I made sure we had our grocery shopping date on Saturday. Still, being away from her sucked so much. I did make sure I was in town for when she was ovulating. Even if she didn’t know it, I did. She might not have been trying for a baby, but I was.

  She had finally weaned our chunky monster, Abraham. Her breasts were finally mine! He was just over a year old, and I had to say I was thrilled, when he took his first steps away from Addy to come to me. I might have danced around a little in excitement, causing Addy to laugh and join in. I had been able to spend more time at home with her and my children, since I had started working with Josh. I would be gone for a week, but I would take two off to make it up to everyone, especially Addy. Thank heaven for naptimes, I really just couldn’t get enough of her.

  I thought we were on the same page, but I was shocked to find out we weren’t, when one naptime, she pulled out a condom. “I’m ovulating, so let’s bag it,” she said.

  It was enough to make me go limp…well, almost. “Babe?” I looked at her confused.

  She sighed. “Matthew, where are we going to put another baby? There’s no room in this house, you were right the first time.”

  I wanted to argue, but I couldn’t. Then I got a brilliant idea. “I can build a shed-slash-workshop office in the backyard,” I offered. “We can make that room the nursery,” I begged.

  “What about school?” she asked. “You’re almost done, how am I supposed to go with a bunch of kids and you out of town for a week at a time?”

  I hated that she was making sense, and I was sounding like the unreasonable one. I rolled away from her and closed my eyes. I didn’t know why it was so important before, but now I was disappointed that my wife wouldn’t let me knock her up. That was until I felt her mouth on me, and I suddenly didn’t give a crap.

  We were bagging it now, but I built the shed anyway, you know, just in case she changed her mind. Besides, I found out that it was tax deductible, and we really needed that deduction right now. The accounting classes were paying off. By tax season, I had the business under control and paid the taxes with ease. It didn’t hurt that our savings was a nice nest egg now. Things were looking up.

  It was five months later that I found Addy sitting on the floor crying, when I got back from my week in Houston. The flip had gone well, and Josh already had a buyer lined up when I sold him the house, so he gave me a two-thousand-dollar bonus. I was thinking about taking the kids to Disneyworld this summer. They had really gotten into the princess thing, and I couldn’t help but spoil them. I had talked to Addy about it on the phone last night, and she said she would look up the cost on the internet. She had sounded so happy, so I was a little stunned to find her sitting on the living room floor crying.

  “Baby?” I grabbed her in my arms, fearing the worst. “What’s wrong, what happened? Where are the kids?”

  “School and napping,” she said, not giving me any clues.

  “Why are you crying?” I asked and saw that she was watching TV.

  “Because it’s just so sweet. The wipes were fragrance-free, an
d the baby just cuddled his mommy.”

  Okay, I was freaking lost. Her period was due, and she was usually bitchy, not weepy. “Baby, are you okay?” I asked.

  She burst into tears again, and I picked her up, taking her into our room. We had moved little Abraham into Adam’s room, or the boys’ room as we called it, three months ago now, so her crying didn’t wake him up. “You’re so sweet and wonderful. I’m so sorry, honey.”

  Now I was worried.

  “Why, baby, what are you sorry for?” I asked.

  “Because I ran off when they took the girls.”

  I was a little surprised she had brought that up. That had been a long time ago, and I trusted her now. “I should’ve stayed with you,” she sobbed harder. “I see how much you love them. You’re such a good daddy.”

  I was getting nowhere. “I know you’re sorry, baby, we talked about it. I know you won’t take off on me again.”

  She opened her eyes wide and shook her head no. “I’d never, sweetie, never again. I don’t ever want to be without you.”

  I heard a knock on the front door. “Let me get that, honey.”

  I slipped out of the room, more confused than ever. That was until I opened the door to my mom, who handing me a pregnancy test. “Your wife asked me to pick this up for her. I’m so glad you’re home early, so she can take it with you here. I’ll leave you to it, but you’d better call me in the next few minutes with the results,” she warned.

  I turned back and saw there were two empty water bottles where she had been sitting. I guess she was preparing for this. I couldn’t help but feel a little giddy and hopeful. It would sure explain the crying and moodiness.

  When I walked in, I waved the box at her with a big grin, and she giggled, throwing herself into my arms. “So, let’s do this.” I would admit it was a stupid thing to say, but I was charged up and excited. I felt a touchdown coming on.

  She took the little box, and much to my chagrin, she wouldn’t let me in for the peeing part. But she opened the door, so I could stand over and watch, as two little pink lines appeared in the window. I was wrapping her up in my arms, spinning her around and shouting for joy. She was laughing and told me to be careful with her, and at that, I quickly set her on the vanity, kissing her and then her stomach. “We’re having a baby.” I couldn’t have been more thrilled. I knew with as emotional as she was right now, I wouldn’t be flipping houses for a while, and I was okay with that. I didn’t want to miss a second of this with her.

  Kyle was taking time off, because their little girl, Abbey, was teething now. When I talked to him, I asked him if he would be interested in flipping houses with me. He was all for it. He had been doing the majority of the handyman work, and business had been slow as of late.

  Addy and Darlene got together and talked babies. They were hoping our new addition was a girl. The boys were rooting for another boy.

  Kelly called us two weeks later and told us she was three months pregnant with twins. They had gone the IVF route, when it just didn’t happen that first year. Turned out Jason’s count was a bit low. That might have explained why he was so mellow. They hadn’t said anything, because they had wanted to make sure it took.

  My mom and Leon were just thrilled they were getting more grandbabies. I had to admit, I had been a little nervous about welcoming him into the family. He had never done anything but love my mom and family, so I finally broke down and called him Daddy C like Kyle.

  He wasn’t Kyle’s dad, but I guess he had been working for Leon since he was sixteen, and Kyle had lost his dad when he was ten, so he felt like Leon was his dad.

  “Matthew!” my wife called to me, sounding upset. “Get your son!” She was pissed, but I was guessing she was talking about Abraham, because he was squealing and running from her. I picked him up and realized he was very sticky. I held him out and saw he had a white bottle in his mouth, but it wasn’t a milk bottle…no, it was a bottle of flavored lube.

  Addy came huffing in. Her pregnant belly was growing fast. She snatched the strawberry-flavored lube from our son. “I told you to put this in the top bathroom medicine cabinet. You know…the one with the lock!”

  I shrugged. “It was full. It’s non-toxic,” I offered in my defense. She was not pleased.

  She glared at me. “NO LUBE FOR YOU!” she said, storming out and slamming our bedroom door. I was left with our sticky sweet boy, who was now looking worried. I was sure he had thought he was just getting into some candy.

  I took him upstairs and got him cleaned up and dressed again. It was about time to get the kids, so I decided I would do that, trying to get on Addy’s good side. Everyone had started school but Abraham this year, and it was probably a good thing, because Addy had been having a tough time this go around. Since I was working more at home, I started taking more classes online. I was three credits away from my bachelor’s degree in accounting.

  It turned out that Kyle was enjoying the house flipping business. He was thinking of going somewhere else, where the housing market was better and doing it on his own. Darlene wasn’t thrilled, but she liked the money. There was talk of moving out of Woodville, and that made my girl sad. The fact that she was pregnant and upset just made her miserable.

  I got the kids and dropped off David and George at Kyle’s. Darlene thanked me, and I didn’t miss how she was fighting tears. I didn’t know what to say, so I just left. I texted Kyle and told him to call his wife, because that was as close to comforting Darlene as I would ever come.

  The kids ran like mad monkeys out the back door and started playing on the swing/gym set I had built for them. I had to admit, it felt really good to do stuff with my hands. I let Abraham go and asked Gabby to keep an eye on him while they played. She walked over, picking him up and setting him in the baby swing, and I knew he was good to go. I set out a box of cookies and a pitcher of Kool-Aid with cups next to it, because I knew they would be coming in for a snack in about five minutes. I just hoped they didn’t forget to bring the baby in, too.

  I found my wife crying in our room. She had been doing this a lot, but my mom said that was normal. I just pulled her into my arms, and she whacked me. I sighed and let go of her. “What is it?” I asked, trying not to be upset.

  “You,” she hissed then sobbed more.

  “What did I do?” I asked. “I got the kids, they’re playing outside, and I left out a snack for them.

  “The baby carrots?” she asked. She had been pushing those things on everyone, since she had bought the five-pound bag. We were all baby carrot-ed out, and there was still another three pounds to go.

  “Cookies,” I said with caution.

  I got another whack and an upset wife. “You leave the flavored lube out and feed them cookies? What will the neighbors think?” she snapped.

  “That we have a healthy sex life and great metabolism?” Yeah, I shouldn’t have said that.

  She whacked me with a pillow and walked over to the window. She watched the kids play and then turned back to me, crying again. I held her, wondering if she was going to end up with another sinus infection. It would be the fourth this pregnancy.

  “I’m so sorry,” she started, and I knew her mood was swinging the other way. “I didn’t mean it. Please don’t be mad at me. Do you still love me? I’m so fat.” And now she was bawling full force.

  I held her tightly, so she knew what I was saying was true. “I love you, baby, so much, and I think you and your little pregnant belly are the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen,” I pinched her nipple for good measure.

  “We’re out of lube,” she said pouting.

  I laid her back on the bed. “That’s okay. I have my own,” I said, flipping my tongue at her, and she giggled. I was relieved I could make my girl smile, and moments later, I made her moan.

  Yeah, life was good.

  Chapter 43 - Fit for a Baby

  Getting ready for the baby was a bit crazy. We painted the room and dug out the crib from the attic. We had found out we wer
e having another girl. The girls all cheered, and Adam taught Abraham how to do a pouty lip. He didn’t really care. He just knew that when Adam pulled it, he was supposed to do it, too. I had to admit the pair was really adorable.

  With the encouragement of Addy, I flipped two more houses and added to our savings. Kyle and Darlene moved to Dallas, because the variety of houses to flip there was better. Addy was upset, but my mother helped by sticking close and brought Kelly along to cheer her up. Kelly had decided to stay home with her children. She was able to get Addy excited about having the baby, even if Darlene was not there with her.

  Kelly had found out she was having a boy and a girl. They were elated, as they had worried that this would be their only chance to have children, so they were thrilled to have one of each.

  Daniel had taken it upon himself to take the kids to school in the mornings. They thought it was so cool that they got to ride in his squad car. Leon would pick them up in the afternoon. My mother stayed with Addy during the day to help with Abraham, because the doctor insisted she take it easy, and then when she didn’t, Dr. Stewart put Addy on bed rest. She was frequently having pains, and it was worrying me. When she finally reached thirty-seven weeks, she was allowed up again, but she needed to watch her blood pressure. I decided it was time I took off work and cared for my family myself.

  We spoke of names for our little girl and decided to stick with “G” names to match Gabby and Genny. We picked the name Giulianna, and when we told the girls why, they were thrilled. They quickly made a makeshift bed in their room and insisted they wanted to share it with the new baby. I was not sure how long this positive attitude would last, but I hoped it would hold.

  I was getting my wife settled, when I heard a knock at the door. She wanted to get it, but I gave her a pointed look, telling her to stay on the couch. She rolled her eyes, annoyed at me, but stayed put.

  I was surprised to see a nervous-looking Josh standing there, and I was immediately worried there was something wrong with the last house I had sold him. “Hey,” he said, but nervously pulled on his collar.