Forgotten Awakenings (Awakenings #2)

by Lisa Bilbrey

  The first time she saw the land her parents, Bruce, and Claudia had picked for their new house, she had fallen in love. Right on the beach, the land had a beautiful view of the city. She hadn’t been out to check the progress in almost a month, and at the time, they were still working on the drywall. Now, from the outside, it appeared to be almost complete.

  “Oh, my God,” Elle whimpered, struggling to climb out of the car. Her lips trembled as she brought her hand up, trying to keep from blubbering like a baby.

  “Come on,” Samuel said, sliding his hand around the top of her arm. “Let’s go inside.”

  All Elle could do was nod as he led her up the front walk to the door. He reached out and pushed it open, and the minute she stepped inside, a dozen voices screamed, “Surprise!”

  Tears saturated Elle’s face as she looked around, finding people she loved and cared about surrounding her: Derek, Sadie, and Callum, obviously, but also Helina and James, Bruce and Claudia, Lydia, Carlos, Felicia, Leigh, Thomas, and Tyson, Regina, Greta, and more. Her friends and family, coworkers, clients like Wes and Amanda Anderson, the Asciari Brothers, Nate, and Gabriel, but it was the person standing in the middle of all of them that surprised her the most.

  “Ivy?” Elle cried, reaching for her older sister. “What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be in Jersey with the band, aren’t you?”

  “No, I’m exactly where I am supposed to be.” Ivy wrapped her arms around Elle before leaning away, dropping her hands to Elle’s stomach. “I couldn’t miss your shower. Nick and the band wanted to be here, but you know, their schedule …”

  She trailed off, her eyes flickering down to Elle’s stomach. “I can feel her moving.”

  “She never stops,” Elle murmured, coving one of Ivy’s hands with her own. “I’m glad you’re here. I’ve missed you.”

  “I’ve missed you, too,” Ivy said, stepping away. “But I’m here now, so …”

  Elle understood the words Ivy conveyed. She hadn’t just returned for the surprise baby shower, but as her sister. She was putting aside her anger and hurt over being unable to have her own child.

  Wiping away her tears, Elle shifted her eyes around the house, surprised to see it finished. Other than a few last minute details, like curtains, the house was done.

  “When’d you finish?” she asked, shifting her attention to the Asciari Brothers.

  “Three days ago,” Tank replied, smirking. “We wanted to surprise you.”

  “Well, you did,” Elle laughed, waving a hand around. “It’s prefect. Thank you.”

  “It was our pleasure,” Duke said with a chuckle.

  Elle turned and looked to her left, finding her lovers smirking. “You’re in trouble.”

  “Oh, come on, now, honey. Did you really think we weren’t going to throw you a shower?” Callum snickered as he balanced Flora in one arm and walked over to her, sliding his arm around her waist. His lips brushed past her ear as he whispered, “Your mother planned this, by the way. Don’t make a big deal, though. She doesn’t want you to know.”

  “Oh.” Elle bit the inside of her lip as she shifted her attention to where her mother stood. “Is there cake?”

  Helina smiled. “And ice cream, too.”

  “Yay me!” Elle cheered, causing everyone to laugh.

  “You sit, I’ll get you some cake and ice cream,” Derek said, gesturing for her to have a seat on the sofa.

  Elle was grateful to be able to sit, her back and leg throbbing from the additional weight her belly provided. Derek returned minutes later with a plate filled with three scoops of caramel pecan ice cream and chocolate cake.

  “Thank you,” she murmured, licking her lips. “I’m starving.”

  After a few minutes, everyone had cake and ice cream and were gathered around Elle, chatting about the house, gushing over Flora, and trying not to stare as Elle had a second and third helping.

  Tears burned her eyes as she took in her surroundings. There was a time, and not all that long ago, when she felt alone and lost, helpless in world out to get her. She doubted her families’ love, their support, and almost let her fear keep her from being happy. But now, she had four sets of parents who counted her as one of their own, brothers in Nick and Aaron, another sister in Lucia, friends, coworkers, people she could count on to always have her back.

  “Ready for presents?” Helina asked, tossing the last of the paper plates in the trash bag she was carrying. She turned to Elle, the bag slipping from her hand. “Sweetheart, are you okay?”

  “Huh?” Elle cried, unable to keep the moisture from her cheeks.

  “What’s wrong, honey?” Sadie asked, reaching around Callum and placing her hand on Elle’s thigh. “Are you in pain?”

  Elle shook her head. “I’m fine. Just … I don’t know … overwhelmed, I guess?”

  “Do you want to open presents?” Claudia asked, holding out a small package with pink paper wrapped around it. “Or you can take them home and open them when you’re ready.”

  “No, I’m fine. Let’s open them now,” Elle rambled. “Though, I’m not sure why I’m getting anything. We have all of Flora’s stuff still.”

  “Because …” Lydia paused. “I’m sorry, what’s her name again?”

  “Bertha, Mom,” Callum muttered, dryly. “We’re naming our daughter Bertha. Or maybe Hilda. ”

  “Liar,” she pouted.

  “You’re right, I am lying. We’re not going to tell you her name, so quit asking.”

  “I don’t like you right now, Callum,” Lydia grumbled.

  “Oh, now, Mom, that’s not true. You love me,” he scoffed.

  “Hmm, so you say,” she quipped, turning her attention back to Elle. “We wanted to spoil you and little Bertha, so just open them. Okay?”

  Elle nodded and smiled. “Yes, ma’am.”

  “And don’t name my granddaughter Bertha,” Felicia grimaced. “Por favor.

  “Sure thing, Ma,” Derek snickered.

  “You little …” Felicia’s muttered the rest of her words, but Elle could have sworn she heard something that sounded like ‘Take him over my knee.’

  “Here, open this one first,” Helina said, handing her one of the presents. “That’s from me and Ivy.”

  “You didn’t need to get me anything,” Elle muttered, but slowly began peeling the light pink wrapping. As she pulled the lid off, she smiled. Inside the box was a photograph of Helina holding Elle when she was a baby. Ivy was curled around their mother, one hand resting under Elle. “Oh, wow.”

  “I was going through some of my photo albums,” Helina explained. “And I found this one tucked behind a different photo. We’d just brought you home from the hospital and Ivy was meeting you for the first time. She had been so excited to finally get a baby sister. It’s always been one of my favorite pictures and, well, I wanted you to have it.”

  “Thank you,” Elle murmured, shifting her eyes up to her mother’s before looking at Ivy. “Both of you.”

  “That part is from her. My part of the gift is still inside the box,” Ivy told her, tilting her head toward the package.

  Elle carefully lifted the silver frame out of the box. Beneath it was a gift certificate to a high-priced spa named Senspa.

  “I thought, maybe, we could go together,” Ivy said. Elle shifted her eyes up to her sister. “You, me, and Mom. It’s been years since the three of us were able to just hang out, and —”

  “It’s a great idea,” Elle interrupted, “But I’m not sure it’s safe. We may have to go after the baby’s born.”

  “Well, um, actually,” Ivy hesitated before placing her hands on her stomach. “My doctor said it was fine.”

  “Wait, what?” Elle asked, her voice trembling. “Are you pregnant?”

  Ivy’s head slowly bobbed up and down. “Thirteen weeks, as of yesterday.”

  “Oh, my God!” Elle screamed, trying to stand. “Someone help me up!”

  Derek laughed as he swooped her off the couch, settin
g her on her feet. “There you go, beautiful.”

  Elle once more found herself in tears as she wobbled across the room, throwing herself in her sister’s arms.

  “You’re having a baby?” she cried.

  “Yeah,” Ivy whispered. “”I would have told you sooner, but …”

  “But you were scared, right?” Elle asked.

  She nodded. “I’m still terrified, but we’ve made it into the second trimester. Anyway, my doctor said the spa is fine as long as we’re careful. Senspa has a great package for expecting mothers, and I know I could use the pampering. So, will you come with us?”

  “Of course,” Elle whimpered, reaching out and grabbing Helina’s hand. “I can’t wait.”

  —FA—

  “Ugh, I ate too much.” Elle groaned as she climbed onto the bed, curling herself around a pillow.

  “I tried to stop you at five pieces of cake, but you kindly told me to fuck off,” Sadie tittered, kicking her heels into the closest and unbuttoning her blouse.

  Elle licked her lips, watching the way Sadie slide her shirt down her arms, exposing the dark blue bra she’d worn that morning. As Sadie’s fingers traveled to the top of her black skirt, she shifted her eyes to Elle and smirked.

  “Like what you see, baby?”

  Elle nodded. “Suddenly my mouth is very dry. Can you think of something that would quench my thirst?”

  Sadie smiled and shimmied her skirt down her legs, leaving her in a pair of matching blue bra and panties. Crossing the room, she climbed onto the bed and grabbed Elle’s knees, forcing her legs apart with little effort.

  Sadie slid her hands up her legs to the front of her pants. “Lift.”

  Elle’s breathing quickened as she lifted her hips off the bed, allowing Sadie to remove her pants and panties. Tossing them on the floor, Sadie reached for the hem on Elle’s shirt. Without being asked, Elle sat up and allowed her lover to remove the last of her clothes, leaving her naked and vulnerable.

  Sadie placed her hands on Elle’s bare belly, her touch tingling her skin. “I love the way your body has changed over the last eight months. You’d lost so much weights. Too much. I worried about you constantly.”

  “I’m sorry for making you worry,” Elle murmured, biting the inside of her lip to keep from moaning as Sadie’s lips grazed her heated flesh. “Lover, please!”

  “Please what?” Sadie asked, shifting her eyes up to Elle’s. “Hmm? What does my girl want?”

  “You,” Elle cried. “Always you.”

  “You’ve always had me, Elle, and you always will.”

  Sadie scooted down on the bed and pressed Elle’s legs apart as she lowered her mouth to her pussy.

  “Oh, my … Fuck!” Elle snarled, gripping the blanket as tight as she could. “Don’t stop. Please, don’t stop.”

  “For fuck sake!” Callum groaned, and Elle looked over to find him and Derek standing in the doorway of their bedroom. “You couldn’t wait five minutes?”

  “I could have,” Sadie said, “but I got hungry.”

  “You did, huh?” Derek laughed. “Well, don’t let us stop you from enjoying a nice meal.”

  While Sadie turned her attention back to Elle, Derek and Callum stripped off their clothes, climbing on the bed next to them. Elle had always enjoyed watching the two of them together, the simple way they allowed themselves to love.

  Derek crawled across the bed, placing his hand on the back of Elle’s head, gently nudging her lips with the tip of his hard cock. Smiling, she snaked her tongue out, dipping it into the slit.

  “Elle, beautiful, please,” Derek begged.

  Him pleading for more, begging for her to taste him had her pussy clenching around Sadie’s tongue.

  “Oh, she likes your cock, baby,” Sadie teased, lapping at her sensitive clit.

  “I do,” Elle said before sliding him into her mouth and throat.

  Derek let out a strangled groan as his fingers tangled in her hair and he slowly rocked his hip against her, not wanting to hurt her, but needing the feel of her warm mouth around him.

  “Oh, fuck, Cal,” Sadie moaned, and when Elle looked down, she saw Sadie’s straddling Callum’s face, her hands nestled in her own hair.

  “Goddamn, that’s hot,” Derek muttered, his eyes flickering from their lovers down to Elle. “Aren’t they, beautiful?”

  Elle hummed around him, causing him to shutter. His hand tightened in her hair, almost to the point of being painful, but she didn’t mind. He would never hurt her.

  “Fuck, I’m going to come, Elle!”

  She barely had time to relax her throat when she felt him twitch and spill inside her mouth. She swallowed every drop before releasing him, immediately finding Callum’s lips. His tongue traced along hers, licking and sucking the taste of their husband off her.

  “Roll over,” he murmured, leaning away and grabbing her legs, trying to turn her onto her hands and knees.

  Elle’s legs trembled as she moved so that she was ready for him. She felt on displace, yet she wasn’t embarrassed. No, she knew her lovers loved her body, loved her soul, and they’d never make her feel uncomfortable in her own body.

  “I’ve been thinking about fucking you all day,” Callum said, placing one hand on her hip while positioning himself at her pussy. With a quick thrust of his hips, he filled her. “Sweet mother of …”

  “Keep going,” Elle whimpered.

  Callum didn’t say anything as he set his pace, fast yet tender. And as they came together, their bodies covered in sweat and want, she knew their lives were perfect.

  He loved her with every thrust of his hips, every groan that left his lips. Callum, Derek, and Sadie had loved her through hell and back, and they would never stop. She knew that now. They were hers, she was there, and together, they were flawless.

  Twenty-nine

  “What time is it?” Elle asked, rubbing her hands over her stomach. Lying on the couch, she was trying not to move. Movement equaled sweat. Movement made her hurt, and she’d be doing plenty of both by the end of the day.

  Elle wasn’t sure why she thought it was a good idea to schedule a day of pampering with her mom and sister in the middle of July, while she was thirty-eight weeks pregnant, and completely miserable. But she had, and they were due to pick her up at any moment.

  “Almost ten,” Sadie said.

  When Elle looked over at her, she smiled. Sadie was sitting on the floor with Flora, who was holding onto her mother’s hands as she bounced up and down.

  “Looks like she’s having fun,” Elle laughed, drawing Flora’s attention.

  She smiled, showing the single tooth that poked out of her gums as she released Sadie’s hands and crawled over to Elle, pulling up and placing her hands on her belly.

  “Hey there, pretty girl. Give sissy a kiss.”

  “Babababa,” Flora babbled before placing a series of open-mouthed kiss in Elle’s stomach.

  The sound of the doorbell ringing pulled Flora’s attention once more, and they all looked toward the entry room as Callum rushed out of the kitchen and over to the door, pulling it open.

  “Hey,” he said, stepping backward so Helina and Ivy could come inside.

  “It feels good in here,” Helina chirped, rubbing her hands along her arms. She turned to Elle, who was attempting to sit up. “Need some help?”

  “Please,” Elle replied, holding her hands out to her mother, who rushed over. She helped her stand, grabbed her cane, and made sure Elle had a good hold on it before letting go. “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.” Helina reached down and lifted Flora into her arms. “Hey, sweetheart.”

  Flora babbled as she gestured toward her basket of toys.

  Helina carried her over and picked up one of her teddy bears before looking back at Elle and Sadie. “I can’t believe how big she is. Seems like overnight.”

  “Tell me about it,” Sadie scoffed, relieving her of the squirming infant. “I think she’s just a few weeks away from taki
ng her first step. Has that look in her eye, you know?”

  Helina laughed. “I do. Elle was practically running by the time she was ten months old.”

  “Had a lot to do,” Elle groused. “You know, sisters to annoy, toys to steal.”

  “Walls to draw on,” Helina teased.

  “Not to be a party pooper, but are we about ready to head out?” Ivy asked. “Our reservation is in thirty minutes.”

  “Yep,” Elle chirped and wobbled toward the door. She grabbed her purse and hoisted it over her shoulder before looking back at Callum and Sadie, who had a squirming Flora in her arms. “Well, don’t have too much fun without me.”

  “We’ll try,” Derek scoffed as he walked downstairs. He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Have fun, or at least try to.”

  “I will.” Elle smiled as she followed Ivy and Helina out to the car.

  “Do you need help in?” Ivy asked, opening the front passenger seat for her.

  “I can sit in the back seat,” Elle insisted, but when Ivy gave her a look that clearly said not to argue, she said, “No, I can get in myself. I think, at least.”

  Ivy laughed. “Stubborn as always, I see.”

  “Yeah, yeah; whatever,” Elle muttered, but managed to get into the front seat of Helina’s SUV without too much trouble. The seatbelt was tight around her, uncomfortable.

  “I’m so glad we’re doing this today,” Helina said, starting the car and turning the AC on high before fiddling with the vents so that they faced her. “I’ve been looking forward to this for weeks.”

  “Me, too.” Elle smiled, because she had.

  Work and doctor’s appointments had kept her from being to make plans to utilize the gift certificate her sister had given her to Senspa, though she’d been looking forward to a day of pampering. The last few weeks of her pregnancy had been difficult. Her leg hurt more than ever. Just the night before, she’d tossed and turned, unable to get comfortable because of cramps in her back and hips.

  Senspa was located in Alameda, a small island community located in the heart of the Bay Area. It was quite the tourist trap, with lots of old buildings, museums, and wonderful beaches. When Elle and Sadie first moved to the city, they had spent every weekend for six months touring the city, finding every nook and cranny.