“What?” I return.
“Let it go,” Joe directs sweetly.
“Let what go?” I reply.
“All that matters is where we are today,” Joe insists.
“And, where’s that?” I muse.
“Together . . . happy . . . in love . . . and about to have a beautiful baby boy,” Joe announces.
“Why are you taking his side?” I inquire.
“I’m not taking anyone’s side,” Joe answers.
“Yes, you are,” I challenge. “You’re supposed to take my side.”
“Why?” asks Jared.
“Because, we’re dating,” I present.
“Just like I’m supposed to take your side since we were friends first?” Jared inspects.
“Precisely,” I confirm.
Jared laughs. “What do you think we’ve been doing this whole time?”
“What?” I say, confused by his words.
Jared wraps his arms around me. “I’ve always taken your side . . . even if it doesn’t look like I have or am. I just want you to be happy . . . so sometimes, taking someone else’s side is my way of taking your side.”
“That’s not funny,” I declare.
“I wasn’t trying to be funny, Kitten,” Jared soothes. “I was just merely coaxing from the sidelines.”
“Coaxing what?” I ask.
“Coaxing me,” Joe says with a smirk.
“Seriously?” I question.
“I told you, beautiful,” Joe begins, “I’ve loved you since the day I met you.”
“So?” I say.
“So,” Joe starts, eating another strawberry, “I enlisted the help of friends to assist.”
“Assist with what?” I explore though I know what they’re sharing.
“Assist you to get your stick out of your ass and date the guy,” Jared says abruptly. “You’re welcome by the way.”
“What?” I gasp.
“You’re welcome,” Jared repeats. “If some of us didn’t assist Joe, you two might not be where you are. You know, a guy does have limits.”
My mouth opens to speak, but nothing comes out.
“You were worth the wait, beautiful,” Joe informs. “And, I would do it all over again.”
“I can’t believe you’ve been scheming behind my back,” I say to Jared.
“Can you blame me, Kitten?” Jared asks. “We . . . I only wanted you to be happy, and you are.”
I grimace and try to hide it.
“What’s wrong?” Jared asks, jumping to attention.
“It’s fine,” I reply.
“Are you okay?” Jared looks to Joe. “Is she okay?”
The sensation happens again.
“Emma?” Joe asks.
“You’re son is up,” I mention.
“Is it supposed to hurt?” Jared asks nervously.
“It doesn’t hurt,” I share. “He’s just kicked me in the bladder and I almost peed myself.”
Jared studies me.
“One of the joys of pregnancy,” I say with a half smile.
“She’ll be fine,” Joe soothes.
“You sure, Kitten?” Jared checks.
“Yes,” I confirm with a laugh.
One Hundred Forty Seven
Two days after our party, Joe and I are awoken by a call from Henry saying that Maggie’s labor has started. From what Joe said, Henry is freaking out while Maggie seems fairly calm in the background. By the time we get to them, everyone at the house is awake. Mŭqīn, Fŭqīn and Nǎinai have been staying with them for the past two weeks along with Henry’s parents. They’re all gathered in the living room while a few of them assist and monitor Maggie who is currently folding laundry, which is driving Henry crazy.
Five hours later, after most of us dozing in and out of sleep in the large living room, Maggie’s midwife confirms that Maggie has hit the five-centimeter mark. As Maggie’s doula and midwife prepare the room for delivery, Maggie, Kim, Amy, Jade and I are in the baby’s room chatting while Maggie does what Kim calls nesting.
“How are you feeling?” Amy checks.
“Great,” Maggie confirms.
“The room is ready whenever you’re ready to deliver, Maggie,” Greta, Maggie’s doula, informs.
“Thank you, Greta,” Maggie replies, continuing to unpack gender neutral, baby clothing.
“You know,” I begin, “this would be a lot easier if you would have found out if it’s a boy or girl.”
Maggie adds the last few folded items to the girl pile of clothing. “Very funny, Emma.”
I offer a fake smile which gets Maggie to laugh.
“So, Emma,” Maggie calls.
“Yeah?”
“Joe still hasn’t proposed again, has he?” Maggie inquires sweetly.
“No,” I verify, holding up my left hand for all of them to see the lack of an engagement ring.
“I thought he would have by now,” Amy comments.
“Me too,” Kim says.
“Really?” I ask speculatively.
“We all know he’s in it for the long haul,” Amy presents. “I mean, look at how he looks at you . . . tends to you. It’s as if you two are already married.”
I can’t help but smile at how she’s describing our relationship while feeling a small pang of disappointment that Joe hasn’t asked.
“He will,” Maggie states.
“How do you know?” Amy checks. “Do you know something?”
“No,” Maggie returns. “Even if I did, I wouldn’t say anything. It would take all the fun out of it.”
“Has he hinted to anything, Emma?” Kim asks.
“No,” I say on a controlled breath out.
“Ha ha, you’re belly looks funny, Emma,” Jade mentions, pointing at me.
Looking down, I smile, realizing what Jade’s talking about. I’ve gotten so used to Joe Jr. flipping around in my belly that it doesn’t phase me sometimes. “That’s your cousin waking up,” I tell her.
“I know,” Jade states. “I never saw Mommy’s, Aunt Amy’s or Aunt Maggie’s belly do that.”
I’ve got the most active baby of the four of us from what the girls tell me.
“You want to feel him?” I ask her.
“Yeah!” Jade answers, moving closer.
I assist her with finding him so Joe Jr. will press out at her touch. He’s still for a few moments until Jade’s head bounces slightly. She giggles as Joe Jr. touches her a second time.
“How are we doing in here, ladies?” Ava asks kindly. “Does anyone want some tea or something to eat?”
“That would be lovely. Thank you, Ava,” Maggie answers.
When we finish up in the baby’s room, Maggie’s doula and midwife check her vitals again as well as see how dilated Maggie is from an hour ago. They share that she’s only an inch wider.
The five of us and Sadie return downstairs, having breakfast with the rest of the family who’re already gathered in the larger dining room. The men seem to be doing a decent job of keeping Henry as relaxed as possible, but I can see the excitement and nervousness in his gaze.
“How’s she holding up?” Joe asks, directing me to sit on his lap.
“Good,” I answer, avoiding sitting on him.
“What’s wrong?” Joe questions.
“I’m too big and I’ll crush you,” I reply.
“No, you’re not,” Joe insists, not letting me go.
I stay, cuddling with Joe until the food is officially served, seeking my own seat next to him on the right. Jared and Nathan are to my right and the rest of the family settles down, tired but hungry.
After breakfast, Maggie takes a long shower before getting checked again. Greta confirms that Maggie is officially seven centimeters, but Maggie says that she isn’t feeling any contractions. Henry presses a little for Maggie to get into the tub where they plan to do the water birth, but she says that she needs to stretch. Laying out her yoga mat in her bedroom, Amy, Kim, Greta, Jade, Jared and Nathan tag along, stretchin
g and assisting Maggie as she goes through the poses. Henry sits on the edge of the bed while Joe assists me with my stretches — getting a little too touchy feely on occasion, which makes me laugh and almost pee myself twice.
I get what Joe’s doing, trying to relax any tension from my body, but his hands in certain areas are more distracting that he realizes. Thank God Jade is not near us to see or overhear us. After a few more attempts to stretch, without any non-distracting assistance from Joe, I decide to rest and sit on the floor with him, putting my back to his chest. We lounge comfortably as we watch the spectacle of our friends before us.
Thirty minutes later, Maggie climbs into the tub with the lights off, candles lit and calming smells swirling in the air. Aside from Maggie, Henry, Kim, Greta and Becky, Maggie’s midwife, being in the room for delivery, Maggie requests that Nǎinai, Mŭqīn and I join her also. It’s a good thing that her bathroom is practically the size of my old apartment or else we all wouldn’t fit.
“How’re you feeling?” I ask quietly, trying not to disturb the peace by being louder than the music that’s now playing.
“Good,” Maggie answers with a smile.
“Good,” I return.
“Get Joe,” Maggie says.
“What? Why?”
“He should be here too,” Maggie comments. “Know what to expect for you, you know?”
“Are you sure?” I check.
Maggie offers a loving smile and I know she’s made up her mind.
Joe joins me next to the tub, sitting on the floor that is covered by pillows after Nǎinai retrieves him. Henry’s in the water with Maggie while Mŭqīn and Nǎinai hold Maggie’s right hand and I hold her left. Greta and Becky monitor and check on Maggie and everyone regularly, changing the music and giving suggestions based off of Maggie’s mood.
My head drifts to thoughts of the day of when Joe Jr. will be born. Will it be as calm and relaxed as today? Will Joe freak out like Henry? How many people do I want in the room with me when Joe Jr.’s on his way? Can I even do this?
Maggie’s hand squeezing down on mine snaps me back to reality and I realize that her baby’s head is already crowning. Henry helps guide Maggie and the baby under Greta’s and Becky’s instructions. Within a few minutes, a beautiful, baby girl is born. Henry lifts her, shifting her onto Maggie’s chest as the two of them greet my niece. For all the panicking Henry did, he’s calm and relaxed — peaceful and contented.
Maggie suddenly starts to have contraction-like pain again and Greta reassures that it’s just Maggie’s body pushing out the placenta. With their little one resting on her chest, Maggie controls her breaths one more time as she gets ready to push. As she takes her fourth breath, Becky slides into the five-person tub, joining Maggie and Henry.
“Everything okay?” Henry checks.
With a large smile, Becky replies, “Everything’s wonderful. I just need you to help mom keep a hold on that baby while she pushes the next one out.”
“Okay,” Henry replies absentmindedly.
“What?!” Mŭqīn exclaims.
“Did you just say while she pushes the next one out?” Henry gasps.
“Yes,” Becky confirms with a smile. “We knew there was a second one, but Maggie insisted on not hearing anything.”
“Twins?” I exclaim, sucking in a breath.
“What?!” Henry chokes.
“Twins?!” Maggie asks excitedly.
“That’s right, mommy,” Becky affirms. “You’re having twins. Now, we need you to gather up your energy to push out her brother or sister. Can you do that for me?”
“Yeah,” Maggie agrees on a tired breath out.
A few moments later, Henry and Maggie have a little boy.
Tears have been falling down my face since Maggie started to push out her little girl and haven’t stopped as I sit awestruck and speechless at the fact that I have a niece and nephew. Maggie shares a smile with me, one that is laced with a universe of deep emotions.
One Hundred Forty Eight
Friends and family come to celebrate and meet the newest members of the Wú family over the next few days — Henry Wú Jr. and Gabriella Wú. Anyone who was unable to travel from China are reached by video. Maggie and Henry stay in their bedroom for several days, sleeping and relaxing most of the time and only come out for dinner with everyone. Everyone takes turns going into their bedroom to visit them and the babies, giving them time to sleep, relax and be alone.
The night the twins were born, Joe and I went home to sleep, knowing that I needed my own bed to truly get rest — I kept over helping which was a little too taxing on my body. Two days later, after visiting Maggie, Henry and the babies again, Joe takes Sadie and me on a little private boat trip, saying I need to get away from everything on the land. The day is relaxing, except for the fact that I keep watching to see if Joe will propose. I haven’t thought about it until the girls brought it up the last time when were all at Maggie’s.
The next day, Joe and I are taking care of some business stuff and then some baby things for Joe Jr. before heading over to my old apartment to have dinner with Mr. and Mrs. Nelson. It’s so weird to be back to my old place and things being so different in there — so different that it doesn’t feel like I ever really lived there.
Dinner is calming and enjoyable, with Mrs. Nelson making a lot of foods she always used to make me when I was little. There are a few times where I get a little choked up, you know from the hormones, at the memories returning of times when my parents and I would be over the Nelsons’ house or them over at ours and having meals just like this one. They share stories with Joe and me, many of which I’ve forgotten, about the trips my parents and I were planning to take and how my mother and I would cook some main dishes from each country to prepare ourselves for when we were finally able to go.
When Joe and I leave for the evening, he oddly pauses outside the door for a few seconds after we’ve said our farewells.
“Everything okay?” I check.
“Yes,” Joe replies with a grin.
“What?” I ask.
“I just really liked hearing all those stories about you,” he shares, preventing me from walking toward the elevators. “It was nice.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I comment, brushing it off.
Joe doesn’t move or say anything for a moment.
“Are we going?” I ask.
“In a moment,” Joe replies.
“Why? Did you forget something?” I inquire.
“No,” Joe chuckles.
I raise my brow, hoping he’ll give me more of an answer.
“I just realized that I’m going to miss this place,” Joe mentions.
“Yeah? Why?”
“Lot’s of good memories here, you know?” he shares with a twinkle in his eyes.
“Yes,” I agree with a smirk.
“This spot,” Joe begins, stepping to the right of the door and tugging me to follow. “This spot, I’m going to miss the most.”
“Why?” I ask, not understanding. “It’s a hallway.”
“It’s not just any hallway, Emma,” Joe corrects. “It’s the hallway where we had our first kiss.”
My breath catches in my throat as the memories of that night quickly return as if it was yesterday. My cheeks burn from the heat growing in them.
Joe repositions me against the wall, putting me in the same location of where it all started.
“It’ll be a little hard to reenact it, if that’s what you’re thinking,” I present.
“Yeah,” Joe laughs. “How so?”
“This,” I say, rubbing my belly. “He wasn’t here and he’ll get in the way.”
Joe’s hand stretches across my stomach. “I wasn’t planning on reenacting.”
“No?” I question, a little disappointed.
“No,” Joe chuckles. “I was going to add a new memory to this spot.”
“Yeah? What’s that?”
Shit! Is he going to propose?
“Kissing yo
u here . . . knowing that our son is on the way and that we’re building new memories each day with each other, regardless of where we are,” Joe shares.
A warm, fuzzy feeling tingles my heart. “That’s it?” I tease.
Joe smirks, not saying another word and leans in, delivering his lips to mine. Out bodies tangle as the sweetness of his embrace takes us over. My mouth desperately clings to his, not wanting to give up the moment just yet.
“Ready to go home, beautiful?” Joe inquires.
“Sure,” I reply, slightly disappointed that we aren’t staying a little longer and that he’s not proposing.
“Don’t pout, beautiful,” Joe instructs.
“I’m not pouting,” I deny.
“Yes, you are,” Joe debates with a smirk. “It’s time I take you home. And, if you’re good, maybe I’ll give you a little treat tonight.”
“Treat?” I repeat.
“What’s going through that little head of yours?” Joe asks.
“Nothing,” I reply.
“Emma?” Joe coaxes.
“Nothing,” I repeat.
Joe cocks his head and raises an eyebrow.
“I was just picturing what you might do to me,” I share partial truth.
“And, what is that?” Joe searches, ushering me into the elevator first.
“It involves . . . a scarf . . . and, a blindfold,” I present. “And, maybe bunny style.”
“Hmmm,” Joe lets out, pressing the button. “I think we can do something with those.”
One Hundred Forty Nine
A few days later, Joe gets me out of the house, saying that I need some fresh air — not like I don’t get enough with having our own property where I can just walk outside. We stop off at one of the local parks with Sadie to have a picnic lunch. During our whole meal, Joe is acting a little funny and it makes me wonder if he’s getting ready to propose. I try to stay as calm as I can, not showing that I’m noticing his odd behavior. He’s been like this a few times, but has yet to ask me to marry him. I know I said that I’d be fine if he didn’t, and I know that he loves me and that I don’t need it, but who am I kidding? I want him to ask me again.
Right as I think he’s about to ask, after reaching into his pocket twice to check his phone, Joe says, “You ready to go, beautiful?”
Just Breathe Series (Trilogy Box Set) Page 133