Big Tex

by Alexis Lauren

  As they sat in the game room, Willow took Brody's hand and turned to Micah and Sierra. "Hey guys, we have to tell you something." She looked at Sierra and Micah and smiled. "Brody and I are going to have a baby!"

  "Wow, that was fast! You just got back from your honeymoon today and you know already?" Sierra asked.

  "Um, not really. I'm 13 weeks pregnant. We knew before the wedding, but we wanted to wait until the second trimester to tell everyone." Willow said. "The only people that knew were me, Brody, and his family."

  "Wow, congratulations! You guys all must be so excited!" Sierra said and jumped up to give Brody and Willow a hug.

  "Yeah, congrats. This is a big step, huh?" Micah asked.

  "It's definitely a big step, but it's one that I think we're ready for." Brody said.

  "Oh! So that's why you've been feeling so shitty lately, and taking so much time off work!" Sierra smacked her forehead, as if she was having a 'Duh!' moment.

  "You got it. I've been really sick with morning sickness, and tired like it's no one's business. I'm feeling a lot better now though." Willow said. "But, I'll still probably take it pretty easy at work."

  "I don't blame you. Your stomach doesn't look any bigger though." Sierra said.

  "It's probably from her getting sick so much. Poor girl, when Brody would go to work, I'd come over to keep her company, and she spent most of her time in the bathroom." Maggie laughed.

  "Yeah, definitely not the most fun thing in the world. But, it'll be worth it in the end!" Willow said, cheerfully.

  "Well, we have our own bit of news." Micah said as he looked at Sierra. "It's not quite as good as that, but it's good for us."

  "We've decided to see other people." Sierra said.

  "Huh? What are you talking about?" Willow shouted.

  "Relax. Really Willow, it's the best for both of us. We just decided that we're better off as friends. I think we both love each other, but we're not in love. Being at your wedding really helped us to see that. We saw how much you two love each other and how you couldn't wait to spend the rest of your lives together, and we realized that's not what we have." Sierra said.

  "But you guys live together!" Brighton said.

  "And right now, we'll continue to live together, but we'll see how that works out in the future. Really you guys, Micah and I are both very happy with this decision."

  Willow looked at Brody, and neither one of them knew what to say or do. "Well, as long as this is what you both want. And you both know, that if either of you ever need a place to stay, you're more than welcome to come back here." Brody offered.

  "We're fine for now. We'll see how everything works out, but thanks." Micah said.

  "Well, now that we ruined the party, I think we're going to head out. Willow, I'll call you or see you at work or something, ok? Take care of yourself!" Sierra said as she hugged Willow. "Sorry about telling you this now. We didn't mean to be downers."

  "You take care of yourself too, and you didn't ruin anything! Let me know if you need anything. Oh, hey, how about shopping soon? I won't be able to wear these clothes forever. They're already getting snug. Want to help me look for a new wardrobe soon?" Willow asked.

  "Sounds great. Just tell me when." Sierra said and then turned and left, with Micah following behind her after he said his goodbyes.

  "Wow, do you really think they're both okay with this?" Maggie asked.

  "I'm not sure, but if not, we'll find out soon enough." Willow said.

  "Well, I'm sure you two would like to be alone, so we're going to head out." Brian said, gathering the rest of his family and heading towards the door.

  "Thanks for everything, we really appreciate it." Brody told his parents before they left. He then turned to his wife and said, "So, we're alone, and it's our first night in our house as husband and wife. How would you like to spend the night?"

  "Oh, I have a few ideas. Grab the ice cream and meet me in the bedroom." Willow said and ran upstairs, leaving Brody staring after her. 'Sounds like it'll be another interesting night!' He thought and went to get the ice cream. He was loving married life already.

  Chapter 21 Double Trouble

  Willow and Brody sat in the waiting room of the doctor's office, nervously waiting for their names to be called for Willow's first ultrasound. "We won't be able to see too much this early anyways, mostly just the heartbeat." Willow told Brody.

  "Well, as long as we see the heartbeat, I'm fine with that. I just want to make sure our baby's ok." Brody said, squeezing Willow's hand in reassurance.

  Their name was called a few minutes later, and Brody and Willow walked back to the ultrasound lab. The technician handed Willow a sheet and told her to undress from the waist down and hop up on the table with the sheet draped over her legs. The tech left the room for a minute leaving Willow and Brody some privacy while she undressed.

  Willow did as she was told, and after she laid down, Brody came over to her and held her hand, and rubbed her belly with his other hand. "You know, I'm not saying that you're getting fat or anything, but you've definitely popped out in just the last two weeks. I can finally tell you're kind of pregnant."

  "Well, I'm a little more than kind of pregnant Country Boy!" Willow laughed. "But I can tell more now too. I'm not able to fit into any of my clothes anymore, so I need to go shopping soon. It's amazing how fast I've been growing without all the morning sickness. Think you can put up with about 6 more months of me growing?"

  "You've never looked better. I can't wait until you're big as a house!" Brody said sweetly, just before the tech walked back in.

  "Is this your first ultrasound Mrs. Harris?" She asked Willow.

  Willow smiled. She loved hearing people call her Mrs. Harris, though it hadn't happened very often in the three weeks that they had been married. "Yes, this is my first. I think we're a little nervous." She said looking up at Brody.

  "That's understandable. It's really painless, and actually kind of cool." She began to prepare Willow for the ultrasound and turned the screen on. She moved the wand around until she found a good spot. "Did you take any fertility medications, like Clomid or Repronex?" She asked.

  "No, it was a little surprise for us to get pregnant. Why?" Willow asked nervously.

  "Well, there are two sacs there and most people who have twins lately have them as a result of the fertility meds. Congratulations!"

  "Twins?" Brody asked the technician. "Are you kidding?"

  "Nope. See, here's one sac right here, and another here." She pointed to her screen. "Both of the heartbeats are strong, and they are measuring well for their age. I'll print off a picture for you to take with you." She said as she hit a few buttons on the machine and three pictures popped out. She handed one to Brody and one to Willow and put the third in their file. After cleaning Willow up, the tech told her she could get dressed and then left the room again.

  Willow looked at Brody, in shock. She didn't know what to say after hearing they were having twins. "No wonder I was so sick. There were two of them in there beating me up!"

  Brody smiled as tears rolled down his face. "We're having twins!" He grabbed Willow in a big hug and picked her up off the examining table.

  "I can't believe how well you're handling this!" Willow said.

  "I am so excited. Finding out we were having a baby was great, but finding out we're having twins is unbelievable! I am so happy! They are going to be so cute!" Brody babbled excitedly.

  "Hey, I'm the one who's supposed to be glowing here!" Willow teased. "Think you can put me down so I can get dressed?"

  Brody laughed. "Sorry, but I figure I better pick you up as much as I can now, before you get too heavy for me to carry." He put Willow down, and jumped back as she smacked his arm.

  Willow put her track pants back on, and they left the room together, hand in hand, with the pictures of their twins.

  Willow sat with Sierra in the food court of the mall while they waited for Maggie and Brighton to show up. "So, tell me the situati
on with you and Micah. You definitely threw us all for a loop!" Willow said, trying to pry the story from her best friend.

  "Well, I guess that we just weren't meant to be together. Both of us saw how you and Brody were at your wedding, and I think we both realized that wasn't the type of relationship Micah and I had. We act more like best buddies than lovers. Micah has never fawned over me the way Brody does over you. He doesn't look at me the way Brody looks at you. That's what I want out of my mate, and I don't feel like I have that with Micah. Besides, look at our relationships. We met them at the same time, and you're already married and pregnant. Me and Micah just live together. He doesn't love me the way I want to be loved." Sierra poured out.

  "Well, your first problem is that you can't compare our relationships. Micah and Brody are two different people. You can't expect them both to act the same exact way, just like you and I don't ever act the same. I know me and Brody are too mushy sometimes, but it doesn't have to be that way when you are in love with someone. Look at Maggie and Brian. They are so in love, and have been forever. They aren't all mushy and lovey dovey, but they love they share is just as strong, if not stronger than the love me and Brody have for each other. And, yes we got married fast, but not everyone is meant to do that. It felt right for us, and that's why we did it. Just because you and Micah aren't married or engaged doesn't mean that he doesn't love you. Have you talked to Micah about all this?" Willow asked.

  "Yeah, most of it. He knows I'm not happy, and he thinks he did something wrong, but I've tried to explain that he didn't really do anything wrong, just not right. I don't know, maybe we both just take each other for granted. We'll see what happens while we see other people."

  "So, you're fine with Micah going out on dates?" Willow asked.

  "No, I never said that. I'll probably want to kill the bitch that he goes out with, but I can't stop him from going out." Sierra admitted.

  "And what about you? Do you have anyone lined up to go out with?" Willow questioned her.

  "No, and at this point, I don't really even want to go out with anyone. It's just too soon. I need to get my head straight before I can even think of going out with anyone." Sierra said sadly.

  "Well, I think you're making a big mistake, but if this is what it takes to get you to see it, then so be it!" Willow told her. "Oh look! There's Maggie and Brighton. Let's get started. I need tons of stuff!"

  The girls got up and walked over to meet Maggie and Brighton. The four girls greeted each other and hugged. Maggie put her hand on Willow's slightly protruding belly and rubbed it. "How are you feeling today sweetie?"

  "I'm feeling pretty good actually. The second tri is so much easier than the first. Except for the headaches and heartburn, but after all the morning sickness and exhaustion, it's a walk in the park!" Willow laughed. "So, I have a little picture to show you guys." Willow said as she withdrew a picture from her purse. She handed it to Maggie first, then it was passed to Sierra and Brighton. "What do you think?"

  "Looks to me like there is a shadow on there or something. It's not a very clear picture." Maggie said.

  Willow took the picture back and looked at it. "Hmm, I don't see a shadow, just two babies." She looked back up at the three girls and raised her eyebrows, as if she was waiting for something.

  "Two babies?" Sierra asked.

  Willow nodded her head and her face lit up. "We found out yesterday that we're having twins. Imagine two little Brody's running around!" Willow put her hand to her head and pretended she was going to pass out.

  "Or worse, two little Willows!" Sierra laughed.

  "Ha-ha, funny mean girl!" Willow glared playfully at Sierra.

  "Wow, so I'm going to be like a double aunt or something." Brighton blurted out. "I mean…oh, you know what I mean!" She said as she came over and hugged Willow.

  "Well, what do you think Maggie?" Willow turned to her mother-in-law.

  "I'm speechless. I'm happy beyond words! This is so great!" She hugged Willow. "Come on, we better get started shopping. I can see your belly growing as we stand here." She joked.

  Four hours and hundreds of dollars later, the four of them left the mall. Willow had a whole new wardrobe to fit the size she was now, and some that she would grow in to. She got as many clothes as she could now, because she would most likely be confined to bed rest later in her pregnancy as most women who are pregnant with twins are.

  Maggie and Sierra also spent most of the time planning Willow's baby shower that they agreed to hold in March, just before Willow got so big that she wasn't able to move comfortably anymore.

  Since Maggie and Sierra were so distracted, Willow also got a lot of her Christmas shopping done, with Brighton's help. She even managed to sneak a few presents for Brighton in, right under her nose, claiming they were for Sierra. Willow was happy that the day was so productive for her, and she enjoyed the time she spent with the girls.

  A week later, everyone gathered at Willow and Brody's for a Christmas celebration. Stella had made a wonderful dinner for everyone, and she even joined them when they ate.

  After dinner, everyone went to the family room where the Christmas tree sheltered tons of festively wrapped boxes. Brody put on a Santa hat and handed one to his father. "Come on, let's play Santa, Dad!" Brody dragged his father over to the tree and they began handing out presents.

  Willow and Brody got a new camcorder and digital camera from Maggie and Brian that they couldn't wait to use after the babies were born. Brody had other ideas, and whispered in Willow's ear, "Bring that camcorder upstairs with us later. I've always wanted to try that." Willow blushed and laughed at Brody's suggestion, but knew she would give in to his request.

  Brody handed Micah and Sierra two small packages that were identical to each other. When they opened them, they found two plane tickets, along with brochures for a hotel. "You two need to work out whatever is going on between you, and what better place to do it than in paradise. You leave tomorrow for Bermuda. Enjoy yourselves, it's all paid for!"

  Sierra and Micah looked at each other and smiled shyly. They both thanked Willow and Brody, then left to pack for their big trip.

  "We were on a roll with the trips this year, especially since Willow didn't feel much like shopping lately." Brody said as he handed two more small packages to his parents. "We got you guys two trips. One is scheduled for next week, the next is scheduled for the end of June." His parents opened their packages to find a cruise planned for June, and a trip through Europe next week.

  "Wow, you guys didn't have to get us this much!" Brian said.

  "We know that, but we wanted to, and we can definitely afford it. The business is more profitable than ever, and we both have money from our inheritances saved up. We have more money now than we could spend in a lifetime, so actually, we both feel like we didn't spend enough. But we also know that you wouldn't have accepted more." Brody explained.

  "You're right there, we wouldn't have accepted more. Thank you for our trips. We really appreciate it. I know I've always wanted to go through Europe." Maggie said.

  "Well, it's just a small token of how much we appreciate you and all that you have done for us. I especially want to thank you for everything you've done for me. I can't thank you enough for how you've accepted me into your family." Willow said to Maggie and Brian.

  Everyone turned to Brighton. She was the last one to get her gifts, except for the gifts Willow and Brody got for each other, which they were going to exchange alone after everyone left. Brighton got a few small things that she had thought were for Sierra when Willow had picked them up at the mall. But after she opened that stuff, Willow handed her a small box. Inside was a keychain and a set of keys. She looked up at Willow and Brody, her eyes narrowed in confusion.

  "Come on, let's go out to the garage and see what you've got." Brody said as he took Brighton's hand and led her out to her new vehicle. Just before he opened the door, he turned to her and said, "Now, this is a combination Christmas and graduation present from Wil
low and me. You're lucky you made the dean's list or else you would have gotten a beater!" Brody laughed and opened the door to the garage.

  Brighton gasped when she saw the brand new black Audi TT 250 Quatro convertible. "Holy shit!" Brighton yelled and ran over to it. "This is for me? This car right here?"

  "Yes, it's for you. I think we'll be paying you enough at the firm for you to afford your own insurance, but just in case, we paid for the first six months of insurance too." Willow said. "There is also one more small gift in the glove box."

  Brighton got in her car and opened the glove box. She found a ticket to New York, along with hotel confirmations for next week.

  "Just remember that's a round-trip ticket, so you're coming back! Have fun spending New Year's in New York. Jordy can't wait for you to get there." Willow said.

  Brighton began crying, and she ran over and hugged Willow and Brody. "Thank you both so much. I can't even tell you how much I appreciate all of this! I love you both like crazy!"

  "So, do I get the honor of being your first passenger?" Brody asked his little sister.

  "You got it! Get in!" Brighton said excitedly.

  "Oh, and notice this car doesn't have a back seat? Hopefully that will keep you out of trouble!" Brody joked as they were pulling out of the garage.

  Willow smiled and waved as they left. She walked back into the family room with Maggie and Brian, then began cleaning up all the discarded wrapping paper that was strewn all over the floor. "I think she liked it." Willow laughed.

  "She sure did. That was so nice of you to get her a car." Maggie said.

  "Well, Brody was against the idea at first, saying that Brighton should buy her own car and learn some responsibility, but then I talked him into it. She's worked really hard in school, and she deserves the recognition for it." Willow said.

  "Willow, come sit down, you're looking really tired." Brian said. "We'll finish cleaning up, but you look like you're ready to drop."