Fighting to Save US

by Sarah Stevens

  A few weeks go by, everything is calm and quiet and we’re enjoying life as we get thigs planned for the move and new business. My next appointment is in a week, and even though it is a little early we’ll get to find out the sex of the babies.

  The next week flies by, and now here we are, sitting in the office, waiting to be called back for my ultrasound.

  “Bren Montgomery, we’re ready for you.”

  I take Max’s hand as we walk back together into the exam room.

  “I’m so nervous and excited at the same time,” I say to him.

  “Me too, babe.”

  “Bren, if you can get up on the table and pull your shirt up, the doctor will be in shortly,” the nurse says before she walks out.

  I get settled on the exam table, and Max is right there by my side, taking my hand, kissing my knuckles. Both of us are emotional as we sit there in silence, waiting for Dr. Tracey to walk in. Not even five minutes later she walks in. “Hi! Are you two ready for this? Hopefully these two will cooperate, and we can find out what you’re having.”

  “More than ready,” we both say at the same time, laughing.

  “Okay, let’s get started.”

  She turns on the machine and squirts the gel on my tummy before she takes the ultrasound wand out of its holding spot. As she runs the wand over the gel she placed on my stomach, she turns on the monitor. No one speaks as we hear the whoosh of the heartbeats, but tears start in my eyes. I look at Max, and I see the same in his. When I turn my head back to the monitor, I see my babies, clear as day, on the screen. Still no one speaks as she starts to take measurements of both babies. I can’t wait another moment and blurt out, “Can you tell what either of their sex is?”

  “Give me just another minute, and I should have an answer for you,” she says with a smile.

  Another couple minutes goes by, and then I see her take a picture. She labels it Baby A, and then she says, “Ready?”

  “Yes!” I say with no hesitation, “What is it?”

  She then continues to type, BOY. With a gasp, I start crying. “We’re going to have a boy. Oh my God. Max, a boy.”

  He says nothing, but I see the emotion on his face, and his grip tightens on my hand.

  “What about the other?”

  She moves the wand around some more and then stops again, taking a picture, this time labeling it Baby B. “Ready for the other one?”

  “More than yes,” I answer. I’m beginning to wonder where Max’s voice has gone off to.

  “Baby B is a boy, too.”

  “Two boys, Max.”

  He leans over to me and kisses me, both of us with tears falling. “I can’t believe we’re going to have two boys. I love you, Bren.”

  “I love you more.”

  “Love you most.”

  Dr. Tracey cleans me up and hands me over a strip of pictures. “Everything is looking great, and now that you’re feeling better, we can make an appointment for next month. Just give us a call if you have any questions. Next time we’ll have to do a glucose test, so expect to be here at least an hour or so. You guys have a great day, and I’ll see you at the next appointment.”

  “Thank you. Have a great day too.”

  We get up to leave and stop at the desk to make the next appointment.

  I can barely contain myself, I’m so overjoyed and excited.

  “Are you happy that they’re both boys?”

  “I’m very happy to be having boys. I hope they both look just like their daddy.”

  “I hope they have your eyes. I love your eyes.”

  “It’s weird. I thought I wanted to have a girl, but the second I found out I’m carrying boys, I didn’t even think twice about it. Maybe someday, once we conquer these two, we can think about trying again, but knowing your genes we’ll definitely get another boy.” I laugh at the thought of being the only woman in the house.

  “A girl would be nice, but let’s get a handle on these two, like you said, before we think about trying for a team.”

  “Sounds good. Let’s go home and figure out how we’re going to tell everyone.”

  He takes my hand and leads the way to the car so we can go home.

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Max

  Boys. I’m going to have two boys, I think to myself as a smile takes over my face.

  Bren and I have been sitting here, letting it sink in and trying to figure out how we want to tell everyone what we’re having. We come up with an idea that will hopefully entertain them while we make the big reveal. Once we’ve decided on what to do, we head to the craft store to buy the supplies. While I’m driving, Bren makes a call to James, asking if he can clear out the back section of the café for our group of family and friends the next evening. After she gets the all-clear from him, she then shoots off a group text, inviting everyone to The Java tomorrow night.

  We arrive at the store and grab all the supplies we'll need, and once we get home, we start working on the project we've planned. I never thought I would be this excited about anything, but now that I've got Bren in my life and she's blessing me with two sons, I'm all in. As we're working, I decide that I'll also add a surprise for Bren for tomorrow afternoon.

  The next morning, Bren and I wake up and enjoy breakfast together for the first time in months, since she’s been too sick to eat anything. As I sit and look at the most amazing girl in the world, I plot my surprise. The morning moves fast, with all of the excitement and planning. I leave Bren to finish everything up while I go out to the new office to check on things. We plan on opening sometime in the next week, since Mike and I have both received our licenses from the state. Black Knight Protection will soon be open for business. The office is all set and ready to go, and the marketing has been planned and is ready to be executed. I leave Mike and run to the florist to pick out Bren’s favorite flowers, with a balloon that I have filled with confetti and four small cards, each with one word. Bren will have to pop the balloon and collect the cards, which put together say will you marry me?, and while she’s doing that, I will be down on bended knee with the ring.

  I stop by The Java to drop off the things I bought, leaving them in James's office. He gives me a weird look after seeing the items I've left behind, but I just grin and tell him, “You'll see later.”

  I catch up with Bren back at the apartment and greet her with a swashbuckling dip and kiss.

  “What was that for?” she asks.

  “Nothing special. I just missed you today. Ugh, look at me, you’ve turned me into a pathetic excuse of a man.” I chuckle. “I can’t wait for today. Are you about ready to go meet up with everyone?”

  “I'm more than ready. Did you get everything settled at the office with Mike?”

  “Yes, we’re all set. The newspaper ad will run in the next day or two, then tomorrow we have to go by the radio station to make our ad clip. Other than that, we’re ready to roll. You look beautiful, by the way, and the color is finally coming back to you after all the sickness.” I take her into my arms and kiss her with everything I have in me. I reluctantly release her, take her hand, and pick up all the envelopes we’ve fixed for everyone.

  “Ready?”

  “Let’s go!”

  Apparently, we aren’t the only ones that are eager for the afternoon to move along, because even though we’re early, everyone else has already arrived and are waiting on us.

  “Finally! You’re here,” Kat says, as she grabs Bren and leads her to the back room of the café.

  “Wait, I need to grab something first. I’ll be right there.” I go to the office, grab the flowers and balloon, and then meet up with everyone. From the looks of the girls’ faces, I wasn’t fast enough, because Kat and the moms are glaring at me. I’m sure in about five minutes they won’t be, as I move to Bren’s side, wrapping my arm around her and start speaking to the group.

  “Thanks everyone, for being here. We appreciate it more than you know. Now, I know we’re here for the reveal of what the babies a
re, but before that I have a surprise for Bren.”

  I turn to my side and take Bren’s hands, urging her to face me.

  “What did you do?” she says quietly, so only I can hear her.

  I don’t answer but move along with my plan. “Bren, I have something for you.” I hand her the balloon and a safety pin I have in my pocket. “I need you to pop the balloon to get your surprise. Kat, can you hold the balloon for her?”

  “Definitely.”

  Kat holds the balloon as Bren opens the pin to pop the balloon. They both startle with the pop and then notice all the confetti. Bren turns to look at me with a question in her eye. The colors are silver and white, with pink and blue mixed in. No one has any idea what’s going on until Kat says, “I see a card. Wait! There’s more than one.”

  Kneeling down, Bren and Kat collect the cards. Bren still has her back to me as I kneel down while the girls figure out what they say.

  “This one says ‘you’ and the next one says ‘me.’ Bren, what do you have?” Kat says as she turns to look at Bren, then notices me on my knee with the ring ready. Without wavering, she leads Bren over to the table to lay the cards out.

  “I have ‘marry’ and ‘will.’ As soon as she realizes what it says, she bursts into tears and turns around. “Oh my God, Max—YES!” she screams as she flings herself at me, throwing her arms around my neck while finding my lips. I break away from the kiss. “Will you be my forever, Bren, and make me even happier than I already am?”

  “I wouldn’t have it any other way. Yes, Max, I love you.” She gets a look at the ring and gasps at the sight. “It’s beautiful! Oh, Max, I love it.”

  I slide the ring on her finger and stand, pulling her up with me. “I love you sweetheart. Are you ready for the next surprise?”

  She takes the envelopes with everyone’s names on them and hands them out. “I need everyone to open these at the same time. Ready?”

  “YES!” they all scream out in unison.

  “Go!” I say and look at my fiancée, standing next to me, glowing with joy. For a second, I don’t notice anyone else in the room.

  “What the hell is this?”

  “A puzzle piece?”

  “What does this mean?”

  They all look at us like we’re crazy. “Your surprise and answer to the big question is going to take some work. You need to put the puzzle together.”

  What they don’t know is that Bren and I have the last two pieces of the puzzle with the gender written on them.

  Five minutes pass and then the cursing from our disgruntled family begins.

  “There are missing pieces.”

  “We know there are missing pieces. We wanted to make sure that you took the time to put the thing together. Bren, ready?”

  “Let’s do this!” she answers as we walk over to the table to place our pieces in the missing spots at the same time. Excitement roars around us as they finally get what they came here for.

  “Boys! We’re going to have boys!” says Bren’s mom, while jumping up and down with excitement. I predict their bank account is about to take a hit as soon as she gets home and gets on the internet. Bren’s dad seems to see this one coming, as he glances at me with a rueful grin.

  Of course, all the guys are happy that there will be little men around. Kat mentions that Steph will have her pick of the brothers to live happily ever after with, while James growls like a bear next to her.

  We all hug and celebrate before saying our good-byes to leave and go our separate directions. I plan to take my fiancée back to our temporary home and finally have my way with her.

  With my arm wrapped around her middle, I wave as we walk out the door.

  “I think everyone was happy, but I was especially happy with these and this.” She holds out her left hand and admires her ring and smells her flowers.

  “Now it’s time to celebrate, and I think I know just the way we can do that.” I kiss her briefly on the lips and tug her hand to move her along faster, up to the apartment.

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Bren

  This is the best day of my life, I couldn’t be happier even if I tried. I thought I was the one toying with our family with the gender reveal, but I was the one who got the surprise of a lifetime. I was so confused by the mess of confetti on the floor, until Kat saw the little notes mixed in. I couldn’t believe what I was reading until I turned around and saw him on bended knee behind me. I was shocked. I liked the way our path was going together, even though we were doing it a little bit backwards, with sickness and hard times coming first, then babies and house before marriage. But now we have it all bundled into the most perfect package I could ever ask for.

  Once we left our little party and started toward the apartment, I could feel Max’s urgency as he pulled my hand. I knew how he wanted to celebrate naked, and I was all for it, but I needed to toy with him a little bit for payback. He was trying to pull me along faster, so I put some lead into my feet and dragged my pace. I could see him getting frustrated at my lack of speed and could definitely tell when he turned around to stare at me.

  “What? I’m pregnant, with twins, give a girl a break.”

  In two seconds flat he has me thrown over his shoulder and is carrying me to the apartment. I can’t help but laugh. “Well okay then, caveman. I think you may want something and want it as soon as possible.” He spanks my butt, but don’t complain, as I feel the tingle start between my legs. I decide to just shut up and let him have his way with me. I may joke and mess around with him, but I want this just as much as he does. We make it to the door in record time and as soon as it’s unlocked and open, he sets me gently down on my feet then takes my face in his hands, taking possession of my mouth. His hands slide down my neck, then my arms. He brings my arms up around his neck then continues to move his hands down to my slowly growing waist. Once the door has been closed and locked, he lifts me, and I wrap my legs around him. Quickly he walks back to the bedroom, and we collapse on the bed, with him holding his weight off my body so he doesn’t crush me.

  I can’t keep my hands wrapped around his neck, so I go exploring under his shirt and run my hands up his well-defined abs, pulling the shirt up as I go. He breaks the kiss and lets me pull his shirt off and toss it to the floor. Max starts planting kisses down my neck and then meets my breastbone in the center, continuing his journey down until he meets my stomach. I am wearing a maxi dress today, but it’s ridden up my legs to my thighs. His hands find the hem of it, pushing it up my body, leaving kisses in place of where the fabric once covered my skin. Soon I’m left lying there in my bra and panties while he stares at me.

  “You are so beautiful,” he says as he kisses down my body, pulling my panties down my legs. He then he discards his pants and boxer briefs quickly. He rises back up, meeting my lips again before removing my bra, the last piece that separates us. With nothing but love in his eyes, he enters me slowly, and I savor the feeling of each inch of him entering me. It has been way too long since I felt him inside of me.

  We lie there, looking deep into each other’s eyes, not moving but enjoying the feeling of being connected by love and body. He breaks eye contact with me and leans down to take one of my breasts in his mouth, sucking on my nipple. I can’t help the gasp that escapes my mouth—being pregnant makes everything more sensitive. Slowly, he starts to move inside of me, making love to me.

  “I love you, Bren, and I’m going to show you how much.”

  He continues his slow movements, and it just isn’t enough. I need him to take possession of my body. “Faster, Max, I need you to move faster.”

  He does as I ask, and as his movements quicken, I can feel my orgasm starting to take over my body. He never breaks eye contact with me, and his love pours out through his eyes with each thrust. We’re both panting loudly, sweat dampened skin slick and hot. Soon I feel my orgasm take control of my body, and he follows right behind me. Collapsing to my side, he pulls me to him peppering kisses all over my face.r />
  “You make me so happy, babe. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you and our boys.”

  “Max, you make me feel things I never thought I would get the chance to feel. I love you.”

  With the excitement of the day’s events and after making love, I can’t help but close my eyes, basking in the feeling of our shared love. We fall asleep wrapped up in each other’s hold.

  Morning comes too fast, and with the new day comes new adventures. Max had to go to the office and the radio station to get everything done for the promo, and I had shopping and planning to do for the new house. While scouring Pinterest for ideas, it hits me that with the excitement of the gender reveal, we forgot to tell everyone about the new house.

  I call Kat and tell her all about the new house. She and Steph arrive not long after we hang up. I show her the house listing online, and while Steph is on the floor playing, she helps me search for new decorating ideas.

  By the time she leaves, I have a good idea of how I want to decorate the place and some really cute ideas for the boys’ nursery.

  We make plans to have lunch the next day then go shopping for all sorts of baby boy things. While she was pregnant, we had the chance to do all the shopping for a little girl, now it’s our chance to buy all the cute boy things we saw before.

  By the end of the week, I’m starting to run out of room in the apartment for all the new things that we’ve bought. Two of everything adds up really quickly. Kat lets me know that she and mom are planning my baby shower then starts to ask me about wedding plans and if we’ve picked out a date yet.

  As much as I want to be married when the boys arrive, I just don’t know if that’s going to happen, with moving and the new business opening. Later that night when Max comes home, I bring up the wedding to him.

  “Max, when do you want to get married?”

  “Yesterday,” he says seriously. “But as long as I know you’ll be my wife, I guess I can go with as soon as possible?” he says, stating it as a question.