Beautifully Unbroken

by D. M. Brittle

  I smiled through the tears as I placed my hands to my tiny bump and cradled our children.

  “And they are going to love you. God, they will love you so much. Just as much as I do. And they will need you, just as much as I always will. What say we close the old book and start writing a new one? This has been by far the best adventure that I have ever taken; I don’t ever want it to stop.” He smiled. “There is, however, just one thing that I want to change.”

  “What’s that?” I asked, feeling my eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

  “Your last name.” He smiled. “Josephine Summers, will you marry me?”

  “Yes, yes I will marry you,” I choked out.

  “She said yes!” Blake’s voice echoed around the quiet lake before he took the ring from the box and placed it carefully onto my finger.

  “Thank you for letting me love you,” he said as his fingers knotted with mine.

  “Thank you for showing me what real love is,” I said before leaning forward and claiming Blake’s mouth with mine.

  “I will love you forever and more,” Blake said as his lips left mine and his brow pressed to mine. “All three of you.”

  Epilogue

  Three months later

  “Wakey wakey, birthday girl.” Blake’s voice sounded as chirpy as the birds that I had spent most of the morning listening to whilst drifting in and out of an uncomfortable sleep. Groaning, I turned myself towards him and forced my eyes to open against their will.

  “What time is it?” I grumbled.

  “It’s just past noon,” he said before he leaned in and kissed me on the nose. “You didn’t sleep much at all, did you?”

  “These babies have built an alliance against me,” I moaned, rolling onto my back, gently rubbing my bulging belly. Blake’s hand covered mine just as baby one gave out an almighty kick.

  “I don’t think so, mister; if you wanna be a sports star, it will have to be anything but football,” Blake said with a grin just as baby two joined in.

  “See, I told you, they’re in there working together.” I smiled, feeling absolutely exhausted but completely and utterly content.

  “I’m still totally amazed that there are two tiny babies in there,” Blake said in awe.

  “Well, they don’t feel tiny,” I moaned. “I feel like I’m carrying a herd of elephants.” Blake took my hand and helped me up off the bed.

  “Only twelve weeks to go, beautiful.”

  “Yay,” I said with little enthusiasm. “And then they will be ganging up on us for real,” I said in horror as Blake chuckled behind me.

  “I’m gonna get back to the kitchen and give your mom a hand; I have been given the job of head table layer,” he said proudly.

  “Blake, that’s because you will be getting under Mum’s feet in the kitchen and no one else is around to do it.” I smiled.

  “Ouch,” he said, as if I had hurt his feelings. “Anyway, everyone will be arriving shortly, and then you can have your present. But not until after lunch.” He was like an exited child at Christmas.

  “Okay.” I smiled as he kissed my cheek before heading out of the bedroom and downstairs to help with lunch.

  Since arriving in London a week prior to spend Christmas with my mum, Blake had insisted on fulfilling a lot of the memories that I had once told him I missed about London.

  So far we had woken in time to hear the birds singing every morning, which was always my favourite memory. We had eaten fish and chips out of the paper on Friday night whilst seated in front of the TV watching a DVD. Blake had also insisted on taking me out for drives through the countryside every single day. And every single time, we had managed to get lost. It had been fifteen years since I had lived out in the sticks, and all the roads had come to look like one. Blake always found it hilarious that we were lost, though, and I loved nothing more than seeing him happy.

  Later that day, the memory would consist of the big family Sunday lunch. The only person missing from the table would be my dad. It was going to be tough, but I knew that Blake would help me through it. The one thing I truly loved about Blake was that I never needed to tell him how I felt for him to know what to say to me. We were like yin and yang; one couldn’t exist without the other. And that was the truth for me and Blake.

  Once dressed and ready for lunch, I headed downstairs to the beautiful aroma of Mum’s cooking and the sound of happiness filtering from the lounge.

  “Here’s the birthday girl.” Uncle Anthony stood and headed over to me, and he placed a kiss on my cheek. “Look at you,” he said, placing his hand to my belly. “You look amazing.”

  “I feel like a heffalump,” I joked.

  Aunt Elizabeth was next to greet me just as Jemma and Tim arrived. “Happy birthday, darling.” Jemma looked as harassed as I felt. She was due to give birth any day now and was becoming frustrated with the wait. Tim was fussing over her constantly, which seemed only to make her more frustrated, as she swatted him away constantly. They were such a beautiful couple; I had envied them both until Blake had walked into my life. I loved watching how Tim would go out of his way to show Jemma his affection and not care about who was watching. Jemma wouldn’t notice a lot of the time, probably because he did it at every opportunity, but it was easy to spot as an outsider looking in.

  Blake and Tim had spent a lot of time getting to know each other over the past week; they were similar in a lot of ways, especially how they fussed over Jemma and me. But they looked completely different. Blake was happy lounging in jogging bottoms and a T-shirt, whereas I never saw Tim without a suit. He had earned the nickname James Bond from my uncle Anthony because even to go to a football match he would be all suited up. That, plus the fact that he was a dead ringer for Daniel Craig.

  “Any signs yet?” I asked as we sat at the dining table while Blake carved the huge goose that Mum had spent most of the day roasting.

  “A few pains here and there,” she said, scrunching up her nose. “I just want this thing out of me now.”

  Uncle Anthony butted in. “It’s a baby, not a thing.”

  “Well, a baby isn’t capable of some of the tricks she keeps pulling.”

  “Tell me about it. Think of that and times it by two,” I said, rubbing my bump. “And they take it in turns as well. One sleeps while the other plays footy with my bladder, and then vice versa.”

  “Wow, I’m stressing over one, and you’re going to have it twice as bad.” Jemma shuddered.

  “Double trouble,” Blake said.

  “Triple if you include Jo,” Tim teased.

  Blake laughed. “So true. I’m just grateful one of the babies is a boy – even the load.”

  “You found out what you’re having then?” Jemma asked excitedly.

  “A boy and a girl,” Blake answered immediately as he finished carving and pulled out the seat next to me and sat down.

  “Wow, well that in itself is worth a celebration,” Tim said, lifting his glass. “Congratulations to you both.”

  I shrugged. “At least this way we will only have to do it the once.”

  “I thought we were going to have more than two kids?” Blake said.

  “Can I get these two out of me first before we make that kind of decision?” I replied defensively.

  Blake smirked. “I suppose so.”

  “It’s a shame that our babies won’t grow up together like we did,” I said sadly.

  “Have you chosen names?” Aunty Elizabeth asked.

  Blake and I looked to each other and smiled. “We’re not one hundred per cent on a girl’s name yet, but our son will be named after Jo’s father.” He placed his hand in mine and squeezed gently.

  “Well, John seems like an older name, so we’re toying with Johnny at the moment,” I added.

  “Perfect,” Uncle Anthony said. “Just what we all called him as a nipper.”

  “He would be so proud of you, Jo,” Aunty Elizabeth said before I felt Mum place her lips to my temple as she filled my glass wi
th orange juice.

  “He certainly would,” Mum said before heading to the top of the table, where Dad always used to sit. She lifted her glass, and the table fell silent. I could see that she was struggling to stem her emotion as she started to speak. “This past year has been the most horrific of my life. nothing can ever prepare you for losing the man that you have loved for the most part of your life, and even though I can now deal with the fact that John is no longer by my side, each day is still as hard as the day before.”

  I felt Blake’s thumb gently stroking my hand, assuring me that he was there for me.

  “The worst part of it all is that if he were here now, and he could see what we have accomplished around this table, there would be no prouder man alive than my John.” Mum sucked in a deep breath. “Oh dear, look at me getting all emotional; I told myself not to do this,” she said, reaching for her napkin and wiping her eyes gracefully. “Anyway, if you are watching down on us all now, John,” – she raised her glass and her gaze above us all – “I just want you to know that I love you, and to thank you for everything that I will ever need, and that is everything that I have before me around this table.”

  “To Johnny Boy,” Uncle Anthony said, lifting his glass with a wink.

  “To Dad,” I said, quietly trying to bite back the tears.

  “And to my beautiful daughter, Jo,” Mum said. “I would never have believed even a year ago that we would be sitting here now with my daughter, her fiancé, and my two very longed-for grandchildren on the way. Happy birthday, darling, I love you.” She then took a sip of her wine.

  “I love you too, Mum.”

  “So,” Mum said chirpily, “Who’s hungry?”

  “Do I get my present now?” I asked Blake as we were all finishing off dessert.

  “Patience,” he said, teasing. “You need to make your speech first.”

  “What? I am not making a speech,” I said, shaking my head.

  “Speech!” Tim shouted before Uncle Anthony started tapping his glass with a knife.

  “Come on, Jo, just say … anything.” Blake shrugged. “And then you can have your present.”

  “Promise?” I asked.

  “Promise.”

  Reluctantly I stood to my feet and took my orange juice in hand as everyone whooped and whistled. Shaking my head with embarrassment, I began. “Dinner was lovely, Mum, thank you,” I started. She nodded happily. “Well, what can I say? It certainly has been a year full of emotions. I miss Dad more than I could ever express; he was the first man that I ever loved and will always hold that part of my heart no matter what. I wish so, so much that he were here today. I know he would love Blake, and I know how much he would have loved these two little terrors,” I said, cradling my stomach. “And I know that they would have adored him so, so much too.” I felt my eyes well with tears. “This pregnancy has made me an emotional wreck,” I said wiping my eyes.

  “You have always been an emotional wreck,” Blake said cheekily as he took my hand in his.

  “Anyway,” I said, taking a deep breath, “I love each and every one of you; you are the people who have made me the person that I am today.” I drew my eyebrows together in confusion. “Hopefully that’s a good thing.” Everyone laughed.

  “So—” I was about to raise my glass just as something warm and furry tickled my legs. “Holy shit! What the fuck is that!” I screamed as I jumped up onto my chair.

  Jemma’s scream echoed mine as she too hopped up onto her chair. Everyone else stayed rooted to their chairs, laughing, except for Mum, who was trying her hardest to stifle her amusement. “You, young lady, have been living away from home too long; those babies can hear you, you know.”

  Blake bent down to retrieve something from under the table. When he reappeared, he was holding a puppy.

  “Say hi to Jasper,” he said.

  “What?” I asked as Jemma and I climbed carefully down from our chairs.

  “Well, he is a small part of your present. He should have been in the kitchen until it was time to bring him out.” He looked at the Jasper. “You little rascal,” he said as he rubbed his nose against his.

  “He’s beautiful,” I said, taking him from Blake. He looked at me with his big, sad eyes. He reminded me of Charlie, the cocker spaniel that we had had when I was a child. “Oh my God he’s adorable!” I said as he licked my face over and over “How are we going to get him home?” I asked.

  “Well, that is why he needed to stay hidden. Is it okay if we leave now so I can give Jo her present?” Blake asked.

  “Yes, yes. The suspense is killing me,” Uncle Anthony said. Mum took Jasper from me and kissed my cheek. “I can’t wait to hear how you reacted to this one,” she whispered.

  “Come with us,” I suggested.

  “No, no dear. This is all for you,” she said, smiling before disappearing into the kitchen with Jasper.

  “Oh no,” Jemma cried. “I think my water just broke!”

  “What!” Tim yelled as he pushed his chair away and started pacing the room. “We haven’t brought your bag. How long until she comes out? Are you in pain?”

  “Aarrgghhhh.” Jemma cradled her stomach as a contraction hit. She started puffing out quick, short breaths. “Jesus that hurt.”

  “Okay, dear, keep calm,” Aunty Elizabeth said, rushing to her side. “The baby isn’t going to arrive just yet, but we need to get you to the hospital.”

  I watched everyone fuss around Jemma. Mum had returned and sat one side of her while Aunt Elizabeth talked calmly to her, and Blake was reassuring Tim, trying to calm him while Uncle Anthony got on the phone to the hospital. I was rooted to the spot, unable to move myself or to speak even; I just sat and watched as Jemma cried out over and over in pain.

  “She’s gonna be fine, Jo,” Uncle Anthony said, squeezing my shoulder before heading around to help Jemma out of the seat.

  “Oh my God, the contractions are close,” she screamed as she stood. “This baby is coming!”

  Everyone followed her and Tim out of the house and helped to get her into the car. I knew that labour had to be painful – I had watched quite a few shows about it recently – but seeing it first-hand opposite me was the most horrifying thing I had ever witnessed.

  “She’s gonna have the baby,” I said in a hushed tone. “She’s going to have that baby, now.” I began to panic; my breathing became ragged.

  “Okay, calm down,” Blake whispered. “She’s going to be fine.”

  “She was in pain.”

  “Well, that’s kind of what happens during labour.”

  I looked down at my stomach and realized that before I knew it; that would be me.

  “I’m not gonna be able to do it.” My breathing became heavy, but Blake just laughed.

  “God, I love you more and more every day,” he said, holding his hand out to me. I stood on shaky feet.

  “What if I can’t do it? How will they get these babies out if I can’t do it?”

  “Jo,” Blake said, holding my shoulders and meeting my eyes, “you are the strongest woman I have ever met. You may not think so, but I know so. You are going to be fine.”

  Uncle Anthony and Aunt Elizabeth reappeared, looking nervous but elated.

  “You will call me, right? As soon as you hear anything?”

  “Of course we will,” Mum said. “Now go; the suspense is killing me.”

  We were somewhere out in the countryside; this time Blake had programmed the satnav to tell us where to go, but he was still refusing to tell me anything until we got there.

  I checked my phone over and over for news on Jemma, but there was nothing as yet.

  “We’re here,” Blake said as we pulled into a narrow country lane. I looked around frantically but could see only trees ahead and around us. Until finally it came into sight. We were approaching the house that I had grown up in; Blake was taking me there for my final memory.

  We got out of the car and stood before the home that I had loved so much as a child. T
he house that had given me the best memories that were so dear to me.

  Noticing that the house looked empty, my eyes scanned to the “Sold” sign that was pinned to the side of the garage.

  “I hope whoever has brought this house is as happy as we were here,” I said, not taking my eyes from it. “It looks exactly how I remember.” I smiled. “Thank you for showing it to me,” I said, turning to Blake. He placed his arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him.

  “I’m sure that the new family is going to have their happiest memories made right here in this house too. Just like you,” he said, kissing my temple. I hugged him briefly. “Do you want your present now?” Blake asked.

  “Finally,” I said, releasing Blake and turning to head back to the car.

  “Where are you going?” Blake asked.

  “But I thought—”

  “Just come here a moment.”

  Feeling confused, I walked back to Blake and stood at his side, waiting. Blake moved behind me and put his hand into his pocket. “Close your eyes,” he whispered into my ear.

  Even more confused, I closed my eyes.

  “Hold out your hand.”

  I lifted my hand and tried desperately not to peek as I felt the coolness of something metal touch my palm.

  “Now open your eyes,” he said, placing his hands onto my shoulders.

  When I opened my eyes, my attention was immediately drawn to the key that Blake had placed in my hand.

  “This isn’t a car key,” I said quietly.

  “No. No it isn’t,” Blake murmured into my ear.

  “Blake?” I turned to face him, wanting desperately for my feeling about the key to be true.

  “Happy birthday, Jo,” he said, nodding to the house.

  My whole body filled instantly with the most mixed array of emotions that I have ever felt.

  “You didn’t,” I said, shaking my head.

  “Oh, I did,” he said happily.

  “No,” I said, unable to believe what was happening.

  “Yes,” he replied with a sparkle in his eye. “And if you look just over there,” he said, pointing just above the roof.