Our Lovely Baby Bump (6 page)

“Stop, baby, just a minute,” she said breathlessly. Charlie moved off him and got on her hands and knees. “Take me this way.”

“I think my heart just stopped,” he groaned out, his breathing harsh.

John positioned himself behind her and slid into her trembling sex. He threw his head back in pleasure when her body accepted him, and he could feel the wall of her pussy clutching at his cock.

Her body was still but she trembled uncontrollably. “John, you feel so good, I don’t think I can last much longer.”

He moved slowly within her and kissed her back. “I want to feel you come, don’t fight it.”

He tempered his thrusts as he moved and felt as if he was on fire. He didn’t want to hurt her and let Charlie set the rhythm. Soon she was pushing back against his cock and the wet sound of sex filled the room. She was soaking wet, and their breathing echoed off the walls in the bedroom. His fingers bit into the smooth skin of her chocolate hips before he caressed the dip of her back.

She cried out as he body clenched around me. ”Yes, John, with me!”

John felt like his cock was enclosed in a velvet glove, and his orgasm surged to the surface. His groan mixed with her soft whimpers as they climaxed together. Charlie lay against his chest, and John automatically wrapped around her and moved her to his side.

“If you weren’t pregnant now, that would’ve done it,” he said with a panting laugh.

“I concur,” Charlie said. “I may need ice cream in a few minutes.”

“Your wish is my command. Whatever my love and my babies want, they get,” John answered.

“You’re such a good daddy,” she murmured sleepily and kissed his chest.

“I always will be,” he promised.

He knew his sucky life and the man he called father was the biggest asshole in the universe of assholes.  He’d never be that. His kids would always know love and always see their dad when they woke up and went to bed at night.  They dozed lightly in the warm cocoon created from the love they’d found in each other. Later, he got up and made her a fresh cup of tea and a tuna melt with pickles.  She wanted that instead of the ice cream. Now she was pregnant she had a thing for sweet, bitter pickles on everything, including macaroni and cheese. He didn’t question it. John read up on the cravings of pregnant women, and if she wanted cherries on chicken tenders, he’d make it.

Charlie ate it hungrily, humming as she did in bed. It made him grin watching her. She sat in the middle of the bed wearing only a Thor T-shirt, eating and watching He-man re-runs.  Her hair was tousled, and she wore her glasses. She was more than just cute, she was downright sexy.

He felt the stirrings of desire within him once more.  John couldn’t help wanting her, but she was pregnant and he would hold on to his urges.  He’d taken a shower while she ate, and now he lounged in bed wearing only sleep pants. She climbed over him and went and took a shower of her own. John smiled as he heard the shower run over the news that was playing front the flat screen TV he mounted on the wall. She didn’t have a TV in the bedroom and when he found out she was pregnant with twins, he wanted her to be comfortable when she watched the gazillion DVDs she had. He’d come over with the smart TV and mounted it for her while she configured her Wi-Fi.  His techy girl had it up and running in no time and now they both enjoyed it.

He looked over when Charlie came to the bedroom door. She was wearing nothing, and he traced the lines and curves of her body, including the mound of her stomach where her pregnancy was pronounced.

“Hey,” she purred.

“Hello,” John replied. Her nubs of her nipples were hard. “Aren’t you cold?”

“You’re going to warm me up any minute now.” Charlie walked over to him.  “Mind if I join you?”

“Honey, this bed is half yours,” John pointed out.

“I was thinking about that.” She climbed into bed and straddled his hips. “I love you, you love me… I think there has to be a layer of dust at your apartment two inches thick since you’re never there anymore. Move in here for real, forever. I can’t sleep without you next to me anymore.”

John’s mouth formed a slow grin. “Really, I’m that addictive?”

Charlie nodded and leaned forward to nip at his lips. “Yes, very.”

“I was waiting for you to ask me. I didn’t want to impose,” John said. “But since you asked I’ll be moved in by the end of next week.”

She laughed huskily. “That quickly, huh?”

John nodded. ‘The incentives were too good to resist.”

“So, about that other thing.” She undulated on his already hard cock. “Warming me up and all.”

“I’m about to work on that,” he promised.

She moved only long enough for him to remove his sleep pants, and when their naked bodies connected, John couldn’t help the groan that escaped him. Charlie began kissing him feverishly, and John returned her kisses with just as much excitement.  He took his time pleasing her, running his hand over her stomach down to the apex of her thighs. There he found her wet and slick as he played with the sensitive hood of her clit. Each moan from her lips fueled his desire.

“Please,” she whimpered.

“What do you want me to do?” John asked huskily.

“I want your fingers inside me,” she begged.

He slid one lone finger inside her and felt her quake. Her pussy clenched around his digit, and he felt a rush of sexual fluid. He brought her to the brink of passion and watched her face as she arched and came under his touch. This time she was on her side and he nestled behind her and kissed her neck while he raised her leg.  John angled his body so he could slip inside her and groaned against her ear. He could never get enough of her, the way she felt like liquid heat around his cock as he moved. John massaged her breasts as he took her from behind.  He could read the signals from her body, the soft cries, the moans and the shivers of pleasure, and the breathless way Charlie said his name. John could feel his own orgasm take hold as he plunged into her. Each thrust sent them both higher and higher until he took her cries of bliss into his mouth as he kissed her. Together they reached for the stars and floated back to earth. He caressed her ribs and she giggled.

“I’m ticklish,” she reminded him.

“I know,” he chuckled.  “I love lying here with you.”

“In a few months there’ll be four of us,” she said.

“I can’t wait for that time to come. The late night feedings, diapers, baby smell,” John said. “Are you excited?”

“To be a mother, yes, to be a mother of your children, double yes,” Charlie said.

“We’re going to be amazing parents,” John said.

Charlie laced fingers with his. “Yes, we are. Thank you, John, you gave me three miracles. These babies and you.”

“I had a miserable junkie of a father, hooked on pills, hooked on alcohol, and anything that could get him high,” John said. “The only time he paid any attention to me was to beat me. Mom left, and I was the only thing he had to take his anger out on, until I got bigger and I hit back. I left and we never spoke again. He died two years later of liver failure. I vowed when I had children they’d always know they were loved.” She turned to him and John met her gaze. “You never have to worry about that. I’m the one that’s blessed, sweetheart.”

He wiped away the tear that slipped from her eyes and kissed her gently.  They fell asleep together once more, and this time when John’s eyes closed his hand was pressed against her stomach where their children nestled.

Charlie didn’t expect fear to break into their weekend. Gut wrenching fear that made her legs weak, and she wanted to crumple to the hospital floor. But Angel wouldn’t let her. In one hand Angel carried baby Lucas and the other she kept wrapped around Charlie protectively.  She recalled wondering vaguely how she was doing it, how Angel had become the woman of steel with the cold glint of determination in her eyes as they moved.

It all started out like any other Saturday night. Angel had been at her house all day. They’d decided to start the babies’ room while Lucas slept in the pack and playpen. Charlie wanted gender neutral colors for the room and one massive crib instead of two. Everything was going so good, they were laughing and talking. In her twentieth week of pregnancy, she was just beginning to feel the first flutters of life in her stomach, and she was tickled with happiness at the thought.

“Are you sure you don’t want two cribs?” Angel asked.

“No. I’ve been reading up on mono amniotic twins, and sometimes they’re born hugging each other,” Charlie explained with a smile. “I want them to be close and not miss each other. I’ll get separate cribs when they’re around one and moving around. Then they’ll need more space to form their own identities and have adventures.”

Angel sighed. “That’s sweet. Lucas could do with a sibling.”

Charlie raised an eyebrow. “Are you going to try for another baby?”

“In about a year. I’d like them to be close together so they can grow up together.” Angel chuckled. “Caleb was an only child and he thinks we’re having five kids.”

Charlie laughed in amazement. “And your plan is?”

“Probably one, maybe two more.” Angel took the bottle of vitamin water off the floor and took a swig.

“These will be my only two, and I’m happy with that,” Charlie said.

Angel gave her a look. “So, you’re going to have the hysterectomy after the babies are born?”

“I have to discuss it with Barbara, but yes, after the C-section I want to have it done.” Charlie sighed and started flipping through the stencils.  “I don’t want to heal and get better then go back and have another surgery to have this taken care of. I made my choice. I want to give myself every chance in the world to live to a ripe old age with John and our kids. I don’t want to have a constant worry that maybe the next exam is where they’ll find cancer cells. I don’t want John to have to suffer through this or my kids to grow up without their mama.”

Angel came over and embraced her. “Or me to lose my best friend. You’re like my sister. If this is what you need to do for your own peace of mind and for your health, then you have our support, always.”

Charlie smiled and nodded. “I’ll have two girls or boys to love and watch grow up. I’ll have John, and as far as I’m concerned that’s more than enough blessings when it comes to having a family.”

Angel took some of the stencils. “So, we’re going with mint green and children’s book theme?”

She nodded. “Yeppers. I’ve got Good Night Moon, The Kissing Hand, Bedtime Who, Pat The Bunny, and A Book of Sleep.”

“I love the concept,” Angel said. “Are we painting then doing the stencils?”

“Give the woman a stuffed animal,” Charlie teased. “There’s also a lacquer for over the stencils so they don’t peel.”

“We’ll have to move Lucas out to the living room, away from the fumes,” Angel said.

“Yeah, this is why I wanted to do it early and leave the top windows open and a few pans of water to get the smell completely out,” Charlie replied. “Won’t he wake up when we move the pack and play?”

Angel snorted. “He’s like Caleb. He sleeps like he’s in a sound proof room.”

They were just about to move the sleeping baby when Angel’s cell phone rang.

“Hmm, it’s Caleb,” she said musingly when she looked at the screen. She pressed the button and answered. “Hey hot stuff, how’s it going?”

Charlie watched her face change and go to alarm before she tried to mask it.

Angel spoke again. “Okay we’re on our way.”

“What’s wrong?” Charlie asked before Angel could press the disconnect button. “Don’t sugar coat it, Angel. What the hell is wrong?”

Angel looked at her. “John has been shot.”

Charlie heard the words, but then her head felt like it was wrapped in cotton. She heard her voice and to her it sounded like she was far away. “Where?”

“Charlie!” Angel gripped her shoulders and sat her down in the lone chair in the room.

“How?” Charlie asked weakly.

‘The club isn’t open yet,” Angel explained. “They were moving drinks inside from out of the back of his SUV.  A car drove by and shots were fired out the window. John was hit. Caleb said they were the guys from last week, the one John messed up for throwing money at you.” Angel crouched down in front of her and held her face so Charlie would look at her. “The police are on the scene, and Caleb is with them. John is in an ambulance heading to the hospital. We’re going there now, sweetie. Caleb with meet us there.”

“Okay, Emory Hospital?” Charlie asked.

Angel nodded. “Yes. I’m going to get your shoes, and we’re going to go, okay? I need you to be calm, remember you’re pregnant, please be calm.”

Charlie nodded numbly. “I will.”

She was in shock as Angel got Lucas into his car seat and they went out to the car. At the hospital reality set in when they went through the emergency room doors.  A broken sob escaped her, and Angel became her foundation. Charlie expected the worst, expected that once more someone she loved would be taken away from her.

“We’re here for John Greyward. He was brought in with a gunshot wound,” Angel said at the desk. “Before you ask, we’re his family, this is his pregnant fiancée, and we need to know something now.”

“Have a seat, please. We’ll have someone take you up when we can,” the nurse said briskly.

“I can’t sit down,” Charlie said panicked. “If I sit down I won’t be able to get back up again.”

Angel looked at the nurse and implored, “Please, tell us where to go. She’s pregnant with twins, a
high-risk pregnancy. Can you just tell us something and where to go?”

The nurse looked at Charlie called someone over. “Take them up to surgery, and I’ll let the doctor on call know they’re in the waiting room.”

“Thank you,” Charlie said gratefully.

They sat in the aptly named waiting room. Charlie felt as if she was going crazy as time ticked by with no answers and no doctors to talk to. Caleb had shown up soon afterwards. The police were looking for the man from the club altercation and whoever was in the car with him.
I hope they all die!
Charlie thought viciously and covered her mouth with a shaking hand at her angry thoughts. She’d never wished harm on anyone, and it came so easily to want them dead. They hurt her John, and for them she had no pity.

“He’ll be okay.” Angel rubbed her hand up and down Charlie’s shoulders as if trying to warm her. “Don’t you think otherwise. He’s so big those bullets probably bounced off him.”

Lucas had been picked up by the nanny they’d hired and taken the baby home, Caleb called his parents and asked them to drive down and stay for a few days until everything was settled. Charlie felt grateful that he and Angel were with her. She didn’t think she could handle it alone.

“Charlie, do you need me to get you some juice, maybe some fries?” Caleb asked worriedly. “You’re so pale. I think you need something to keep you going.”

She shook her head in refusal. “How long before they tell us something? He has to be really hurt… it’s taking so long. Oh God, what if they can’t save him?” Panic laced her voice.

“Don’t think that,” Caleb said firmly. “He’d walk out of heaven or hell to be with you and those babies.”

Before she could answer, the doors swooshed open and a doctor walked in, taking off a facemask as he did.

“Are you the family for John Greyward?” he asked.

Caleb stood and shook his hand. “Yes, this is his fiancée, and we’re his close friends. There’s no one else but us.”

The doctor nodded. “I’m Doctor Kendall, I worked on John. He was hit twice, one to the shoulder and one to his abdomen. The bullet wound to the shoulder went through, but a bullet lodged in his stomach. We removed it and fixed the nick to his spleen. He lost a fair amount blood, but I’m glad to say he’ll recover nicely.”

Charlie couldn’t help sobbing as relief flooded through her. She had to control her emotions to speak.

“When can we see him?” she asked, wiping away her tears.

“He’s out of surgery and in the ICU waking up. We’re going to monitor him and let you know when you can go back,” Dr. Kendall said and sat down next to her. “The strangest thing happened. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“What?” Angel asked.

“He was coming out of the anesthesia quicker than anyone I’ve ever seen,” the doctor said with a smile. “He asked for Charlie, and the nurse said we’ll find him for you soon. Mr. Greyward said, not a he, my girlfriend. Tell her we’re having girls.”

Charlie laughed between her tears. “He said that?”

Dr. Kendall smiled. “He bet me fifty dollars on it. We’ll get you to come on back to see him when he’s ready for visitors.”

“Thank you,” Charlie said gratefully. “Thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome.” Dr. Kendall patted her hand and got up from the chair.

Angel hugged her from one side and Caleb from the other. Cocooned between them she let her tears of relief fall, and Angel did as well. Caleb comforted them both, but Charlie heard the husky emotion in his voice as he cleared his throat more than once. They were all scared shitless to lose one of their family foursome and the relief in the room was palpable.

Much later she sat beside the hospital bed looking at the man lying on it. John filled up every bit of space and with his eyes closed he didn’t look like the big behemoth who could carry a keg of beer on one shoulder. He looked vulnerable, and she was reminded of how fragile they all were. She stroked his knuckles on his big hand and kept thanking God he was alive.

“Hey.”

She was so intent in her thoughts she didn’t notice he woke up.  His husky voice was music to her ears.

Charlie smiled, holding back her tears. “How are you feeling?”

“Pleasantly numb,” he answered. “Whatever is in this IV bag is freaking amazing.”

“So you remember everything?” Charlie asked.

He nodded. “Yeah, outside the club and being shot, never want to do that again.”

“We should sell the club,” she said firmly.

John shook his head. “No one is going to chase us away from our dream. We’ll hire more security if it makes you feel better.”

“I was never so scared in my life.” Charlie squeezed his hand. “I couldn’t stand the thought of losing you.”

John winked at her. “Sweetheart, I’m not going anywhere, I’ve got too much to live for.”

“Good. I need you to be here for our girls,” she said with a smile. “The doctor said you made a bet with him that we’re having girls.”

“That’s because we are.” He grinned and tried to move closer and winced. “Well, that was painful.”

“Don’t move,” Charlie cried out and stood. She bent over his body and kissed him. “Don’t ever scare me like that again.”

“I don’t plan on it,” he said in a sleepy drugged voice.

“Girls huh?” she said again with a smile.

“Most definitely. I’ll have a bevy of beautiful ladies to watch over and love,” John said.

“Now I’ve got to take care of you,” she said and brushed his sandy blond hair away from his face.  “Homemade potato cheddar soup and warm sourdough bread.”

“Mmmmm, sounds yummy,” he said and closed his eyes sleepily. “All I need is you.”

“You got me, honey, always and forever.” She kissed his forehead. “Sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

There was a long, sofa-like chair in the room. As his breathing evened, telling her he was in deep sleep, Charlie went into the hall to send Angel and Caleb home and ask for a few pillows and some blankets.  No matter how much they cajoled her to go home with them Charlie was firm in her decision to stay by his side.  She’d promised she’d be there when he woke up, and so she would be.  She covered herself with the blanket and lay on her side watching him sleep until tiredness caused her own eyes to close.

* * * *

She’d reached the seventh month of her pregnancy and headed into the doctor’s office for another check-up and ultrasound. She had one at every visit now that the babies were growing and moving around.
Hopefully, you’ll show us if you’re boys or girls
, she thought rubbing her stomach idly as John drove.  He had recovered quickly from his injuries and wanted to go back to work a week after being hospitalized. She adamantly refused and ordered him to stay home for six weeks like the doctor ordered. The man had stitches in his stomach and a shoulder wound and wanted to get up and cook for her.  He only relented because she vowed to take duct tape him to the bed when he was asleep.

John finally went back to work two weeks ago, and she was slowly able to push the fear of him being hurt aside.  They’d added extra security both inside and outside the club. Plus, the men who shot John had been apprehended.  They’d all been charged with attempted murder and would be facing prison time after the trial. John and Caleb would testify against them without a second thought.

Angel and Caleb couldn’t go to this doctor’s appointment. Lucas was getting shots the same day, and Caleb was leaving town to go take care of some business in Jasper that same evening.  They’d gone two times before and the twins refused to play show and tell.  They signed in and Charlie went through the usual routine of getting weighed, having her stomach measured, and having a gestational diabetes test. After it was all done they waited for Barbara to come into the ultrasound room to see their babies on the monitor.

“We’re at twenty eight weeks,” Barbara said cheerfully as she stepped into the room. “How are you feeling, Charlie?”

“Heavy,” Charlie answered with a laugh. “They’re in there using my liver as a football.”

Barbara laughed. “Active, I like that. Let’s look at what they’re doing in there.”

She squeezed the warm gel on Charlie’s stomach and used the ultrasound wand to find and chart the measurements of each baby. She pointed to each face and tiny hands and legs and when she switched to the four-dimensional sonogram. Everything was as crisp as a picture. Charlie watched as one baby yawned and the other seemed to be sucking a thumb. She heard John’s husky laugh as one baby seemed to swat the other on the shoulder, and then they settled down close to each other for sleep. She could feel this going on inside her stomach and watched it on the screen.