“Don’t you see?! You’re pregnant with twins!” She cried out with a huge grin on her face. I laughed at her enthusiasm.
“I don’t think so. I woke up this morning feeling kind of queasy, but that happens sometimes when I’m about to get my period.” The hand with her coffee cup paused halfway to her lips.
“Did you vomit?”
I nodded. That was something that was a little different. I’ve felt queasy before when I got my period, but never to the point of actually vomiting.
“Yeah, but I was overly excited this morning. Gabe surprised me with the deed to my—” I didn’t even get a chance to finish my sentence before Gabrielle jumped up from her seat.
“Oh God! Yas! You’re getting ready to give me grandchildren! Come on please, take the test… come on take the test!” She was practically screaming. I laughed.
“Okay! Okay! Shhh…” I stood grabbing her hands that she was wringing in her excitement.
“You’ve got to calm down!”
“I can’t… I’ve always wanted grandchildren!”
I inhaled. “Okay, let’s see if you’re right.”
Seconds later, I had to laugh because she followed me upstairs to my room and almost followed me into the bathroom. After I took the test she and I both sat on the tub waiting impatiently for the results.
If it turned out positive, this would change my life forever. I always wanted children, but I never imagined I would get pregnant so soon. Gabe and I had only been married for a little underneath a year. Heck, I don’t even know if he wants children, we never talked about it.
After five minutes had passed, I picked up the little stick and looked at it.
“What does a plus sign mean?” Gabrielle who had been watching me read the stick as if it held her next breath, jumped up off the tub.
“It means you’re pregnant!” She yelled.
“Oh my God!” My hands flew to my mouth as I stared at her excited face in shock.
“I’m pregnant…” The realization of that floored me. Lowering the toilet lid I sat down before I fell down.
“I’m pregnant!” I repeated. Gabrielle was jumping around the bathroom like a cheerleader.
“We’re going to have some babies running around this big ole’ house!” She sang. “I’m going to be an abuela!”
“Wait!” I told her, suddenly feeling overwhelmed. “Why do you say babies… as in plural?”
“I told you silly, the two pieces of luggage in my dream!”
Hmm… I don’t know about that.
Anyway, after making Gabrielle promise to let me be the one to tell Gabriel about the pregnancy, I had to go sit in my garden for a while and just try to grasp everything. Gabe had gifted me with some invaluable gifts today; my land, and the small fetus or fetuses growing in my womb.
Oh my God! I’m pregnant.
Wow!
Just… wow!
What kind of mother will I be? What kind of father will Gabe be? Oh, my goodness. What is he going to say when I tell him?
“Yas…” I looked up and smiled at Mac, who stood inside the garden entrance with a gift box in his hand. I patted the bench next to me.
“Here, come sit by me. Talk to me for a minute.” Since I’ve been here, I’ve come to look at Mac as a wiser older brother. I never had a brother before, but if had I one, I would’ve wanted him to be just like Mac. He’s helped in so many ways. He told me that understanding Gabe was going to take patience. He said there is nobody alive in more need for love than my husband. I chuckled.
Mac had even taken to mama henning me. Ever since that event happened with Shanice and the strange man, he’s been super protective. If I have to go to the store, he needs a full run down of where I’m going and how long did I estimate I was going to be. He made me promise to always stay where Jerome can see me.
I complained to Gabe about it, but his only response was, “Sh*t, now you know how I feel.”
“I have a gift for you, and I didn’t want to give it to you in front of my boys. You know they always trying to clown me.” I laughed shaking my head as I took the box. It was true. Gabe and Kenny were constantly making fun of poor Mac, who like Gabe was fiercely protective of those he loved.
“It’s because you don’t have a sense of humor. I told you if you don’t let them get to you, they would stop.”
“No, they won’t!” He grumbled. I laughed.
“You may be right.” I opened the box and cried out at what was inside— yellow overalls.
“This is from me and Stacy. When she saw those she said they had your name all over em’!”
“Ohh! I love them!” I pulled them half way out the box, they’re beautiful. I could already tell they were going to be one of my favorite items to wear. With a huge cheesy smile on my face, I picked up the card and opened it.
It said two words… Thank you!
I frowned looking up at him.
“What are you thanking me for?” He looked at me for a moment, before he looked off into the trees. They teased Mac about acting like a mama hen, but like most men, he had a hard time expressing what was in his heart.
“I’m thanking you for saving my boy’s life.” He spoke so low I barely heard him.
“What do you mean?” His gaze met mine.
“For as long as I can remember… Gabe has had a death wish. Before Kenny came along, I was the only one who felt he deserved to live.” He shrugged.
“A lot of people don’t understand my loyalty to him… hell, can’t say I really understand it either. I just know that it was my job to protect him from himself. But now…” His words died off.
“But now what?” I asked quietly.
“But now it feels like my job is done. Now, he has something to
