He looked at me as if I had three heads, purple skin and flames shooting out my ass, same alien different person looking at me. “We are married.” His words were strong and determined.
“We weren’t,” I said softly.
“I’m still putting the fear of god into him.”
“Be gentle.”
“Fuck that.”
I laughed again so softly. My man was funny when he was being protective of his daughter.
“Baby number three?” I asked.
He looked at me puzzled for a minute. Then it dawned on him. Was he hap
py? “You can have as many babies as you want. If you’re happy I’m happy.” He seemed a little more settled even though the sounds of sex were still coming from the other room.
“Is she on birth control?” Kerry suddenly asked me. He was still thinking of his daughter in the other room boinking her boyfriend.
“I don’t know,” I replied honestly. He looked at me as if I had lost my damned mind. “Kerry I prepared her. I thought this afternoon in a brief moment of panic that I had to speak to her about this but I prepared her. If she needs something she will ask for it. Otherwise I’m pretty confident she’s protecting herself somehow.”
“I don’t like this,” he declared.
“Well you saw my initial reaction. Now I’m the calm one. Kerry, he’s special. He was her first I’m pretty sure and our daughter…she is a smart girl.”
He looked a little more relaxed. Just a little less tense. Just a little less like he wanted to break off Adam’s legs and feed them to him.
“Still putting the fear of god into him.”
“You do that. I’m exhausted.”
He rolled his beautiful eyes at me. “I can’t fucking sleep now.”
“Well maybe when they’re done you will be able to relax and sleep.”
“Gabrielle,” he warned.
“Sorry honey. Damn, remember when we were that young and could last that long?” I chuckled against his chest.
“Gabrielle,” he said my name sternly not appreciating my humor at all. No. Not one little bit. “Want me to show you just how long I can last?”
Oh that was it? I was in trouble. I had insulted his manhood. My Kerry had no trouble satisfying me. He knew that.
“I’m tired. Your baby needs rest.” He knew I meant the one inside me not myself.
“You’re lucky you’re so darned cute,” he muttered.
“Mm hmm,” I agreed.
My eyes grew weary lulled into a heavy sleep by the deep rise and fall of my husband’s chest. I didn’t know when they finished. I didn’t know if Kerry was still angry. I wasn’t. I was happier than I had been for some time. I couldn’t wait for Christmas morning in the Dawson house once again. All the girls, their husbands and boyfriend. Their children and a boyfriend (who was in big trouble when the father got a hold of him) and Pop together. We were complete. Happy thoughts. Only happy thoughts as I drifted into deep sleep.
#
The embers in the fire from the night before were still glowing bright. It was six a.m. Christmas morning and I was unable to sleep. As a child I was always the first one to rise. Then I would sit at the bottom of the step peeking into the den where the tree was with all of our packages waiting to be opened.
I stoked the burning coals and added a log to the fire. Sitting on the couch I watched the log catch fire and burn, orange flames dancing around the wood. In my tank top, pajama bottoms and robe I sat with my legs tucked beneath me trying to stay warm until the fire began to warm the room. A little nausea beginning the first symptoms of this pregnancy just like that last two.
Footsteps on the stairs caught my attention and I turned towards the entrance of the den to see who was coming. Adin and Micki were entering the room together. They were in nightgowns and robes.