Something for the Pain (Pain 2)

“Happy birthday,” she shouts. “Who’s ready for cake?”

Smiling, I stand up and kiss Tara on the cheek, grabbing the cake from her hand and setting it down on the table. “Thanks, Tara. You made this for me?”

She nods. “Yes, and Tripp helped. You better like it.”

“I’ll love it.” I nod at Charles and then help him pull a table over, next to our booth.

Memphis cuts the cake and we all dive in, enjoying ourselves.

“Happy birthday, baby.” Tripp slides a birthday card in front of me, but keeps her hand on it. “Before you open this, I have some news for you.”

I slip my hand behind her neck and pull her to me. “The house. Did we get the fucking house?”

She nods her head and I pull her in, kissing her long and hard. “We get the key next week,” she exclaims. “Everything is about to change, Alex. Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

I smile and rest my forehead to hers. “With you . . . yes. I’ve been ready my whole life.”

“Good.” She smiles. “Open the card.”

Everyone around the table watches me as I reach for the card and rip the envelope open. I pull the card out and read the front. It’s got some kind of stick figure on it that looks like a kid’s drawing. “Happy birthday, daddy.”

My heart stops when I look beside me to see tears streaming down Tripp’s face. “What’s this?”

“Your first birthday card from your child.”

“Holy fuck!” I stand up, almost knocking the table over. “You’re pregnant? We’re having a baby?”

Tripp nods and throws both of her hands over her mouth.

“Holy shit!” I reach for Tripp’s hand and pull her up to her feet. “I love you. I love you so fucking much, baby. This is by far the best day of my life outside of the day you became my wife. You’re going to be the mother of my child. We’re doing this together.”

The girls all seem to break into tears of joy and Memphis and Charles both slap me on the back, congratulating me.

“I love you too. I’m so damn happy. I wouldn’t want to do this with anyone but you.” She throws her head back and laughs as I bend down and kiss her belly, and then grab her face to kiss her lips. “I’ve known for a week. Do you know how hard it’s been to wait until today to tell you?”

I shake my head and tangle my hands into the back of her hair. “I’m so ready to start a family with you. Our baby is going to have the best parents. You know that, right?”

Tripp nods her head and kisses me one last time, before the girls pull her away and start talking in their high pitched, girly voices.

“Congrats, man.” Memphis throws his arms around me. “I’m so proud of you, little brother. I love you, man. The two of you are going to make great parents.”

“Thanks, bro. I love you too.” I grip his shoulder when we pull apart. “You’re going to be a great uncle. I can only hope that my child will turn out to be anything like you.”

He smiles and wraps his arm around Lyric, and that’s when I take the opportunity to take my woman back.

“I love you more now than I ever have in my entire life, and I would give up everything I own to make sure that you and our child are happy and taken care of. You know that, right?”

Tripp pulls me as close as she can and buries her face into my neck. “I know you would and I would do the same. Always.” She kisses my neck. “I love you.”

I’ve loved this woman since I was eight and I will love her and our child until the day I die. That’s a promise that I can keep . . .

The End . . .