*Thank-you so much for the reviews on the last chapter. they were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much. = )
About a week later it was Easter Sunday. Dave's mom was in town for the Easter holiday and they were celebrating with Alex's family. Alex didn't want to leave New York because she felt this could be the last Easter she had with her mom and she wasn't going to miss it by going to Florida. Easter morning Dave woke up before Alex and decided to wake her up. "Alex, it's Easter morning and we didn't get any visitors last night. It's time to wake up," he said after realizing Jordyn and Josiah never came into their room.
Alex let out a groan and said, "Really? I don't feel well. I don't want to get up."
"Come on. It's Easter morning. The kids want their Easter baskets. What's wrong with you?" he asked.
"I don't know. I just feel blah," she said. "My stomach just feels icky. It's not an ache icky it's just a nauseous icky."
"Oh," he said. "Maybe you're hungry."
"Maybe," she said. "So we really didn't have any visitors last night did we?"
"Nope. Jordyn and Josiah are asleep in their beds on this April morning," he said with a smile, "and for the first time in 4 years we're alone in this bed together. I think we should take advantage of it."
"Hmm.. I kind of like the sound of that," she said turning to face him and wrapping her arms around his neck. "I think we have some time before the kids wake up."
"That's just what I wanted to hear," he said with a smile before he kissed her lips softly rolling her over and straddling her body. He smiled at her before he leaned down to kiss her again after he removed the t-shirt he was wearing. He laid soft kisses on Alex's neck and then removed the tank top she was wearing before moving his kisses down her body. After a little foreplay he moved his body up hers and gently entered her. She let out a moan of pleasure. He began making love to his wife for the first time in about a month. She matched her movements with his and moaned out in pleasure with each movement he made. The passion was building and she could no longer control herself as Dave brought her over the edge. She let out cry of pleasure. Once he brought her over the edge he could no longer hold it back and released himself inside her letting out a groan of pleasure before he collapsed his body on top of hers. He softly kissed her lips and whispered "I love you in her ear," before he slowly removed his body from hers. He moved his body as close to her as he could and wrapped his arms around her. He had the time to actually cuddle with his wife without worrying about being interrupted.
"Wow," she said. "It's been a while."
"Tell me about it," he said running his fingertips up and down her arm. "It's been way too long."
"Yeah. I noticed with 5 kids we don't exactly have a sex life anymore."
"We definitely don't," he said. "Happy Easter."
"Thanks," she said with a smile. "Happy Easter."
"So what's on the agenda today?" he asked.
"Church, the egg hunt and dinner," she said, "You have a lot of eggs to hide."
"Ugh. Really?"
"Really," she said.
"Okay," he said, "but can we lay here a little longer before we start our day. I just like holding you in my arms and feeling your body next to mine."
"Of course," she said. "We still have a little bit of time before…" she started to say. "I'll be right back," she said before she got out of the bed and ran into their bathroom. She ran over to the toilet and began to throw up.
"Are you okay?" asked Dave as he got out of bed.
"Yeah," she said before she started throwing up again. Dave put on his shorts and walked into the bathroom to see his wife throwing up in the toilet. He walked over and held her hair back for her with one hand and rubbed her back with the other. When she was finished she sat down next to the toilet to wait it out to see if she was going to throw up again. While she was sitting down Dave got her one of his t-shirts for her to put on and got her a glass of water. He brought them into the bathroom, handed them to her and sat down next to her. "Thanks," she said as she put the shirt on. "I'm sorry," she said before taking a sip of water.
"It's okay," he said, "just as long as I don't get this bug. I can't afford to be out of work."
"I know," said Alex. "Maybe it's nothing. I feel better now."
"That's good," he said, "I wouldn't want you to miss out on Easter Sunday because of being sick."
"No. I'm sure I'll be all right. I'm feeling much better. It was probably something I ate last night. We did go to that diner."
"Probably," he said, "at least it's out of your system now."
"Yeah," she said getting up. She thought it was out of her system but she found herself throwing up again. She was not feeling well at all. She had a headache and she just felt queasy. She had no idea what was going on with her but she didn't like the feeling she had. When she finally finished throwing up she took a quick shower and then went downstairs with Dave who was sitting quietly in the living room watching the morning news. The kids were still sleeping and the house was very quiet something that didn't happen often in the Bautista household.
Dave turned off the TV when Alex sat down next to him and wrapped his arm around her. They sat in the silence enjoying it until they heard tiny feet running down the stairs. Josiah came running into the living room followed by Jordyn carrying her stuffed rabbit in her arms. She was very attached to the rabbit. She had it since she was a year old for her 2nd Easter. She never let Alex take it from her to wash it and its white fur was now dirt covered and it was tearing in a couple spots. Alex had repaired it a couple times but it had definitely seen better days. Jordyn named it Bun Bun and it was one of her most favorite toys. She didn't go anywhere without it. "Mommy!" yelled Josiah as he ran over to hug her followed by Jordyn. They both wrapped their tiny arms around her.
Alex hugged them back and said, "Good morning."
"Did the Easter Bunny come, Mommy?" asked Jordyn.
"I think he did," she said with a smile.
"Yay!" she said with a big smile before she hugged her dad. "Good morning, Daddy." She looked at him with a big smile and her big brown eyes.
"Good morning," he said with a smile as he hugged her.
"Morning, Daddy," said Josiah hugging Dave.
"Morning, Bud," he said with a smile. "I miss this when I'm not here. The hugs and the kisses."
"I bet," said Alex with a smile.
"Mommy, can we get our baskets?" asked Jordyn as she climbed up on Alex.
"Jordyn, Please don't climb on me. I'm not a jungle gym. My tummy isn't feeling very good today," she said, "and we have to wait for Ben, Kaylee and Chelsea before you get into your baskets."
"Okay," she said. "I'm sorry, Mommy. Why your tummy hurt?"
"It doesn't hurt it just feels yucky," said Alex as Jordyn sat down on her lap. Dave turned the TV on for the kids while they waited for the others to come down stairs. Jordyn and Josiah enjoyed watching Handy Manny until the other three kids made their way downstairs. "Good morning," said Alex.
"Morning," they all said as they walked into the living room.
"Do you guys want to get your Easter baskets?" asked Alex.
"Sure," said Chelsea, who was still half asleep. Alex picked Jordyn up as she got off the couch and led the kids into the dining room to get their baskets. The kids ran over to their baskets with a joy all over their faces. They were excited over the candy which wasn't a high amount because Alex and Dave knew better than to give their kids tons of candy. They got a couple peanut butter eggs, jelly beans and each got a chocolate bunny. They each got a new outfit, a DVD, an outside toy and Kaylee and Chelsea each got the new Hannah Montana CD.
"Look, Mommy!" said Jordyn as she showed Alex the chocolate bunny.
"Wow," said Alex with a smile. "That looks…" she started to say before she got sick again and ran to the bathroom.
"What's wrong with Mama?" asked Chelsea.
"She's not feeling very well today," said Dave. "She seems to have a little bug."
"Oh," said Chelsea. "I hope I don't get it because I have a photo shoot next week."
"I know," said Dave, "and I was talking to a friend out in L.A. that might have a part in a movie for you and me."
"Really?" she asked.
"Yeah and we wouldn't have to go anywhere. They're filming here in New York. It's a family movie."
"Cool," said Chelsea. "Did you tell Mama yet?"
"No. I'm just waiting for the right time. Auditions aren't until next month so we have time."
"Okay," said Chelsea with a smile, "I REALLY want to try out for the part."
"I know," he said. "We just have to talk to your mom about it."
"Okay," she said, "but we know she's going to say no."
"Trust me.. If she can talk me into getting a dog… I can talk her into letting you audition for a part in a movie."
"I don't even want to know," she said. Chelsea was old enough to know what her parents meant when they said they were talking and were talking each other into something. She knew better than to go anywhere near their room when they went upstairs to talk.
Alex made her way back into the dining room and Dave said, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah. It was weird. I just got really hot for a second and then had to throw up. I'm all right now. I don't know what's going on with me. But is it really hot in here or is it just me?"
"It's just you," said Dave. "Are you sure you can make it to church today?"
"Yeah," she said, "I'm not going to miss church on Easter Sunday."
"Okay," he said. "I'll take care of breakfast. You just relax."
"Thanks," said Alex with a smile. She took the kids in the living room to keep them occupied while Dave made blueberry pancakes for them. When he was finished they went to eat breakfast and after breakfast they took the kids upstairs to get them ready for church. The color for that year was purple. Alex wore a lilac tank top with a black skirt and white sweater. She looked at herself in the mirror and saw that her face was flushed. She was feeling really hot so she decided to lose the sweater. She pulled her hair half up and half down while Dave put on a grey tuxedo, with a light purple vest underneath the jacket and a light purple tie. The boys were both wearing a grey and light purple plaid shirt with a light purple sweater vest on with grey pants. "Baby," said Alex looking at herself, "do my boobs look bigger to you?"
"I don't know," he said. "They seem to be but I'm not sure but your face is really flushed."
"It's like 100 degrees in here that's why," she said, "I am so hot and my boobs hurt. What is going on?" she asked and then it dawned on her, "and now that I think about it.. I didn't get my period yet. I'm running late."
"Oh," said Dave. Those were the last words that he wanted to hear that morning or the last words he wanted to hear period.
"Relax," said Alex, "that's not even a possibility. Relax," she saw his face in the mirror when she told him she was running late.
"Oh. Okay," he said breathing a sigh of relief.
"It might be menopause," she said. "I am getting to that age."
"No way. There is no way. You're too young for that."
"I don't know," said Alex.
"Yes," said Dave, "you're too young for that. Your cycle might just be getting ready to start."
"Okay," said Alex as she went to get Kaylee and Jordyn dressed. They were wearing matching light purple and white halter dress with a white sweater. She put their hair in a bun and then took them downstairs. They were just waiting on Chelsea before they left for church. Chelsea made her way downstairs with a matching outfit to Alex's and her put half up and half down. "You look beautiful, Chelsea," she said with a smile.
"Thanks, Mama," she said with a smile.
"All right. Let's go," said Dave. "We're actually going to be on time today."
"All right," said Alex as they headed out the door and went off to church.
After church was over they went home to spend the day with Alex's mom, dad, brother, Marissa, Charlie, Tony, Lexie and Donna. Alex's dad was actually preparing the meal for Easter dinner while Dave was outside with Tony hiding eggs for the egg hunt. "So where's Athena today?" he asked.
"She's sick," said Tony. "She could barely get out of bed this morning. She was throwing up constantly. She got up long enough to see Lexie get her Easter basket and then she went back to bed."
"Oh. Wow, Alex is sick too," he said. "She woke up sick but she seems to be feeling better now. She's just having these hot flashes."
"Menopause," said Tony.
"My wife is not OLD enough to hit menopause. She's only 35. Why does everyone keep saying that?"
"I don't know," said Tony, "it was just a guess."
"Okay," said Dave as they continued hiding eggs, "so what's wrong with Athena?"
"She's been throwing up and just really sick feeling. She seemed to be doing better before we left the house but she figured it would be best if she stayed home for the day. I told her I would bring leftovers home for her."
"Yeah because it's not everyday Ted cooks us dinner."
"I know," said Tony. "I'm looking forward to his cooking."
"It's not as good as Sylvia's or Alex's but it's good," he said as he hid the last egg. "So do you think we should go get the kids and watch them scramble to find the eggs?"
"Yeah," said Tony with a smile. "I just have to record Lexie for Athena. She made me promise."
"Okay," said Dave. "I'll get the kids."
"All right," said Tony as he got his camcorder ready. He felt bad that Athena couldn't be there for the day. She was really looking forward to it but she got sick so she was unable to make it.
Dave went inside to get the kids and the adults followed them outside to see them look for eggs. Dave had all the kids stand on the patio and then he said, "on your mark, get set, GO!" he yelled. The kids took off running to find some eggs. Ben and Kaylee found the same egg and began to fight over it. "Ben, be a gentleman and let the girl have the egg," said Dave.
"She's not a girl. She's my sister," said Ben, "IT'S MY EGG!"
Chelsea walked over and took the egg from Kaylee and handed it to Ben. "He had it first."
"CHELSEA ALEXANDRA," said Dave.
"What?" she asked shrugging her shoulders. "Ben had it first."
"And Kaylee is a girl so he should have given it to her," said Dave.
"Finders keepers," said Chelsea as she ran off to find more eggs and she purposely bumped into Kaylee on her way making her fall.
"Are you okay?" asked Charlie as he helped Kaylee up.
"Thanks," she said.
"Here, you can have one of my eggs," said Charlie as he got in his basket and gave her an egg.
"Thank-you," she said.
"You're welcome," he said before running off to get more eggs. Charlie was a very nice kid. Brian and Marissa were raising him well. Dave and Alex wished their kids could be as sweet as he was but no their kids wanted and wanted and never wanted to give.
"Thank-you, Charlie," said Alex.
"You're welcome, Aunt Alex," he yelled.
When they were done looking for eggs Jordyn ran over to Alex and said, "Look, Mommy. I got lots of eggs."
"I see," said Alex.
"Me too, Mommy," said Josiah pushing Jordyn out of the way.
"Josiah," said Alex, "be nice. I see your eggs." Alex seeing the eggs made her think about possibly going through menopause and she started crying. "I wish I had that many eggs left." She wasn't sure why she felt so strongly about it since she didn't want to have anymore kids but she must have just felt old by realizing she could be pre-menopausal. She went into the house crying.
"What is wrong with her?" asked Sylvia.
"She thinks she's going through menopause," said Dave.
"Well," said Sylvia, "she's not a young chicken anymore."
"Mom!" said Brian. "That's a great way to make her feel better."
"Well, it's true. I started hitting menopause when I was about 37 years old and then I finally ended at 45. It's about that time for her."
"There's no way Alex is hitting menopause," said Donna. "She's probably pregnant."
"Impossible," said Dave. "She has her tubes tied. That's not happening for us ever again."
"Okay," said Donna.
"I don't know, Donna," said Sylvia, "we hit menopause young in this family."
"Then maybe she is. I don't' know. I'm not a doctor," said Donna.
"Let me go check on her," said Dave before he walked into the house. He walked into the house to see Alex sitting on the couch crying. "What's wrong?" he asked sitting down next to her.
"I'm old," she said. "I'm getting ready to go through menopause. You don't' want someone old like me."
"Alex, you are not old," he said wrapping his arm around her. "I have seen you get the shit kicked out of you, I've seen you give birth numerous times and believe me I still want you after seeing you at your worst. Even if you are getting older it doesn't mean I don't want you. I still want you as much as I wanted you the day I met you."
"Really? Because now I can't have anymore babies," she said.
"Alex, do I look like I want anymore babies? I am 52 years old. I'm ready for the ones we have now to turn 18 and move out. Trust me I want no more babies."
Alex let out a laugh and said, "I always thought that one day you would ask for me to get my tubes untied so that we could have at least one more."
"Yeah well, we know how that one more goes.. Jordyn and Josiah were supposed to be one more but we got two more. Trust me. I'm happy with the way things are now. And if you are going through menopause that's okay. It's not going to make me love you any less. I will always love you the same as I did the day we met. And no matter how old you get you will still be as beautiful to me as you were the day we met. Okay?"
"Okay," said Alex with a smile. "I love you."
"I love you too," he said, "And besides you aren't the one that has to worry about getting old. Look at me. I'm 52 years old, I have my little gut now from your amazing cooking and grey hair. I can barely move. I think it's safe to say I'm the old one here."
"And you do not have a gut. I saw you last week wrestling. You're still in shape. And who cares if you have grey hair and can barely move. You're still as hot as ever to me," she said with a smile.
"Thanks," he said as he kissed her lips softly. "Now.. Let's go eat," he said.
"Okay," she said with a smile as she got up from the couch.
They walked into the dining room and sat down to eat a good Easter meal that Ted had prepared for them. He had made roasted lamb, Greek salad, red eggs, a sweet Greek bread called Tsourkei, spinach pie with cheese, roasted potatoes with lemon, orange and oregano and to drink the adults had wine and this was the only occasion they allowed the children to have a glass of wine. They had a drama free and peaceful meal where they talked and laughed as they told old stories. It turned out to be a good day even though Alex was fearing getting old and Athena was home sick. It had been the best Easter the Brooks family had in a long time.
*A/N: Alex is sick on Easter Sunday.. Menopause or no? She's also having hot flashes and crying at the drop of a hat... menopause? Sylvia seems to think she is. At least Alex pushed herself to spend the day with her kids for Easter. Chelsea is just mean taking the egg from Kaylee and giving it to Ben and then knocking her down. At least Charlie is sweet enough to help her up and give her an egg. That's just a peek of how much Chelsea DOESN'T include Kaylee in the family. Dave wants Chelsea to audition for a movie part.. what is Alex going to say about it? And Dave assured Alex that he loves her as much as he loved her the day the met no matter what's going on with her. And AThena is sick too.. and roles changed.. Sylvia is usually preparing dinner but this time Alex's father made dinner to celebrate Easter Greek style. So what did you think? Please review and thank-you for taking the time to read.
*Chapter 11: What is going on with Alex? Will she find out it's menopause when she goes to the doctor and how will Chelsea's photoshoot go?