"HAVE FUN WITH IT!" I shout rather loudly from the front of the gym.
My girls cheer, prepared for the new and super fun hip hop routine I choreographed. It's the end of May and our spring showcase is finally over along with all of our contests. With nothing to do, aside from working on technique and working out, why not learn a quick and fun routine.
I smiled widely, watching their Cheshire grins overcome their faces.
Being able to choreograph again was overwhelming and extremely refreshing, considering it is my livelihood. Inhaling deeply, I lean my back against the bleachers and get lost in my thoughts – in everything that has happened this year.
Maya is doing wonderfully, literally, she is in perfect health and was ready to pop last week. Now, with a week overdue, I should be at her beck and call. However, her mood swings can go from hot to cold within a matter of minutes and since I'm not as large as she is, her anger tends to be directed towards me. The only person she's nice to is Josh, and that's pretty much pushing it. She made her mother cry, not intentionally – well, that may be a lie. Maya could have kept her mouth shut if she didn't like her food. Speaking first hand, morning sickness can be the worst thing in the entire world.
Josh is running for constable of our county, all the while taking care of his pregnant wife. He wanted to be out of danger as much as possible for Maya's and their boy's sake.
Yes, they are having a boy. That didn't bother me too much. However, when Daniel Asher Matthews' name was announced. It was hard to stop from crying, I even barricaded myself in my home for a weekend. I told Maya how much I adored it before I basically sprinted out of the baby shower, it was just too overwhelming for me to stay. Maya understood, and cried for me.
Even after almost 10 months, my heart still aches for my Asher. Though they're few and far in between, and somewhat fleeting now, the memory of my swollen belly and his persistent kicks come forward on occasion. I've learned though, that I don't want to forget. I want to remember Asher, no matter how painful because he is our first born.
Speaking of our, Lucas is just as loving and incredible as he always has been. It's still incomprehensible how much he adores me, but 'I have to get used to it', at least that is what that incredulous man tells me. My little hero hasn't given up his job as a police officer, and no matter how much I want to, I won't ever ask him to stop. Lucas saved me so many times, not just my life but my soul and my heart. What kind of person would I be if I were to deprive anyone of his heroic duty? Of course, he'd just be saving people's lives.
He better not be saving any hearts or souls.
GMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMW
"Come on," Lucas whispers in my ear, lightly tugging my lobe through his teeth. Giggling lightly, I place my hands on his chest and press my lips to his, finally giving in.
I can feel him grinning against my lips, son of a biscuit eater won. Let's just back up, Lucas is not even remotely deprived, emotionally or physically. However, it is 2:14 in the damn morning and we were trying to go to sleep. It just so happened to be one of those nights where we are up all night. Lucas got bored rather quickly of trying to sleep and began 'persuading me'.
He's good.
Warm lips press against my jaw line, his teeth scraping slightly, eliciting a few moans from me. His hands begin to roam, but are interrupted by my cell phone ringing. My first thought is Maya, and Josh – she was about to explode anyways – however, it isn't their ringtone and I am in no mood to stop this. "Ignore it, sweetheart."
His whispers send a chill down my spine while I'm desperately clawing at his shirt. Why the hell is he even wearing a shirt? Jerk. Finally, the ringing dies only to start back up again. Lucas groans, which somehow also turns me on and starts to pepper kisses on my neck and collarbone, stopping a few times to tug while I'm reaching for my phone. "Make it quick," he demands before kissing my skin again.
"Hello."
"RILEY FRIAR!" Oh God. Katy. "YOUR BEST FRIEND IS GOING INTO LABOR! YOU SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR A PHONE CALL AT 2:30 IN THE MORNING AND ANSWER IT!"
Oh goodness. "Katy, calm down and breathe please." I can hear her breathing in and out over and over before a sigh escapes her lips. "I know you're excited and overwhelmed, but everything will be okay and soon you will be holding your grandson in your arms." When she squeals I know I've made her happy, however my husband is now brooding with an erection the size of Texas. "We'll be there in 15 minutes, maybe sooner if Lucas will let us use his cop car."
Immediately he is shaking his head while getting out of bed. Bidding goodbye, I'm sliding on a pair of jeans and a tee shirt begging to take his police car. "Baby," Lucas breathes and turns around to face me as we're headed towards the front door, "I love you more than life, but no." Smile dropped. "We are not taking my car, we will take the truck and you will not utter one more word about it."
Parting my lips to protest just one more time, a sting is felt on my back side.
Spanking has become more frequent, Lucas really loves it. "Not a word. Consider this your punishment for us going to the hospital when things were getting good."
"MY PUNISHMENT?!" I shout as he closes the door to his truck, now I have to wait a few more seconds to yell while he gets in the driver's seat. As soon as the door opens, he's getting an earful. "How is it my fault? Maya is the one who went into labor."
He grins, "you fought me for too long, sweetheart. If you would have given in sooner, then we wouldn't be in this situation."
There is no valid argument.
GMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMW
Well, there was no need to take Lucas' police car.
It is now three o'clock in the afternoon, and we're all glaring at her belly. "12 hours," the doctor murmurs while stepping inside the room, "You're a hero."
Maya smiles politely, the first time she's done that since we've gotten here and sits up in her bed. "Doc, you gotta get him out of me, please." Okay, I can't be that mad at her. She can't control when Daniel comes out. Her doctor barely opens her mouth before Maya is giving a suggestion, "I'll just push, and he'll eventually come right out, right?" Maya falls back against the pillows, her palm flicking away the sweat she's gathered from the contractions. She swears up and down that her meds quit working, if that's true, I'm not sure. She has a tendency to be over dramatic the past few months.
"You're ready."
35 minutes later, I'm watching Maya and Josh cry over their newborn son who looks like a baby replica of his father. Daniel has Maya's nose, and that's about it. He's a little chunk, weighing in slightly over 8 pounds, but he's beautiful.
Daniel Asher.
Lucas wipes the few tears off my cheeks, and pecks them gently. The hands that were wiping my tears wrap around my slightly pudgy stomach. "Just a few more months, sweetheart. Just a few more months and Asher will have his little sister."
Turning on my heels, I let my arms wrap around his neck before kissing his lips sweetly. "I can't wait."
A small cry echoes off the walls of the room at the moment our lips meet, Lucas sighs before fluttering his beautiful eyes open, "I should get used to this, shouldn't I?"
Tossing my head back, I laugh whole heartedly. "Yeah," I mumble through my giggles, "you definitely should."
"I love my life."
Unaware to a few lingering eyes, my chuckles die down to meet his gaze. That same incomparable amount of love shines through, as always. "Me too."
And to think, all this from a measly reunion.
