AN: How does Kimberly tell the twins apart...think movie, 'March of the Pengiuns', mothers and fathers can tell their chicks apart with ease by their songs, cries..same thing here. Thanks for the reviews...keep it up guys and gals. Enjoy!
Chapter 15
Thanksgiving holiday had arrived. Tommy and Kimberly were driving up to his parents house for dinner, staying over there for the rest of the weekend, driving back Sunday night since Tommy had to be back to work. Kimberly still on maternity leave until next year, she wanted to spend the first few months with her boys before hiring a babysitter. She wanted the boys off breast milk first, which would be another month or so, since they were twins, needing to gain more weight. Kimberly finished up packing the twins' bag as Tommy came upstairs.
"You still aren't ready!" Tommy asked as he came into the bedroom.
"Shut up!" Kimberly folded her last shirt. "Zip that for me!" Tommy looked at her. "Now!"
"Woman, you need to stop bossing me around."
"I am your wife, automatically, your master."
"Oh really!"
"Tommy!" Kimberly was being tickled by him. They kissed several times after the slight tickle match.
"We told Mom, we would be there today, not Thanksgiving morning tomorrow."
"Ha, ha," Kimberly said. "I'm coming, I just have to put on some clothes."
"Yeah, right." Tommy went to his boys on the bed. He laid on the bed, playing with their feet and hands.
"Let them sleep."
"It's better they are up now and sleep on the drive."
"Just leave them alone," Kimberly said.
"Hey, my sons too." Kimberly zipped up her small carrying suitcase.
"There. Go take those bags down. Did you get the crib?"
"Of course."
"And the changing table, oh and the swing set and the couch seats?" Tommy nodded.
"Then we can leave?"
"I need to change."
"Change now!" Tommy yelled.
"Oh, just do as I say!" Tommy was pulled up by Kimberly. He held her by the waist. Kimberly cupped his face and kissed him. "Go." Tommy grabbed the bags with her things and took them to the car.
Tommy came upstairs to find Kimberly putting the boys into their car seats. She was in a teal cross-back matte dress, with her hair swept to the side by a low ponytail. Tommy smiled and crept up behind her. Just as he went to tickle her again, Kimberly spoke.
"Don't even think about it."
"How did you know?"
"Saw you in the mirror." Tommy kissed the back of her neck as he hugged her. His hands went to her tiny pouch, which was getting smaller by the week. Anybody looking at Kimberly could barely tell she just gave birth to twins, her belly the last evidence of that. Tommy kissed her neck lovingly, as Kimberly allowed him to swing them a bit.
"I love you."
"I love you too," Kimberly whispered back. Tommy kissed her cheek.
"Can you believe they are almost a month old?"
"No, though they sure eat enough," Kimberly said. "They are so beautiful, Tommy."
"Of course, they come from great stock, on their mother's side." Tommy kissed her cheek again. He lifted both his sons with ease to take them down to the car, as Kimberly finished getting ready with touch-ups on her make-up. She rolled her eyes as she heard the car honking as she applied more lip gloss.
"Why I married such an impatience man, I will never understand." Kimberly grabbed her purse and changed her shoes one last time. The car horn beeped again as soon as she locked the door to the house. "I'm gonna kill him if my babies are awake."
After a long few hours drive, Tommy pulled into his parent's driveway. Mrs. Oliver saw them from the window and rushed to open the door.
"Oh! There are my babies!" Kimberly smiled and hugged her mother-in-law first before opening the backseat door. She handed her sons over to their grandmother. "A week is too long to go without seeing my grandsons!" They were wide-awake to their grandmother's shrills. She took them inside from the chilly night.
"You got the bags right." Tommy rolled his eyes. Kimberly smiled and went inside. Mr. Oliver met her at the door with a hug. He went to help his son get the things from the car.
"Moving back in, son?"
"You know Kimberly, Pa. Always gotta be prepared with everything."
"I see that. But I thought this was just a weekend, not a month."
"Me too." They both laughed.
Tommy came into his old bedroom with a huge smile on his face, having left his parents with his sons. Kimberly was pumping some milk into a few bottles.
"They are too much."
"Warren and Darren are getting so spoiled by our family."
"Right! Just our family? You spoil them just as much if not worst."
"Not as much as you! When do I not find you standing over them?" Kimberly asked.
"Oh and you holding them all the time."
"It's called breastfeeding."
"Whatever." Tommy pulled off his jeans. Kimberly pulled up silk sleepshirt and buttoned it. Tommy came up behind her standing as she screwed the caps to the bottles. He took her by the waist. "Why don't we have Mom and Dad take the boys tonight and we can…" Tommy's hands moved up her stomach from beneath her shirt.
"No, no, no. Tommy, no. Doctor Mara said next month." Tommy groaned.
"But that is far too long."
"Well, I'm sorry." Kimberly stepped away. She pulled on her white terry cloth robe and went to check on her boys. Tommy sighed and sat on the bed. He laid to his back, it was a torture not to be able to do the things married people do, since Kim had the boys. Tommy sat up and went to make sure the crib was ready by the bed for his boys. Kimberly came into the room carrying them.
"Your mother thinks Warren is getting chubby like Darren."
"Nah, my boys are lean." Tommy took Warren and Darren from Kimberly as she went to check the bed. "Already done."
"Oh." The boys were changed into their PJs by their grandparents. Tommy laid his boys to the bed. "Mom says the diapers are dry." Tommy checked still.
"Good. Guess they are ready for bed."
"Guess they are." Tommy lifted Darren to Kimberly as he got Warren. They both laid their sons down. Kimberly fixed the hand mitten on Darren before covering them both. Tommy gave them kisses, as did Kimberly. They got into bed after a few kisses themselves. Tommy clicked off the final lamp.
"Goodnight, Beautiful."
"Goodnight." Kimberly laid to his chest. "I love you."
"I love you too." They kissed softly on the lips and went to sleep.
Thanksgiving morning, Tommy was with his family as they were talking and playing with his sons. Kimberly peaked out from the kitchen. She had been doing this since the moment she gave up the boys to Tommy and the rush of family and friends. Mrs. Oliver was checking on the turkey. Kimberly and her were the only ones working on the dinner, since Kim's mother left once the pies were baking.
"Kimberly, are you going to help me or not?"
"I'm coming." Kimberly stayed at the door peaking out.
"Kimberly?" Mrs. Oliver looked at her with a smile. "Kimberly?"
"Huh?"
"Your casserole."
"Huh?"
"Your casserole is done."
"Oh right, casserole," Kimberly said. "Shouldn't the boys have their sweaters on?"
"It's pretty warm in here."
"I thought Warren felt a bit warm last night and if…"
"Warren is fine, honey."
"I know, but….oh, Darren's mittens are off!"
"Darren is fine too." Kimberly sighed.
"He could scratch his face or…"
"They are fine," Mrs. Oliver said. "See, Tommy is putting the mitten on Darren andyour mother gotthe cap for Warren."
"I'm being crazy huh?"
"No, you're being a Mommy." Mrs. Oliver put her arm around her and brought her back over to the stove. "It's normal to be a bit jumpy when the boys get around a large group of people for the first time especially the entire family. Don't worry. It gets better with time."
"I hope so. I feel selfish not wanting the boys around their family, but I can't seem to help not being a bit afraid, about them catching a cold or something."
"Come on, the turkey will be done shortly and you can be with your boys as soon as we finish the potatoes."
"Thanks." Mrs. Oliver nodded. "Sweet potatoes look good. Taste good," Kimberly said taking a tiny taste.
"You're just as bad as Tommy in the kitchen." Kimberly laughed.
Tommy looked back in the backseat as he pulled up into the parking lot outside their house. Kimberly was asleep as well with her boys. It was late Sunday night. Tommy smiled as he got out the car. He walked over to the passenger side and opened the door. Tommy kissed Kimberly on the lips softly. Kimberly pouted and moaned.
"Wake up, Beautiful."
"Wha…"
"Hey, we're home."
"Oh, finally." She smiled and stretched, getting another kiss from Tommy. "Took you long enough."
"Ha ha…I'll get the bags."
"I'll get the boys." They kissed again.
Tommy was finishing up brushing his teeth when he found Kimberly breastfeeding Warren as she rubbed Darren's back after his feeding. He woke first, hungry of course, crying for milk, as Warren slept on. Just as Kimberly was burping Darren, Warren woke. Tommy was showering during the feeding, but hurried to help Kimberly with the boys. Tommy picked up Darren and finished burping him.
"I'll be back, need anything from downstairs?" Kimberly shook her head, rocking Warren. Tommy took Darren downstairs with him. He checked for all the doors and lights to be off.
"Tommy! Bring up some new suits and diapers!"
"Okay." Tommy went into the spare bedroom. Darren burped loudly again. "Whoa, little man, got some gas on that belly tonight." Tommy patted his back more before heading back upstairs with the suits and package of diapers. Darren burped again, causing Tommy to laugh again. Tommy laid Darren to his stomach before loading the changing table with the package of diapers. He pulled out a nightgown to dress Darren, laying one out for Kimberly who was changing Warren. Tommy handed over a diaper.
"Thanks." Their teamwork was unmistakable these days. They worked a unit with their sons, as the way things should be. Kimberly, though misses her mother dearly, was happy to be the mother in the house these past few weeks, doing the laundry and housework as a homemaker wife would be thinking of nothing but keeping her boys happy. All 3 of them. Sometimes, Tommy felt second place, but understood. This was their first children, nothing comes before them. And although Kimberly loves her job, being a fashion designer, an executive chief designer, was very important, but her babies were now number one on that list as it should be.
"Hey.." Kimberly watched Tommy finished kissing the boys, who were finally asleep on their backs, before getting into bed with her. Kimberly stopped him as his hand went to click the lamp off. "You okay? You seem quiet... to quiet."
"Yeah, I'm good."
"You seem like you are thinking about something important you want to tell me, but you don't know how to tell me."
'How does she do that?'"Are you sure you're not psychic?" Tommy said.
"Ha, ha. But I'm right, huh?"
"Yeah."
"See, tell me. What is it? Is it important? Is it bad?"
"Important? Yeah. Bad? I hope not."
"What are you not tell me tiger?"
"Nothing."
"Liar." Tommy pulled her close as he hugged. Kimberly smiled and hugged him the same.
"You know I love you."
"I love you too."
"I do need to talk to you about something?"
"Okay, talk."
"Dr. Mercer..."
"Oh, I hate that name."
"Kimberly…"
"No, every time you start with I have to tell you something, and Dr. Mercer, I know something is wrong?"
"He wants me to work with him."
"At another site?"
"Yeah something like that, but much better."
"You are going to leave me with your sons for another digging site?"
"It's not for a dig site. It's a surprising wonderful opporunity, a dream job, my dream job."
"Then what is this?"
"Researching, lab work on the bones we found."
"Like Dino research?"
"Something like that."
"Sounds, interesting, Tommy. Is it like Jurassic Park research?" Tommy laughed, thinking about that movie, with the dinosaurs taking over, killing people in the park.
"I hope not, but it will be pretty interesting to try." Tommy smiled.
"Did you say yes already?"
"Yes."
"Without discussing this with your wife first?"
"He cornered me and gave me the job."
"You could have said no."
"I couldn't say no, not this offer again."
"Again!"
"He asked me months ago."
"But I am your wife!"
"I know that, but I need this job. We need this job."
"I am your wife! The mother of your sons!"
"I know that!"
"Then why are you leaving us!"
"I'm not!" Tommy said.
"Right. When do you start?"
"Uh, job starts January."
"For how long?"
"I don't know. I just know that in the next few weeks in December, I will be taking short trips with Dr. Mercer to find a place to begin research."
"Like a lab?"
"Like an island lab."
"An island!" Kimberly asked. "Where?"
"I don't know. Hawaii, New Zealand…off the coast of Africa? I don't know."
"Get out."
"What?"
"Get out of this room right now! I want to punch you so hard, so get out."
"What?"
"Get out!" Kimberly screamed. Warren and Darren woke up, crying. Tommy went over to their crib. "Leave them!"
"They are my sons too!"
"Get the fuck out now!"
"Fine." Tommy walked to the door as Kimberly went over to the baby's crib.
"How could you do this! How could you make such a huge decision without me!" Kimberly yelled at him, making Tommy stop at the door.
"You are not working now, my job at the museum will not cover us forever. At least with this job I will be able to support and take careof you and the boys without any money issues!"
"I make enough for us to be a family already especially once I go back to work!"
"That's not how it is suppose to be!"
"Oh god! Would you get off that shit! Get off that stupid notion, 'the man has to provide the family income'! Damnit! I am so sick of it! This is not about money!" Kimberly lifted the boys and rocked them.
"It is always about money, Kimberly, when you start a family! We have boys and their future to think about! We can't survive on pay check to pay check from me!"
"This has nothing to do with our boys! This is about you! You and your stupid morals about me making more money than you!"
"That is not true!"
"Like hell! Fuck it!You know, take the fucking job. Take it and leave!"
"What!"
"I said take it! And get out!"
"Why can't you just see that…"
"Out!"
"Fine!" Tommy slammed the door behind him. Kimberly sat on the bed rocking the crying babies.
"Shhh…. Shhhh…Mommy is sorry for yelling. So sorry." Kimberly was crying softly was she lifted them to her shoulders, but they wouldn't stop crying until Kimberly could muster some soft singing. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
