8&½ months.
The Baby Shower.
— — — —
I looked over at Tori and smiled, she insisted that she work on something in private while she waited for the party to start. We were banished up to her room to be out of the way.
I set my phone down and shifted to the end of the bed.
"Where are you going?"
"Just gonna be here, Vega. I'm going nowhere, don't you worry," I said as I lifted her ankles onto my lap and started to rub her feet. I know they were bothering her today cause she had a slight limp when we made our way upstairs over an hour ago.
She groaned at the first pressurised stroke of my thumb along the bottom of her foot and laid her head back against the bed frame, her eyes closing.
"Hey, you know I love you, right?"
She lifted her head and looked at me, nodding slowly.
"And I want you to know, that whatever your decision with the baby is, keeping it or you know…"
She nodded again.
"Tori, I will always be here for you, with you, by your side. Through the hard moments, the good moments, and everything in between. You have brought so much happiness into my life I fear that if I were to ever lose you, I would be lost…" she opened her mouth and I held a hand up, stopping whatever she was going to say. "I love you, Tori. I know we keep saying we're so young but don't you ever just get the feeling that you know when something feels right, or good, you just go for it and worry about the outcome later?"
She blinked, nodded, but remained quiet as I continued my massage but on the other foot.
"Tori, I can't even begin to process how much you've made my life better, how much I love you, or how happy you make me. You make me feel loved, wanted, and needed whenever you're around, and even when you're not around, I still feel that way, you never fail to remind me how much you love me, and today, I want to remind you, just how much I love you…"
I stood, and grabbed my backpack from beside her bed, digging through it. I knelt by the bed and looked up at her.
"I love you, and I always will, Tori. You complete me in all the ways that there were missing pieces before you came alone. You make me whole. You make me better, and you haven't even tried to change me-"
"I never will try, Jade," she said as she closed her laptop and set it aside, turning to face me.
I smiled up at her, pressing a kiss to her knee. "You are the reason I want to keep going every bad day I have, Tori. You make me so happy, and I'm filled with so much love that I seriously worry about my reputation around school when you're always making me smile."
She laughed softly and I grinned.
"Tori, I know we say we're too young. But you and me, that feels right, and it's a feeling I never want to lose, and honestly, I'll never get tired of how right it feels cause my life's better with you in it. Vega, will you marry me?"
Tori's eyes widened as she looked down at me, her jaw-dropping open as I opened the ring box I pulled from my bag. "Please?"
"Fucking hell, Jade. You are so silly, of course, I'll marry you. As if there was ever any doubt about it. I appreciate the please though. As if I could say no to you, ever." She grabbed my wrists and pulled me up, laughing as she kissed me. "I love you."
"I love you too."
"The ring is so pretty," she said as I settled beside her and slid it onto her finger.
"The small jades around it are so you always remember that I'm here for you, always going to be around you, no matter what… and I just realised that sounded slightly creepy…"
"No, baby, no. I loved it, I love it. It's cute. Thank you, my beautiful fiancé."
My heart swooped at the feeling of being one step closer to being her wife.
"I love you too, beautiful," I said, pressing a kiss to her temple as I pulled her close to me for a hug, my hand resting on her stomach, stroking across the bump.
"I need to tell you something," she said softly.
"Oh?"
Tori dragged her laptop closer, opening it up. She moved her fingers across the trackpad and set the laptop on my lap.
"Can you read this over and tell me what you think?"
"Okay, sure. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, it's…" She rested a hand on her stomach. "It's important."
"Okay."
"I'm going to shower before the party, join me when you're finished?"
I nodded and kissed her softly. "sounds like a plan, join you soon."
I lowered my head, looking at the laptop. "Oh, you're serious?" I asked, looking at Tori as she readied her clothes to change into after her shower.
She nodded and I smiled. "Well, either way, I support you. You know that."
"I know, I love you. I just think it's better this way."
"Yeah? Well, it will be easier on you."
Grabbing her hand as she moved to cross the room again, I pulled her closer. "I love you. So much, Tori. I'm always going to support you, and be with you. No matter what."
"I know, come on, come be with me in the shower. My hair needs a wash and my back hurts too much to stretch my arms up long enough."
"You got it, Vega." I stood, pulling my shirt off as I followed her into the bathroom.
— — — —
Helping Tori button her dress up, I started on the lowest button, smiling up at her as I pressed kisses up her body as I worked up each button. "Have I mentioned how much I love the way this dress has buttons up the front of it?" I asked her, pressing a light smatter of kisses across her jaw and neck.
Tori smiled, cupping my cheek as I kissed her lips. "Once or twice," she murmured, then kissed me again.
"I love it on you, but it would look better on the floor," I said, nipping at her lip.
"Jade, you are insatiable. You literally just gave me three orgasms, and you had four," she huffed, smacking my cheek affectionately before stepping away from me.
I grabbed her wrist. "That means you're due for another," I smirked.
"It means we're running out of time before someone comes to grab us for the baby shower, and my back is too sore to get high before going down there now."
"Well, you could spend the night at my place tonight, you and mum can smoke and I can bring you snacks, extra blankets, and extra lava," I said softly.
"Oh, I do want that, very badly, but I don't know if my mother will want me to leave so close to the baby being due. Not after she reads the note at least.
"It's not due for another two weeks at least, we could just sneak you out like old times," I joked.
A knock on the door had me huffing.
"Come in," Tori said, arms sliding around my waist.
"The party is ready for the guest of honour," David said, smiling at us.
"Down in a second, I'm just going to pack a bag for the night so I can go sleep at Jade's after," Tori said and David nodded, closing the door once more.
"Yeah?"
"Well, you do owe me another orgasm," she said, smiling as she kissed me. "I intend to get what I'm owed."
She rolled her eyes with a smile, sending the note to be printed before folding it up and placing it into an envelope.
— — — —
"And the last game for the evening, before we cut some cake and open presents," Alice announced. "Guess the size of the belly!"
I snorted. I knew exactly how big Tori's baby bump was, there was no contest in this one. I knew every inch of her body. I knew she had seven scars along her right ribs, I knew the exact right place to kiss her hip to get her wanting more, I knew everything about Tori's body.
Everyone was handed a roll of paper and a pen before Tori was asked to stand.
The paper was no wider than a tape measuring tape, and the length would do Tori's stomach at least six times over. I winked at Tori before pulling open the paper and writing my name on it before tearing off a length and setting it aside.
"Cheater," she mumbled and I shrugged, eyeing her body appreciatively.
"Drink?" I asked as I stood, pressing a kiss to her cheek.
"Please, I feel like it got ten degrees hotter here."
Frowning, I pressed the back of my hand to her forehead. "You don't feel warm, are you okay?"
"Yeah, just need some water, please."
"On it," I said, making my way to the kitchen. I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and grabbed a few ice cubes from the freezer, dropping them into a cup before returning to Tori's side, and handed her both. "Here, Vega. Some ice too."
"I love you," she said, smiling softly. "I think your mother needs to get the cake cut before we let the measurements be judged."
"Why?"
"My water just broke."
I froze, looking at Tori and then looked down, a puddle at her feet seeping into the carpet.
"Guys, I need to cut the party short," I said, getting my mother, Tori's parents, and Riley's attention. "I gotta get Tori to the hospital."
"What?" Holly jumped up, rushing to Tori's side.
"Mum, relax. Cut some cake with Alice, Alice, that envelope I gave you at the start of the party… Everyone can stay here, Jade will contact you when the baby is closer to being born so you're not waiting in boredom at the hospital."
"On it. Jade, do not disobey the road rules just because of this," my mother said.
"I know, trust me. I wouldn't put Tori's or the baby's life in danger… Again. Or on purpose."
"I'll call ahead and let them know you're coming," David said as I helped Tori out to my car.
"Thank god I packed an emergency hospital bag in your car, and both our houses," Tori said as she pulled her seatbelt on, a hand stroking over her stomach.
"Yeah, good thinking. How are you feeling?" I asked as I pulled the car out onto the road once I'd put my belt on.
"On a scale of one to ten, I'd say a five. I was feeling pains this morning, but I didn't think much of it. Braxton Hicks contractions and all that other stuff was the last chapter I read in the baby book. So I just assumed…"
"Tori, I swear to god. Why didn't you tell me you were in more pain than the usual back pain?"
"Cause I didn't want to be rushed to the hospital for no reason, Jade. I could handle it, if I couldn't, I would have said something."
"I know, but seriously, what if something was wrong with the baby?"
"There's nothing wrong with peanut, they're just as active as usual. I felt them shift an hour or so ago. I promise I'm fine, slow down, Jade. Maybe you need t9 to do the breathing exercises."
"Ha, funny," I said sarcastically before putting my hand on her stomach. "You're okay?"
"I am. The baby will come in its own time. I'm just glad I have you by my side," she said, resting her hand on mine.
"Always, Tori. I'll always be by your side."
— — — —
"Okay, I messaged our mothers," I said as I stepped back into the room, frowning when I didn't see Tori on the bed. "babe?"
"Sorry, here," Tori said, waddling out of the bathroom, one hand on her back, the other on her stomach.
"Have I mentioned how much I love you?" I asked, smiling as I guided her back onto the bed.
"No, why?" She gave me a look, one I knew oh so well. One that meant she didn't exactly trust what I was going to say next.
"I love you a lot, but you need to stay in this bed and wait."
"Oh, come on, Jade. I'm not just going to pee on the bed. I can walk, I'm not invalid."
"No, I know. But if you are going to go, let someone know. I know I had to step out for better phone service but you could have just let me know. So I didn't freak out and find my fiance missing when I come back to the room."
Tori grinned, squeezing my hand.
"what?" I asked my studded brow raising.
"You called me your fiance," she said softly.
"Well, yeah. I just asked you to marry me earlier this morning, remember?"
"Oh, I remember. It's just, you usually call me your wife, but my heart did that flippy thing it does when you call me your wife, but it did it when you called me your fiance."
"So it's a good word?" I asked, smiling as I sat on the edge of the bed. Tori nodded. "Good, I like it too. I mean, sure, I like calling you my wife, but I do like calling you that too."
"you're so cute, Jade."
I rolled my eyes and leaned forward, kissing her forehead. "hurry up and get out peanut. I need to spoil you." I poked her stomach, and Tori gasped as a foot pressed back up where my finger was.
"Sorry, Vega," I said, smiling innocently.
Tori smiled, resting her hand flat against her stomach once more. "It's okay, the baby loves you, just as much as I do, I know it."
— — — —
I settled beside Tori's hospital bed, smiling as she slept. It was tough to see her in so much pain and not be able to help in any sort of way, but, the baby was here.
I didn't know what it was yet, and Tori passed out from exhaustion and the painkillers they had her on. They said as she was brought back into this room that she should be waking up soon, and no matter what, I would be here for her.
I sent a quick message to the group chat that contained my mother and her parents within it and let them know she needed a cesarean due to the baby not being in the right position. It liked laying on its side as much as I did.
They kept hoping it would have moved to at least a breech position to come out but it had other plans.
Tori's fingers twitched around mine and I lifted my head a little more, smiling as I saw her looking at me. "Well hey there, Vega."
Tori groaned. "I feel like I just had my insides ripped out."
"You did, babe. But they're back in there. Was kinda cool to see?"
"Why did I let you stay?"
"Cause you love me!"
"That's very true, I would love you even more if I could kiss you, please?"
I stood, leaning over the edge of the bed, kissing her softly. "All I know is peanuts healthy and it has all ten fingers and toes. I didn't ask the gender, I wanted to wait with you."
"Where is it?"
"They're just cleaning it and said they'd bring it back. You did so well."
"I did nothing. They cut me open."
"Yeah, but you laid there really well," I said, chuckling as she rolled her eyes.
"Lava?"
She asked, shifting across the small bed slightly.
I smiled, nodding as I climbed up into the small area beside her and held her close, kissing her forehead.
"I let the group chat know that you were back in the room, and where to find you. But I think they'll give you a moment or two before they come to see you."
Tori nodded against my neck, yawning. "Okay, let me know when they get here?"
"You got it, baby. Rest, my love."
I felt Tori smile and I stroked her back softly.
— — — —
When Tori woke again, I was still holding onto her, lightly playing with her hair, and softly playing music from my phone on the playlist she made.
She lifted her head a little and I pressed a kiss to her forehead. "How're you feeling?"
"Empty."
I snorted a soft laugh and nodded. "Having a baby will do that to you, Vega."
"I just want to go home."
"I know, babe, but the doctors want to keep you overnight for observation and make sure you and the baby are both okay."
She frowned, and I stroked my thumb over the crinkle between her eyebrows. It was adorable when she tried to be serious.
"Be serious, Tori," I said teasingly and she fought off a smile, pretending to frown harder, her lower lip jutting out cutely.
I chuckled and tucked a finger under her chin, lifting her head a little more before pressing my lips to hers. "I love you, you absolute adorable human."
A blush covered her cheeks as she smiled and hid her face against my chest, tightening her arm around me, my stomach fluttering as she clenched her fist around my shirt.
"I love you too," she murmured.
"Sorry, what was that? I can't hear you."
I lightly poked her ribs.
She jerked gently and hissed.
"Oh my god, I'm sorry, baby. Are you okay? I'm sorry," I stroked her hand over her side.
She nodded. "I'm okay, just sore."
"There or from the jolt?"
"Jolting, I'm okay. I promise."
"I'm sorry."
"Sh, Jade. You said it enough times. I'm okay, I love you."
"I love you," I said, kissing the top of her head.
A knock on the door had me looking over Tori, nodding. "your parents are here," I said.
Tori smiled, rolling over with a lot more shifting than usual and I hugged her from behind once she was situated, her hand holding mine around her tighter.
"How are you feeling, Sweetheart?" David asked, coming up to press a kiss on her cheek.
"Tired. Did Jade tell you about the C-Sec?"
David nodded, a sad smile on his face.
"She kept us very informed," Holly said and held up an envelope. "Alice said you wanted us to read this, I just need to know if you're going to leave and take the baby too- keeping it is one thing, but you leaving…?"
"Oh, mum… No way! Just, please, can you read it, also to dad cause he doesn't have his glasses by the looks of it," Tori said and holy nodded, sucking in a shaky breath.
"Dear mum and dad,
I want to thank you for the constant support you've given me throughout my life and the pregnancy.
As a gift to you, I'm willing to babysit whenever you need to, even if the baby hates having me as a sister, it will be lucky to have you as its-"
Holly choked on a sob and sniffled, wiping her eyes.
"-as its parents," she continued, looking at David as he held his wife and smiled. "You're letting us…?"
Tori nodded. "keep reading."
"I look forward to experiencing everything with you both and keeping this child in my life even though I don't feel strong enough to keep it as my own.
Thank you for giving us both this opportunity, and I hope this baby brings you more joy than Trina and I did, cause let's be real, we were little sh-Tori!" David chuckled and I could feel Tori's body shaking in silent laughter.
"I mean, she's not wrong dear. Trina more than Tori, but come on. Remember the flour incident?"
Holly's eyes widened. "oh god, we're babyproofing everything."
Tori tapped my hand.
"Oh!" I kissed her shoulder. "Thanks for reminding me, Vega." I looked at David and Holly. "my mother and I have a gift for you both, as parents for a newborn. A lot of stuff was given at the baby shower, but, we got you lots of stuff for babyproofing. Outlet covers, table and door bumpers, cabinet locks. You name it, we got it. Even baby gates."
"Gates? Multiple?" David blinked.
"Well, yeah. You have the stairs, the main entrance doors, the garage door, and we got you some other things too, but I can't remember right now. My brain is tired."
Holly smiled and put her hand on my arm. "Thank you, and thank your mother, please."
"She'll be here soon enough, she's probably bugging a nurse for the first peek at the little peanut."
"oh come on Jade, tell us what you named it," Holly huffed lightly.
"I don't even know what gender it is, and it's not mine to name, it's your kid."
"You don't?"
Tori and I shook our heads.
"I gave an envelope with the gender in it to Alice so she could set the party up," Tori said. "she was the only one who knew. Didn't you cut the cake?"
Holly shook her head. "no, we were too busy stressing over how you were doing for the three hours you were in labour, and then Jade said you were being moved to the OR. And we panicked more, so we waited downstairs in the waiting room the whole time."
Tori groaned. "I told you two to-"
"I know, darling. But my little girl was in labour, how was I supposed to sit home and eat cake?"
"I want cake," Tori said, a light whine to her tone.
"Someone say cake?" My mother asked, coming into the room, a gift bag in hand.
"Me!" Tori said, raising one of her hands slightly.
"Well, lucky for you, I have some."
Tori reached out and made a grabby hand motion.
My mother laughed and pulled over the small table that was for the patients to eat off and unloaded the cake from the gift bag along with a plushy stalk that had a baby in a towel hanging from its mouth.
Tori laughed as she situated herself to sit up.
"Mum, Dad… can you cut the cake?" Tori asked, smiling. "I need to know if I'm going to be a big sister or brother."
I groaned at the bad joke, but David laughed and high-fived Tori.
"Please don't encourage her, she'll think dad jokes are good," I said.
"They're the best," David said and moved closer to Holly as they both held the knife.
"So, Athena, or Anthony, huh? We're set on that?" Holly asked David as they pushed the knife down into the cake.
"So they can have a 'T' nickname like Tori and Trina," David said, nodding.
They pulled the knife out and made the second cut, all of us held our breath in anticipation as they carefully pulled the slice out to show the colour.
"Oh my god," David said, a beaming smile on his face.
"Well?" I asked, looking at them expectantly.
"It's a-"
"Oh my god, Vega, you're kid-free!" I looked to the doorway and my eyebrows raised as I saw MJ and Sully entering the room. Sully looked adorable with his service vest on. "Now we can finally hang and- Mr Vega, Sir.., hi.."
"MJ," David said stiffly and gave a slight nod.
Sully climbed up onto the bed carefully and settled onto Tori's legs, whining.
"Hi, baby," Tori said sweetly, stroking the dog between the ears, causing him to groan happily. "You want some cake?"
She looked at her parents. "Tell me if I have a sister or brother, please. I'm starving."
"It's a girl," her dad said excitedly, showing the pink insides of the cake to us.
"Congratulations, guys. Wait… Sibling?" MJ looked at Tori.
"My parents are adopting her. So I can finish off school and all that, and they get a do-over for how crappy Trina and I were to them."
— — — —
AN; God, that was a ride!