Chapter Two-Hundred and Sixty-Three
Jade rested her head against the soft cushioned massage table of the spa, sighing in pleasure as the masseuse's gentle hands rubbed her feet, legs, and even her pregnant belly. "This is nice…"
Clarissa moaned in agreement, forgetting about the struggles of parenting so many kids for a moment. "I thought this would be a nice way to spoil you before those little ones get here."
"I wish my Mom was still alive to meet them…" She smiled as the oils used for her massage moisturized her belly, making the endless itch fade for a moment.
Clarissa reached for Jade's hand, squeezing her fingers. "She'll get to meet them some day. And until that day, your children will call me granny." She smiled at the happiness on Jade's face, helping her stand as they moved on to the hair treatments they'd decided to get.
Dominic leaned on John's doorframe, biting the inside of his cheek as he listened to his quiet cries. "Hey, El Jefe… wake up. It's just a dream." He gently touched his cousin's shoulder, jumping back to avoid a fist to his nose.
"What the hell man?" John snapped, rubbing his hand over his eyes and into his hair.
Dominic looked at the dark circles around his cousin's eyes, nodding toward the door. "Come on, let's go get some coffee or something."
Claire laughed as she and Kaylie watched Johanna play with her little stuffy that John had given her. "Where's Brian?" She asked, leaning back on the couch and sipping on her hot chocolate.
Kaylie smirked, playing with her nose piercing as she turned on the TV. "He went out with the guys." She picked Johanna up, poking her tiny belly as she kissed her cheeks. "Has John been sleeping at all?" She asked, holding Johanna's bottle to her mouth.
Claire shook her head, scratching a bump on her arm that had been itching for the last couple of days. "Not really." She moved to the spot on her neck that was bugging her. "I think that the flashbacks turned into nightmares."
Kaylie nodded, bouncing Johanna on her lap. "Makes sense. After he got jumped in Shermer, he had nightmares for a long time."
"I'm gonna go get some lotion." Claire stood, walking up to the bathroom and taking her clothes off to show the splotchy rash on her hips and back. "Gross…"