Gabriella leaned her head back against the pillows and tried to catch her breath. When Troy had agreed to try for another baby, he made Gabriella promise that it wouldn't get out of hand or borderline obsessive. They limited their baby-making activities to the weekends so that they could sleep in the following day. Troy tried to catch his breath and wrapped his arm around Gabriella's bare waist as she moved her head to lie on his chest.
"I hope that we aren't doing this just to get a negative result" Gabriella said.
Troy furrowed his eyebrows and carefully moved so that he was lying on his stomach with his arms holding his body up. He folded his hands and looked at his wife.
"If we get a negative result, then all we can do is try again. Practice makes perfect right? Don't have doubts" Troy said gently.
"It's just hard not to think about sometimes" Gabriella said.
"I understand sweetheart. Believe me, I do. But you have to have faith that it's going to happen. It may take a while, but it will happen" Troy said.
Gabriella nodded. Troy smiled and leaned in and kissed Gabriella's lips.
"I love you" Troy said.
"I love you too" Gabriella said.
Troy smoothed Gabriella's sweaty hair back and kissed her forehead. Gabriella wrapped her arms around Troy's neck and smiled as she kissed his lips. Troy rolled them over and Gabriella laughed. Practice made perfect right? That afternoon, Gabriella brought Logan downstairs after his nap. He walked into the kitchen and Troy smiled.
"Hey buddy" Troy said kneeling down to his son's level.
Logan was a lot quieter than Grace was. He definitely got that from Gabriella.
"Daddy" Logan said walking into his father's arms.
"Do you want to help me?" Troy asked.
Logan nodded.
"Okay" Troy said.
Troy brought a chair to the kitchen island and lifted Logan onto it. He had just finished his workout at the gym and was making his protein shake. Troy was still playing for the Red Hawks but it was their off season, which meant a lot of time in the gym working for next season. He put all the ingredients that he wanted into the blender and put the lid onto it.
"Press the button, Logan" Troy said.
Logan pressed the start button and the blender started.
"Good job. Thank you for helping me" Troy said.
Logan smiled.
"Welcome" Logan said.
Troy chuckled. He lifted Logan up and set him on the ground. Gabriella walked into the kitchen and smiled.
"What are you guys doing?" Gabriella asked.
"Logan just helped me make my shake" Troy said pouring the mixture into a cup.
"Oh. How was the gym?" Gabriella asked.
"Fine. Just trying to bulk up" Troy said.
"Are you going to be here for an hour?" Gabriella asked.
"Yeah, what's up?" Troy asked.
"I have another appointment with Dr. Brand and wanted you to watch the kids" Gabriella said.
"I can if you want me to. What's this appointment about? Are you not feeling well?" Troy asked.
"She just wanted to do another exam that's all" Gabriella said.
"Okay" Troy said.
Gabriella wrapped her arms around Troy's neck.
"It's not that I don't want you to come, Troy. I just need to do this by myself. I need to face it" Gabriella said.
Troy looked at Gabriella and smiled.
"I didn't ask why. Do whatever makes you comfortable. If you don't want me to go, then I won't until you want me to" Troy said.
Gabriella nodded and leaned in and kissed Troy's lips.
"I'll see you in a little while" Gabriella said.
"Alright. Call me if you need me to come down there" Troy said.
Gabriella nodded and left the house. Two hours later, Gabriella walked into the house and Troy instantly knew something was up when Gabriella's eyes were red and she was sniffling.
"Baby, you okay?" Troy asked softly.
"What's wrong mommy?" Grace asked.
"Nothing sweetheart. I'm fine" Gabriella said as kneeled down and gave Grace a hug.
Gabriella stood up and walked into the kitchen and Troy followed.
"Gabriella" Troy said.
Gabriella walked to the refrigerator and opened it and grabbed a bottle of water and took a sip. She looked at Troy.
"We have to wait to try again. We have to let my body have a break. Dr. Brand said that we can't try like we have been" Gabriella said.
Troy's face softened and he took Gabriella into his arms. He reached over to the kitchen island, not letting go of Gabriella, and texted his mother and asked if she could watch the kids for the night so he could be with Gabriella. Ten minutes later, Gabriella looked up at her husband.
"You aren't going to say anything?" Gabriella asked quietly.
"I haven't processed it completely" Troy said as the doorbell rang.
"Who's at the door?" Gabriella asked.
"My mom. She's going to take the kids for the night" Troy said.
Gabriella nodded. She hugged and kissed Grace and Logan and watched them leave with Lucille. Troy closed the door and Gabriella wrapped her arms around him.
"Look at me babe" Troy said.
Gabriella looked at Troy.
"If we need to wait to try again, then we have to wait" Troy said.
"She said we have to wait a year. A year?!" Gabriella said frustrated.
"It's for the best, Brie. We don't want anything to happen to you if we try too soon" Troy said.
"The kids won't be close in age" Gabriella said.
"That shouldn't matter right now. What matters is that we have to wait to try again. End of story" Troy said.
Gabriella sighed.
"I know you are upset about it, baby. But we need to keep you safe and healthy before we think about planning another baby" Troy said.
Gabriella nodded. Tears ran down her cheeks and she let go of Troy and walked upstairs and went into the bedroom and shut the door. Troy took a deep breath and released it. He wanted to go after Gabriella but he thought it would be best just to give this conversation a rest for a while and let her have some time to think. Troy went into the living room and sat down on the couch and flipped through television channels until he saw a rerun of a Red Hawks game that he had played a while ago on. Two hours later, Gabriella came downstairs in one of Troy's sweatshirts that hit her knees and a pair of leggings. Troy heard footsteps and looked at Gabriella and smiled slightly. Her face was pink and her eyes were bright red. She was also sniffling which told Troy that she had been crying. Troy patted a spot next to him on the couch. Gabriella walked over to the couch and snuggled into her husband's chest. Troy kissed Gabriella's head softly.
"You okay?" Troy asked carefully.
Gabriella nodded.
"I know you are upset, Brie. I am too. But, we couldn't have prevented it from happening. We just have to wait a year like Dr. Brand said and then try again and hope for the best" Troy said.
"It just sucks" Gabriella mumbled loud enough for Troy to hear.
"I know it does. But we can't do anything about it. Let your body heal itself" Troy said.
Gabriella nodded.
"You haven't eaten much today. Can I make you something?" Troy asked.
"Okay" Gabriella said quietly.
Troy stood up and held his hands out to Gabriella, who took them gratefully. Troy pulled his wife up to a standing position and placed a kiss on her forehead. The couple walked into the kitchen and Troy lifted Gabriella onto the counter. He opened the refrigerator and smiled when he thought of what to make Gabriella. Troy pulled out a jar of peanut butter and a jar of jelly and set it on the kitchen island. He closed the refrigerator and started to put together Gabriella's sandwich that he knew would make her feel a little better. Troy grabbed a plate and placed the sandwich onto it and handed it to his wife.
"Thanks Troy" Gabriella said quietly.
Troy smiled and nodded.
"I want to help you feel better and I know it's not much, but it's a start" Troy said.
"You always make me feel better. Don't ever think that you don't. It's just a difficult situation that I didn't think would happen" Gabriella said softly.
Troy smiled.
"I know. Eat your sandwich" Troy said.
Gabriella nodded and took a bite out her sandwich. Five minutes later, Gabriella put her plate in the sink and opened her arms. Troy walked closer to the counter and let her wrap her arms around him.
"I love you Gabriella. Even if we have to wait a year, it doesn't change anything" Troy said.
Tears formed in Gabriella's eyes. She tightened her grip on her husband.
"I love you too" Gabriella said trying to not sound like she was about to cry.
Troy rubbed her back in soothing circles.
"If we can't have another baby or if I have another miscarriage, you won't leave right?" Gabriella asked.
Troy's eyes widened and his body stiffened. He pulled away from Gabriella and looked at his wife. Troy took Gabriella's hand and entwined their fingers together.
"Gabriella Bolton, how could you even think that? I. Love. You. If we can't have another baby or you have another miscarriage, then that's what happens. I will never leave you. Not now. Not ever. Do you see this ring on your finger?" Troy asked holding Gabriella's left hand up.
Gabriella nodded slowly.
"This ring signifies my vow to love you through sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, as long as we both shall live. Is this what this all about babe? You think I'm going to leave?" Troy asked softly.
"I just have a lot of things running through my head" Gabriella said.
"That shouldn't be one of them. I will love you until my heart stops beating" Troy said.
Gabriella's lip quivered. Troy took Gabriella into his arms. He kissed Gabriella's head softly.
"I love you too" Gabriella said tearfully.
The rest of the day the couple relaxed around the house and knew that this news was going to be adjustment for their family, but they knew that they would get through it. A couple weeks later, Troy came home from practice and smiled when he saw Logan coming downstairs with Gabriella. He kneeled in front of the first step and smiled. Logan smiled.
"Daddy!" Logan said.
"Hey, how was your nap?" Troy asked as Logan made it into his arms.
"Good. But I don't need them daddy. I'm a big boy" Logan said.
"You are a big boy but you still need them. If you didn't have one every day, you would be crying all the time and would be cranky" Troy said.
Logan shrugged. Troy released him and watched his son walk into the living room. He stood up and smiled at Gabriella.
"Hi" Troy said.
Gabriella smiled.
"Hi" Gabriella said.
Troy kissed Gabriella's lips softly.
"How were they?" Troy asked referring to their children.
"Crazy as ever. But, I handled it" Gabriella said.
"You still should be resting babe" Troy said.
Troy had made sure that he took care of the house and the kids so that Gabriella could have some peace while she was going through this difficult time.
"I feel better today. I'm not one hundred percent okay. But, I feel like I'm getting better" Gabriella said.
Troy smiled.
"That's good Brie. Any more doctor appointments or are we finally free of those until the kids have their check up?" Troy asked.
"No more. How was practice?" Gabriella asked.
"Good. Ready for the game next week" Troy said.
"Good" Gabriella said.
"Mommy, can you hold me?" Logan asked politely.
Gabriella smiled and kneeled down and opened her arms. Logan walked into them and Gabriella stood up and set him on her hip. Troy smiled.
"You're still my baby right?" Gabriella asked her son.
Logan nodded.
"Don't let anybody tell you different" Logan said innocently.
The couple's eyes widened and Troy tried to hide his laughter.
"That's the last time Chad is ever going to watch them. My three-year-old son is starting to sound like a twenty-two-year-old" Troy said.
"Baby, we don't say that okay. That's a bad word. Where did you hear that word?" Gabriella asked her son.
"Uncle Chad" Logan said.
"You see! Buddy, we don't say that okay?" Troy said.
"Okay daddy" Logan said.
"Alright. Go play" Troy said.
Gabriella put Logan down on the ground and watched him walk away. Troy shook his head.
"I'll kill Chad" Troy said.
"He could have said something worse Troy. At least he said that than something else" Gabriella said.
"True. Why don't you go get in bed and I will start dinner and watch them?" Troy said.
"I want to help" Gabriella said.
Troy smiled.
"Dr. Brand didn't say to avoid everything. I still can help out around the house" Gabriella said.
Troy looked at Gabriella. She was dressed in one of his shirts that hit her knees, a pair of gym shorts that you could only see the seam of because of the long shirt she was wearing, and fuzzy socks. Her hair was in a ponytail that leaned onto one side of her head. Her lack of sleep was evident with the dark circles that lied under eyes. Troy took a deep breath and released it.
"Alright. But only the easy stuff okay?" Troy said.
"Okay" Gabriella said.
Troy wrapped his arm around Gabriella and the couple walked into the kitchen and started making dinner. That night, Gabriella was in bed when Troy came into the bedroom. He had given the kids a bath and put them to bed. Troy took off his shirt and climbed into bed and Gabriella instantly felt his presence and snuggled into his chest. She opened her eyes slowly.
"Go back to sleep baby. I didn't mean to wake you up. I was trying to be quiet" Troy said.
"It's alright. I was waking up anyway" Gabriella said.
"Feeling okay?" Troy asked.
Gabriella nodded.
"Thank you for taking care of everything while all of this stuff has been going on. I never got to thank you for that" Gabriella said.
Troy smiled and kissed Gabriella's cheek softly.
"I am just doing my job. I know this has been hard on you, Brie and I wish that I could make it easier for you. I just want you to be as stress-free as you can be because I know you are thinking and processing everything still. You don't need to be thinking about work and figuring out everything right now. Let me do it for you" Troy said.
Gabriella nodded.
"Thank you" Gabriella said.
Troy smiled.
"No problem. Go back to sleep okay?" Troy said.
Gabriella nodded and leaned in and kissed Troy's lips.
"I love you, Troy" Gabriella said.
Troy smiled and smoothed Gabriella's hair back.
"I love you too baby. Sleep well. Wake me up if you need anything okay?" Troy said.
Gabriella nodded. The couple went to sleep. The next morning, Gabriella woke up and saw that Troy was no longer in bed. She turned over and looked at the clock that was on the bedside table which read ten o' clock. Gabriella got up and put a sweatshirt on and walked out of the bedroom. She walked to the end of the hall and looked into Grace's room and saw that she was not in her room. Gabriella looked into Logan's room and saw that he, too was not in his room. She walked downstairs and smiled when she saw Grace and Logan watching a movie and Troy was on his laptop, working on his homework. Gabriella wrapped her arms Troy's neck and kissed his cheek.
"How's the homework going?" Gabriella asked.
"Fine. Just trying to finish these reports and submit them before I have to go to the shop" Troy said.
Gabriella nodded. She was so proud of Troy. He had not only been doing so well in school, but he was going to be able to graduate earlier than expected.
"I'm so proud of you. You know that right?" Gabriella asked.
Troy smiled and nodded. He pulled Gabriella onto his lap and kissed her lips.
"Without you and the kids, I wouldn't be working as hard as I am to finish school" Troy said.
Gabriella smiled.
"That's how I felt when I was in school" Gabriella said.
"I have an appointment with my advisor today to figure out where I'm at and how many more classes that I need to take before graduation" Troy said.
"After work?" Gabriella asked.
Troy nodded.
"I got an early shift. I'll be home before you put them down" Troy said.
Gabriella nodded.
"You don't have practice today?" Gabriella asked.
"I had an early workout" Troy said.
"When?" Gabriella asked.
"Five. You were in a deep sleep and I didn't want to wake you up" Troy said.
Gabriella smiled. Whenever Troy had to work, go to school, or have an early morning practice, he always made sure that he got ready quietly so he wouldn't wake Gabriella or the kids up.
"So what time is your shift superman?" Gabriella joked.
Troy chuckled.
"Ten to two. I better start getting ready" Troy said.
Gabriella kissed Troy's lips passionately. Troy pulled away and moved a stray hair away from Gabriella's face.
"What was that for?" Troy asked.
"For being you" Gabriella said.
Troy smiled and leaned in and kissed Gabriella's lips.
"I would totally take you back to bed but I need to go to the shop" Troy mumbled.
Gabriella smiled and giggled.
"You wouldn't be able to do anything anyway. No sex for a year" Gabriella said.
Troy nodded. He submitted his assignments and looked at Gabriella.
"I got to get going" Troy said.
Gabriella nodded. Gabriella got off Troy's lap and kissed his lips.
"Grace and Logan, daddy has to leave. Give him a kiss" Gabriella said.
Grace and Logan kissed their father and Troy left the house. Around three o'clock, Troy arrived at U of A for his appointment with his advisor. He was sitting in the waiting area when his advisor, John, came brought him to his office.
"How's it going Troy?" John asked as the two men sat down.
"Good. A little stressful with the kids and work but I am managing" Troy said.
"What can I do for you today?" John asked.
"I want to see where I'm at as far as graduation. How long I have and what classes I still have to take" Troy said.
John nodded. He started typing information into his computer and turned the screen toward Troy.
"There's the units that you have completed and there is your GPA. You are doing well, Troy" John said.
Troy looked at the screen and nodded, taking in all the information that he was learning.
"How long do you think until I can graduate?" Troy asked.
"If you work hard and pass everything, I think by spring you will be able to graduate" John said.
Troy nodded.
"Thanks John" Troy said.
"No problem. How's the season going?" John asked.
"Crazy. I have been going from early practices to school then to work and get home around ten. But it's worth it" Troy said.
John nodded.
"Good luck Troy" John said.
"Thank you" Troy said shaking his advisor's hand.
Troy left the office and went to his classes for the day. Troy and Gabriella knew that life would be crazy with two little kids but they didn't know how crazy it could get.
