I'm not sure where this one came from either. The muse, huh.

Not mine.


"Thank God I caught you." Celia said when I answered my phone. We exchanged numbers shortly after the engagement party and they've actually come in handy like when I needed to buy Carlos gifts for Christmas. I know it's still early, but I really want to beat the rush this year. That and I have a thousand more presents to buy.

"What's up Celia?"

"I need you to babysit."

"What?"

"My sitter just canceled and you're the only one that answered. I even tried Carlos, but he must be at work already."

I glared at my husband who was sitting across the table. "Yeah, he must be at work." Carlos looked up and furrowed his brow at me. I rolled my eyes and he went back to reading the paper.

"So can you?"

"I don't know, Celia, I mean, I'm not that good with kids…"

"This will give you some practice! You're going to be having a baby of your own soon enough. Look, they're five and two. The five year old is quiet and will do anything you ask and the two year old hasn't even started the terrible two's so I think he thinks he's three already. You'll be great. Please?"

I sighed. I could never say no to anyone who says please. "Okay, I'll do it."

"Thank you so much! Can you be here by eleven?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, see you then!"

I hung up and sighed.

"What's wrong Babe?" Carlos asked, putting down the paper.

"Your sister just harangued me into watching her kids today."

He smiled. "Babe."

"What? She said please!"

"You can't say no to anyone who says please?"

"No!"

His smile turned into a wolf grin. "Good to know."

"It only works for some things, mister." I said, poking my finger into his chest.

"We'll see."

I sighed. "I've got to take a shower and I don't need you in there."

Carlos pouted. "Baabe," he whined.

"I'll be late!"

He wolf grinned at me again. "Celia will understand."

I thought about it for a moment. She would… "No! Don't distract me!"

"Worth a shot." He said. He picked the paper back up and continued his reading.

I went upstairs to shower and look minimally presentable for Celia's kids...my niece and nephew. That was still a little weird. I know we've been married for a little over a month, but still, it's weird to have more nieces and nephews than just Mary Alice and Angie. I showed, shaved, and attempted to fix my hair. Oh! I should bring some games! But I don't have any…

I went to the bedroom to find my purse. Living paycheck to paycheck wasn't easy, but it was manageable. I pulled out my checkbook to see if I had enough…

Wait a second…

"Carlos! Get up here!"

Carlos being…Carlos, came in with his gun drawn. When he saw that there was no threat in the house, he lowered it. "What's wrong, Babe?"

"What is this?" I asked.

"What's what?"

"This." I said, thrusting the checkbook into his hand.

"Your checkbook?" He looked confused.

"Did you put money into my account and then wrote it in."

"Yes and yes."

"What?!"

"Babe, calm down it's just…"

"I didn't marry you for your money and I won't become your trophy wife!"

"Babe." He said with a smile.

"I don't need it so take it out!"

"No. It's yours."

I opened my mouth to yell some more but all that came out was, "huh?"

"Babe, it's your signing bonus for becoming a manager."

"So, I earned it?"

He chuckled. "Yeah, Babe. I know better than to just pilfer money into your account." He took my hand and walked me over to the safe. "However, being my wife does have some perks. Other than me satisfying you every day." He said with a smile. He opened it and handed me another checkbook. "Here's the joint account."

I opened it and almost had a heart attack. "Wow." Was all that came out of my mouth.

"If you ever need money, get it from here. It's our account and I want you to use it for us." He wolf grinned at me. "Especially when you want sexy lingerie."

"When did you become a sex addict?"

"When my wife became insatiable with her pregnancy hormones."

"Just like a man to pin his problems on me." I said, smiling playfully at him.

He smiled briefly and then turned serious again. "I want you to know, that's only a part of what I own. So don't be afraid to buy something that you really want."

"Like what, an island?"

"If you want to." I opened my mouth, but he shut it. "I want you to be happy. I want to spoil you."

I thought about it for a moment. Independent Stephanie wanted to tell him to shove his money up his ass, but Stephanie Manoso wanted to spend that money. He wanted to give me the things I could never afford in any other life. Like Gucci. And Jimmy Choo's.

I always wanted Jimmy Choo's.

"Okay." I said.

"Okay? That's it?"

"Yeah. What were you expecting?"

"A war."

I nodded. "I see where you're coming from and I love you for it. I always wanted Jimmy Choo's."

He frowned at me. "Babe, you're not getting another man. That's where I draw the line."

"Not a man…well the man himself…I want his shoes."

He smiled. "Only you."


"Good, you're here." Celia said when I had barely made it up the steps. "Amelia come over here!" She called.

A little girl about five came into the room. She was a replica of Celia with dark skin and brown hair and eyes.

"You remember Aunt Stephanie?"

"Hi Aunt Stefie."

"Hi there."

"And this is Marco." She said, handing me the two year old boy. He was more of a mixture of Celia and her husband. She gave her kids a kiss. "I'll be back by four. And thank you."

"Sure."

We all watched her leave.

"So, what do you want to do first?" I asked the kids.