September 4... Tuesday... 6:30 pm...
It'd been three days since Eric and I had our fight. I hadn't been able to see him in the hospital, but I didn't know what I would say if I could.
I'd just gotten done giving the girls their baths when Nate called me.
Vanessa was in labor!
I called Lily to ask if she'd mind watching the girls for a bit, and she said she'd just come over so they could sleep in their own beds, since it was already evening.
As soon as she arrived, I hurried to the hospital to see Vanessa.
Dad and Nate were already there, and Gabriella was on her way.
Gabriella arrived around 11 pm.
After what seemed like eternity, at 3:11 am, the baby met the world.
They named her Kayla Michelle Archibald.
That afternoon, Vanessa and Kayla were released from the hospital, and I tagged along when they went home in case they needed help or something.
September 10... Monday...
Dan and Serena flew in from London to visit, and hopefully be with us when Blair gave birth.
Vanessa and I decided to go to Dad and Lily's, since they were going to be hanging out there for a while. V brought Kayla, even though she was only five days old.
"Serena, why didn't you tell us that you were pregnant sooner?" I heard Lily asking as the elevator opened.
"I wanted to wait and tell the whole family."
"Hey." I greeted them awkwardly.
"Oh my god! Vanessa, she's adorable!" Serena exclaimed when she saw tiny baby Kayla and ran over to us.
"I think she looks like Nate." Vanessa stated, looking at her newborn baby.
"I almost think so too." I agreed.
"Jenny! When are you going to tell everyone if you're having a boy or girl?" Dan asked me, also coming over to us.
"I don't know."
"Hey! You should have a gender reveal party!" Serena suggested. "I can help you plan it!"
"Shouldn't you be planning your own?" I asked, gesturing to her fairly large belly.
"Well, I'm not due until February, and I don't even know what I'm having yet."
She wasn't due until then? Why was her bump so extreme if she was only in the early second trimester?
"When are we going to tell them?" Dan asked her quietly.
"When Chuck and Blair get here."
Just at that moment, Chuck and Blair walked out of the elevator, pushing Carson in a stroller.
"Blair and Chuck!" Brent cheered, running over to hug them. It was so strange that he was nearly four years old already.
Brent looked just like Serena at this point. Blonde wavy hair and bright blue eyes. He was also tall for his age.
If Tianna, Kalika and Madison weren't napping in my old bedroom, they would be clinging to Chuck already.
"So, Serena. What were you going to tell us?" Dad asked curiously.
"Well, Dan and I had some issues having a baby, so we did IVF. Now, we happen to be having triplets!"
"Oh, wow." Lily said, shocked.
"That's insane, but congrats!" Chuck told Dan and Serena.
"Yes, congratulations!" Blair agreed, hugging Serena.
"In the meantime, let's talk about you, B! When is your due date exactly? You never told me the day." Serena stated.
"Baby is due on September 21." Chuck announced proudly.
"Before Carson is even a year old!" Blair added.
"That's always fun, having two babies under a year old." I mentioned, laughing.
"Jenny, when are you due?" Dan asked.
"New Years."
"Haha, that's cool."
"Yeah it is."
"Mom, when can we see Eric?" Serena asked, suddenly changing her tone from bright and happy to nervous.
"You can see him now if you want to."
"I do, definitely."
"Do you want me to come with?" Dan gently asked her.
"Yeah, you want to?"
"He's my family too, so of course."
"Alright, let's go." Lily said, leading the way to the elevator.
Just then, Tianna walked out of the bedroom and came over to me.
"Mommy?" She asked in her little squeaky baby voice.
"What, baby?"
"Poopy." She told me, pulling at her pants.
Dad and Vanessa stood nearby, laughing at the cuteness.
"Ok, come here. Let's get you changed." I told my little girl, picking her up and taking her to the bathroom.
She didn't normally poop her pants, but occasionally when she was sleeping it would happen. She was only three years old, so what were you supposed to expect?
September 17...
I went to visit Eric, and Chuck tagged along. Eric greeted me with an apology for hitting me and being an ass.
The visit was short and awkward. We discussed what had happened. We decided to not have much contact for a while. He would be released from the hospital on November 10.
Chuck suggested we go to a marriage counselor after that, to fix the problems in our relationship. We agreed to consider it.
After the visit, Eleanor finally let me come to work again. She'd insisted that I needed some time to think and clear my head before returning to work.
On September 26, while I was away, working on the release of the clothing line, Blair had a baby girl. She and Chuck named their daughter Angel Estella Bass.
October 12... Friday...
Once the busy week of my fashion line was over, I had met Angel and Brent's birthday was through, it was time for the gender reveal party that Serena had insisted on helping me plan.
"Jenny, come on, you look perfect!" Vanessa told me as I looked at myself in the mirror.
"I look pregnant."
"You are pregnant! Of course you're going to look it!"
"No, that's not what I meant. I look bad pregnant."
"What the hell?"
"What?"
"You do not look bad!" Vanessa insisted.
"Whatever."
I did look bad. I had dark circles under my eyes from taking care of the girls at night alone after a long day of work on no sleep, my face was red and blotchy, even through makeup, my hair was a frizzy mess, I was bloated and my eyes were red.
Even the orange dress I was wearing didn't seem right.
At 25 weeks pregnant, my bump was awkwardly small. It was just big enough to make the fact there was a baby in it obvious.
When we finally got to the loft where Serena had decided to have the party, it was decorated in baby shower decorations and things.
Dad and Lily were there with Kalika and Madison. Dan, Brent, Emily and Bethany were already there. Chuck, Blair, Alison, Tianna, Carson and Angel were there. Nate had went before Vanessa and brought their kids, except Kayla. She'd went with Vanessa, Serena and I.
We all talked for a while. Then it was time for the big reveal. I was the only one who already knew.
Serena and I passed out envelopes containing little cards that said I was having a boy, and he was due on New Years Day.
Everyone opened them at once.
After the party, Chuck, Blair and I went to visit Eric in the hospital. They brought Angel to meet him, and we brought Tianna, Kalika and Madison to see him for the first time after our fight.
The doctors talked to me about putting him on a different, stronger medication for his depression and anxiety, and it was decided that they would change it the next day while he was still in the hospital so they could see how it affected him.
October 20... Saturday...
The girls had spent the night at Dad's so I could get up and go to my checkup without having to bring them over to him then.
Once I was outside our apartment building, Chuck called to me from his limo.
"Why are you here?" I asked him, annoyed.
"I saw on your calendar that you had an appointment, so I came to give you a ride."
"Why?"
"Because I want to. Please stop asking questions and get in."
"Whatever." I agreed, climbing in when he opened the door.
We arrived at the clinic, and Chuck walked me in.
"Do you want to come in with me?"
"If you want me to. You shouldn't have to go alone."
"Ok. Come in with me then."
"Ok."
The baby was fine. A little small, but fine.
Chuck insisted we visit Eric after to keep him updated and show him the photos from the ultrasound.
We discussed the name of the baby. We didn't come to a final decision, but we had gotten closer to one.
November 10... Saturday...
Halloween had come and gone again. I'd visited Eric a couple times. Now was the day he would be released from the hospital.
His doctors told me when he needs his medication, and that he needed to tone down drinking to two drinks a week, not in the same day. It was also advised that we go to a marriage counselor and that he should go to his therapist more often.
When we got home, Lily was waiting for us with our girls.
It felt good to have him home again, but I couldn't help being nervous after what had happened.
December 1...
We woke up to the sight of snow falling outside the window.
The girls were sound asleep, and we were cuddling in bed, like we hadn't in a long time.
On Eric's birthday a bit back, we'd almost made love, but Madison had woken up, so we had to wait. Now seemed like the right moment.
I gently kissed his chest, then his lips.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" I asked him in a sexy whisper.
"I think I am now." He replied, carefully grabbing my thighs.
"Good." I smiled, knowing that things were going to be ok.