***Monday***
Jennifer got up with McKenna around 6, and went to make coffee and feed her a bottle. She started breakfast for everyone after she was done feeding McKenna.
Jonathan came out of the bedroom dressed for the office.
"Morning".
"Morning".
"Decorator will be here by 10. You and I can go shopping tonight, if you want".
"I'd like that. Little miss has a checkup at 1 today".
"Need me to meet you at the doctors?"
"No, I think I can handle it. Thanks, though".
McKenna decided she wanted Jonathan then, so he took her and held her while Jennifer made him breakfast.
He and McKenna went and woke up the big kids, and hustled them to get ready.
She had everything on the table when they came back down, and McKenna was just babbling and grabbing his face.
"What's your time frame?"
"I have to be at the office in an hour".
"Do I have time for a very quick shower?"
"Sure, take all the time you need".
"Thank you".
She ran and showered and got dressed and then came back. The big kids were done with breakfast and Jonathan was giving McKenna her frozen teether.
"Ok, time to go to school".
She took McKenna from Jonathan and put a footed onesie on her, and they all headed to the car.
"I'll be home by 5, and I'll arrange for the babysitter to be here by 6".
She nodded.
"Have a good day".
He leaned forward and kissed her forehead.
"You too".
She took the kids to school and then she and McKenna came back home and met with the decorator.
It was a one-hour meeting, and they talked about monitors and placement of furniture and the painters did one more quick coat.
She left around 12:30, for the doctor's appointment.
The pediatrician confirmed that McKenna had several teeth coming in, and gave her some pain medicine to give her at night.
"We also have to give her some vaccinations today".
She nodded.
It broke her heart to hear her scream, but she was fine afterwards and only cried for a little bit.
They got back home, and Jennifer discovered McKenna had fallen asleep in the car.
Jennifer got her transferred to her crib, and sat down on the couch for about an hour.
McKenna woke up right when it was time to go get Luke and Savanna from school.
She screamed the whole way to school, the whole way home, and kept screaming when they got home.
Jennifer gave her some of the pain medicine from the doctor in hopes that it would kick in, but it didn't. She tried the mesh teether, standing by the shower while it was on, turning a radio to a static channel, the pacifier, a bottle, changing her diaper, taking off all her clothes, a bath, everything she could think of. Nothing worked. If anything, it made McKenna more upset. She had Savanna try and entertain her and sing to her. Nope. McKenna was just screaming bloody murder and nothing was working to get her to stop.
Jennifer was about to scream herself when Jonathan came in.
McKenna reached for him and Jennifer gladly let him take her. As soon as he was holding her, she calmed down.
They all sat on the couch and McKenna shot Jennifer a mean glance.
"I think she's mad at me. She had to get shots at the doctor today".
"She did? That's horrible. Is that why you are being so cranky?"
He handed her the mesh teether and she happily took it.
"How long did she cry?"
"She started when it was time to go pick up the kids. She cried all the way there, all the way home, and until you walked in the door".
"Did you really cry that long? Did you?" He kissed her forehead.
"Next time, you are taking her to the doctor".
"That's fine".
"Is where we are going to dinner tonight going to have adult beverages?"
"Certainly. Except we aren't going. The babysitter couldn't come tonight. She can come tomorrow though, so we are going then".
"Great. Then we are ordering pizza for dinner and I'm taking a bubble bath".
"Go right ahead. I'll order the pizza and hold down the fort".
"Thank you".
Jennifer had soaked in the tub about 20 minutes when Jonathan and McKenna came in.
He set a glass of wine down on the side of the tub.
She happily took it and drank a nice big sip.
"We had a talk and she wants me to tell you some things".
"Oh, she does?"
"Yeah. The first thing she wants you to know is that she's shy. She doesn't like for others to know how she's feeling, except when she's mad".
Jennifer chuckled.
"And the rest of it is, she's really sorry. She says she understands that you probably want to ship her to Japan right now, and she doesn't blame you, but she's scared of bumpy trips, so she hopes that you won't do that. She says she wants you to think about how you would feel if you had to get needles poked into your skin at the doctor. You probably wouldn't like that, so why should she? She says she didn't want to scream all day, but she couldn't help it. Because as it turns out, the doctor tapped her scream button with the needles, and you can't stop that once it starts. You just have to wait till it turns itself off".
Jennifer was laughing.
"She said all that, did she?"
"Oh yes, she has been very talkative".
"Interesting".
"She says that she wants to know if you will forgive her and come have pizza with us, when it gets here."
"Yes, I will".
Jennifer leaned forward and gave her a kiss.
McKenna smiled at her.
Jonathan put McKenna on his shoulder.
"You want me to ask her that? Ok. I'll try".
He looked at Jennifer.
"McKenna says why don't we all get into our pj's and have a pizza party, you know, when it gets here".
"Perfect idea".
"Ok, let's go put on your pajamas little miss".
They left the bathroom so that Jennifer could finish her bath and Jonathan changed McKenna into her pajamas.
He went and told Savanna and Luke to get their pajamas on, and they went upstairs to do that.
He paid for the pizza when it got there and had it all ready for her when she came out of the bedroom.
"What kind of pizza did you order?"
"veggie for you, cheese for the kids, supreme for me".
"Great. Thank you".
"Certainly".
Savanna came downstairs then and jumped into Jennifer's lap.
"I'm sorry she screamed at you".
"Oh that's ok, she's a baby, she can't help it".
"Can you scratch me?"
"Sure".
They sat there on the couch and Jennifer gave her a back scratch, and rubbed her back some.
Luke came down, so they got up and went to eat.
After a nice, low-key family evening, everyone went to bed.
Jonathan told Jennifer he would take the first wake up.
"Thank you".
Jennifer poured herself another glass of wine and took it to bed with her.
"Feel better?"
"Yeah. I just got frustrated this afternoon. I expected her to cry, but I didn't expect her to scream. And when I couldn't get her to stop, I just about lost it. I kept thinking 'I can't do this. Thank you for letting me take a bubble bath".
She took a sip of wine.
"Jennifer, you didn't see the look on your face when I walked in the door. There's no way I was going to tell you no".
"What did my face look like?"
"Like you were about to pack up and move to Mississippi".
Jennifer laughed and took another sip of wine and then set the glass down.
"I did manage to call the phone company today and have my calls forwarded to this number. That's about all I got done today on my list".
"That's positive".
Just then, the phone rang.
She quickly grabbed it.
"Hello?"
"Baby, I knew you'd answer. Let me come over, I'll bring whatever you want. I just need to see you".
"No Tim, goodnight".
"Jennifer, how long is this going to go on? I made a mistake and I'm sorry, and I want you back. Why won't you come back to me?"
"Tim, I'm not discussing this with you anymore. Please don't call back".
She hung up the phone.
"Who was that?"
"An ex. His name is Tim. He calls every few weeks when he's drunk".
The phone rang again. Jonathan reached over and got it before she could.
"Hello? No, I'm sorry Jennifer doesn't want to talk to you. She's asked you to stop calling, and now I'm going to. You can either keep calling here and I will trace the number and come talk to you fist to face, or you can stop calling and leave her alone. Your choice, pal".
He hung up the phone and looked at Jennifer.
"He hung up".
"You didn't have to do that, thank you".
"I'm happy to. You were more than polite to him, now it's time for him to really get the message."
Jennifer finished her wine and took her glass to the sink and came back to bed.
She climbed in bed and drifted off to sleep.
Jonathan took the first wake up from McKenna, and Jennifer took the second one. Before she knew it, it was time for breakfast.
She and McKenna basically stayed home all day except for when they took Savanna and Luke to school and picked them up.
She was ready to walk out the door when Jonathan got up.
As soon as the babysitter got there, they got their coats on.
"Ok guys, Jennifer and I are going to go do some shopping. Kaitlyn is going to stay with you. Go to bed when she says, take a bath when she says, do whatever she says, ok?"
"Ok".
"What are the rules?"
"No fighting."
"No yelling".
"No running".
"No kissing".
Jennifer and Jonathan cracked up.
"No kissing?"
"Yeah. The no fighting and yelling and running were our rules. The no kissing is your rule".
"I see. Well, Jonathan and I aren't going somewhere to kiss, we are going somewhere to shop".
"Good".
Savanna gave her a big hug then and Jennifer promised to come kiss them goodnight when she got home.
She showed Kaitlyn the different remedies for McKenna if she cried and where she wrote down how long to do the bottles and stuff.
"We will be home by 10 or 11".
"Yes ma'am".
She and Jonathan got in her car and started driving.
"Why don't we get the layaway stuff first, and then go to dinner?"
"Sure".
"She told me Target, Walmart, Kohl's, and Toys R' Us".
"What are your thoughts on Christmas?"
"what do you mean?"
"Like how do you want to do the gifts?"
"I think we should do these from them, and a couple from us, and some from Santa".
"I like that idea".
They stopped at all of the stores and got their layaway items, and then headed to dinner.
He took her to a nice steakhouse. They both had a steak and baked potato, and salad.
They got back home around 10, and found Savanna on the couch, crying.
"Hi lovebug, what is it?"
"I miss mommy and daddy".
"Oh sweetie, I'm sorry. We miss them too".
Jennifer picked her up and hugged her some.
Jonathan paid Kaitlyn and walked her home.
"I tell you what, why don't we watch some home movies of mommy and daddy?"
Savanna nodded.
Jennifer grabbed one off the shelf and put it in the VCR.
"Luke's birthday".
"So it is".
They watched that one for a few minutes and then Savanna wanted to watch another one.
"Ok, one more and then it's bedtime".
Jennifer got up and grabbed another one and put it in the VCR.
Jonathan had gone to change into his pajamas.
"Here, sit with her while I go change".
She quickly ran and put on a nightgown and then came back.
"McKenna was a bitty baby".
"Yeah, she was".
"Let's not watch this one. Why don't we switch it?"
"No, I want to watch this one".
Jonathan was growing increasingly uncomfortable.
"Well, I'm not going to watch it".
He got up and went to the bedroom.
About ½ way through, Savanna said it was boring, so Jennifer took her upstairs and tucked her in and kissed her goodnight.
She came back downstairs to find Jonathan had taken McKenna's bottle out of the fridge.
She sat down and finished the video.
For the first time, she saw how he dressed up in his tux and was going to take her to the awards dinner.
When the video ended, she turned off the TV.
She turned off the lights, and locked the doors, and then went to the bedroom.
"I cannot believe you did that".
"You deserved to have a date. I was just trying to help out".
He was about to climb into bed. She stood there staring at him for a long time.
She walked over to his side of the bed, and grabbed him and started kissing him passionately.
After several minutes, she broke the kiss and wrapped her arms around his waist.
She led him to the bassinette, and he picked it up while she picked up the stand and they moved it into the bathroom.
After they got McKenna settled, they went back to the bedroom and shut the doors to the bathroom.
"Why didn't you just tell me?"
"You looked so happy when your date got there, I didn't want to interfere. And when you got back here afterwards and said it wasn't a good date, there was no way for me to fix it then, so there was no point in saying something".
"Jonathan, I-"
"It's alright."
"No, it's not. I wish you had told me, I feel so foolish".
"Jennifer, I am going to tell you something because I feel like we need to get things out on the table, so to speak."
"Ok".
"I am madly, hopelessly, head over heels in love with you. You are the only woman I have ever felt this way about, and as far as I'm concerned, there will never be another. I know that I fouled things up between us before, and I regret that deeply, and if I could change it, I would. Last week when I told you that your happiness means everything to me, I didn't finish the statement. I hope that I am the one that can make you happy, but if I'm not, I'll accept that. I will do whatever I can to make you happy, because you mean everything to me. And I hope that in time, you will be able to figure out how you feel about me, and we can then decide how to proceed".
Jennifer was stunned. She had no idea that he had felt this way.
"I knew that you wanted us to see each other, but I had no idea you were in love with me".
"Well, you were very clear that you wanted us to wait till the kids weren't in the house, so I figured there was no point in bringing it up".
"When did you know?"
"When I came to your apartment to tell you about the promotion".
"You mean the day I threw you out? That's when you knew you were in love with me?"
He nodded.
"It was beyond obvious that you were mad at me, but even while you were yelling at me, you were still so incredibly beautiful. Normally, I cannot stand it when someone is mad at me, but honestly, it was the last thing on my mind. All I could think about was getting my arms around you. I waited downstairs for a while hoping you would leave so that I could see you and talk to you again".
"How long did you wait?"
"A few hours. I finally called Caroline back and she said that you had calmed down but that you wanted to be alone. So, I went to my apartment and I figured I would see you here at their house, but then it seemed like we never got a minute alone. So, then I gave up and I went on other dates. But every single time, they weren't you".
"Can I tell you something?"
"Of course".
"That's why my date that night at the awards show was so horrible. He wasn't you. All night long, I wished that you were there with me instead of him."
"Ok, so tell me again why we aren't together? You want to be with me, and I want to be with you, and we both know that this time, we will do it right. What are we waiting for?"
"I have no idea."
He reached up and smoothed her hair out of her face.
He leaned down and gave her the most perfect kiss she had ever had, and he could ever remember.
"For the record, you aren't the only one in love here".
"Oh? When did you know you were in love with me?"
"Promise not to laugh?"
"Scout's honor".
"It was the day when Savanna put makeup on you and you started kissing my neck when I was trying to clean your face. It was so adorable that you let her put makeup on you, and you only did that because I talked you into it. And then you started kissing me, and I didn't want you to stop, but I was scared the kids would see us and they have been through so much lately, we don't need to confuse them anymore".
He leaned forward and kissed her.
"I'm sorry, I should have been clearer that day. I just knew though, that if we didn't stop, I wasn't going to be able to stop myself".
"I love you Jennifer, and you love me. That's all that matters".
"So what happens now?"
"Now, we lock the door, and we take some time for ourselves. And we figure out the rest later".
She nodded.
He went and locked the door and then came back to her.
"We have to be quiet, since we have a baby in the bathroom".
"Want me to move her to the den?"
"We can after her next bottle".
He leaned down and started kissing her neck.
She moaned and gripped his shoulders.
"It feels so good to touch you".
"Mmm, don't stop".
He laid her down on the bed and resumed kissing her neck and shoulder while he reached down and untied her robe.
He slipped her nightgown off her shoulder and kissed his way to her breast. She unbuttoned his pajama top as he was kissing her.
He moved back up to kiss her lips then, and wrapped his arms around her.
"How far do you want to take things?"
"Jonathan, we've already slept together once. I think it's permissible for us to do it again".
"I'm not saying we need permission, I'm saying that I want you to be comfortable."
"I promise to let you know if I'm not. Now, you've locked the door and put the baby in the other room, so-"
"Got it".
He kissed her nice and slow, and moved his hands to cup her breasts.
She ran her hands up and down his back.
He kissed his way down her stomach as he slid her nightgown down her body.
He sucked on her nipples as he moved back up, causing her breath to hitch.
He kissed her as he tugged her panties off her hips. She reached down and pushed his pajama pants off him and lightly dragged her nails up his back.
He leaned over and opened the nightstand drawer and got out a condom.
She pulled the covers back and got under the covers.
Before she knew it, his lips were on her again, and she was nestled in his arms.
He quickly penetrated her, and framed her face with his hands.
He kissed her as he thrust in and out of her, and she wrapped her legs around his waist.
A few minutes later, he took them both over the edge together, and buried his face in her neck as they lay there, completely sated.
"You are incredible".
"Only with you".
She started scratching his back ever so slightly.
"Jonathan, I-"
Just then, McKenna started to cry.
"-think we need to feed a baby".
"I'll get the bottle".
"I'll get the baby".
He pulled out of her and grabbed his robe and tossed her robe to her, and then headed into the bathroom.
She went and made a bottle and came back to bed.
They sat on the bed and she took the baby from him and fed her. He rested his head on her shoulder while she did.
"Jonathan, I have to say something to you and it isn't going to be easy. I gave you a really hard time, and I said some things to you that weren't the nicest. I suppose I was just denying my feelings for you, and I tend to get a little feisty when I get angry. I apologize, I should have never told you that we would never date ever or to go to hell. I cannot believe I said those horrible things to you. I'm so, so, sorry".
"Jennifer, honey, it's alright. I deserved those things. I put you through a lot and most of it was unwarranted. It's ok". He leaned over and kissed her cheek.
She put McKenna on her chest and burped her then, and she fell back asleep before she finished the rest of her bottle.
He got up and put the bassinette in the living room, and then came and took the baby from her.
She put her gown back on while he put McKenna in her bassinette.
"Baby, why are you getting dressed?"
He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek.
"Because like it or not, we have two other kids in the house, and there's at least a 50% chance that they might end up in our bed. I would like for them to see me fully clothed, if they were to come in here".
"Good point".
She straightened their bed while he got dressed and then climbed in and scooted to the other side.
"You want to switch sides of the bed?"
"I usually sleep on this side. Unless you really want this side".
"Actually, I never slept on that side till I started staying here with you".
He turned the lights out as he climbed into bed.
He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her goodnight.
"Goodnight, I love you".
"I love you too".