It had been over a month since the tedious task of potty training Lucie had begun, and Tessa was tired. It wasn't so much that she hadn't slept, but more that her patience was almost spent. Still they had made progress. Lucie had the general concept figured out. The main problem now was that she'd forget about going to the potty whenever anything interesting was going on, which meant Tessa's phone was going off every two hours with a 'potty time' reminder.
That is except for the four blissful hours she'd spend at the library today in which her phone would be on silent. Will was on his days off at the moment so she could dash off to her bookly heaven without fear of Jem getting worn out by their small human.
The weather wasn't much changed, if just slightly improved from last month. July being warmer than June. Tessa breathed deep as she walked outside to the bus stop. Will had offered her a ride, but Tess had come to really enjoy her commute to the library almost as much as being at the library. Once sitting in her usual seat at the stop, she opened her book and didn't close it when the bus arrived. She'd gotten through her chapter and into the next one by the time the bus reached the library.
"This is your stop," the bus driver said. Tessa looked up from her book to smile at her.
"Thanks," she replied and got up.
Walking into the library Tessa waved to Sophie who stood behind the counter. Sophie waved back, though she seemed distracted.
"Anything the matter?" Tessa asked.
"Just can't seem to get my bearings today," Sophie sighed. "I'm glad you're here."
"Me too," Tessa smiled. "It's so wonderfully quiet here."
"I know what you mean," Sophie laughed. "I can't wait for school to start again. Then I might get my house back."
"How old are your two girls again?" Tessa asked.
"Barbara is seven and Eugenia is nine," Sophie replied. "In grade one and three, respectively."
"Wonderful ages," Tessa smiled. "I'm quite looking for Lucie being school age myself."
"Yeah," Sophie said, though again her mind seemed to be elsewhere.
"I'll get to work then," Tessa said, and then asked where she should start. Sophie assigned her a section and Tessa moved away to start shelving.
It was only about an hour later that she heard a chair move against the floor, and fast legs running off towards the back room. Tessa stopped what she was doing and went to check, knowing it could only have been Sophie since there was no other staff here today.
As Tessa got closer she saw that the noise was coming from the staff bathroom. She knocked gently on the door. "Are you alright?" Tessa asked.
"Yeah," Sophie called back. Tessa heard a sigh and then the door opened. From the look on Sophie's face and the sound of a toilet flushing, Tessa deduced that her friend had just thrown up.
"If you aren't feeling well you should go home," Tessa said, "I can cover for you. I don't mind."
"Oh, I don't think I'm sick," Sophie whined. "What I am is too old for this."
"I don't understand," Tessa replied kindly.
"I think I'm pregnant again," Sophie groaned, annoyed. "Stupid husband, so damn charming."
"Isn't this a good thing?" Tessa asked.
"I'm thirty-eight," Sophie whined. "I don't wanna do it all over again, even if my husband keeps saying he always wanted a boy."
"Have you told him yet?" Tessa asked.
"I haven't even taken a test yet," Sophie replied. "Just started throwing up yesterday, and I'm barely late. Still after you do this a couple times you kinda get a feeling for it, ya know. Besides, I know Gideon will be happy about it. He's always wanted more kids, it's been me who thought two was enough." She laughed. "Thought I'd gotten away with it too."
"I'll hold down the fort if you want to go to the drug store," Tessa said kindly.
"Nah, it can wait," Sophie repiled. "It's not like I'll be any more or less knocked up if I check now or later."
"If you're sure," Tessa answered.
"Yeah sorry to drag you into this," Sophie replied.
"No trouble," Tessa smiled. "What are friends for?"
Tessa would have given Sophie a hug if she'd felt it would be welcome, but she sensed otherwise so settled for the smile and left the bathroom to get back to shelving books.
The events of the day had her thinking however. Lucie hadn't exactly been planned, but that didn't mean Tessa regretted her daughter. The question now was would they stop there. Tessa hadn't really thought about it before, but she supposed it was a question that should be asked.
Her mind was still circling around such thoughts when her shift ended. She offered one last time to cover for Sophie, who again turned her down, before leaving the library for the day.
One relaxing book reading bus ride later, Tessa arrived home to find Will in the living room trying to entertain Lucie. Tessa couldn't help but smile as she witnessed their interactions.
"No Da," Lucie said firmly. "Don't need to go potty."
"But maybe just for me," Will pleaded. "Just try." But the willful toddler shook her head.
"Please," Will tried. "In exchange for ice cream?" Lucie's perked up. This had caught her attention.
"Chocolate ice ceem?" Lucie inquired.
"Yes," Will surrendered.
"Okay!" Lucie exclaimed, jumping up with all the energy of a toddler expecting a sugar rush and bolting towards the bathroom.
"Being outwitted by a toddler, I see," Tessa giggled at him.
"Hey bribery works," Will defended his parenting choses. "She's happy and has an empty bladder. It's a win-win."
"But what will Da Da say," Tessa teased him.
"There is no need to tell Jem," Will whispered. Smiling, Tessa leaned forward to kiss Will before reminding him of his appointment with the little girl and the potty. And with that Will followed his daughter down the hall and towards the bathroom.
Tessa smiled after him. She loved the days when Will didn't have to go into work. A firefighters schedule had been very strange to her when she'd first learned of it, but had since become normal to her. Will usually worked 24 hour shifts, then had 48 hours off. Then he'd work another 24 hour shift, making his work week a 48 hour one. Though sometimes his shifts ran late which always worried her and she missed him on the nights he wasn't home, even with Jem there. It was the same when Jem had to spend a night at the hospital for tests or the like; she missed him even if Will was home with her.
Tessa moved down the hall, but she walked past the room with the giggling toddler and turned left. As she'd suspected Jem was in bed, likely asleep. He often needed a nap during mid day to keep himself going. Sitting down beside him, Tessa gently pulled his blanket up a little and moved a lock of hair away from his eyes. Jem stirred.
"Sorry," Tessa said. "I didn't mean to wake you."
"It's alright," Jem replied, reaching for her to come lay down beside him. "I was pretty much awake anyway."
"Did you have a nice nap?"
Jem nodded and added, "Ever the nicer for waking up to see you."
Tessa leaned over and kissed him. He wrapped his arms around her, hands skimming over her hips.
"Hmmm," he almost purred as he moved his face closer to smell her hair.
"Will is trying to get Lucie on the potty," Tessa grinned. "Should we try and help him?"
"Nah," Jem chuckled. "His turn." Tessa laughed with him. "You are staying right here where I can hold you."
Tessa relaxed into his arms. Her mind emptied, but then it began to wonder. She wondered what it would be like to have only one partner. Sure, she'd dated a little before Will and Jem, but nothing that got serious enough to result in living together. A domestic situation with just one spouse would be so odd. For starters who would be looking after Lucie while she got cuddle time in?
And then she was thinking of Sophie. Already two kids at home and only one husband plus another baby. They'd be so outnumbered.
"How was the Library today?" Jem asked. They could hear muffled noises and giggles coming from Will and Lucie in the bathroom, but nothing that alarmed them.
"Quiet," Tessa replied with a smile. "And relaxing. Well apart from my coworker being sick. She thinks she's pregnant again."
"The married one right?" Jem inquired. "With two kids already. What was her name again?"
"Sophie Collins," Tessa answered.
"She must be happy," Jem observed.
"She feels sure her husband will be," Tessa answered. "Though I'm not sure if she is all that thrilled about it."
"Too bad," Jem said softly.
"It's got me thinking," Tessa began, but she was interrupted by their other half entering the room with one giggling toddler held in his strong arms.
"Make room," Will announced as he laid down on Tessa's other side, placing Lucie on the bed as well.
"Da, Ma, and Da da," Lucie exclaimed with great energy. "All mine." And then she proceeded to crawl all over them as if the adults were her own personal jungle gym.
"Ow," Will complained as her foot pressed into him. "Hey, I need those kidneys, kid."
Jem sat up, protecting his inner organs from being trampled as he watched the other foot.
"Alright you little rugrat!" Will exclaimed. "You're mine."
"Nah nah," Lucie giggled back before she moved away from him, but he was too quick for her. Will had the high energy, two and a half year old up and in his arms in seconds, and then up and over his head moments after that.
"Airplane!" Lucie yelled all of a sudden, moving onto the next game without a moment's hesitation. Obediently Will placed the little girl on his shoulders and began to move around the room like an airplane, making engine noises.
Tessa couldn't keep the smile off her face.
"Vrooom," Will said with his arms out. "Vroom Vroooooom. Make way we're coming in for a landing!"
Lucie's scream of delight shook the house as she landed on the bed beside Tessa.
Moments later her giggles turned to heavy eyelids and her head began to sway. Lucie laid her little body down on her mother's lap and was asleep in minutes.
"It's unreal how fast their energy spikes and drops," Will whispered, coming back to sit on the bed with the others.
"Unreal and beautiful," Tessa agreed, gently tucking a lock of Lucie's hair behind her ear and pulling a blanket over to cover her.
"It's strange how contenting it is to just watch her sleep," Jem remarked.
"I know what you mean," Tessa added.
"Yeah," Will agreed. And for a moment they just sat there on the bed watching Lucie's chest rise and fall with her breathing.
"What were you going to say Tessa," Jem asked, breaking the long silence. "Before Will so rudely interrupted us."
Tessa had to think for a minute. "Oh that," she finally said, quietly so as not to wake Lucie. "It's just I've been thinking, wondering, if you two, I mean the three of us-" She stopped as her phrasing of their little unique lifestyle escaped her, she decided to cut to the chase.
"Do either of you want more kids?" she asked. "Lucie wasn't exactly planned, and so we've never talked about it before."
"We would never ask it of you, Tessa," Jem began. "Not after what you went through after Lucie was born."
"Postpartum depression," Will named it. The look in his eyes was suddenly so serious, and Tessa was reminded how much she'd scared him back then.
Jem's use of the word 'we' made Tessa feel like these two had talked about this together before now, without her.
"Pretend for a moment that we could be sure that wouldn't happen again," Tessa continued. "What would be your answer then?"
"I-" Will began looking taken aback. "I hadn't thought about it actually." Tessa turned to look at Jem who had a similar look on his face.
"I'm not made of glass," Tessa told them as she made a mental note that this attitude did explain why Will had started using condoms as well as her birth control pills.
Tessa rolled her eyes at them. "Scaredy cats," she remarked while trying and failing not to smile.
"Well think about it," Tessa said. "Because I'm sure it won't get that bad." She leaned down and kissed her daughter's forehead. "And I would do it all again the exact same way knowing that in the end we'd be here with this beautiful girl of our own."
It was just then that Tessa noticed the time. "Oh shit," she exclaimed a little too loudly, but Lucie didn't stir. "I'm late for class." Slowly, carefully she moved away so as not to wake the sleeping child and off the bed.
"I'll give you a ride," Will offered, also moving.
"That leaves me stuck with the sleeping angel," Jem smiled. "Oh no, but such is my luck." Tessa smiled at him, kissed his cheek and went to collect her books.
I am sorry for those readers who can't keep up with my crazy updates lately. I know with me it's like feast for famine lol. Hopefully they'll be okay with binging it later when it's convenient for them. I am like really bored guys lol. And writing is the perfect cure so you gonna get more chapters faster whether you want them or not. ^_^
Oh and if you follow my other stories I also started updating Counterfeit Boyfriend again after an 8 month hiatus. :D
Sneak Peek Chapter 166
"I can hear smacking!" a sharp voice called through the door. They were in their bedroom with the door closed but the curtains open to let in the afternoon sun.
"She's just jealous," Maia giggled.
"Oh please," Jordan scoffed. "Isn't Simon home?"
"He's at work," Maia answered, still trying not to laugh.
"Then who is that she's talking to," Jordan asked. He'd noticed two muffled voices when they weren't calling out loud enough to be heard through the door.
Maia shrugged. "Probably Clary?"
"Speaking of," Jordan grinned. "Don't you have job hunting to do or do you plan to let those two girls beat you?"
"Oh shut up," Maia said, pretending to hit him again. Jordan mouthed 'ow' in mock horror which only meant that she swung at him again.