Worth Waiting For

Joe’s POV

It didn’t seem like a lot of time had passed after Lyss and I went back to bed when I awoke to Alexandra’s cries. I rubbed my eyes and looked at the glowing green lights of the clock. 6:30 in the morning… three hours? Really? I turned gently and looked at Lyss who was getting some much deserved sleep. I quietly climbed out of bed, put my glasses on, and crept over to the crib and looked down at Alexandra.

“Hey Ally-Baby,” I whispered, gently picking her up.

I held her to my chest and bounced her up and down. I checked her diaper which was thankfully clean. I looked over my shoulder again at Lyss who looked like she was in dream land. I slipped out of the room, quietly closing the door behind me and tip-toed downstairs so as not to wake the others. I know Lyss told me to wake her up if Lexi was hungry but she looked so peaceful… I couldn’t wake her.

I lay Lexi down in her carrier in the living room and placed it on the kitchen counter while I searched for the formula we bought for times when it would just be me and Lexi. I followed the directions mixing the powder and set it in the microwave. I pulled it out before it made that annoyingly loud sound, trying to be as quiet as possible and tested it on my wrist. I brought Lexi’s carrier into the living room and set her on the coffee table. I gently picked her up and cradled her in my arms, bringing the bottle to her lips as I sat down in a chair.

She greedily sucked on the bottle and looked up at me with her brown eyes that were so like mine. I couldn’t help but smile as she looked at me with a glint in them. I looked at all of her features: the brown tufts of hair on top of her head, the smoothness of her skin, the way her fingers were so small and wrinkly, her little chubby, baby legs. She was perfect… more than I could ever ask for. This angel I was holding was really and truly mine.

After she filled herself to satisfaction I brought her up to my shoulder and gently burped her. Once I was sure she was set I sat back against the chair and lay her stomach down on my chest, the baby towel thing underneath her. I rubbed her back as her eyes started to droop closed and sang gently to her.

“Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high, there’s a land that I heard of, once in a lullaby…” I started to sing and she yawned slightly, blinking her eyes before finally closing them. I continued to sing before I started to drift off to sleep myself.

****

Stretching my body across the bed with a yawn I blinkingly opened my eyes and looked around.

“Joe?” I asked, sitting up and rubbing my eyes. I looked at the clock 8:15. I stood up and walked over to the crib to find it void of my daughter. I walked out of the room just as Lauren walked out of her room.

“Hey. How did the first night with the baby go?” she asked as she smoothed down her skirt, getting ready to leave for work.

“Fine. I only woke up once. Have you seen Joe?”

“No, I haven’t gone downstairs yet.” She said. We walked downstairs and headed to the kitchen for some coffee. I looked into the living room and saw Joe fast asleep in one of the chairs with Lexi lying on his chest. Their breathing seemed to be synchronized. I quietly walked closer so I wouldn’t wake them and smiled.

“That,” Lauren whispered as she stood next to me, handing me a mug of coffee. “Is the definition of a Kodak moment.”

“Oh!” I gasped, setting the coffee down on the table and dashing to the closet.

I grabbed my camera and walked into the living room to see Lauren giving me a weird look, her features softening once she saw the camera. I took the lens off and snapped a few pictures of Joe and Lexi. Once I was satisfied I set the camera down and walked over to them. I pulled a piece of Joe’s hair away from his eyes and kissed his forehead.

“Joe…” I whispered, kissing his cheek. His eyes fluttered open and he smiled up at me.

“Hey Lyss,” he said, kissing my lips. He looked down at Lexi on his chest and he smiled. “Make a mental note… she easily falls asleep to Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”

“Oh I’ll definitely remember that.” I said, gently picking her up. “You should go upstairs and get ready. You have an interview today.”

“Right,” he said, standing up. He kissed Lexi on the top of her head and made his way upstairs.

“I don’t know how you did it Mel,” Lauren said as I turned back into the kitchen. She smiled down at Lexi before meeting my gaze.

“What did I do?”

“You took the ’hardcore’ Jonas boy and turned him into a big old softy. Your only weapon is a teeny tiny little baby.”

“Mm, you’re wrong.” I said, shaking my head. “Joe’s always been a softy. He just didn’t want to ruin his rock star image.”

“Yeah because his image was so rock star in the first place.” She said, rolling her eyes.

****

“Alright baby girl, time to get ready for lunch with your grandmother’s.” I said to Lexi as I changed her clothes to take her out. The doorbell rang as I finished changing her so I grabbed her diaper bag and gently brought her downstairs. I opened the front door to find Logan waiting for me.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hey, come on in, we’re almost ready.” I said, stepping aside so he could come in.

“Thanks,” he said, following me towards the kitchen. “So… how’s the whole… parenting thing going?”

“Well, we survived the first night.” I said with a laugh. “Um… would you mind holding Lexi for me while I look for something?”

“Oh um… sure,” he said. I smiled and gently placed her in his arms and he held her as if she was porcelain. “Am I doing this right?”

“Logan you’re fine. You can relax a little, you won’t break her.” I said and his muscles seemed to loosen up. He slowly rocked her back and forth and smiled. “See, you should go pro.”

“Let me find a girl first Mel.” He said laughing. “She’s very… quiet.” He said as she just looked around at the room and up at Logan.

“Yeah, it kind of freaks me out.” I said.

“She has long fingers…” he observed, lifting up one of her hands. “Maybe she’ll take after Nick and play the piano.”

“Who knows what genes she inherited from us… the Jonas musical talent just might be it.” I said, putting one last thing into Lexi’s bag. “Alright, I’m ready to go.”

He handed Lexi back to me and I put her in her carrier and covered it with a blanket because it was very sunny again today. We got to the car and I sat in the back with Lexi while Logan drove. We walked to the door and he waited with me until I was inside. I was supposed to call him when I was done so he could bring me back home.

I rang the doorbell and was greeted by yet another new maid. Three days later… that was fast.

“Hi, I’m Melissa, I’m here for lunch.”

“Oh yes, come on in.” she said smiling at me. I smiled back and noticed that she was… really pretty for one of my mother’s maids. “Are you coming in too?” she asked, looking at Logan.

“Oh no, I’m…”

“Melissa, there you are.” My mother said, coming into the foyer, Mom behind her. “Oh and Logan too. Well come in.”

“Really, I don’t want to intrude.” He said as he was pulled in by my mother and my mother-in-law.

“Nonsense,” Mom said.

“Yeah, Logan come on.” I said, grinning at him. He sighed and followed us into the sitting room.

“Can I get drinks for anyone?” the maid asked.

“I’ll just have a Coke… I’m sorry… what’s your name?”

“Annabelle, ma’am.”

“Nice to meet you Annabelle.” I said, smiling.

“Can I help you?” Logan asked, hesitating by the couch.

“No, that’s okay. This is my job.” She said, smiling at him.

“But… I want to help.”

“Logan, really, just sit down and relax.” My mother said.

I looked over at my mother and mother-in-law who were both grinning and we all looked at Annabelle and saw Logan glancing over his shoulder at her. He turned back to talk to us and saw us staring at him.

“What?” he whispered. I laughed and shook my head and lifted Lexi out of her carrier for my mothers to fawn over.

****

A few weeks later
Thanksgiving 2010

“Is everybody ready?” I called up to Kevin, Lauren, and Lana as Joe set Lexi in her carrier.

“Coming!” Lana called just as the doorbell rang.

“Hey Rob!” Joe said, opening the door. “Logan’s getting the boys?”

“Yupp. Now where’s the baby girl?” he asked with a big smile on his face.

“Right here,” I said, picking up Lexi’s carrier and handing her to Rob. He held the carrier and smiled down at her, offering her his finger. He made goofy faces and she laughed. Wait… she laughed?

“Did she just… laugh?” Joe asked, turning around slowly.

“I think she did!” I said, smiling down at her. I looked up as Lauren came down the stairs, Kevin and Lana trailing behind her.

“Alright, let’s go make ourselves feel fat!” she exclaimed, heading out to the car.

****

We were the last party to arrive at my parents’ house. Somehow Logan got John, Jack, Ryan, and Garbo there before us. This was probably going to be the most crowded Thanksgiving ever. One band, two bodyguards, two new parents, two friends, three brothers-in-law, four grandparents, and a baby. I was surprised to see that Annabelle was still there, working for my parents.

“Mom,” I whispered to my mother while the others socialized and Annabelle served drinks.

“Yes, Melissa?”

“I’m surprised to still see Annabelle working here. It’s almost been a whole month.”

“That’s what your father said. Honestly, she’s the best maid we’ve ever had even though she’s so young. It amazes me.”

“I’m glad she’s still here,” I said, smiling as I saw Logan shamelessly flirt with Annabelle before she excused herself to go to the kitchen. I laughed as I saw John and Garbo elbow him in the ribs and tease him. We all sat around and talked for a bit while dinner finished up and Lexi was passed around the room.

“Excuse me everyone, but dinner is served.” Annabelle said, standing in the doorway, hands clasped behind her back. She smiled and swiftly turned back into the dining room, the rest of us following behind her.

“Wow…” Frankie said when he saw all the food piled high on the table.

“This looks amazing Mrs. Douglas.” Nick said, sitting down.

“Our compliments to Annabelle,” Logan said. “Ow!” he cried, glaring at Ryan across the table. I assumed he had kicked him in the shin.

I sat down next to Joe and set Lexi’s carrier on the floor between us. She smiled up at me sans teeth and with her big brown eyes and that’s when I had the feeling of family rush through me. Our first big celebration with her and we were surrounded by the ones we loved. I looked around the table at everyone talking and eating and laughing together. Kevin and Lauren… Nick and Lana… Frankie... my parents… Mom and Dad… the band… Rob… Logan…

“What are you looking at babe?” Joe whispered, as he put some mashed potatoes on my plate. I smiled as I looked up at him.

“Our family.” I said simply. And that’s exactly what this was. Our family.