Always and Forever

“I can’t believe this,” I said as I groaned and then I looked at Joe, “This is entirely your fault.”

It was the day before Christmas Eve and we were stuck in a line at the mall. The boys have been so busy doing things that Joe and I have had hardly any time to Christmas shop, so we waited until the last minute, bad idea.

“How is this, my fault?” he asked as he looked at me, “You could have gone shopping alone.”

I glared at him, “I tried but you didn’t let me!” I snapped, “Now look, we’re stuck in a line, we’ve been here for thirty minutes and we aren’t even half way finished.”

“Well, think of it as our bonding time,” he said as he scanned through the shelves that were next to him, “Ha, look, someone left Taylor’s platinum CD here.”

I grabbed it and placed it in my basket, “Thank you,” I said to him with a smile.

He took it out of the basket, “You’re not buying that,” he said to me, “My money isn’t going to her success and I thought you hated her.”

“I don’t really like her as a person, but her music is amazing,” I said as I grabbed the CD out of his hand and placed it in the basket again.

He cringed, “You’re insane,” he said as he shook his head in disappoint, “So, what did you buy me for Christmas?”

“I’m pregnant,” I said seriously, “Merry Christmas, daddy!”

His face brightened up, “OH MY GOD! REALLY!” he shouted in excitement.

“Nope,” I said as I looked in my basket coolly.

“That was low,” he said as he crossed his arms.

I laughed lightly and leaned into kiss him but he backed away, “Fine, then don’t kiss me,” I snapped at him.

“Well, why do you have to play with my emotions like that?” he asked, “You know how bad I want a baby and then you go make a joke about it, that’s not funny.”

I rolled my eyes, “You’re such a drama queen,” I said to him.

“Whatever,” he said as he stuffed his hands into his pockets.

We didn’t talk the rest of the time we were in line, we checked out about ten minutes later.

“Where to next?” I asked him as we walked out of the store.

He just glared at me without saying a word.

I groaned, “Oh my god, you’re seriously mad?” I asked him in a shocked tone.

“What do you think?” he asked me rudely.

I sighed, “It’s Christmas time, I don’t want to fight with you,” I said to him, “I’m sorry for joking about that, I didn’t think you’d get all upset about it.”

“And…” he said as he waited for me to continue.

I looked at him in a confused state, “And what?” I asked clueless.

“And you love me…” he said as I smile began to creep up on his face.

I smiled, “And I love you,” I said to him honestly, “Now, can I have a kiss?”

“I’ll think about it,” he said with a teasing smile.

I rolled my eyes grabbed his shirt and pulled him towards me, “Give me a kiss, damn it,” I said with a light laugh.

He laughed, wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed me softy, “I love you, too,” he said once we separated, “Now come on.”

Four and half hours later we finished the rest of our Christmas shopping, we got everyone everything that we planned on getting them.

“Are we missing anyone?” Joe asked as we went through the bags in his truck.

“Rob…” I said silently.

He glared at me, “No,” he said as he closed the back of the truck roughly, “Hell no.”

“He sent me chocolates, Joe, and a really nice bracelet,” I said to him, “I have to get him something.”

“You don’t have to get him shit,” he said as opened the passenger door for me to get in, “I’ll be eating the chocolate and we’re selling the bracelet.” He closed the door once I was in.

He got into the truck, “Joe, that’s not fair,” I said to him as I sighed, “Come on, please?”

“No,” he said simply as he pulled out of the parking lot.

We stayed up until around three or four the next morning wrapping presents. We woke up around ten that morning and prepared our stuff for over night. We were staying at the Jonas’ tonight so that we could all be together in the morning.

“We have to stop by the grocery store and pick up a few things for dinner tonight and lunch tomorrow,” I reminded Joe as we placed all of the Christmas gifts into the truck.

He nodded, “Alright,” he said with a smile.

After picking up a couple of things from the grocery store we headed straight to the Jonas’ household. We parked in one of the garages so that we could hide the presents in them so Frankie wouldn’t see, but we brought a few of them in so that we could place them under the tree.

“Your parents told me to tell you that they’ll be here tomorrow for lunch,” Denise said to me.

“Oh okay, awesome,” I said with a grin.

Bailey, Nina, Denise, and I were preparing Christmas Eve dinner and the boys were in living room watching some game on TV.

“Honey, the boys and are going to run an errand,” Paul said as he walked in and placed his hands on Denise’s waist, “We’ll be back in time for dinner.”

Just then Nick, Kevin, and Joe walked in with grins on their faces, “Now, this is what I like to see,” Joe announced as he wrapped his arm around my shoulder, “My fiancé cooking in the kitchen like a woman should be doing.”

My jaw dropped, “You’re a sexist pig,” I said as I tapped his stomach lightly as he grunted and everyone laughed.

“Where are you boys going?” Denise asked curiously.

“Yeah, where?” Nina questioned Kevin, “You all should be in here helping us out with dinner.”

“Agreed,” Bailey said as she pecked Nick’s cheek.

“We have to go get something,” Kevin said with a smile, “And it’s not our job to cook, like Joe said, it’s a woman’s job.”

Nina smacked him, “Don’t agree with your brother,” she scolded him, “Especially the most idiotic one.”

“I know, Kevin,” I said as I rolled my eyes with a laugh.

“Hey, that’s not nice,” Joe said as he frowned, “We’re all going to get your present so you better so guys better be nice to us.”

“JOE!” Kevin, Nick, and Paul shouted at the same time making him jump.

“You can’t ever keep anything to yourself,” Nick said rudely.

“Way to ruin the surprise, son,” Paul said as he shook his head.

Denise laughed, “Awe, don’t blame Joseph, he doesn’t know any better,” she said as she placed her hand on Joe’s arm, “Right, honey?”

He nodded, “Right, mommy,” he said with an angelic smile, “Let’s go before the jewelry store closes!”

“JOE!” The three of them shouted at him again

“Alright, that one was bad,” Denise said as she shook her head with a laugh, “You really can’t keep a secret.”

The boys left and we finished making dinner around an hour and a half later.

“Mom, did you make cookies for Santa?” Frankie asked as he ran in the kitchen with excitement.

“We’re going to do that after we eat dinner, little man,” I said as I hugged him tightly.

After spending another hour and half in the kitchen preparing the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and everything else that was going to be eaten that night, the boys finally got back and we ate Christmas Eve dinner together.

“Now can we make the cookies?” Frankie whined as we cleared the dinner table.

I smiled down at him, “Yes, Joe and I will help you,” I said as I ruffled his hair then I turned to Nick, “You and Bailey are doing the dishes; I don’t want your mom doing anything.”

Nick groaned but nodded, “Yes, that means we don’t have anything to do,” Kevin said with a grin as he wrapped his arms around Nina.

“That’s because you guys get to clean up the mess that Frankie makes tomorrow morning,” Joe said as he stuck his tongue out at Kevin.

“Eh, that’s not too bad,” Kevin said with a shrug and then walked out of the dinning room with Nina.

“Let’s go!” Frankie said as he grabbed my hand and dragged me to the kitchen.

We pulled out all of the ingredients that we would need.

After putting everything into the big mixing bowl I slid it to Frankie, “Mix it, Mr. Mixer,” I said with a laugh as he grabbed the big spoon out of my hand and began to mix the ingredients.

I turned to throw away the egg shells and walked towards Nick and Bailey to hand them the dirty measuring cup, “Here, clean this,” I said to them as they rolled their eyes and I laughed.

“Awesome!” I heard Frankie shout with excitement as I turned around and Joe was throwing in a bunch of different stuff into the bowl.

I ran towards him, “What are you doing!” I shouted.

“Experimenting,” Joe said proudly as he began to add in sprinkles, pecans, walnuts, coconut flakes, chocolate chips, marshmallows and raisins.

“Oh my god,” I said as I grabbed the bowl from him, “Joe, that’s way too much.”

He took it back from me, “It is not,” he said as he squirted chocolate syrup, “It’s delicious.”

“Stop that!” I said as I grabbed the bottle out of his hand then I put a dot on his nose, “Just mix what’s in the bowl.”

He then put his hands in the bowl, “Fine,” he said as mixed it.

“Not with your hands!” I said as I smacked my forehead with my palm, “Your hands better be clean.” I pecked his nose, licked my lips and he kissed me lightly.

“My hands are always clean,” he said with a grin.

“Yeah, right, you don’t wash your hands after you poop,” I joked as the kitchen filled with laughter.

“Ew,” Frankie said with a disgusted look.

“I’m kidding,” I said to Frankie who sighed in relief.

Joe and Frankie placed the cookies on the pan with their hands which caused a big mess. I finally put the pan in the already preheated oven when they were finished.

When I turned around Joe’s hands landed on my chest, “Oops,” he said innocently with a smile, “My bad.”

My eyes went wide, “Joe!” I shouted at him as I looked down at my top to see my boobs covered in cookie dough, “Ugh, gross!”

He laughed lightly and tackled me with a hug causing a bigger mess on my clothes and now his.

“Food fight!” Frankie shouted.

“No!” Everyone shouted and he frowned.

The cookies were out of the oven half and hour later; to my surprise, they were pretty darn good. They were extremely sweet but good nonetheless.

After putting Frankie to bed, everyone huddled around the fireplace and drank hot chocolate.

“Who’s eating the cookies this year?” Nick asked with a laugh as he looked at the cookies on the table.

“I don’t think Dad needs anymore cookies to be honest,” Joe said with a laugh as he patted Paul’s belly earning him a smack.

“We should start bringing the presents in,” Kevin said, “We should be early so we should get to bed soon.”

“I don’t feel like it,” Joe whined as he leaned back, “Let Santa do it.”

The boys all looked at Paul, “I don’t think so; he’s not doing it alone,” Denise said as she looked at her sons, “Get up and help your father; it won’t take long.”

The boys whined but listened of course; after setting up the presents in the living room we decided to call it a night.

“I want my present already,” I said as I looked at Joe with a smile as we laid in his bed after we changed into our pajamas.

He frowned at me and pulled the cover over our bodies, “No,” he said as he wrapped his arms around my body, “Be patient.”

“I don’t want to,” I said as I placed a few light kisses on his neck.

I felt him shiver and kissed my shoulder lightly, “Too bad,” he said as I laughed.