Somewhere Over the Rainbow

December 24, 2015

"Mommy, Daddy, wake up! It's Christmas Eve!" I shouted, running into their bedroom.

"Ally-Baby, what time is it?" Daddy asked rubbing his eyes. He pulled me up onto the bed and I climbed under the covers between him and Mommy.

"7:30." I said, smiling cheerfully. "Is the baby awake?" I asked, turning to Mommy.

"I'm not sure." she said. "Come on, let's go get breakfast. Your aunts and uncles said they would be here by nine."

"I love Christmas." I said, following her downstairs to the kitchen.

"Mm… me too." Daddy said, sitting me down on the counter.

"Are Uncle Frankie, Gran, and Gramp coming today too?"

"Nope. They're coming tomorrow like Grandma and Grandpa."

"So… just Uncle Kevin, Aunt Lauren, Brody, Uncle Nick, and Auntie Lana?"

"That's right." Mommy said, handing me half a bagel and some fruit. "Now let's eat and get dressed before they get here."

"Then we can decorate?"

"Yes." she said smiling. I smiled back and started eating.

****

"Daddy!" I called down the basement stairs.

"What baby?"

"Uncle Nick and Auntie Lana are here!"

"I'll be right there." he said. I ran into the living room and climbed up into Auntie Lana's lap.

"He's coming." I said. Then Daddy walked in with two really big boxes.

"Hey baby brother." he said hugging Uncle Nick who rolled his eyes at me. I giggled and Daddy came over and gave Auntie Lana a kiss.

"Joe, was one of the boxes you brought up the one with the lights?" Mommy asked from the front room.

"Yes Lyss. I still have about five more boxes to bring up."

"I'll help you." Uncle Nick said and they went back down to the basement.

"Mommy, did you put the tree together yet?"

"What?" Auntie Lana asked.

"We bought a fake tree this year. They last about twenty years." Mommy said and Auntie Lana nodded. "No sweetie, I was just about to. Do you want to help me?"

"Yes!" I got off of Auntie Lana and we followed Mommy to the front room. We started to put the tree together. It was more fun than a real tree.

"So, when do you find out the sex of the baby?" Auntie Lana asked.

"In about three weeks. Lexi's coming with me." Mommy said smiling at me as I gave her another tree piece.

"That's right. I want to know if I get a brother or sister."

"Are you going to want to know this time?" Mommy asked.

"Yes. Nick wants to know and now that we're married and live together he won't be able to keep it a secret." Auntie Lana said smiling.

"Have you and Nick been trying?"

"Yes. It's been so hard. We decided that if it doesn't happen in the next six months we'll start going to a doctor." she said, looking kind of sad.

"Don't worry. Your time will come. You and Nick will make great parents."

"You really think so?"

"Of course. In fact, Joe and I want you and Nick to be the baby's Godparents."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! Kevin and Lauren are Lexi's and Joe and I are Brody's... we know you can handle it." Mommy said smiling.

"We'd be delighted." Auntie Lana said hugging Mommy.

"Mommy what are Godparents?"

"Well, Aunt Lauren and Uncle Kevin are your Godparent's. That means if something bad happens to me and Daddy they'll take care of you."

"Oh, okay." I said smiling.

****

Joe's POV

"Joe, how has Mel been doing with this pregnancy?" Nick asked. I hesitated and turned to look at him.

"You noticed." I said... not really a question.

"Yeah she looks thinner... pale."

"I've mentioned it to her but she pushes it away saying every pregnancy is different. I'm worried though. It's hard for her to keep food down." I said, shaking my head.

"Well, when's her next OB appointment?"

"In about three weeks but I'm not going to that one. Lexi's going and it's when they find out the sex." I said. "Nick... I don't know what to do..."

"If Mel doesn't say anything to you after that appointment, call her doctor or go to the office and tell her you're concerned about Mel. For all you know Mel could be right." he said putting his hand on my shoulder.

"Thanks Nick." I said, grabbing a box. "So, Lyss and I want to know if you and Lana will be the baby's Godparents."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. It would mean a lot to us."

"Of course we will." he said smiling at me.

"Hey... how has the trying been going?"

"Tough... we've had so many negative tests. If we don't get pregnant in six months we're going to the doctor. See if we can go on fertility treatments."

"Don't give up. You two will become parents."

"How do you know?" he asked looking up at me with his sad eyes.

"I can feel it Nick. Let's go upstairs before they think we're fooling around with the instruments." I said and he laughed. We grabbed the boxes and got upstairs just as the bell rang. "I'll get it."

"Merry Christmas!" Lauren exclaimed giving me a one-armed hug so as not to squish a very bundled up Brody as I held the door open.

"Give me my nephew." I said, taking the smiling baby and I couldn't help but let a grin form. "Hey little guy," I whispered, tickling his sides. He giggled and squirmed as Lauren and Kevin came in with their stuff.

"Which room are we in?" Kevin asked suitcases in hand.

"Your old room," I said. "Nick and Lana are in the guest room and we pulled out Alexandra's old crib and put it in her room for Brody."

"So, is it exciting pulling out all the old baby stuff?" Lauren asked as Kevin headed upstairs.

"Yeah," I said, smiling half-heartedly as I glanced sideways at Lyss. Nick was right and confirmed my fears. Even though her stomach was growing with the baby the rest of her seemed smaller. She even looks like she might be smaller than when we first met. Not good. Her skin is paler as well; slight shadows have formed around her eyes.

"Joe?" Lauren asked, touching my arm. I looked at her as she took Brody from me. "What's wrong?"

"Can you do me a favor?" I asked her, keeping my voice low.

"Of course. Anything."

"Talk to Lyss for me. Ask if she's feeling okay and if she asks if I asked you to talk to her, lie. Tell her you noticed things that seem off."

"What has she been telling you?" she asked, glancing over at Lyss concerned.

"That this is normal because every pregnancy is different." I said scoffing. "I'm not buying it. I'm really worried Laur."

"So am I. Don't worry, I'll talk to her later tonight."

"Thank you." I said and she put her hand to my cheek and gave me a reassuring smile before walking into the front room. I heard Kevin come back downstairs and stand next to me.

"Joe, you okay man?" he asked putting a hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah it's just bittersweet. This is my last Christmas with one baby." I said, smiling as best as I could.

"Ha. Enjoy it while you can." Kevin said laughing and we both walked into the front room to help decorate.

****

Mel's POV

"Okay, time for little girls to go to bed." Joe said, turning off the DVD player.

"But Daddy I'm not tired!" Lexi whined.

"Lexi girl, you better go to bed or Santa's not going to come." Nick said.

"Oh no! Mommy, come on!" she cried, tugging on my arm.

"Thank you." I whispered to Nick. He winked at me before my daughter whisked me away upstairs.

"Mommy, I liked that movie." she said as I slipped her nightgown over her head.

"Did you know that it's my favorite Christmas movie?" I asked quietly so we wouldn't wake Brody. We were talking about White Christmas. We watch it every year on Christmas Eve and this was her first year staying awake for the whole thing.

"It's my favorite too." she said as she climbed into bed.

"What about Rudolph?"

"It's better than Rudolph."

"Oh okay. Now go to sleep or Santa won't come."

"Night Mommy. I love you." she said, wrapping her tiny arms around my neck. Then she put her head to my stomach and kissed it. "Goodnight baby. I love you."

"Baby and I love you too." I said as she put her head on her pillow.

"Goodnight Aunt Lauren." she said and I turned to see Lauren leaning against the doorframe.

"Night angel cake." Lauren said. I stood up and turned the light off, closing the door behind me.

"I didn't know you were there." I said, smiling at her.

"I was checking on Brody."

"You were very quiet."

"I try." she said, shrugging her shoulders. "Mel, can we talk?"

"Yeah... I just have a few more presents to wrap for Joe. We can talk in my room."

"Shouldn't you have had everything wrapped by now?" she asked closing the door and turning to look at me as I rifled through the closet.

"Yes but this pregnancy isn't going as smoothly as the last one." I admitted. I turned to the bed with two bags in one hand and a roll of wrapping paper in the other.

"How do you mean?" Lauren asked, handing me a roll of tape and scissors from my bedside table.

I took the gift that Lexi picked out for Joe - a coffee mug that says I love my Daddy - out of the bag and started wrapping it. I hesitated to answer, pretending to concentrate on the wrapping as I thought up a fib.

"I just... haven't been feeling like myself."

"You're not looking like yourself either. You look really sick hon. Did Dr. Lockhart say anything last time?" she asked and something clicked.

"Did Joe put you up to this?" I stopped wrapping the DVDs I got him and looked up at her angrily.

"No! Don't be ridiculous. I'm your best friend Mel. When something concerns me I try to figure out what's wrong. Your state of health is concerning me and I want to know if anything is wrong with you."

"I... don't know what's wrong." I sighed, sitting down on the bed and placing a hand on my stomach. "I've had morning sickness throughout this whole thing so far and I'm losing weight. I'll talk to Dr. Lockhart at my next appointment. I promise."

"Good. That's all I ask. We can't have anything bad happening to you now can we? Lord knows Joe can't be left to raise a baby and a small child by himself." she said laughing. I joined in and continued my delayed work.

****

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas I sang in my sleep. Christmas... Christmas! I woke up and looked around. The sun was up and I jumped out of bed and looked out the window really wanting to see snow.

"Darn!" I pouted, looking over to Brody. He was standing up in the crib and looking at me with big eyes. "Hi Brody! Merry Christmas!"

"Hey Ally-Baby."

"Daddy! Merry Christmas!" I said, giving him a hug.

"Merry Christmas sweetie." he said kissing the top of my head. He went and picked Brody up and we walked downstairs.

"Merry Christmas!" I cried, running into the living room and everyone smiled at me.

I climbed up onto Uncle Kevin's lap and Daddy sat next to us with Brody. Uncle Nick and Auntie Lana were sitting on the other couch and Mommy and Aunt Lauren were in the kitchen.

"Are you excited Lexi?" Auntie Lana asked.

"Yes!" I cried, smiling widely. "Mommy?"

"Yes sweetheart?"

"How come there isn't snow outside?" I asked pouting.

"Because we live in sunny L.A. It doesn't snow here."

"Why not?"

"Well Ally-Baby, it's too hot here for snow." Daddy said.

"I want a white Christmas... like in the movie."

"Okay, next year, we'll have Christmas in New York. There will definitely be snow there." he said.

"You mean it?" I asked.

"Yes I do."

"Thank you Daddy." I said, reaching across Uncle Kevin's lap to hug him.

"I've heard that promise before." Mommy said. "I believe it was about six years ago."

"Oh snap." Aunt Lauren said.

"Way to go Joe." Uncle Nick said.

"Hey, that was right before this happened." he said, poking my tummy. "I didn't think you'd like to go across the country with a little baby."

"But you'll go with two?" Uncle Kevin asked.

"Shut up Kevin." Daddy said, hitting Uncle Kevin with his elbow and everyone laughed. The doorbell rang and Uncle Nick stood up.

"I'll get it." he said. He came back soon with Gran, Gramp, and Uncle Frankie. "Look who I found."

"Uncle Frankie!" I cried, running over and hugging him.

"Hey Lexi!" he said, hugging me back. "You're too big for me to pick up now!"

"But not too big for me to pick up." Gramp said, picking me up and hugging me. I giggled and hugged Gran while he held me.

"You look more and more like your mother every time I see you." she said, kissing my cheek.

"Thanks Mom." Daddy said, handing her Brody.

"Joseph she has your eyes and your infectious smile. There’s no need to get upset." Gran said and Daddy smiled.

"Are Grandma and Grandpa here too?" I asked and the doorbell rang again.

"Let's go see." Daddy said taking me from Gramp and walking to the door. He opened it and I smiled.

"Merry Christmas!"