Check Yes Juliet

“Do you have names for the little rascal?”, Kara asked as we walked to Ashlee’s house. Ever since the guys got signed and went on tour since three months ago, I stayed at Maryland with my family and friends.

“Not yet, the doctor said it’s a she.”, I grinned, rubbing my belly gently. “I always want Caroline or Abigail.”

“Aw, those are cute. We could help!”, She exclaimed.

“Oh my god, Kara, really?”

She nodded excitedly. “Hell yeah, now come on!”, Kara wrapped her arm around my shoulders for the rest of the walk.

“Wow, Juju, you’re huge!”, Ashlee exclaimed as she saw us walking down her curb.

“Thanks for the compliment.”, I rolled my eyes. “What are you doing?”

Ashlee dropped down the sponge on her hand. “Washing my car.”

“Too bad Jack wasn’t here, he would love to help you with that.”, Kara teased.

“Ha-Ha, funny.”

After a few more teases, the three of us walked inside her house. We sat on the sofas in the living room, talking and laughing like the old days.

“Wait a minute, where’s Dana?”, I asked, looking around to find the dark haired weirdo friend of mine.

“She said she’ll come by after she take care of Baz.”, Ashlee answered as she popped a chip into her mouth.

“Oh yeah, Ash, I was thinking, we could help Juju with the name for the baby!”, Kara jumped up and down in her seat.

Ashlee clapped her hand and squealed. “Yes! It’ll be fun!”

The next thing I know, Kara and Ashlee were sitting on the rug with a piece of paper on the coffee table. “So, Juju, what names do you want?”

“I was thinking Caroline or Abigail.”

“That’s good! but, I like Abigail better, you know.”, Ashlee scribbled something on the paper. “How about the middle name?”

“Oh! How about Jasey?”, Kara smiled at me.

“Abigail Jasey Merrick.”, I mused on that name. I couldn’t help but smile, seeing a little girl running around with Zack’s crooked smile plastered on her face, and my eyes on hers. “Oh my god.”

“Look at her! She’s blushing!”, Kara sat beside me and hugged my side. “You’re blushing, Juliet.”

“I’m imagining what she’ll looks like!”, I giggled.

“I bet she’ll look like you and Zack, mixed up together.”

Ashlee sat on my other side and leaned her head on my shoulder. “We cant wait for you to arrive, Abby.”, she muttered as she placed her hand on my belly.
************
I stood in front of the body length mirror in my closet. I already in my fifth month and my stomach were already huge, just like everyone says.

“Juju, you there?”

“Yeah, I’m in the closet.”

“Hey, sis.”, I was surprised when Joe poked into the closet. I turned around and wrapped my arms across my chest.

“A surprise.”, I smiled.

He rolled his eyes and sat on a bean bag I had in the closet. “Can a brother check up on her sister?”

I laughed and sat on his lap. “Well, you can.”

“I just wanted to say something.”

“What is it?”

“You have to take my niece every weekend to New York.”

“Aw, Joe!”, I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed our cheek together. “I love you!”

“Ew, don’t be too mushy, will ya?!”, he laughed. I pulled away and kissed his cheek. “And mom wants me to tell you that dinner’s ready.”

I rolled my eyes and carefully stood up. Joe placed his hands on my shoulders, walking behind me to the kitchen. The smelled of potato, mushroom soup, and chicken washed my face as I entered the dining room.

“Smells good, mom.”, I said as I sat down on the dining chair.

“Thank you. Well, the boys will be back in two weeks, there’s not much time left.”

May sat down beside me and took a bite on a bun. “I thought pregnant women will be like a hungry dog all the time.”

Mom laughed. “Who said that?”

“Well, from the movies—“

“You watch too many of those, May.”, Dad laughed as he sat down across me. “Don’t listen to your sister, Juliet.”

“I’ve been doing that, daddy.”

The dinner made me realized how much I missed my family and excited to start my own. The images of me and Jack, fighting over the last bun on last year’s Christmas eve dinner made me giggled.

“You okay?”, May asked, raising a brow on my giggle.

“I realized that I missed you guys so much.”, I wiped a tear in the corner of my eye.

“I always knew pregnant women are more sensitive.”, Joe chuckled.

May threw a pea on him and he threw a carrot to her. “Kids!”, Dad put an end on it.

After dinner, I rushed into bed, feeling overly tired. The rain poured outside and the lightning crashed a few times, flashing the white bright light onto the room. I closed my eyes every time I hear the lightning. I never can’t sleep if there’s a lightning storm. Zack always there for me in this time. Before we moved to Cali, he would drove to my house and sleep beside me, calming me down.

There’s a kick inside my belly every time the lightning crashed. I rubbed it gently, like I was trying to calm down the baby. “We’ll be okay, baby. We’ll be fine.”

I heard footsteps on the hallway and the sound of the door opening and closing softly. I closed my eyes, faking my sleep. The space behind me sunk in and a pair of rough arms wrapped around my waist.

“You’re here.”, I whispered.

“I know you can’t sleep on during a storm.”, Zack chuckled.

“How about tour? I thought you were in Arizona.”

“Actually, the tour was over yesterday. I wanted to surprise you.”

“Nice surprise and you choose the right time, though.”

He kissed the crook of my neck from behind, up to my cheek. “I love you, Juju.”

“I know, and I love you too.”