Finally A Family
Finally A Family - Joe Jonas OneShot
“Mommy! When are we going to get Daddy?” my five-year old daughter, Willow Rose asked at my feet as I made her breakfast. My name is Isabel Neysa Rodriguez-Jonas, but friends and family call me Bella, and I am 29 years-old. I have brown hair and brown eyes. I smile when I’m nervous and am clumsy & sentimental. “After Aunt Ashley and Uncle Nick get here, sweetie. But first, eat your breakfast.” I replied as I set the plate of bacon and eggs in front of her. Willow’s father, my husband of 6 years, Joe Jonas who is 30, was supposed to come home from Iraq today; he had gotten called to war five years ago, a month after Willow was born. “Mommy, do you think Daddy will like me?” Willow asked, her mouth full with eggs. I laughed at her face. She had my brown hair, but her father’s big, chocolate brown eyes. “Of course sweetheart, Daddy will love you.” I replied, just as the doorbell rang. I left the kitchen to answer the door and opened it to reveal my brother-in-law, Nick who 27, and my best friend/sister-in-law, Ashley who is 26. “Hey guys. Come on in, Willow’s just finishing her food.” I said as Nick helped Ashley, who was 7 months pregnant, into the kitchen.
“Uncle Nicky!!!” Willow shouted when she saw her uncle walk into the room as Ashley sat down. She ran into his arms and he lifted her up. “Hey munchkin.” He said as he kissed her forehead before putting her down. “Willow, did you finish your breakfast?” I asked. She nodded. “Can we go now please Mommy?” she begged. I laughed at the face she made, she looked so much like Joe. “Yes sweetheart, go put your jacket on.” I said as she ran out of the room, dragging Nick with her. “Are you nervous?” Ashley asked. I looked up. “No, of course not. Why would I be?” I asked. She laughed. “Bella, you’re shaking. Listen, Joe loves you and a five-year tour in Iraq isn’t going to change that.” She replied. I nodded and got my jacket. “Let’s go, before my daughter decides she’ll drive there herself.” I said to Ashley as I helped her out towards the car. As soon as I had buckled Willow in, we were on the road to the airport.
3 Hours Later
“Mommy, when’s Daddy’s plane going to land?” Willow asked for the 20th time in the past hour. “Soon sweetheart, soon.” I replied, playing with my hair. “Hey Willow, why don’t we go get something to eat and when we get back Daddy’s plane will be here.” Nick said to her. She looked at me. “Mommy can I?” she asked. “Of course sweetie.” I replied. As Nick and her walked away I turned to Ashley. “You know, I was thinking about when we all first met.” She said to me randomly. I laughed. “Yeah, it seems like such a long time ago.” I reply, remembering the hot summer day at Rockaway beach 14 years ago when Joe crashed into me while playing football with Nick. He helped me up and our eyes met. That was the day I knew I had met the man I was destined to be with. “Mhmm. Do you remember our first Christmas with them?” she asked. I nodded, how could I forget; that was the day Joe asked me to be his girlfriend, we were 15 and 16 years old at the time. I smiled at the memory of us standing under the mistletoe, sharing that first kiss, and him asking me to be his girlfriend as we pulled away.
I sighed as I took that short trip down memory lane. Then I closed my eyes, for just five minutes and dreamt of the day Joe proposed to me seven years ago…
7 Years Ago
“Joe! Where are we going?” I asked my boyfriend of seven years. “You’ll see in a few minutes hun, just be patient.” He replied with a laugh. He had picked me up five minutes ago and was taking me somewhere in his car, while I had a blind fold over my eyes. A half hour had passed and the car finally came to a stop. He helped me out and led me along. “Joe, when can I take this silly thing off?” I asked. He laughed again at my impatience. “In five minutes sweetheart.” He replied as I heard the beep of an elevator. We stepped inside and Joe pressed a button.
Two minutes later the bell rang again and Joe led me off the elevator. I felt a wind chill and thought there was an open window. Then Joe came behind me and whispered in my ear “Are you ready for me to take the blindfold off?” I nodded in response as he took it off and what I saw made my jaw drop. We were on top of the Empire State Building and there was a table set up with candles, roses, and two plates of hot Italian food. “Joe, i- I don’t know what to say. It’s beautiful.” I said, completely speechless. He smiled and led me over to the table, pulling my chair out for me like a true gentleman. I sat down and pulled myself towards the table as Joe sat down too. We ate and talked, and then there were those comfortable, non-awkward silences that I loved. But I knew something was on Joe’s mind and I wanted to know what it was.
“What’s on your mind baby? You seem distracted.” I said after another silence. Joe looked up at me and smiled. “Nothing sweetheart. Don’t worry about it.” He replied as he lifted my hand and kissed it. I nodded and looked out into the beautifully lit city. Then I heard Joe get up and I stood up too. He took my hand and led me to where we can use those telescope things to look out into the city. I looked into it as Joe stood behind me. “Joe, it’s so beautiful.” I said. “Not as beautiful as you.” He said softly. I smiled and kept looking. “Joe do you wanna look?” I asked, turning towards him, only to see him on one knee. My right hand went over my mouth as he took my left hand in his. “My Bella, when I met you seven years ago I knew you were the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. You are the world to me. Every time I see you, I can’t help but smile. The sound of your voice is music to my ears. And your smile makes my heart rate speed up. You are the music inside of me, the song of my heart. I need you to know that I love you...I love you because you're beautiful, smart, sweet, and bit klutzy. You may have some faults, but I love you still. And I ask you now, will you do me the honor of marrying me?” he asked as he pulled out a simple, yet beautiful diamond ring. I was speechless and the tears were streaming down my face. Yet somehow, I found it in me to stammer out “Yes.” He slipped the ring on my finger and stood up, taking me into his arms and kissing me passionately.
Present
I woke up from the flashback and smiled, looking down at my left hand seeing my engagement ring and wedding ring. Our wedding was a year later and year after that, Willow came into the world. Those were the happiest moments of my life. Just as I lifted my head up, an announcement came over the loud speaker. “Flight 395 from New York has arrived.” The announcer said. I stood, knowing it was Joe’s flight. He had flown from Iraq to England to New York and now here to California. I stood anxiously waiting at the end of the gate when I heard Willow and Nick go up to Ashley. “Your daddy’s gonna be here in a few minutes munchkin.” I heard Nick say to Willow as he picked her up. I smiled at my family; knowing only one person was missing. That’s when I heard it. “Bella.” I heard my name. I turned and nearly collapsed.
There he was, standing there with his duffel bag; his dark hair cut short. I felt the tears come to my eyes as we slowly walked towards each other. When I was about 8 feet away, I couldn’t contain myself anymore and ran towards him. He dropped his duffel bag as I jumped into his arms, placing my lips all over his face, making sure I got his lips. “I’m so glad you’re home.” I whispered, once he had set me down. “I know. I am too.” He whispered, leaning his forehead on mine. He kissed me again and I felt the burning sensation I always felt when he kissed me. We pulled away and he smiled. “I want you to meet somebody.” I said as I turned towards our family. He saw Willow in Nick’s arms and his face softened. “Is that-“he began to ask before I cut him off. “Yes Joe, that’s our daughter.” I replied as I led him over to them. Nick put Willow down and I held my hand out to her. “Willow, come here. There’s someone here to see you.” I said as she took my hand. Joe bent down to her level as she hid herself in my right leg she was holding onto.
“Hi Willow.” He said softly. She turned to him. “Hi Daddy.” She whispered, scared. I sensed her fear. “Don’t be afraid sweet heart; it’s only your Daddy.” I said to her. Joe looked up at me, worried. I nodded, telling him to go on. He pulled a Hershey bar out of his pocket. “Mommy told me you liked Hershey bars. I bought this for you.” He said to her. I smiled as she looked at him with a smile. She let go of my leg as she took the candy bar from Joe. “Thank you Daddy.” She said. Then, she went and hugged him. It took Joe by surprise, but he wrapped his arms around her tiny body in response as she buried her head into his neck. “I love you Daddy.” I heard her whisper in his ear. I felt tears well up in my eyes and I saw Joe’s gleam too. “I love you too Baby.” He whispered back, hugging her a little tighter. Then, he lifted her off the ground with one arm and put the other around my waist as I grabbed his duffel bag. “Let’s go home.” He said. Then, along with Ashley and Nick, we walked out of the airport and towards the car. We were finally a family.
10 Years Later
It’s been 10 years since Joe’s homecoming and life couldn’t be any better. Nick, who is 37, and Ashley, who is 36, have been married for 13 years. They are the parents of 3 children; Wendy Marie (10), Zachary John (7), and Daniel Ryan (3). Ashley is 6 months pregnant with their fourth child, a girl to be named Chelsea Rae. As for my family, life just gets better and better each day. Joe is now 40 and I’m 39. We’ve been married for 16 years. Since his homecoming, our family has become bigger. We now have 6 children; Willow Rose, who just turned 15, Savannah Jade, Aaron James, & Jacob Philip (9), Thomas Michael (6), and our little Fallon Elizabeth (2). Since Joe came home, our life together has been filled with love and happiness. Sure, he is a little jumpy because of Iraq but knowing he never has to go back is the best thing in the world. I’m glad he came home and I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with him.
“Uncle Nicky!!!” Willow shouted when she saw her uncle walk into the room as Ashley sat down. She ran into his arms and he lifted her up. “Hey munchkin.” He said as he kissed her forehead before putting her down. “Willow, did you finish your breakfast?” I asked. She nodded. “Can we go now please Mommy?” she begged. I laughed at the face she made, she looked so much like Joe. “Yes sweetheart, go put your jacket on.” I said as she ran out of the room, dragging Nick with her. “Are you nervous?” Ashley asked. I looked up. “No, of course not. Why would I be?” I asked. She laughed. “Bella, you’re shaking. Listen, Joe loves you and a five-year tour in Iraq isn’t going to change that.” She replied. I nodded and got my jacket. “Let’s go, before my daughter decides she’ll drive there herself.” I said to Ashley as I helped her out towards the car. As soon as I had buckled Willow in, we were on the road to the airport.
3 Hours Later
“Mommy, when’s Daddy’s plane going to land?” Willow asked for the 20th time in the past hour. “Soon sweetheart, soon.” I replied, playing with my hair. “Hey Willow, why don’t we go get something to eat and when we get back Daddy’s plane will be here.” Nick said to her. She looked at me. “Mommy can I?” she asked. “Of course sweetie.” I replied. As Nick and her walked away I turned to Ashley. “You know, I was thinking about when we all first met.” She said to me randomly. I laughed. “Yeah, it seems like such a long time ago.” I reply, remembering the hot summer day at Rockaway beach 14 years ago when Joe crashed into me while playing football with Nick. He helped me up and our eyes met. That was the day I knew I had met the man I was destined to be with. “Mhmm. Do you remember our first Christmas with them?” she asked. I nodded, how could I forget; that was the day Joe asked me to be his girlfriend, we were 15 and 16 years old at the time. I smiled at the memory of us standing under the mistletoe, sharing that first kiss, and him asking me to be his girlfriend as we pulled away.
I sighed as I took that short trip down memory lane. Then I closed my eyes, for just five minutes and dreamt of the day Joe proposed to me seven years ago…
7 Years Ago
“Joe! Where are we going?” I asked my boyfriend of seven years. “You’ll see in a few minutes hun, just be patient.” He replied with a laugh. He had picked me up five minutes ago and was taking me somewhere in his car, while I had a blind fold over my eyes. A half hour had passed and the car finally came to a stop. He helped me out and led me along. “Joe, when can I take this silly thing off?” I asked. He laughed again at my impatience. “In five minutes sweetheart.” He replied as I heard the beep of an elevator. We stepped inside and Joe pressed a button.
Two minutes later the bell rang again and Joe led me off the elevator. I felt a wind chill and thought there was an open window. Then Joe came behind me and whispered in my ear “Are you ready for me to take the blindfold off?” I nodded in response as he took it off and what I saw made my jaw drop. We were on top of the Empire State Building and there was a table set up with candles, roses, and two plates of hot Italian food. “Joe, i- I don’t know what to say. It’s beautiful.” I said, completely speechless. He smiled and led me over to the table, pulling my chair out for me like a true gentleman. I sat down and pulled myself towards the table as Joe sat down too. We ate and talked, and then there were those comfortable, non-awkward silences that I loved. But I knew something was on Joe’s mind and I wanted to know what it was.
“What’s on your mind baby? You seem distracted.” I said after another silence. Joe looked up at me and smiled. “Nothing sweetheart. Don’t worry about it.” He replied as he lifted my hand and kissed it. I nodded and looked out into the beautifully lit city. Then I heard Joe get up and I stood up too. He took my hand and led me to where we can use those telescope things to look out into the city. I looked into it as Joe stood behind me. “Joe, it’s so beautiful.” I said. “Not as beautiful as you.” He said softly. I smiled and kept looking. “Joe do you wanna look?” I asked, turning towards him, only to see him on one knee. My right hand went over my mouth as he took my left hand in his. “My Bella, when I met you seven years ago I knew you were the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. You are the world to me. Every time I see you, I can’t help but smile. The sound of your voice is music to my ears. And your smile makes my heart rate speed up. You are the music inside of me, the song of my heart. I need you to know that I love you...I love you because you're beautiful, smart, sweet, and bit klutzy. You may have some faults, but I love you still. And I ask you now, will you do me the honor of marrying me?” he asked as he pulled out a simple, yet beautiful diamond ring. I was speechless and the tears were streaming down my face. Yet somehow, I found it in me to stammer out “Yes.” He slipped the ring on my finger and stood up, taking me into his arms and kissing me passionately.
Present
I woke up from the flashback and smiled, looking down at my left hand seeing my engagement ring and wedding ring. Our wedding was a year later and year after that, Willow came into the world. Those were the happiest moments of my life. Just as I lifted my head up, an announcement came over the loud speaker. “Flight 395 from New York has arrived.” The announcer said. I stood, knowing it was Joe’s flight. He had flown from Iraq to England to New York and now here to California. I stood anxiously waiting at the end of the gate when I heard Willow and Nick go up to Ashley. “Your daddy’s gonna be here in a few minutes munchkin.” I heard Nick say to Willow as he picked her up. I smiled at my family; knowing only one person was missing. That’s when I heard it. “Bella.” I heard my name. I turned and nearly collapsed.
There he was, standing there with his duffel bag; his dark hair cut short. I felt the tears come to my eyes as we slowly walked towards each other. When I was about 8 feet away, I couldn’t contain myself anymore and ran towards him. He dropped his duffel bag as I jumped into his arms, placing my lips all over his face, making sure I got his lips. “I’m so glad you’re home.” I whispered, once he had set me down. “I know. I am too.” He whispered, leaning his forehead on mine. He kissed me again and I felt the burning sensation I always felt when he kissed me. We pulled away and he smiled. “I want you to meet somebody.” I said as I turned towards our family. He saw Willow in Nick’s arms and his face softened. “Is that-“he began to ask before I cut him off. “Yes Joe, that’s our daughter.” I replied as I led him over to them. Nick put Willow down and I held my hand out to her. “Willow, come here. There’s someone here to see you.” I said as she took my hand. Joe bent down to her level as she hid herself in my right leg she was holding onto.
“Hi Willow.” He said softly. She turned to him. “Hi Daddy.” She whispered, scared. I sensed her fear. “Don’t be afraid sweet heart; it’s only your Daddy.” I said to her. Joe looked up at me, worried. I nodded, telling him to go on. He pulled a Hershey bar out of his pocket. “Mommy told me you liked Hershey bars. I bought this for you.” He said to her. I smiled as she looked at him with a smile. She let go of my leg as she took the candy bar from Joe. “Thank you Daddy.” She said. Then, she went and hugged him. It took Joe by surprise, but he wrapped his arms around her tiny body in response as she buried her head into his neck. “I love you Daddy.” I heard her whisper in his ear. I felt tears well up in my eyes and I saw Joe’s gleam too. “I love you too Baby.” He whispered back, hugging her a little tighter. Then, he lifted her off the ground with one arm and put the other around my waist as I grabbed his duffel bag. “Let’s go home.” He said. Then, along with Ashley and Nick, we walked out of the airport and towards the car. We were finally a family.
10 Years Later
It’s been 10 years since Joe’s homecoming and life couldn’t be any better. Nick, who is 37, and Ashley, who is 36, have been married for 13 years. They are the parents of 3 children; Wendy Marie (10), Zachary John (7), and Daniel Ryan (3). Ashley is 6 months pregnant with their fourth child, a girl to be named Chelsea Rae. As for my family, life just gets better and better each day. Joe is now 40 and I’m 39. We’ve been married for 16 years. Since his homecoming, our family has become bigger. We now have 6 children; Willow Rose, who just turned 15, Savannah Jade, Aaron James, & Jacob Philip (9), Thomas Michael (6), and our little Fallon Elizabeth (2). Since Joe came home, our life together has been filled with love and happiness. Sure, he is a little jumpy because of Iraq but knowing he never has to go back is the best thing in the world. I’m glad he came home and I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with him.