Happy

I was sitting on the bench waiting for Matt. He said that there was something that he had to do after the ceremony. I sighed as I waited. A moment later I stood as he walked to me. I walked to him and he wrapped his arms around me lowering his lips to mine.

“Is it over?” I asked him. I had known what he had to do.

“Yeah, it’s just us now.”

“I love you Matt.”

“I love you Val.”

“Val…wake up honey.” Val slowly opened her eyes and took in her surroundings. She sat up in bed and found herself staring at Matt. He was sitting on the edge of the bed holding a long yet small gift wrapped box. Val rose an eyebrow at him and he just smiled.

“Matt?” Val asked looking at her husband.

“Happy Anniversary.” Matt said handing her the box. She looked up at him and smiled. Before she could open it though he moved so that he could kiss her and pressed his lips to hers. When they pulled back she smiled at him and bit her lip. She had something that she needed to tell him. When she didn’t open her gift right away Matt got worried. “Babe?”

“Nothings wrong.”

“Then why aren’t you opening your gift?”

“There’s something that I need to tell you.” Matt pulled back a little suddenly worried because she was saying this and hadn’t opened the gift he had gotten her. Had she cheated on him?After all these years together? “It’s not bad I promise.” Val said seeing him draw away from her.

“Okay.” It was obvious that he was skeptical about the whole thing.

“Matt, baby, I’m pregnant.” Matt stared at her a moment. Had he heard her correctly?

“Pregnant? When did you find out?” It was the only thing that he could think to say.

“I found out yesterday. I thought today would be the perfect day to tell you.”

“You…you’re, oh my god Val this is amazing news!” Matt pulled her to him and held his wife close. After years of trying they were going to have a baby. Val smiled as she pulled away from him. He was as happy as she was. Matt couldn’t wait to tell the others, but more importantly he couldn’t wait to tell Sarah that she was going to be a big sister.

“We have to tell ‘Chelle immediately. I’ve been keeping this secret from her for too long. I mean I suspected it for like a week now and to not tell my own twin and best friend is killing me.”

“Okay ‘Chelle then Alexia and then we have to tell…”

“Sarah.” Val said smiling at him. She loved her stepdaughter.

“Yeah Sarah.” Matt said. “Now open your gift then go get dressed, I’ll meet you downstairs.” Matt told her as he made his way from the room. Val watched him leave and moved from the bed and got dressed. She picked up Matt’s gift and opened it. Inside was a beautiful diamond drop necklace. She put it on before making her way downstairs. She made it into the hallway off the kitchen before Jimmy came bursting through the front door.

“I’m getting married!” Jimmy exclaimed. Matt walked from the kitchen and Val turned and glanced at Jimmy. Jimmy just grinned and closed the door behind him.

“You couldn’t wait to tell us?” Val asked half laughing as Matt wrapped his arms around his wife of nine years.

“No, I know it’s your anniversary but I was excited. Veronica told me to wait to tell you but I couldn’t wait. Happy anniversary, by the way.”

“Thanks and congratulations on the engagement, now go away and we’ll see you this afternoon for the cookout.” Matt said shaking his head at his friend. Jimmy turned and left. “Twenty bucks says everyone knows by this afternoon.”

“I’ll take that bet.” Val said smirking. “Thanks for the necklace baby.”

“You’re welcome, I thought that you would like it. Now do you want to go to breakfast or do you want me to cook?”

“Let’s go to breakfast, after we go to ‘Chelle’s.”

“Alright, first stop you’re sisters house.” Matt said as Val slipped on her flip flops and tossed Matt his keys. They headed out locking the door behind them. In the car Matt rolled his eyes as Val insisted that they listen to Christina Aguilera. They pulled up in Michelle’s driveway to see Diane in the front yard playing with Sarah and Michelle walking out the front door. She saw them pull in and smiled.

“I thought I was bringing her to the cookout later.”

“I didn’t know she was here. Hey Sarah.” Matt said.

“Hi daddy.” The soon to be ten year old said making her father smile. “Hi Val.”

“Hi Sarah, hey Diane.” Val replied hugging both girls.

“Happy anniversary, daddy and Val.” Sarah said making the two smile and both bent down to hug her.

“Thanks baby girl.” Matt and Val both said at the same time.

“So what brings you two here?” Michelle asked sitting on the front porch steps.

“Well we wanted to tell you something.” Val said. She looked ready to burst with excitement. Michelle just raised an eyebrow at her sister and brother in law.

“Well I’m waiting.” Diane and Sarah looked at the adults waiting as well.

“I’m pregnant.” Val exclaimed and Michelle jumped up and hugged her sister tightly.

“Congratulations! Is this what you weren’t telling me?”

“I wasn’t sure until yesterday and I didn’t want to jump the gun just in case I wasn’t. That and I wanted to tell Matt first.” Matt smiled and wrapped an arm around her.

“Well that’s understandable. Oh this is exciting! I’m gonna be an aunt!.”

“Glad you’re excited ‘Chelle.”

“Does this mean that I’m gonna be a big sister?” Sarah asked caustiiosly.

“Yeah it does.” Val said and smiled at the girl.

“Well we’re on our way to get breakfast, we’ll see you later this afternoon.”

“Wait dad, mom didn’t pack my bathing suit.”

“You left it at our house. I just washed it.” Val told her.

“Oh, okay, never mind then. Bye.”

That afternoon Matt was walking around in his swim trunks digging through the clean clothes that his daughter left at his house looking for her swimsuit. He finally found it in a pile of clothes that Val had yet to put away. He put away the clothes and left the green swimsuit on the bed. He walked downstairs just as Michelle walked through the door with the girls. Diane was already in her blue two piece. Matt knew this because she had already pulled her t-shirt off and was headed for the backdoor.

“Diane, say hi to your aunt and uncle first.” Michelle yelled after her daughter.

“Val’s already outback.” Matt told his sister in law. “Your swimsuit is up on your bed Sarah, and Val already got the floats and pool toys out for you girls.”

“Okay.” And Sarah ran up the steps to change. Matt shook his head but smiled after his daughter. Matt followed Michelle out back only to notice that the twins were wearing the exact same black swimsuit. He shook his head and watched as Diane jumped into the pool.

“Mommy get in with me.” Diane called to her mother. Michelle shook her head laughing and told her to hold on a minute.

“So what’s up ‘Chelle?” Val asked her sister as she put ice in a cooler that Matt had added soda to. The beer coolers were already full and the girls had juices in a smaller pink one.

“It’s nothing really, lets not worry about it today. Hey look Leanne and Brian are here.” Michelle said and the girls began to giggle as Matt groaned. He didn’t get along with Leanne. No one knew what had happened between the two except them and everytime it got mentioned neither one of them wanted to talk about it.

“Can I go hide?” Matt asked his wife as his sister in law slipped into the pool with her daughter.

“No you’ll be fine honest. Besides a couple of beers in and you’ll forget that you hate one another.” Val said handing him his first beer of the day. And shaking her head walked over to greet their guests.

Jimmy and Veronica were the next to show up and they were both smiling. Veronica couldn’t wait to see her daughter and tell her the news. She knew that Jimmy had already told Matt and Val. She wasn’t sure who else he had told and she had a feeling that she was about to find out. What she really couldn’t wait to do was tell Sarah, who already couldn’t wait to be a big sister. Veronica rested a hand on her seven month pregnant stomach as she thought about the baby that she was carrying. Jimmy smiled at her and she grinned as he wrapped an arm around her as they made their way out back. Sarah was the first to spot them seeing as she’d just barely made it out back and was yet to jump in the pool, where Leanne, Michelle, and Diane were playing.

“Mommy!” Sarah yelled and ran to her mom. Veronica hugged her daughter as best she could.

“How’s my angel?” Veronica asked and Sarah smiled telling her she was fine.

“Come swim with me mom.” Sarah said and Veronica laughed.

“Give me ten minutes. Go play with Diane.” Veronica told her, “Then I’ll join you. I promise.”

“Okay. Hi Jimmy.” And with that Sarah was off and in the pool not even giving the man time to respond. Jimmy just shook his head as a moment later Val walked over to them.

“Hey Val.” Veronica said easily. She had no problem with the other woman and was over the fact that Matt had left her for the other woman.

“Hey Veronica, so I heard the good news.”

“Yeah I figured as much. I sent the man out for breakfast and he comes back and says he stopped here before going and getting my food.”

“He’s excited that’s all, he’s not only just gonna be a father anymore.”

“You know I’m right here.” Jimmy said making the girls laugh.

“Go get a beer and leave us alone Jimmy.” Veronica told her fiancé. Getting the go ahead to get a beer seemed to be his excuse to walk over to Brian and Matt who were starting the grill. Val bit her lip and looked at Veronica. “Something on your mind Val?”

“Well actually there was something that I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Okay. Do you want to go inside and talk where it’s less crowded?”

“I’d prefer it.” Val said as Alexia and Zack walked around back hand in hand. Matt watched as the two of them walked inside and nudged Jimmy who just shrugged.

“So what do you want to talk about Val?”

“Veronica, I’m not sure if you know this but uhm… Matt…”

“Left me for you?” Veronica finished for her. Val just stared.

“You know?”

“I’ve known for the past seven months, Jimmy told me.”

“You’re not mad at me?”

“I was at first but I got over it when I started getting feelings for Jimmy.”

“Oh…”

“Trust me at first I was pissed, but then me and Jimmy got together and I’d realized I’d never really hated him. But I’d been with Matt so I had to pretend to hate Jimmy instead of love him. I just got so used to hating him that it came naturally. I hated Matt for years after he left after knocking me up. I wanted to make him feel the pain that I went through. After a while I quit wondering why he walked away and began wondering what I was going to tell my daughter when she realized that she looked like her favorite rock star. But it has never happened and she has yet to mention that Matt is M. Shadows and well you get the point.”

“Yeah I get the point. You know since we’re being honest when you showed back up in our lives I was worried. Because I knew immediately that Sarah was his. It’s the eyes. I was so mad knowing that he had a kid. Because we’ve been trying since a year after we got married.”

“Is that what Zack was saying when I found out that I was…”

“Yeah but it’s okay you know.”

“No, Val it’s not. It must be hard on you.”

“It was until last week.”

“Last week?”

“Yeah I missed my period.”

“Have you gone to the doctors?”

“Yes. And the answer is yes. I’m pregnant!”

“Oh my god! Congratulations!” Veronica said and stood and hugged Val shocking Brian who had walked through at that moment to go use the restroom.

“What’s with the two of you hugging? One would think that something is wrong.” Brian said.

“no nothings wrong. In fact everything is just perfect.” Veronica said causing Brian to raise an eyebrow at her.

“Is Jimmy’s hyperness wearing off on you?”

“No Brian, I’m pregnant and emotional.” Veronica said smacking Brian in the back of the head before walking outside to find her fiancé.

“There is a difference you know.” Val said following Veronica. Once outside she noticed that almost everyone was in the pool playing with the girls. She slipped into the pool and smiled at Matt as he passed a ball back towards Sarah. She also noticed that Johnny and Lacey weren’t there yet. Suddenly Halestorm was playing from inside the house and Brian was walking back out.

“So where’s Johnny and Lacey?” Brian asked as he pulled his shirt off.

“Not here yet apparently.” Veronica said as she hit a ball towards Val.

“Baby are you going to join us or just stand there looking sexy?” Leanne asked grinning. Everyone else just shook their heads and Matt rolled his eyes. He needed another beer.

“I’m getting in, but I was just wondering.”

“Shut up and get in the pool Haner.” Matt said.

“Yeah get in the pool.” Zack said with a smirk tipping Brian off that they were up to something.

“No I think I’ll…” But he was cut off as he was shoved into the pool. When he surfaced he looked around. “What the fuck!?”

“Sorry man, the women told me to.” Johnny said.

“No they didn’t.” Matt said. Veronica laughed and the girls all just looked at one another grinning. Lacey stripped down to her swimsuit and dove into the pool. Johnny just sat on the edge.

“So happy anniversary guys.” Lacey said giving Matt and Val a hug each.

“Yeah what she said.” Zack said causing Alexia to laugh. He wrapped an arm around his fiancé. He couldn’t wait until they were married. A moment later Veronica tucked a strand of hair behind her ear causing the ring on her finger to glint in the sunlight.

“What the hell is that Veronica?” Brian asked.

“What’s what?” She questioned looking around.

“On your hand.” Brian stated rolling his eyes. She glanced down and smiled.

“Oh… it’s my engagement ring.”

“Engagement ring… what? Since when?” Leanne asked excitedly.

“Since Last night.” Jimmy stated. Val glanced at Matt and he groaned.

“Who all did you tell this morning Jimmy?” Val asked.

“Just you guys why?”

“You owe me twenty bucks Matt.” Matt shook his head and got out of the pool. He walked inside and got a twenty out of his wallet and came back outside. “Where the hell am I supposed to put that? Not only am I in the pool but there are no pockets on this swimsuit.”

“Well get your pregnant ass out of the pool and take it inside then.” Matt told his wife grinning. Everyone just stared at him.

“Pregnant?” Alexia gasped. “You mean I’m finally gonna be an Aunt?”

“Yes sis.” Matt said and next thing anyone knew she was out of the pool and hugging her brother. Matt just shook his head and pried his sister off of him and shoved her backwards into the pool. When she surfaced she splashed him. Veronica just shook her head at the siblings and smiled as she placed a hand on her stomach a moment later.

“You okay Veronica?” Val asked.

“Yeah, just excited that’s all. Wait until you’re this far along and you’ll be just as excited.”

“I already am. I mean this is what Matt and I always wanted.”

“Good, I’m glad you two are happy.” Veronica said and Jimmy smiled as he pulled her to him.

“God could this day get any better?” Leanne asked. “I mean everyone is really happy and I’m glad for that. Especially since Veronica is the best friend that a girl could ever have.” Leanne said the last part directly aimed at Matt. Suddenly why she was always a bitch to him made sense. Leanne was the Lea that she had always hung out with only she had dyed her hair and lost some weight.

“Wait you knew Veronica in high school?” Brian asked.

“Yeah we were best friends.” Veronica said. Val just shook her head.

“So who’s hungry?” Matt asked.

“Me daddy!” Sarah exclaimed and Matt laughed.

Two months later

Val was sitting on the back patio steps when Matt walked out he smiled at her and sat beside her. She rested her head on his shoulder and her hand went to her stomach. She was four months pregnant. They were both happy. They looked up a moment later when Sarah darted out the door with the phone in her hand.

“Daddy it’s Jimmy!” Matt took the phone as Sarah sat down on the other side of Val.

“What’s up man?”

“Veronica’s in labor. She wants Sarah here at the hospital with her.”

“We’re on our way.”

“Okay, I’ve already called everyone else.”

“Go be with your woman we’ll be there as soon as possible.”

Twenty minutes later Matt, Val, and Sarah walked into the maternity ward of the hospital and were met with a very excited Jimmy. Matt shook his head as Sarah took Jimmy’s hand and walked down the hall to Veronica’s room. Val sighed.

“Do you think she’ll be that excited when our baby is born?”

“Yeah, c’mon lets join the others this could take a while.” Fifteen hours later they were all standing Veronica’s room as Giselle Marie Sullivan was handed from mother to father. Jimmy looked down at his daughter and smiled. She had his blue eyes.

“She’s beautiful Veronica.” Val said as she stood by Jimmy to look at the little girl in his arms.

“She looks like her daddy.” Was the reply that she got.

“I’m so glad that we’re all happy.” Val said smiling at her husband and then her friends.