Three Cheers

I was ordered to sit on the couch while the girls and Gerard decorated the tree. I hated when he was forceful with me; though I know he was only being careful. I had pouted and frowned at him.

Thora had come over to me holding a pink plastic ornament; "How come daddy makes you sit?"

I looked at Gerard, who was watching us, and then looked back at Thora, "Because daddy seems to think I'm a dog."

Thora giggled and then looked at him, "Silly daddy."

"I'm kidding," I told her before Gerard could retort. "Daddy just wants me and the baby to be comfortable."

"Do you want to help us, though, mama?"

"Daddy won't let me."

Thora narrowed her eyes and then took my hand, "Daddy isn't the boss of you."

I laughed, "I know, but he aggravates me, Baby. I'm just gonna do what he says."

She tugged my hand, "Come on, mama."

I smiled and exhaled, "Okay."

Gerard came over and helped me up, "If you ain't gonna listen to me, I might as well help you."

"I listen to you all the time." I smirked at him.

He chuckled and let go of my hand, "Just be careful."

I rolled my eyes, "I will. I'm just putting up ornaments."

He kissed my cheek, "I'm making sure, Sugar."

Baby Ronan was getting heavier, I couldn't wait until he was here. I was able to do things, though I was getting too used to sitting on my butt. Gerard didn't really want me to do much once the baby was born; he was all about making sure everything was perfect.

"Mama," Busy tugged at my hand and I looked at her, "Me and daddy made this for the baby."

She showed me a dark blue paper snowflake with the baby's name across it. I cooed, "Aww, Busy, that's so cute. You did a great job."

"Daddy helped me cut it." She announced proudly.

I looked over at Gerard -he was helping Thora hang the pink ornament to my left. I awed at him, and then continued to hang more up with Busy. We finished off with hanging popcorn strands around it; Thora sat on Gerard's shoulders and spun it around the top.

"Can I put the angel up now?" Thora asked.

"Yeah," I told her.

Busy got the angel and handed it off to Gerard, and then it went up to Thora. She leaned forward, "Be careful, Baby." I told her.

"I am." She murmured; her tongue stuck out the side of her mouth. We watched her put the angel up; she cheered for herself, "I did it!"

We clapped for her, and then Gerard put her down, "Look at it, Thora."

She stepped back and looked at all the colors, "Wow."

I laughed; she and Busy looked at it, "I take it you two love it?"

They both nodded vigorously, "Uh-huh!"

The entire tree lit up the room; Gerard came and stood beside me, "Are we gonna wrap the gifts tonight?" He whispered to me.

"Maybe." I answered. "Ronan has been kickin' me a lot lately."

"I can do it." He said.

I leaned over to his ear as the girls awed at the tree; "Sorry to say, G, but you suck at wrapping."

He laughed, "I do not."

"You do too." I patted his shoulder, "Sorry."

He shook his head, "Fine, you're teaching me."

"Alright, I'll teach you."


When Christmas arrived, Gerard and I had set the presents under the tree and awaited the girls to wake to them. The two of us had gone back to the bedroom and watched some Christmas movies. I could sense that there was something on Gerard's mind, because the last few days he was over at Ray's working on music. I didn't pester him, I just asked subtle questions and kept it all at a distance. The only one who really knew what Gerard was doing over at Ray's was Thora; she always went with him.

So, I turned to him; he was lying on his stomach and I was sitting beside him, "Gerard?"

He looked over at me with heavy eyelids, "Yeah?"

"What's going on?"

He raised a brow and rolled onto his back, "Nothin', why?"

"You look like you got somethin' on your mind."

He yawned slightly and rubbed his eyes, "Yeah...I do, but I rather not bother you about it."

"You know," I rolled to lay on my back beside him, "Keepin' stuff from me is never a good idea, Gerard."

"I ain't gonna stress you out." He replied.

"Tell me now." Crossed my arms over my chest.

He smiled at me, "You're cute when you're mad."

"Don't change the subject." I told him sternly.

He rolled his eyes, "Alright. Uh, I was talkin' to the guys and we got to meet with the head of the label and talk about a new album."

My brows shot up, "Thats it?"

He shook his head, "We're gonna head to New York for a week to talk it out."

"Oh. When?"

Gerard frowned slightly, "After New Years."

I sat up, "Our baby is due the first week of January."

Gerard sighed and sat up, too, "I know, I told them that, but they want to get it done as soon as possible so they'll have some marketing shit for the summer."

I groaned, "God, if you miss this birth I won't forgive you."

He pouted at me and leaned over to kiss the corner of my mouth, "I'm sorry, Sugar. I won't miss it, I promise."

"These things aren't something that can wait." I mumbled.

"I'll come home early, ya'know, I won't be there too long."

"I hope not."

"If I miss it, which I doubt," he said pointedly, "I'll make it up to you...at least, I'll try."

I nodded shortly and kissed his cheek, "It's alright, Gerard. Just know, while in labor, I will curse your name."

He chuckled, "Go for it."


The following morning, we woke up to Thora screaming joyously. We both shot up, Gerard faster than myself, "What's going on?" He called out.

Thora came running in, "Santa came!"

I laughed and Gerard ran his hand through his hair, "Duh."

"Hey!" She exclaimed, "Don't say that to me!"

I laughed harder, while Gerard just snickered, "I'm sorry."

Thora shrugged, then returned to her excited demeanor, "Come see!"

"Okay, okay." Gerard grumbled. "What time is it?"

"Christmas time!" She shouted before running off.

Gerard hummed a laughed and got up, "It's 6 am. Christmas time."

I got out of bed, "Let's go appease these little girls."

Gerard took my hand and led me out of the room. Thora and Busy were already on the floor in front of the tree shaking some of the gifts. Thora shook one close to her ear, "I think it's Legos!"

"It's not Legos." Busy said, "You didn't as Santa for Legos."

"You don't know what I asked for!" Thora stuck her tongue out.

I shook my head at them, "No fighting, just open your gifts."

Gerard and I sat and watched the girls rip open the wrapping paper. They got all the things my dad said they had asked Santa for at the mall. Busy got fake makeup, dolls, an easel with a bunch of art sets. Thora got Legos (the Star Wars set she asked for), a large teddy bear, an array of Barbie dolls like Busy and a remote control car -from Mikey. They also got some tinker toys, hula hoops and other toys to occupy themselves. Busy immediately started to draw on her easel and Thora chased Happy with the remote control car.

Gerard and I gave each other little gifts; I got him Neil Gaiman's Fragile Things. He got me books, too; Nineteen-Eight Four by George Orwell, Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk and Catcher In The Rye. There wasn't much that we wanted, so this was good enough.

As the girls played, he leaned over to me, "When do you think I should tell them?"

I shrugged, "Dunno...soon."

He sighed, "They're gonna kill me."

I smirked at him, "Uh-huh."

He hummed, "Meh, they'll get over it. Look at all the shit they got."

"They'd rather have you than all this stuff." I told him.

He looked at me and pressed his hand to my shoulder, "Yeah...I know, I know."