Sequel: On and On ›
The Good Life
Chapter 43
I woke up the next morning and had to pry myself away from Joe to run into the bathroom. I made it just in time, cowering over the toilet and letting the sickness take over. Joe came in a few seconds later and pulled my hair into a ponytail and rubbing my back. I heard him get up and wet a washcloth. I flushed the toilet and set the lid down and sat on the top. Joe kneeled in front of me and wiped my face off, pressing the warm cloth’s clean side on my forehead. “You okay?” He asked softly.
I let out a sigh and leaned into him. “I hate this.” I groaned. “Aww…babe.” He pouted and looked up at me. “You want to take a bath? You’ll feel better.” I nodded and he kissed my forehead before walking to the bathtub and letting the water fill up. “Bubbles?” He asked from behind me. “Yes please.” I said walking to the sink and brushing my teeth and washing my mouth out.
Joe wrapped his arms around me from behind and pressed his lips against my neck. “I’m going to let Kipp out.” I smiled at him through the mirror and turned in his arms. “Hurry back? That’s a big bathtub to be all alone in.” He smiled and pulled me closer to him, layering kisses down my jaw. “I’ll be right back.” I smirked and stepped back, slowly pulling my shirt over my head, “I’ll be waiting.” He smiled and shook his head. “My wife is such a tease.” He laughed walking through the door. I let my laughter echo throughout the bathroom after him before I shimmied out the rest of my clothes and turned off the water, and climbing in.
I shut my eyes and sunk into the water, laying my hands over my stomach, rubbing large circles. Joe was right, after doing nothing but wallowing for the past two days, this is exactly what I needed. I laid there for a while before I felt the water moving around me. I opened one eye and saw Joe eye level next to me, running a hand through the water. I smiled, “You took longer than expected.” I said closing my eye again. He ran his fingers along my face, “Mom called, she wants to take you to look for baby furniture.” I groaned and scrunched my face. “I told her to give you a couple of hours; you weren’t feeling well this morning.” I opened my eyes and smirked, turning my head towards him. He mirrored my smirk and I snaked my arms around his neck and pulled him, fully clothed, into the water with me.
After a long bath and cleaning up water and all of Joe’s wet clothes off the floor, we sat snuggled up together on the couch watching the newest season of America’s Best Dance Crew. I heard the knocking and Joe untangled himself from me and got up to get the door. I heard him greeting Denise and got up, making my way to the foyer. Denise smiled, “Hey Kayden. Ready?” She asked coming to give me a hug and my growing stomach a hearty rub, like every other time she saw me. I smiled, she was so excited for her first grandchild. She turned and hugged Joe. “Make yourself useful today, don’t just lay around.” She told him, walking out the door, “Yeah yeah.” He said walking over to me and wrapping his arms around me, nuzzling his face into my neck. “Have fun.” I ran my fingers through his hair, “Don’t miss me too much.” He pulled back. “I’ll try.” I smiled and pulled him to me, pressing our lips together, “Love you.” He pecked my lips, “Love you too.”
Denise and I spent the entire day at small baby boutiques and hit up every baby store in the surrounding area looking for the perfect furniture and such for the baby’s room. By the time we were done, we had picked out and ordered the furniture, two rocking chairs, one for our house and one for Denise’s, two strollers and a car seat. It was all being delivered to the house sometime this week. I drug myself into the car and Denise started on the ride home. We were talking about all the ideas for the nursery and color schemes and decorations. It definitely got me excited for working on the baby’s room with Joe.
I opened the door into a dark house, “Joe?” I called out. I heard nothing, everything was quiet. I flipped on the light and saw white arrows leading into living room. I smiled and locked the door behind me, walking through the foyer and into the living room seeing all the glass doors that lead to the pool open, and Joe standing there. “Hey baby.” He said when I got close to him. I wrapped my arms around his torso and looked up to him, “Hi.” He leaned down, his lips brushing mine, “I missed you.” I smiled and he pressed his lips to mine in a long slow kiss. He pulled away took my hand and we made our way to the steps that led to the beach.
There laid out was a blanket, Chinese take out, pillows, candles, and apple juice. I stopped and looked over to him. “You’re amazing…you know that?” He smiled his adorable little half grin and pulled me to him. “You…” He said rubbing his nose against mine. “Are my life.” He said placing a hand on my stomach. “…Both of you.” He whispered. My heart fluttered and I stood on my tip toes lightly kissing his lips. “So what are we doing out here?” He shrugged and pulled me towards the blanket, “Star watching, talking, being together.” We sat down and ate our food.
“So, we picked out the furniture and stuff today.” He looked up at me, “Did you now?” I smiled, “Mmhmm. It’s coming in sometime this week.” He looked up at me from his fried rice. “Well, I guess we better get started on the room then, huh?” I nodded, “Yup.” He put down his food container and patted his lap. I crawled over and climbed into his lap. He wrapped the blanket around us.
“What do you say tomorrow we go to Home Depot, pick out a color and paint the room? Just me and you.” I smiled and snuggled into him. “I would absolutely love that.” He smiled and pulled me off of him, and set me next to him. “I have to show you something.” I folded my hands in my lap and grinned, “Show away.” He leaned back and pulled his guitar out from beside the blanket. Whoa I definitely didn’t see that before. He held the pick in between his teeth and tuned the chords before looking up at me. I nodded and he began strumming, never breaking his eye contact.
Baby when I look at you
You know it breaks my heart in two
How beautiful you are
I’ve seen you in a million dreams
Now you’re finally here with me
We will never be apart
I wanna hold you forever
That’s all I’ll ever need
You are my love
You are my life
My heart and soul
The truest friend I’ve ever known
You are my world
All of my dreams
My fantasy, my reality
I love everything you are
Every time I close my eyes
It hits me so deep inside
How real this feeling is
I’m intoxicated by your touch
It’s a sweet, sweet rush
I’m in love with your kiss
You’re the one I trust the most
You changed me
You are my love
You are my life
My heart and soul
The truest friend I’ve ever known
You are my world
All of my dreams
My fantasy, my reality
I love everything you are
You are my love
You are my life
My heart and soul
The truest friend I’ve ever known
You are my world
All of my dreams
My fantasy, my reality
I love everything you are
Everything, I love is everything you are
He set the guitar down and pulled me back in his lap. I set my forehead against his and wove my fingers together on the back of his neck.. “You never cease to absolutely amaze me.” I felt him smile onto my lips. “It’s my favorite.” I smiled and tilted my head, pulling his lips to mine. I pulled back, breathless after a few minutes, “I’ve read your song book backwards and forwards, that song isn’t in there.” He wrapped a strand of my hair around his finger. “It’s from Kayden’s songs Volume 3.” He laughed a little, “I wrote it today while you were gone, you’re all I thought about.” I bit my lip and grinned. “There’s a Volume 3?” He nodded, “And a 2…You’re very inspirational.” I pulled myself closer to him. “I love you.” I spoke, our lips brushing. He flipped me over, carefully laying me down and laying next to me, pushing the hair away from my ear, “I love you too.” He said wrapping the blanket around us and laying his hand on my stomach, gently rubbing small circles. “You know.” Joe said after a little while, “This is perfect, right here, with you, no distractions, just us.” I smiled and cuddled closer to him, “Yeah, it really is.”
About an hour later we picked up and made our way into the house and climbing in bed to rest up for the constructive productive day that awaited us tomorrow.
I stood in Home Depot with two color pallets, “Joe…come on…Daffodil Blossom or Mint Frappe…yellow or green? Please pick.” His eyebrows were set in a hard line of concentration. “What color is the furniture?” He asked again. “White. It’s all white.” He sighed and looked at me, “Which one do you want?” I shook my head, “You first, if we don’t agree, we pick two more colors.” He stared at me for a few seconds before a brilliant smile lifted on his face, “The yellow one.” I smiled, “How’d you know?” He shrugged, “I know you.”
We bought everything we’d need, paint brushes, sheets to lay on the floor, painter’s tape and painter’s hats adorned with the Home Depot logo that Joe insisted we buy. We drug it all into the house and up the stairs to the room across from ours and got to work.
We spent the rest of the day painting the room and laughing with each other, talking about where we would put everything when the furniture came. We both laid in the middle of the floor, covered in paint streaks and splatters, watching the paint dry when Joe stood, “I have something for you.” I sat up and cocked my head, “What is it?” I smiled. “One sec.” He jogged out of the room and I heard him in the closet at the end of the hall. His footsteps carried back and his head poked through the door. “Close your eyes.” I smiled and shut my eyes. I heard the painter’s sheet crunching around me and Joe’s soft voice. “Okay…” My eyes fluttered open and I took in the sight in front of me.
It was my first sonogram picture, blown up to poster size, and lined in a white frame. I cupped my hand over my mouth. “Joe…” I breathed. “I figured we could hang it over the crib, you know like…baby goes here. I laughed a little and stood, wrapping my arms around him, “It’s perfect. Everything’s perfect.”
He smiled and rubbed his nose against mine. “I can’t wait.” He said rubbing his hands on my stomach, “I want it now.” I chuckled against his lips. “It’ll be worth the wait.” He wrapped his arms around me, “I love you.” I pressed my face into his neck, “I love you too.”
I let out a sigh and leaned into him. “I hate this.” I groaned. “Aww…babe.” He pouted and looked up at me. “You want to take a bath? You’ll feel better.” I nodded and he kissed my forehead before walking to the bathtub and letting the water fill up. “Bubbles?” He asked from behind me. “Yes please.” I said walking to the sink and brushing my teeth and washing my mouth out.
Joe wrapped his arms around me from behind and pressed his lips against my neck. “I’m going to let Kipp out.” I smiled at him through the mirror and turned in his arms. “Hurry back? That’s a big bathtub to be all alone in.” He smiled and pulled me closer to him, layering kisses down my jaw. “I’ll be right back.” I smirked and stepped back, slowly pulling my shirt over my head, “I’ll be waiting.” He smiled and shook his head. “My wife is such a tease.” He laughed walking through the door. I let my laughter echo throughout the bathroom after him before I shimmied out the rest of my clothes and turned off the water, and climbing in.
I shut my eyes and sunk into the water, laying my hands over my stomach, rubbing large circles. Joe was right, after doing nothing but wallowing for the past two days, this is exactly what I needed. I laid there for a while before I felt the water moving around me. I opened one eye and saw Joe eye level next to me, running a hand through the water. I smiled, “You took longer than expected.” I said closing my eye again. He ran his fingers along my face, “Mom called, she wants to take you to look for baby furniture.” I groaned and scrunched my face. “I told her to give you a couple of hours; you weren’t feeling well this morning.” I opened my eyes and smirked, turning my head towards him. He mirrored my smirk and I snaked my arms around his neck and pulled him, fully clothed, into the water with me.
After a long bath and cleaning up water and all of Joe’s wet clothes off the floor, we sat snuggled up together on the couch watching the newest season of America’s Best Dance Crew. I heard the knocking and Joe untangled himself from me and got up to get the door. I heard him greeting Denise and got up, making my way to the foyer. Denise smiled, “Hey Kayden. Ready?” She asked coming to give me a hug and my growing stomach a hearty rub, like every other time she saw me. I smiled, she was so excited for her first grandchild. She turned and hugged Joe. “Make yourself useful today, don’t just lay around.” She told him, walking out the door, “Yeah yeah.” He said walking over to me and wrapping his arms around me, nuzzling his face into my neck. “Have fun.” I ran my fingers through his hair, “Don’t miss me too much.” He pulled back. “I’ll try.” I smiled and pulled him to me, pressing our lips together, “Love you.” He pecked my lips, “Love you too.”
Denise and I spent the entire day at small baby boutiques and hit up every baby store in the surrounding area looking for the perfect furniture and such for the baby’s room. By the time we were done, we had picked out and ordered the furniture, two rocking chairs, one for our house and one for Denise’s, two strollers and a car seat. It was all being delivered to the house sometime this week. I drug myself into the car and Denise started on the ride home. We were talking about all the ideas for the nursery and color schemes and decorations. It definitely got me excited for working on the baby’s room with Joe.
I opened the door into a dark house, “Joe?” I called out. I heard nothing, everything was quiet. I flipped on the light and saw white arrows leading into living room. I smiled and locked the door behind me, walking through the foyer and into the living room seeing all the glass doors that lead to the pool open, and Joe standing there. “Hey baby.” He said when I got close to him. I wrapped my arms around his torso and looked up to him, “Hi.” He leaned down, his lips brushing mine, “I missed you.” I smiled and he pressed his lips to mine in a long slow kiss. He pulled away took my hand and we made our way to the steps that led to the beach.
There laid out was a blanket, Chinese take out, pillows, candles, and apple juice. I stopped and looked over to him. “You’re amazing…you know that?” He smiled his adorable little half grin and pulled me to him. “You…” He said rubbing his nose against mine. “Are my life.” He said placing a hand on my stomach. “…Both of you.” He whispered. My heart fluttered and I stood on my tip toes lightly kissing his lips. “So what are we doing out here?” He shrugged and pulled me towards the blanket, “Star watching, talking, being together.” We sat down and ate our food.
“So, we picked out the furniture and stuff today.” He looked up at me, “Did you now?” I smiled, “Mmhmm. It’s coming in sometime this week.” He looked up at me from his fried rice. “Well, I guess we better get started on the room then, huh?” I nodded, “Yup.” He put down his food container and patted his lap. I crawled over and climbed into his lap. He wrapped the blanket around us.
“What do you say tomorrow we go to Home Depot, pick out a color and paint the room? Just me and you.” I smiled and snuggled into him. “I would absolutely love that.” He smiled and pulled me off of him, and set me next to him. “I have to show you something.” I folded my hands in my lap and grinned, “Show away.” He leaned back and pulled his guitar out from beside the blanket. Whoa I definitely didn’t see that before. He held the pick in between his teeth and tuned the chords before looking up at me. I nodded and he began strumming, never breaking his eye contact.
Baby when I look at you
You know it breaks my heart in two
How beautiful you are
I’ve seen you in a million dreams
Now you’re finally here with me
We will never be apart
I wanna hold you forever
That’s all I’ll ever need
You are my love
You are my life
My heart and soul
The truest friend I’ve ever known
You are my world
All of my dreams
My fantasy, my reality
I love everything you are
Every time I close my eyes
It hits me so deep inside
How real this feeling is
I’m intoxicated by your touch
It’s a sweet, sweet rush
I’m in love with your kiss
You’re the one I trust the most
You changed me
You are my love
You are my life
My heart and soul
The truest friend I’ve ever known
You are my world
All of my dreams
My fantasy, my reality
I love everything you are
You are my love
You are my life
My heart and soul
The truest friend I’ve ever known
You are my world
All of my dreams
My fantasy, my reality
I love everything you are
Everything, I love is everything you are
He set the guitar down and pulled me back in his lap. I set my forehead against his and wove my fingers together on the back of his neck.. “You never cease to absolutely amaze me.” I felt him smile onto my lips. “It’s my favorite.” I smiled and tilted my head, pulling his lips to mine. I pulled back, breathless after a few minutes, “I’ve read your song book backwards and forwards, that song isn’t in there.” He wrapped a strand of my hair around his finger. “It’s from Kayden’s songs Volume 3.” He laughed a little, “I wrote it today while you were gone, you’re all I thought about.” I bit my lip and grinned. “There’s a Volume 3?” He nodded, “And a 2…You’re very inspirational.” I pulled myself closer to him. “I love you.” I spoke, our lips brushing. He flipped me over, carefully laying me down and laying next to me, pushing the hair away from my ear, “I love you too.” He said wrapping the blanket around us and laying his hand on my stomach, gently rubbing small circles. “You know.” Joe said after a little while, “This is perfect, right here, with you, no distractions, just us.” I smiled and cuddled closer to him, “Yeah, it really is.”
About an hour later we picked up and made our way into the house and climbing in bed to rest up for the constructive productive day that awaited us tomorrow.
I stood in Home Depot with two color pallets, “Joe…come on…Daffodil Blossom or Mint Frappe…yellow or green? Please pick.” His eyebrows were set in a hard line of concentration. “What color is the furniture?” He asked again. “White. It’s all white.” He sighed and looked at me, “Which one do you want?” I shook my head, “You first, if we don’t agree, we pick two more colors.” He stared at me for a few seconds before a brilliant smile lifted on his face, “The yellow one.” I smiled, “How’d you know?” He shrugged, “I know you.”
We bought everything we’d need, paint brushes, sheets to lay on the floor, painter’s tape and painter’s hats adorned with the Home Depot logo that Joe insisted we buy. We drug it all into the house and up the stairs to the room across from ours and got to work.
We spent the rest of the day painting the room and laughing with each other, talking about where we would put everything when the furniture came. We both laid in the middle of the floor, covered in paint streaks and splatters, watching the paint dry when Joe stood, “I have something for you.” I sat up and cocked my head, “What is it?” I smiled. “One sec.” He jogged out of the room and I heard him in the closet at the end of the hall. His footsteps carried back and his head poked through the door. “Close your eyes.” I smiled and shut my eyes. I heard the painter’s sheet crunching around me and Joe’s soft voice. “Okay…” My eyes fluttered open and I took in the sight in front of me.
It was my first sonogram picture, blown up to poster size, and lined in a white frame. I cupped my hand over my mouth. “Joe…” I breathed. “I figured we could hang it over the crib, you know like…baby goes here. I laughed a little and stood, wrapping my arms around him, “It’s perfect. Everything’s perfect.”
He smiled and rubbed his nose against mine. “I can’t wait.” He said rubbing his hands on my stomach, “I want it now.” I chuckled against his lips. “It’ll be worth the wait.” He wrapped his arms around me, “I love you.” I pressed my face into his neck, “I love you too.”