"This is the life," Jessie sighed contently.
"Having a pool or not being pregnant?" I questioned.
"Both! It's refreshing to feel like I can do things again without worrying about the consequences that they might have on our little baby," Jessie said.
"Like drinking?"
"Like drinking. I like mixing drinks. It's fun. Mind you, I would do it all over again if that's what it took to have more angels like Bert and Sep."
"They really are wonderful children," I said, "I just wish they could be that way forever. I dread the day they turn into hormonal teenagers."
"Ugh, don't remind me."
"I just want to enjoy lounging here, looking off the cliff into the water," Jessie continued, closing her eyes.
"I wish you could too, but I see the guests coming for the pool party. I'll invite them in and then head upstairs and get changed into my swim trunks," I said, noticing friends gathering near our door, "Take your time getting up."
I let everyone in and then walked upstairs to take care of a screaming Bert. "Done your nap?" I asked him, cuddling him in my arms. I wasn't left alone for long, though, as Percy (Jayme's older brother) and Leon walked into the room. "Hey Andy," Leon purred, "You know, my boyfriend and I broke up."
"Leon, I don't want to deal with your cra-with your garbage right now. I'm with two of my kids," I said, kissing the top of Bert's head.
He winked at me. "I'm kidding, man. Your kids look like an awesome mix of Jessie and you. I really am happy for you both. But I really did break up with my boyfriend," Leon said, smiling.
"Oh, sorry man," I said awkwardly, setting Bert in his swing.
"What happened?" Percy asked Leon, catching his attention. I breathed a sigh of relief.
I grabbed my swimsuit and then went into the bathroom to change. To my surprise, someone was already in there. "Oh, God," Jessie said, moaning and bent over the toilet.
"Sweetheart?" I said softly.
"I jinxed it, Dee," she said, sounding annoyed, "I'm pregnant."
"You can't tell that you're pregnant just from vomiting," I told her.
"Then I'll just confirm it with a pregnancy test, shan't I?" She snapped, rummaging around in a cupboard before finding one. "Aha! This should work," she said.
While Jess took the test, I changed into my trunks. Four minutes later, she stuck the test in front of my face. "A pink plus. How about that," I said, "Now please remove this urine covered device from my face."
"I hope you know that you're getting a vasectomy after this baby," Jessie said casually wrapping the test with toilet paper and tossing it in the trash.
I gulped. "Yes, sweetheart."
We returned to the party which was apparently in our room. Char stopped Jess and I and started talking about Seppen and how cute she was and oh look at Bert in his swing, what a little angel. Buzz was talking to Jodi, and another one of Jayme's brothers was walking about awkwardly, trying to stick close to his brother. His brother kept discreetly pushing him away, keeping his focus on Leon. I found it amusing, and left Jess to talk to Char while I made my way over to see what Leon and Percy were up to.
"Would you like some flowers, Percy?" Leon said, and handed Percy a bouquet of flowers. I frowned, unsure of where Leon had gotten the flowers from, but shrugged it off.
"Thanks, Leon," Percy said, blushing. They continued to flirt and I was hesitant to force the guests out of the room, but Bert was starting to get irritated.
"We have a pool for a reason, people!" I said lightheartedly, "Let's enjoy it!"
The party ended soon after, and only one guests remained. I changed into my investigative clothes to look more professional. She hadn't bothered to change into a swimsuit in the first place. I challenged her to a game of chess.
"So," I said casually, "Do you have any dirt on Officer Barkley?"
"I haven't the slightest what you're talking about," she replied smoothly, taking my rook.
"Are you so sure about that?" I asked, moving my pawn forwards. She stared at the chessboard.
"What's it to you?"
"Blackmail is illegal, you know. But I'm sure I can find a way to let it slide if we even the score..." I was waiting to pull out the big guns.
"Even so, you wouldn't have any proof," she said, her voice wobbling. I took her queen.
"Oh? So the extra hundred paid every month is just a coincidence?" She made a clumsy move, sacrificing both of her knights to take one pawn.
"I don't know what you-"
"ADMIT IT!" I snarled, banging the table with my fist. Several pieces fell over. "I have your fingerprints from the mail. I can go to the police with this information!"
She jumped to her feet. "Fine! I caught Officer Barkley communicating with wanted criminals through the Internet! She was using a code, but I cracked it." Her vampire skin sizzled in the sun, which was obviously the reason for her sudden departure.
"Checkmate," I whispered, moving my queen. She ran at an accelerated speed away from the house.
After following up on the lead the vampire had given me, I had found that Officer Barkley's Internet records had been deleted completely and thoroughly. Exhausted and frustrated, after months of research and running around, I needed a break. I stumbled into my room and, upon seeing Jessie, gave her a big, sudden smooch, feeling my worries melt away.
"What... what was that for?" She breathed heavily.
"I want to get away," I groaned, resting my face against hers, "I need a break. My head is going to explode. Let's-you and I-travel. To China!"
"Whoa, there, Andy, there's no way I'm going to a foreign country while I'm pregnant," Jessie protested.
"Then after you give birth," I said, resting my head against her belly, "Hello in there!"
"It's not like vacationing is the only way to relieve stress," Jess said mischievously.
"I like where this is going," I said, kissing her neck. "The kids are asleep?"
"Uh huh. Be quiet anyway, though," she said, pulling me to bed.
I wrapped my arm around her. "I'm not the one who has trouble keeping quiet," I whispered.
"Ssh," she giggled as Bert stirred. I grinned at her and then pulled the covers over us.
Jessie tried to convince me to stop doing my investigative work, but I compromised to stop working on the Officer Barkley case for a little while. I was fine doing other cases. "Mom, are you in here-" I stopped, averting my eyes from where mom sat on the rocking chair in the living room.
"Right here, Andy," she said happily, buck naked on the chair.
"Mom... can you put some clothes on?" I asked, staring at the ground.
"What? I am wearing clothes," she said, laughing, "See?" She looked down at herself and frowned. "Oh. I guess I'm not."
"Just put some on, please. I'm going to go see Tamera," I said, worried. I concentrated my gaze on her face, but nevertheless had to damn peripheral vision.
I left mom to put on some clothes and drove over to Sandy's, trying to put it out of my mind. "Hey sis," I said, giving her a hug. I realized how much I missed her. She smiled at me.
"Hey Dee. I'm just going to whip up some pancakes. Tamera's inside," Sandy said, leading me in.
While Sandy prepared her food, I swept up Tamera in my arms, tickling her. "It's Uncle Andy!" I said as she shrieked with glee.
"Dee!" she repeated. I set her on the ground and she wobbled towards me.
"Does she know how to walk?" I asked. Sandy glanced back and smiled.
"Yes. Look at her! She's practically running to see her uncle!"
I played with Tamera for a little more before setting her in her high chair and giving her some food. "She looks just like you," I said, walking over to Sandy, "You should have named her Sandy Jr."
"I know, she looks nothing like Cid!" Sandy said with a laugh. "So, I feel like there was something you wanted to ask me? Like, why are you in your work clothes?"
I glanced down at them. "I have some work to do. I actually wanted to just come over and say hi, but something happened this morning..."
"What?" Sandy asked, stony faced.
"Mom was sitting naked in a rocking chair. But she didn't know she was naked until I pointed it out to her," I said worriedly.
"I'm sure she's fine," Sandy said skeptically, "In any case, she's better off staying with you and dad than any nursing home."
"I would never do that to her!" I said, shocked, "I just wanted to give you a heads up. Anyway, I'll leave you to your cooking."
"Crap, I think I burnt them," Sandy said, whipping around and frantically trying to save her pancakes.
Unfortunately, mom's 'episode' wasn't just a one time thing. I kept Sandy and Buzz updated on how often it happened, and I was eventually giving them a weekly report. "So dad told me about the latest one," I told Buzz, "And this time it was in public."
"She was nude in public?" Buzz said, aghast. Although he tried to hide it, I could hear him laughing on the other side.
I frowned. "Well, not really. She was gardening outside completely naked, apparently. Dad was going out to buy some groceries when he saw her. He said that he stopped and stared-"
"Don't need to hear that detail, thanks."
"-and then he called out to her, saying, 'Cindy, dear, shouldn't you put some clothes on?' and she shrugged, glanced down at herself, replied with 'You're right' and kept gardening."
"I'm not sure how much we need to worry, honestly," Buzz said, "Since she's still holding properly clothed concerts and making a hell of a lot of money off of them. She's in big, now, Dee. Her songs are topping the charts and everyone is loving the idea of an old person making it big."
"It's not going to last forever," I reminded him, "She'll become old news and everyone will go back to wanting young people-white boys who sing country songs and blonde girls that sing pop."
"So what? Let her live it up while she still can," Buzz said, "Because I'm not sure how much time she has left. Or dad, for that matter."
We said our goodbyes and hung up, leaving me to think about what Buzz said. He was right. Sandy, Cid, and Buzz took turns attending mom's concerts to make sure they all went to plan. In fact, at mom's concerts and gigs, she tended to act sharper and wittier than at home. It was like her brain truly came alive when she was in the spotlight, singing.
I was walking onto the second floor in Jessie's final month of the pregnancy when I heard Seppen Hiver giggling. "Mama fun-fun!" she squealed, which is what she said when she thought Jessie was being funny. Jessie's intense screams countered the idea of humour, though.
I dashed into the bedroom frantically where I saw Seppen laughing and Jessie clenching her stomach and yelling. "Andy!" she said after her contraction relaxed, "I think I'm ready!"
I helped her put on some clothes other than her underwear and brought Seppen downstairs so dad could take care of her. Bert was asleep in his toddler bed, thank goodness, and dad promised to keep his ears open for any sounds of a disgruntled baby.
I was alarmed when Jessie jumped into the front seat, a surly expression her face. "Sweetheart, don't you think I should drive?" I asked her through the front door.
"Either get in the passenger side or I'm going without you," she growled, so I obliged.
"What if you get a contraction on the road?" I asked fearfully.
"The hospital is five minutes away. If I feel a contraction coming, I'll pull over," she said, "So shut up and let me drive." Thankfully, she didn't feel any more contractions until she was safely in the hospital.
Several hours later, Jessie gave birth to twins-one boy and one girl. She was released from the hospital, but the twins were to stay there to be taken care of until the next morning. Jessie put up a very good argument and was adamant about staying with the twins, but I finally managed to convince her to come home. "I'll shower, eat, and use the washroom, but I'm too wound to sleep," she said anxiously.
"I know, darling," I said.
"Mama? Dada?" I turned to see my little angel Seppen in a cute little dress and what looked like a pair of high heels she had borrowed from Jessie.
"Dad must've given her that dress," I said with a laugh, "It looks cute on her!" I swept Seppen into my arms and gave her little butterfly kisses, which she responded to by shrieking with laughter. She was so ticklish! After putting her to bed and sweeping up a mysterious puddle near our bed, I changed and fell into bed. Only then did I realize that, despite what she said, Jessie was sound asleep, fully dressed next to me.
Jessie woke me up with a start once she realized the she had fallen asleep. "Quick! The twins would have been released by now! They could be home!" I pulled some pants over my boxers and threw on an unbuttoned shirt. Jessie didn't bother changing, only stopping to relieve herself in the washroom.
Two hours later, we returned with a baby each. I held Harry, who was wrapped in a green sleeper, and Jessie held Yuki Blanche, wrapped in orange. We fed them and I laughed as they happily downed the special formula. Jessie met my eyes and laughed, too.
"Can we go on vacation, now?" I asked Jessie, kissing her forehead.
"Now?" Jessie said, taken aback, "I think we-I-should breastfeed them for six months. I want the best for our kids." I nodded, slowly.
"I'm planning our trip for six months from now," I promised. And I did. True my word, the day of the six months, I packed all of our things, sorted out what our babies needed with the doctor, and got Jessie and I in the earliest flight to Shang Simla, China.
"You're right," she said as we took our wobbling steps into the heart of where we were staying, breathing in the new air and taking in the colourful scenery, "I do need a vacation."
Our guide gave us what he considered to be 'traditional gear.' He was wearing a checkered shirt like at back home, but who was I to judge? "It will give you a sense of the culture. What we used to wear. What we traditionally wore," he said in broken English. He bowed his head and Jessie bowed her head back. Even if it was a load of hoo-ha, Jess sure looked cute!
What had originally started off as a resting and sight-seeing trip soon turned into an adventure. We uncovered secret passages in historical buildings, emptied treasure chests of gold and ancient art (which we debated on how legal it was until we found a guide who promised us that public land was fair share), broke apart rocks covering our only exit, and bravely reached into sketchy looking holes in the walls which thankfully led only to treasure or levers.
We took a break from the adventuring and went to the Phoenix Martial Arts Academy to practice martial arts. Since we were both fit, we picked it up fairly quickly. I was thrilled when I managed to get a white belt, and even progressed to a yellow! Jessie found that she enjoyed the peace of mind part the best, and went to the Scholar's Garden to meditate.
I found the scenery peaceful as it was, though. I knew that most parts of China were filled with pollution and the same fast paced life that I could find back at home, but I had picked this remote spot on purpose. Most of the places a tourist would be interested in were difficult to reach here, so it warded off publicity while remaining beautiful. When I looked up, over the pagoda roofs and stone structures, all that I could see was unspoiled landscape. And... was that part of the Great Wall of China over there? No, it couldn't be. It was probably just a mock up.
Since I wanted it to be a very late honeymoon for us, I still left time for fun. Unfortunately, despite the limited amount of publicity Shang Simla got, it didn't change the amount of publicity that I got. A king could never rest. Maybe it was our fault for using a public washroom which had bad locks. But that didn't, and never would, excuse the paparazzi jerk who watched us in the shower with a freaking notepad. Was he a very extreme fanfiction writer? Who the hell watches two people having sex in the shower?
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I snarled, climbing out of the shower. I told Jessie to stay inside so she wouldn't be exposing her body more than we had already. The man took one look at my raised fist and ran to the door. I snatched his notebook from him as he ran out and flipped through the pages of foreign writing. "He won't need this anymore," I said, and soaked the notebook with the still running water of the shower. I then mashed up the pages and tossed them in the trash.
"Although that man was creepy," Jessie giggled, "That was quite exhilarating!"
"I'm going to take you to a nice place tonight, to make up for that," I said. I gave her the address and the time to meet me at. "Wear something pretty," I whispered.
I heard a huffing behind me as Jessie climbed the last step, right on time. She wore an exquisite, traditional looking dress that showed off her lean arms and slim build. "Long way to climb," she joked, but gasped when she saw the sight before us. The stars peeked through the thin clouds in the sky and the rolling hills faded smoothly into the distance.
She turned towards me and my breath left my body. It was like falling in love with her all over again. "You look gorgeous," I managed.
"Thanks. A village girl offered to do my makeup in exchange for a bit of money. I've been saving the earrings for a special occasion."
"And the dress...?"
She smiled. "I thought you'd like it. It was part of my 'traditional wear' package."
I felt shy, just like at the beginning when I was trying to figure out my sexuality and whether my feelings for Jessie were real.
In a sort of déja vu, I did what felt familiar to my body and leaned forward, delivering a soft, questioning kiss. It was answered with a passionate one.
"I love you so much," I said in a husky voice, "And I wish I could stay here forever with you. But it's our last night."
"It's okay," Jessie said with an encouraging smile. "Let's go home."
"Dee!" she repeated. I set her on the ground and she wobbled towards me.
"Does she know how to walk?" I asked. Sandy glanced back and smiled.
"Yes. Look at her! She's practically running to see her uncle!"
I played with Tamera for a little more before setting her in her high chair and giving her some food. "She looks just like you," I said, walking over to Sandy, "You should have named her Sandy Jr."
"I know, she looks nothing like Cid!" Sandy said with a laugh. "So, I feel like there was something you wanted to ask me? Like, why are you in your work clothes?"
I glanced down at them. "I have some work to do. I actually wanted to just come over and say hi, but something happened this morning..."
"What?" Sandy asked, stony faced.
"Mom was sitting naked in a rocking chair. But she didn't know she was naked until I pointed it out to her," I said worriedly.
"I'm sure she's fine," Sandy said skeptically, "In any case, she's better off staying with you and dad than any nursing home."
"I would never do that to her!" I said, shocked, "I just wanted to give you a heads up. Anyway, I'll leave you to your cooking."
"Crap, I think I burnt them," Sandy said, whipping around and frantically trying to save her pancakes.
Unfortunately, mom's 'episode' wasn't just a one time thing. I kept Sandy and Buzz updated on how often it happened, and I was eventually giving them a weekly report. "So dad told me about the latest one," I told Buzz, "And this time it was in public."
"She was nude in public?" Buzz said, aghast. Although he tried to hide it, I could hear him laughing on the other side.
I frowned. "Well, not really. She was gardening outside completely naked, apparently. Dad was going out to buy some groceries when he saw her. He said that he stopped and stared-"
"Don't need to hear that detail, thanks."
"-and then he called out to her, saying, 'Cindy, dear, shouldn't you put some clothes on?' and she shrugged, glanced down at herself, replied with 'You're right' and kept gardening."
"I'm not sure how much we need to worry, honestly," Buzz said, "Since she's still holding properly clothed concerts and making a hell of a lot of money off of them. She's in big, now, Dee. Her songs are topping the charts and everyone is loving the idea of an old person making it big."
"It's not going to last forever," I reminded him, "She'll become old news and everyone will go back to wanting young people-white boys who sing country songs and blonde girls that sing pop."
"So what? Let her live it up while she still can," Buzz said, "Because I'm not sure how much time she has left. Or dad, for that matter."
We said our goodbyes and hung up, leaving me to think about what Buzz said. He was right. Sandy, Cid, and Buzz took turns attending mom's concerts to make sure they all went to plan. In fact, at mom's concerts and gigs, she tended to act sharper and wittier than at home. It was like her brain truly came alive when she was in the spotlight, singing.
I was walking onto the second floor in Jessie's final month of the pregnancy when I heard Seppen Hiver giggling. "Mama fun-fun!" she squealed, which is what she said when she thought Jessie was being funny. Jessie's intense screams countered the idea of humour, though.
I dashed into the bedroom frantically where I saw Seppen laughing and Jessie clenching her stomach and yelling. "Andy!" she said after her contraction relaxed, "I think I'm ready!"
I helped her put on some clothes other than her underwear and brought Seppen downstairs so dad could take care of her. Bert was asleep in his toddler bed, thank goodness, and dad promised to keep his ears open for any sounds of a disgruntled baby.
I was alarmed when Jessie jumped into the front seat, a surly expression her face. "Sweetheart, don't you think I should drive?" I asked her through the front door.
"Either get in the passenger side or I'm going without you," she growled, so I obliged.
"What if you get a contraction on the road?" I asked fearfully.
"The hospital is five minutes away. If I feel a contraction coming, I'll pull over," she said, "So shut up and let me drive." Thankfully, she didn't feel any more contractions until she was safely in the hospital.
Several hours later, Jessie gave birth to twins-one boy and one girl. She was released from the hospital, but the twins were to stay there to be taken care of until the next morning. Jessie put up a very good argument and was adamant about staying with the twins, but I finally managed to convince her to come home. "I'll shower, eat, and use the washroom, but I'm too wound to sleep," she said anxiously.
"I know, darling," I said.
"Mama? Dada?" I turned to see my little angel Seppen in a cute little dress and what looked like a pair of high heels she had borrowed from Jessie.
"Dad must've given her that dress," I said with a laugh, "It looks cute on her!" I swept Seppen into my arms and gave her little butterfly kisses, which she responded to by shrieking with laughter. She was so ticklish! After putting her to bed and sweeping up a mysterious puddle near our bed, I changed and fell into bed. Only then did I realize that, despite what she said, Jessie was sound asleep, fully dressed next to me.
Jessie woke me up with a start once she realized the she had fallen asleep. "Quick! The twins would have been released by now! They could be home!" I pulled some pants over my boxers and threw on an unbuttoned shirt. Jessie didn't bother changing, only stopping to relieve herself in the washroom.
Two hours later, we returned with a baby each. I held Harry, who was wrapped in a green sleeper, and Jessie held Yuki Blanche, wrapped in orange. We fed them and I laughed as they happily downed the special formula. Jessie met my eyes and laughed, too.
"Can we go on vacation, now?" I asked Jessie, kissing her forehead.
"Now?" Jessie said, taken aback, "I think we-I-should breastfeed them for six months. I want the best for our kids." I nodded, slowly.
"I'm planning our trip for six months from now," I promised. And I did. True my word, the day of the six months, I packed all of our things, sorted out what our babies needed with the doctor, and got Jessie and I in the earliest flight to Shang Simla, China.
"You're right," she said as we took our wobbling steps into the heart of where we were staying, breathing in the new air and taking in the colourful scenery, "I do need a vacation."
Our guide gave us what he considered to be 'traditional gear.' He was wearing a checkered shirt like at back home, but who was I to judge? "It will give you a sense of the culture. What we used to wear. What we traditionally wore," he said in broken English. He bowed his head and Jessie bowed her head back. Even if it was a load of hoo-ha, Jess sure looked cute!
What had originally started off as a resting and sight-seeing trip soon turned into an adventure. We uncovered secret passages in historical buildings, emptied treasure chests of gold and ancient art (which we debated on how legal it was until we found a guide who promised us that public land was fair share), broke apart rocks covering our only exit, and bravely reached into sketchy looking holes in the walls which thankfully led only to treasure or levers.
We took a break from the adventuring and went to the Phoenix Martial Arts Academy to practice martial arts. Since we were both fit, we picked it up fairly quickly. I was thrilled when I managed to get a white belt, and even progressed to a yellow! Jessie found that she enjoyed the peace of mind part the best, and went to the Scholar's Garden to meditate.
I found the scenery peaceful as it was, though. I knew that most parts of China were filled with pollution and the same fast paced life that I could find back at home, but I had picked this remote spot on purpose. Most of the places a tourist would be interested in were difficult to reach here, so it warded off publicity while remaining beautiful. When I looked up, over the pagoda roofs and stone structures, all that I could see was unspoiled landscape. And... was that part of the Great Wall of China over there? No, it couldn't be. It was probably just a mock up.
Since I wanted it to be a very late honeymoon for us, I still left time for fun. Unfortunately, despite the limited amount of publicity Shang Simla got, it didn't change the amount of publicity that I got. A king could never rest. Maybe it was our fault for using a public washroom which had bad locks. But that didn't, and never would, excuse the paparazzi jerk who watched us in the shower with a freaking notepad. Was he a very extreme fanfiction writer? Who the hell watches two people having sex in the shower?
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I snarled, climbing out of the shower. I told Jessie to stay inside so she wouldn't be exposing her body more than we had already. The man took one look at my raised fist and ran to the door. I snatched his notebook from him as he ran out and flipped through the pages of foreign writing. "He won't need this anymore," I said, and soaked the notebook with the still running water of the shower. I then mashed up the pages and tossed them in the trash.
"Although that man was creepy," Jessie giggled, "That was quite exhilarating!"
"I'm going to take you to a nice place tonight, to make up for that," I said. I gave her the address and the time to meet me at. "Wear something pretty," I whispered.
I heard a huffing behind me as Jessie climbed the last step, right on time. She wore an exquisite, traditional looking dress that showed off her lean arms and slim build. "Long way to climb," she joked, but gasped when she saw the sight before us. The stars peeked through the thin clouds in the sky and the rolling hills faded smoothly into the distance.
She turned towards me and my breath left my body. It was like falling in love with her all over again. "You look gorgeous," I managed.
"Thanks. A village girl offered to do my makeup in exchange for a bit of money. I've been saving the earrings for a special occasion."
"And the dress...?"
She smiled. "I thought you'd like it. It was part of my 'traditional wear' package."
I felt shy, just like at the beginning when I was trying to figure out my sexuality and whether my feelings for Jessie were real.
In a sort of déja vu, I did what felt familiar to my body and leaned forward, delivering a soft, questioning kiss. It was answered with a passionate one.
"I love you so much," I said in a husky voice, "And I wish I could stay here forever with you. But it's our last night."
"It's okay," Jessie said with an encouraging smile. "Let's go home."
"It doesn't matter where we are, or who we're with-our love will always be strong."
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