Embracing Us (Embracing Series) (5 page)

After leaving the doctor’s office
, we decide to go to the mall and then go to see Addison. Lila has been wanting to buy stuff for months. We go into Gymboree and Children’s Place and guy tons of baby boy clothes. Of course, I like everything she picks up. We end up picking out new baby furniture as well.

Good thing there
is a Buy-Buy-Baby in the mall parking lot, I think Li would have flipped if it wasn’t there. With the girls everything was pink, purple, and yellow. Now I finally get to pick this shit out. I chose tons of sport themed items; we get bottles, bibs, binkies, and blankets. A damn breast pump thingy, which isn’t sexy attached to my woman’s wonderful boobs, and a diaper genie, those damn things are awesome.

We end up getting the girls some toys, like they really need
them. But I can’t go home without my princesses anything, we get shirts that say I’m the big sis. They will love them, they’re already talking about being big sisters. We get AJ one that says my cousins are my best friends.

“Lila, I’m starving lets grab lunch? Your choice.” I say looking around at all the restaurants. Oh
hell, l know exactly what she was going to pick. Here it comes, I’m waiting for it and she just puts her finger to her chin.

“Hmm, let’s see what baby bean is hungry for. I think we would like House of the Dragon. Right baby boy bean?”
she says as she rubs her stomach. Damn her, I thought for sure she was going to say Chipotle.

“Okay, I can go for Japanese
. None of the squid shit though, baby bean won’t like it. And you won’t like it coming back up either.” I say with a chuckle.

“Gross, I don’t eat that shit and you know it. I want some beef fried rice and noodles. Oh gawd
, lots of noodles and an iced tea with lemon. Do you think they will have pickles? I need one right now. I’m so hungry.” She says as she munches on a bag of Funyuns from the mall vending machine.

“Not sure, we can always ask. Who knows maybe they will even have some extra
Funyuns.” She looks at me smiling, licking the Funyuns off of her fingers. I cock my head back laughing. We pile everything in the SUV and drive to the restaurant. I hear Lila on the phone, she was checking on the girls. Apparently our mothers had them at the mall, they must have went to the other one because we didn’t see them anywhere.

“That was mom, they were at the mall in the valley. I guess the girls wanted to shop for the baby, so they have a surprise for us. I bet you a foot rub, that not only the girls bought stuff
but our mothers also.”

“Hmm, a foot rub? Is that all you
have Mrs. Ellis? I thought you would want something more than that. So if I win, what will I get in return? I’m thinking something along the lines of you and me, and some baby oil.”

“Jesus Liam, don’t talk like that you know my hormones are all sorts of
crazy up right now, you have me dripping just by talking like that. Good God, you’re so fucking sexy.”

She says as she bites her lip, and
squirms in the seat next to me.

“Oh hell
, really? Because we can sure go take care of it right now, I will find the closest hotel. But then what about the bet?”

“I’m hungry
. We can eat, go to Starbucks, and go see Ads. Then we see who wins, if I win, I want that foot massage while I lay nude in a bed with you, and you nude too, of course. If you win, I will rub us both down in baby oil and we can do whatever you want.”

“Whatever I want? Hmm, you sure you want to offer that? Because you know you have a freaky ass husband who loves taking you where I can.”

“Uh-huh, whatever your heart desires. But I think I got this, I know our mothers. Now let’s eat. Food, baby bean needs his food and so does his momma.”

LILA

We
go through the Starbucks
drive-thru and Liam orders three Vanilla Bean Frappuccino’s with caramel drizzle. We drive to the cemetery, he and I both sit next to Addison’s tomb and drink our drinks. I know he misses her, hell, I can’t go a day without thinking about her. She was my sister, not by blood but by our rules, she was my bitch, my bestie, and just my fucking person. You know like Grey and Yang, on Greys Anatomy. That was our favorite show. We spent every Thursday night with a bag of popcorn, a gallon of sweet tea, and Twizzler’s, in our pj’s, that was us. Until some bastard decided to play God and take her and my niece or nephew.

“Lila, I will walk around and let you have your time, and then I will. Okay?” Liam
says as he kisses my cheek. I look at him and smile as he walks away. God, I love that man more than he would ever know.

“Hey Ads, I miss you so damn much. Well I know you
were there in my dream. I could see and hear you. Thank you for that, we brought you your favorite Frappuccino. They really don’t taste the same as they did when we got them daily. Ahh, as you probably know, I fucked up again. I let my damn vajayjay talk for me. Now this beautiful baby boy, I’m carrying may be Evan’s. Yeah, I slept with him, since Liam has been back. Three, well four times actually.

“
I don’t know why I love him so much, not as I do your cousin, but Ads I do love Evan. But I’ve made a promise to Liam and our marriage get him out of my head and out of my heart for good. I know you would understand. No one gets me, you did though. I miss you so much, I need you more than I have ever needed you, I can’t talk to Nikki the way we talked. It’s not the same.

“
Do you remember that time, we sat on your bed after Shane broke my heart and we pranked called his ass all night. I think we smoked two packs of Marlboro reds that night. We listened to Garth Brooks all night. Your mom was so pissed when she woke up and found all her cigarettes gone. I thought for sure she would find out it was us, but as always, Ashton took the fall.

“
You would be so proud of him Ads he is doing well and taking care of his family. He, your dad, and Liam all run the Winery together Liam works from home most of the time, and he enjoys it. Eric still misses you, I can tell. He has moved on, it took him a while and I still don’t think he is too sure about her, but hell there will never be another Addison Ellis.

“
Well my little Addison Michelle Ellis, yeah, somehow she acts like you. God if she and Maddie act like we did; Liam and I are in some deep shit. I’m going to go, but remember to watch over us. We have some messed up shit going on, but you know, we Carls’s and Ellis’s always stick together. I love you my beautiful sister. Sending you butterfly kisses.”

I walk away and
sit in the SUV and cry why Liam sits back down and talks to Ads. I felt like I couldn’t breathe when I use to come here, how do you just forget about your best friend of twenty years? You don’t. I’ve learned to live without her and it’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever in my life had to do. My cell phone vibrated and I looked down to see it was Nikki. Perfect timing.

“Hey bitchbag, how are you?” I ask laughing because I
know exactly what her come back will be.

“Hey ho
ebag, how are my girls doing?” she asks, my girls love their Aunt Nikki, she spoils them. She just sent them both OSU cheerleading outfits. I’m still not sure about telling her about the baby and it might not be Liam’s.

“Their good, there with mine and Liam’s mom
s right now. I had a doc appointment, and we stopped by to see Addison.  When you coming out for that wedding shopping?”

“Everything okay
? I worry about you, after everything you have been through. I know I need to fly out, how about next Friday? Will that weekend be good for you?”

“Umm, yeah that’s great actually
, and I need a spa day for sure. Well I will text you later this week, I love you sweets!” I say, as I sigh. I miss her and really wish I could talk to her about this right now.

“I love you bitchface”

Yeah, that’s how we know we love each other, we have always called each other names like that. Always will.

I
can see Liam wiping his eyes and walking towards me, he doesn’t go to the driver side; he comes to my side. He opens the door. I turn to face him, as he wraps his arms around my waist, I can feel his body tremble. He is crying harder than I’ve ever seen him cry.

“Baby, what is it
, everything’s okay? I know you miss her. I miss her too. She is with us, Liam, she is in our hearts, and both of our girls have a piece of her.” I say pulling his face into mine. Hell, who was I fooling, I just sat here and broke down myself and probably will again before the night is over.

“Lila, I don’t want to know. I don’t want the test done. He is mine
, baby. I know he’s mine. You are mine so therefore, he is mine. Please don’t have it done. I can’t stand the thought of you or baby bean being with him. Ever”

“Oh, Liam, is that what this is about?”

“Yes and no. Damnit, I miss Addison, my parents, and hell even your dad. Coming here just always upsets me. But what if we have the test done and he isn’t mine? Then what? I know what I want you to do, but do you know what you want? Do you want to be with him, if baby bean is his?”

“Look at me, don’t you ever
think I don’t want you. Yes, I fucked up, I had sex with Evan and I have told you, I love him. But not the way I love you, you are my whole world Liam Anthony Ellis. You hear me, you are it for me, always have been. This doesn’t change anything, if I do have the test done and the baby is his, then we will see if he will sign his rights over, if he doesn’t, we can leave the country if you want? You aren’t losing us, ever. Now let’s get home, we have a bet, remember?” I say as I pull him in and take his bottom lip between my teeth.

“Okay
. We got this, baby, team Ellis is in full effect.”

“That’s my Liam
. Yes, we have this! Now take me home so I can get a foot rub.”

Li
am won the damn bet
, unless our mothers are hiding all the baby stuff they bought. So it’s two days later, my mom has the girls, and I’m about to oil myself and my sexy man up. He is lucky I’m pregnant or we would be playing some twister while oiled up. Yeah, we did that once and I thought he broke his hip. So he says we can never try that again.

I haven’t told him yet, but I’m not having the test done. I know I should, just to
know, but deep down I feel baby bean is Liam’s. I know he has to be. Yes, there’s that doubt, but as of right now, I’m not proving anything except that I love my husband. And will spend the rest of my life making him happy.

“What are you doing in here? You hiding all that baby oil from me? Oh damn
, you are the sexiest woman on earth. Can we get pregnant again after baby bean is born?

“
I love you pregnant and in my bed, just the way you are. Now get in there and satisfy your beast.”

“Oh so, I can put the oil back, seeing how you said just as I am? I can handle that, but can you handle what I’m going
to do to you? These hormones have me wanting some kinky stuff, you down for that?”

“Wait
…um…did you say kinky? As in what kind of kinky? I know you can be a little bossy, but you aren’t a freak, beautiful. You’re too sweet. But hearing the kinky roll off your tongue has the bulge in my pants ready to know exactly what you want to do to me.”