Gio
Little G and Maddox both washed and dried their hands, horsing around as usual. Gio signed to them, reminding them both that their mom was waiting outside with their food. He tousled their hair as they walked past him out of the restroom.
Bianca was at the large table in the area reserved exclusively for their large group at Goofy’s Kitchen. Bianca’s mom signed to the boys as they reached the table that their food was yummy and pretended to nibble on one of their tater tots.
Gio leaned into Bianca, rubbing her swollen belly as he took the seat next to her. She turned and kissed him, smiling, then pointed at her waffles. She’d been craving some since last night.
“You still feeling good?” Gio asked, smiling down at her loaded waffles. “Obviously, your appetite’s feeling great.”
“Yes, I’m feeling good.” She nodded happily as she began digging her fork into her waffles. “I’m feeling very good actually.”
So far her pregnancy had been perfectly normal, and the doctors said their baby girl didn’t seem to have any of the issues they’d picked up on with little G even before he was born. After the nightmare they’d had with him, nearly losing him when he was first born, they’d decided they wouldn’t have any more kids. Neither thought they could go through something like that again, and they’d seen what actually losing a child did to Felix.
So many of the kids in the special needs program at 5th Street that Gio and Bianca, a special needs teacher, were in charge of were in foster care. Bianca began bringing little G in with her to participate in the program early on because they’d been told when their son was born that he may be completely deaf if not severely hearing impaired. Bianca, who’d been teaching school for the hearing impaired, began teaching little G how to sign very young. Fortunately, it turned out one of his ears was fully functional, but Bianca continued to teach him because she wanted him to be able to communicate with her mother.
Maddox, who was G’s age, was one of the kids in the 5th Street special needs program. Legally deaf in both ears, he was able to communicate with little G so well through their signing that they quickly bonded. He was also one of the kids in foster care, and when Bianca found out his parents had relinquished all rights to get him back ever, the wheels in her head started turning. She’d always hated that, like herself, little G wouldn’t get to have any siblings. It took a while and a whole lot of red tape to get through, but they’d finally done it. They were able to adopt Maddox. Of course, just a few months after they did, Bianca found out she was pregnant.
Bianca, who’d always had an overactive thyroid gland, was told when they were trying to conceive little G that the only way she’d ever be able to get pregnant was to get on meds that would slow it. She did and they’d conceived within months. After they’d had G, the doctors had told them she’d need to get back on the meds when she was ready to try again. So Gio and Bianca had decided she never would and they’d be safe as long as she didn’t get back on those meds.
Wrong.
At first, they’d been scared. But then that quickly turned into cautious excitement. As the months went by, unlike her pregnancy with G, everything so far had been normal, and the caution in their excitement was slowly beginning to fade. Bianca even said this pregnancy felt completely different than with G. She was even more excited about the fact that they’d be having a girl because it seemed the 5th Street guys were hell bent on having boys.
Hector jumped from where he was sitting but wasn’t able to catch the syrup his eldest spilled. Gio laughed. “C’mon man!” Gio said to Hector as little Hector stared at his dad, beginning to pout. “You gotta be faster than that.”
Hector frowned, cleaning up the mess, and then glanced up and smiled at his son whose big blue eyes were beginning to well. “It’s okay, pops. It’s just a little syrup.”
Charlee was holding their latest son, who was only a few months old. Both their boys were born with Hector’s dark hair, which was kind of a bummer for everyone who was hoping to see some redheaded Ayala’s. After what Gio and Felix had gone through with their first kids, Hector said his boys could’ve been born with green hair and as long as they were healthy he would’ve been happy. His eldest, however, had been born with his momma’s big blue eyes.
“Is Felix coming down for breakfast?” Abel asked them as he and his brood arrived. “Hey!” he said, turning back to his eldest son, who was already trying to wrestle little Hector out of his chair. “Knock it off. Not in here.”
“I’m assuming he is,” Gio said. “He’s the one who reserved this whole section.
Hector laughed. “They don’t have kids. Of course they’re making the most of their room before they have to come down.” He shook his head. “I don’t know what they were thinking, bringing us all along on their anniversary trip.”
“I think it was very sweet and generous of him,” Nellie said, helping her littlest monster into the high chair. “Our kids will remember this trip forever.”
“Maybe not that one,” Abel said, pointing at the little guy in the high chair. “We’ll have to make a few more trips back.”
“I’m not as dreamy about Disney World as Ella is,” Charlee said, placing the baby back in the baby carrier next to her, “but Ariel, for obvious reasons, was my favorite princess of all when I was growing up. I must’ve watched that movie a hundred times.”
Gio turned when Bianca pulled his hand and placed it on her belly. The baby was kicking away very actively, another difference between this pregnancy and her last.
“She likes waffles,” Bianca said, smiling brightly.
Gio would never tire of seeing those big beautiful eyes of hers sparkle as they did now. While Bianca had been ecstatic that little G had been born with Gio’s green eyes, Gio was secretly hoping his baby girl would have her mom’s big brown doe eyes. He did his best to smile back as brightly as Bianca, but it was tough. Despite how well Bianca’s pregnancy was going so far, he was still worried.
Bianca leaned into kiss Gio. “Every day that passes,” she said between kisses, “I feel more and more certain that she’s gonna be just fine.”
“You really think so?”
“I know so,” she said.
This time Gio leaned in, feeling very relieved, and kissed his beautiful wife.
~*~
Hector
“That’s him,” Hector said, reading his text from Felix.
Overslept but we’ll be down there in a few for breakfast and definitely in time for the walk.
Hector smirked. “I figured as much. He says they overslept but they’ll be down in a few. I can’t believe he wanted to get us all season passes to this place. He’s gonna be flying down here all the time? Florida’s nice once or twice a year, but that’s it.”
Noah and Roni had now arrived too with their two boys. Roni had sat down next to Bianca with their youngest. Those two were constantly comparing pregnancies since they were due almost at the same time.
“It’s about Ella,” Noah said, sitting across from Roni with little Jack. “She’s the Disney fanatic.”
“It’s not so much that she’s a Disney fanatic,” Roni explained. “It’s their thing.” She turned away from their little one, who was giving her a hard time, and looked at Noah. “I’m gonna need a high chair for Noah.”
“No!” Little Noah looked up at his mom with those big puppy dog eyes.
“Okay then,” Roni smiled, leaning over and kissing him on the forehead. “You be good and sit still on the chair like a big boy.”
Little Noah settled down especially after Noah gave him the look. Hector chuckled until Charlee started talking.
“Why wouldn’t it be?” she said. “I mean talk about romantic. That wedding . . . my God.”
“Our wedding was romantic,” Hector said, turning to her.
“It was, baby,” she said, slipping her hand in his, “but I just mean the whole Disney theme, especially because that’s where he first told her he loved her and then took her back and proposed at the very spot. Then flying everyone out to Disney World for a big princess Disney wedding. The horse and carriage she arrived in . . .” She sighed. “It was just very special especially after everything they’d gone through.”
This was true. But Hector still thought their wedding had been the bomb. Charlee had fallen in love with France after a chess tournament she’d flown out there for. So Hector had suggested a French-themed wedding, and all the girls had run with it. He’d spared no expense then surprised her with a month-long honeymoon in France.
But he guessed a Disney princess wedding might be dreamier. “Daddy look!” Hector glanced down at little Hector’s plate. “All gone!”
“Damn!” Hector said then felt Charlee nudged him. “I mean wow. You want more?”
His son nodded, holding up his plate for Charlee to see too. “Very good,” she said, smiling big. “We’ll get you more.”
“I got it,” Hector’s mom said just as Charlee began to get up. “You stay with the baby.”
His mom and little Hector walked off to the massive and extravagant buffet. His son turned to look at Hector as he held his grandma’s hand. Hector gave him a thumbs-up, smiling proudly, and his boy quickly lifted his thumb in the air too.
Hector was still staring at his boy and his bright blue eyes. He remembered all through both Charlee’s pregnancies everyone kept wondering if his kids would inherit her hair. Hector had already looked it up; the chances of that happening were slim to none. Charlee had let him in on something she told him not to tell anyone because everyone was a little too excited about the possibility. She was really hoping none of her kids did. She’d always hated her red hair, even though Hector called her crazy for that.
“Now as an adult I can appreciate it, and I actually like the uniqueness of it,” she’d explained. “But while I was growing up, it made my life miserable.”
Hector didn’t care either way, but he had been relieved for her sake when, as expected, both were born with his dark brown hair. The surprise and consolation to those who’d been hoping for a redheaded Ayala were little Hector’s bright blue eyes. The new baby’s eyes were almost black like his, and Charlee said she loved that. She said already, at only a few months old, they were big, dark, and intense like his daddy’s.
Charlee leaned into him. “Since the baby’s asleep and your mom’s here now,” she murmured in that way that already had Hector squeezing his legs together, “how about we say we forgot something in the room and go back and get it?”
This was their last day at Disney World. The entire time they’d been there that week they’d only been able to sneak in a few quick ones in their room. With the kids in the same room, it’d been nearly impossible, but, of course, they’d done their best and managed a couple of times. Still they’d been real quick. Hector could go for something a little longer, and he knew with everyone here still waiting on Felix, the kids would be fine for a little while.
As soon as his mom and little Hector were back with a couple of loaded plates, Hector was on his feet. “Ma, Charlee wants to change her shoes. She thinks these are gonna bug her, and we have a long day of walking. The baby’s asleep. You think you’ll be okay with them for a few?”
His mom immediately nodded, waving him off, and Nellie assured them they’d all help his mom with the kids. Abel gave him a look so Hector turned away, quickly pulling Charlee behind him. “Aren’t those running shoes she’s wearing?” Abel asked.
Hector smirked, feeling Charlee squeeze his hand. “Oh my God,” she gasped under her breath as they heard a few chuckles. “You should’ve said something else. How embarrassing. They probably all know we’re full of it.”
“Nah, don’t worry about it,” Hector chuckled, looking back at Abel, who was now sitting down feeding his baby in the high chair. “They’re all probably just pissed they didn’t think of this first.”
The second they were alone in the elevator on their way up to the room, Hector pinned his beautiful wife against the wall and devoured her mouth. Damn, she tasted good. Sex during her pregnancy was good, but Hector couldn’t help feeling like he might hurt her the last few months. Once the baby came, forget about it. Even his freaky wife was too exhausted or dealing with the kids for anything longer than a quickie. But she’d finally started coming around in the past few weeks, and clearly she was back to her old self now.
The elevator opened and they rushed out. When they got to their room door, Hector fumbled with the key because his equally aroused wife was all over him. He gave up on the door for a second, giving in instead to Charlee’s kisses until she wrapped her hand around him over his pants. “Oh shit.” He chuckled then turned back to the door in a hurry to get it open.
They practically fell through it as soon as he was able to get it open. The moment they closed the door they were all over each other. Charlee immediately undid his pants button and pulled down his zipper. In the next second, she was down on her knees. Hector’s legs nearly gave out as he felt her lips, mouth, and tongue take him in completely. He let his head fall back against the wall with a groan, bringing his hand down to caress her beautiful red locks. “God, I love my freaky wife!”
~*~
Noah
It’d been a slight disappointment when they found out they were having yet another boy but only for a fleeting moment. So far they’d been blessed with two easy, non-eventful pregnancies, which produced two healthy boys. This third one was looking to play out the same way, and they were already excited about it.
All the moms of 5th Street so far were grateful to have the gym where the boys could blow off some energy. Roni loved her boys, of course, but she admitted their constant wrestling and restlessness wore her out. And now they’d have three.
“Well, I’ll stay fit, that’s for sure” had been her reaction when they’d been told they had a third boy coming. But they were done. At least that was what Roni was saying. Secretly—Noah dared not say it now that Roni was dealing with swollen feet and an active baby who enjoyed kicking her in the ribs—Noah wouldn’t mind trying for a girl one last time.
Noah was helping Jack spread the jelly on his toast, half listening to Roni and Bianca’s conversation. They’d been talking about their pregnancies as usual. But he’d been glad to hear they’d gone off on a different topic. Roni said Bianca was so paranoid about her pregnancy sometimes Roni would inadvertently say something that might worry her for no good reason.
Gio had already told Noah that Bianca wouldn’t be going back to teaching at the school once the baby was born. She’d take a few months off then devote herself completely to the program at 5th Street.
“Oh my God, I keep meaning to ask you something. The last school board meeting I went to . . .” Bianca began just as Jack threw a tater tot at Reina.
“Hey!” Noah said, stopping his hand before he picked up another one.
Jack smirked. “She threw one first.”
Reina was just getting off her chair now and pushed it back in, looking at Noah. “No, I didn’t,” she said very sweetly.
Noah began to look back at Jack, who was ready to protest adamantly. “Maybe it was one of the boys,” Noah offered. “Either way you don’t—”
“Trust me,” Nellie said, lifting her brow. “She probably did. Sorry about that, Jack.”
Jack started off his chair too. “Where you going?” Noah asked.
“To get dessert,” he said, not even looking back as he rushed after Reina, who was already on her way to the buffet too.
Noah watched, hoping he wouldn’t do anything rude like push her or start some kind of food fight by the buffet when Roni and Bianca’s conversation got his attention.
“You and Kratz, really?” Bianca gasped, bringing her hand to her mouth. “Oh my God! I wondered why he kept asking so much about you, but he just said you two went way back. He didn’t specify. Wow, that’s crazy.”
Roni nodded, smiling as she handed little Noah his juice. “That seems like a lifetime ago,” she said. “I didn’t know he was a principal now.”
“He just took the promotion I wanna say a year ago,” Bianca said, pushing her plate away from her. “Oh that was good,” she said, patting her belly, and then continued. “It was just so weird because I’d never actually met him since we didn’t work in the same school, but I’d seen him at a few of the school board meetings. I’d heard what a hard-ass he was, so I never bothered to introduce myself because he looks so mean, right?” Bianca laughed. “That’s why I was so surprised how smiley he was when we spoke of you.”
Noah peered at Roni, who was still busy helping little Noah with his breakfast. “Wait,” she said, looking back at Bianca for a second before bringing her attention back to little Noah. “That’s right. I did know he was a principal now.”
Really?
As far as Noah knew, it’d been years since she’d spoken to the guy. Bianca didn’t say much more beyond that about Kratz before going back to their baby talk and names they were considering. It wasn’t until the boys were done and off and running to the playground area of the restaurant that Noah got a moment alone with Roni.
“So Kratz is still asking about you?” he asked, staring at her as he sat down next to her and pulled her chair closer to him. She seemed surprised. “Yeah, I heard,” he continued. “How’d you know he’d been promoted if that happened just last year?”
Roni stared at him for a moment then smiled, pulling a spiraled strand of hair behind her ear and glanced away. “I have lunch with him every few weeks.”
She laughed when Noah squeezed her hand tightly. “Ow!” she said, exaggerating.
He hadn’t squeezed it that tightly, but he kissed her hand anyway.
“How’d you know?” he asked again.
“I heard through the grapevine.”
Roni stretched to look for the boys and then relaxed when she had them both in sight. Noah knew he had nothing to worry about, but it still irritated him a little especially since the asshole was still asking about her after all this time. Apparently it made his hard ass smile all weirdly too.
“Why would anyone think you still wanna know anything about him?”
Roni turned to him, her expression a bit surprised again. Then she laughed and kissed him. “No one thinks I still wanna know anything about him, honey.”
He stared at her still-smiling lips then looked up at her eyes again. “So why’d they tell you?”
She took a deep breath, when she realized he wasn’t going to let it go. For a moment, she appeared to be trying to remember. “Oh, yeah, it wasn’t even a friend actually. Last year at one of Noah’s doctor’s visits for his vaccinations one of the ladies in the waiting room was telling me about her older son being in trouble at school. She said the principal was a real asshole and had it in for her son.” Roni laughed, shaking her head. “When she said Kratz, I nearly spit out my coffee, but I didn’t even mention I knew him.”
His beautiful wife touched his face and smiled then brought his hand down to her belly. The baby was kicking again. “You see”—Noah grinned wickedly—“even he got worked up.”
She laughed again. “For no reason at all.”
“Oh, you don’t know the half of it.” He smirked half playing half serious. “I was getting ready to go ask Bianca what the hell else this guy wanted to know about you.”
Roni’s smile flattened as if he might be serious when their conversation was interrupted by loud squealing from the play area. Reina was running away from Jack as he ran after her with one of the many foam balls from the playground. He looked ready to beam her with it from behind.
“Jack, no!” Noah called out, standing up.
Jack turned to him suddenly, his big smiling expression falling. “But she threw one at me first!”
Noah shook his head again, reiterating that Jack shouldn’t throw that ball. This was going to take some doing, but he’d teach his son one way or another. It doesn’t work that way with girls.
~*~
Abel
“I never used the word bad,” Nellie was saying under her breath. “All I said was your little angel is not always as sweet and innocent as you think. You can even ask your mom. She’s seen it and she’ll tell you.”
“Nope,” Abel said, staring out at his daughter, who played happily in the play area.
Nellie laughed. “Well, I can see you’re gonna be reasonable.” She leaned in and kissed his cheek. “Wow, just wait until she’s a teen. You’re in for a rude awakening.”
Abel smirked but didn’t respond to that. Nellie and his mother could make all the outlandish insinuations they wanted about his Reina. She was as sweet and as beautiful as her mother. So she was a kid and liked clowning around and throwing things. What kid didn’t? He watched as Noah, who’d been on his knees saying something to Jack, got up and watched Jack walk away. Noah wore that same enamored and proud expression Abel knew he wore anytime he watched his own kids running around.
He had so much to be grateful for. There were times when he’d start to feel bad for Felix. The shit he’d gone through with the loss of his kid and then the hell he went through with Ella getting sick were rough. But Abel had to remind himself of something Felix was always quick to point out. He had his Ella back and that’s all that mattered. Abel knew damn well the feeling of thinking you might lose the love of your life. So he understood completely. It seemed having nearly lost her made Felix appreciate everything he had that much more rather than complain about what he didn’t have and probably never would—kids.
It just seemed like such a damn shame, being they were such Disney fanatics, that they’d never get a chance to take their own kids to the happiest place on earth. Since it wasn’t in Abel to get into any one’s personal business, he didn’t even know if it was because they couldn’t or they didn’t want to. All Abel knew was whenever anyone else brought it up Felix was quick to can the subject.
Abel rarely asked such personal questions, but he could ask Nellie anything without worrying about her telling anyone. He leaned into her. “Do you know if Felix and Ella can’t have kids or are they just afraid to?”
Nellie shook her head. “I don’t know if she’s ever been told she can’t,” Nellie whispered. “All I know is she’s terrified of passing on her high-risk genetics to her children.” Nellie winced. “I can’t say I blame her after all they’ve been through.” She lowered her voice even more. “It’s why Gio and Bianca weren’t going to have any more. But then”—she tilted her head smiling and shrugged—“everything happens for a reason, right?”
Reina’s loud squealing interrupted their thoughts as they both turned to see her running up the ladder of the big play set, wearing Jack’s ball cap. Jack nearly caught up to her, and she screamed even louder as she made it onto the slide just in time.
“The way she riles that boy, I think she has a crush,” Abel’s mom said, walking up to them, holding their baby in her arms.
Abel turned to his mother with what he knew was more than a disgusted expression. It was exactly how he felt. “Who has a crush?”
Nellie laughed. “I think we both know who she’s talking about, and, I dunno . . . I’d have to say it’s classic behavior.”
“She’s in kindergarten,” he reminded these two crazy women.
He saw his mother and Nellie exchange glances. “I think it’s cute,” Nellie declared, taking a sip of her fancy coffee. “I had my first crush in kindergarten.”
“Is that right?” Abel asked in a demanding voice. Then it dawned on him how ridiculous it was to get wound up about that. This whole conversation was ridiculous.
“Uh oh,” Nellie said, and Abel annoyingly followed her gaze.
Little Abel was walking toward them, squeezing his crotch area shamelessly. Nellie looked up at Abel. “Do you wanna take him?”
Abel nodded, still feeling his feathers all ruffled, and held out his hand to his son. “Gotta go?” The question only made his son hold on to his crotch area tighter, but he nodded. “Let’s go then. Hurry.”
He needed to get away for a few minutes anyway. Reina was still squealing, and he had a feeling his mom and Nellie weren’t done with their crush talk. As if his baby girl even knew what that meant!
“Honey, can you please talk to him again about not waiting until the last second so he has to walk around doing that? It’s embarrassing.”
A few minutes later, Abel stood in the men’s room blow drying his kid’s pants because he didn’t quite make it to the urinal. As he did that, he tried explaining to his boy about not waiting until it was too late. The water in the sink had been running just behind Abel, but he hadn’t thought much of it until he turned around to see his son’s shirt half soaked from him trying to wash his hands. “Dude! I just dried these.” He held up the short little pants.
Nellie was going to flip if he saw him like this. “C’mere,” he said, kneeling down to help him get his pants on, then pulled off his shirt. “Don’t turn on the water.”
He tried to give him that raised brow warning look but had to laugh. This was what it’d come down to.
His life.
Drying wet kid clothes in the bathroom at the Disney Resort while his wife, kids, and the rest of his friends waited outside. They still had yet another day of dealing with squealing kids, crotch-grabbing little boys who barely made it to the urinals—every time—and lots of sticky faces and fingers to clean. Not to mention diapers to change, grumpy little guys who need a nap and a wife and mom who make up the most ridiculous things about his baby girl.
A few years ago he might’ve said no way was he ready for all this. Now all he could say was bring it.
They finished up and walked back out where Nellie was standing looking toward the restroom. When they got to her, she looked at them questionably. “You guys took long. Did something happen?”
Abel looked down at his son and patted his head. “Nope, some things you just can’t rush.”
Nellie gave him a knowing look and nodded. Abel winked at his son before the little guy took off running again.
Felix and Ella were already at the buffet table. “I see they finally made it,” Abel said, wrapping his arms around Nellie’s waist from behind.
“They’re acting weird,” Nellie said.
“How so?”
“I dunno. Like they have a secret.”
Abel could bet what their secret was—whatever they were doing all this time while the rest of them were down here running around after their kids. He watched as Felix and Ella walked back. They had that same look on their faces as Hector and Charlee, who were also just now getting back from the changing her shoes B.S.
“We’ll eat quickly then we’re out,” Ella said as they sat down. “The walk doesn’t start for another twenty minutes.”
“Take your time,” Nellie said. She glanced at Charlee and Hector, who walked over and picked up their now wide awake baby, then whispered to Abel. “Maybe I should go change my shoes too while Felix and Ella eat.”
Abel’s head jerked back to her, eyes wide open. He liked how she was thinking but said, “We don’t have enough time.”
She leaned into him. “Maybe we could find the ice vending room instead of going all the way up.”
The way she looked at him he knew she was only kidding, but that wasn’t helping the cause in his already twitching crotch. “Stop,” he whispered and she giggled.
Abel suddenly knew what his mission would be today. He’d be tiring these kids out until they were spent because when they got back to the room tonight it was on.
~*~
Felix
It didn’t matter.
Felix now understood completely. In the beginning he’d been leery about letting people know the whole truth. He figured it was no one’s business but theirs. As usual, in Ella fashion, she made Felix understand why she didn’t care if everyone knew the truth—because it didn’t matter. The bottom line was she and Felix would be giving life to these babies. They would be born from their love regardless of the technicalities. Truth was Ella was right—as usual. Neither one of them wanted to heighten the odds of having to be challenged so tragically again.
He’d had his doubts in the beginning that Ella might regret it, but from the moment she was told she was pregnant she said she felt instant love for that baby. Then they were told there were two, and that feeling of immense love doubled over instantaneously.
They decided to keep the whole thing a secret until the biggest risk was over. They both agreed that the fewer people they told—the fewer people asking questions—the easier it would be if things didn’t work out. That’s why when they decided they’d tell everyone they wanted to do it in a special way. So they’d flown everyone out to Disney World. They thought they were here to help them celebrate their anniversary and participate in today’s cancer-awareness walk. The only ones who knew were her brother and Sonia, who couldn’t be here because Memo was off in spring training for a triple-A team he was on and Sonia didn’t want to come without him. Then there were his brothers, who’d made it to their wedding but weren’t able to make it this time because they were in a middle of some record-breaking mountain-climbing race in the Alps. But Felix and Ella had spoken to them a few days ago just before they’d started the race and told them about the pregnancy. As expected, they were ecstatic.
They’d also told her dad, who didn’t come either on this trip because his new wife, and ironically neat freak, Margie, was afraid to fly. Felix had promised them the next trip would be a cruise.
It was crazy what a difference a good woman could make in a man’s life. Ella’s dad was happily married and now free of hoarding. He was still collecting, but Margie hadn’t allowed it until he’d gotten rid of all his other stuff first. She had her sons, who owned online businesses, help Ella’s dad set up one for him. So he was allowed now to collect stuff, fix it, and then sell it online. But she set limits on how many items he could store at home at a time before he could go out and get more.
Felix had made sure of two things when he’d bought them a place as his and Ella’s wedding gift to them. One, it was far away from Grayson’s patrol area. In fact, it was just around the corner from Ella and Felix’s place. And two, it had a nice big storage work area in the back. That kept the limit Margie set for him to a good size without any of it making its way into the house, and everyone was happy.
So everyone back home knew the news. Now it was time to tell everyone here. Ella and Felix had just been waiting for one more call from the doctors to make the announcement. That’s why they’d been late that morning.
Felix glanced at Ella, who gave him the go-ahead nod. “So we have an announcement to make.”
Aside from the kids, who didn’t quiet or slow down even for a moment, all the adults were looking at them now.
“We hadn’t told anyone,” Felix began, “because we knew it’d be a process. First, we had to make a decision and be sure it was what we both agreed on.”
Felix turned to Ella, and she took a deep breath then stood up. “First of all, I wanna say you all look so cute in your pink shirts. Guys”—she looked at Abel specifically—“I know you fought for the pink ball caps only, so I appreciate seeing you in the T-shirt as well.”
The guys laughed, nudging Abel, whose face soured. “I wasn’t the only one,” he reminded them. “And it was just a suggestion. I never said I wouldn’t wear it.”
He tugged at his tight shirt as Hector tried to keep from laughing. Hector was the one who’d suggested they get Abel one that barely fit so the big guy would look even cuter in his pink T-shirt.”
“Looks good, man.” Hector nodded at him, trying to keep as straight face as possible, but Abel shoved him anyway.
“As you all know,” Ella continued, “Felix and I would like nothing more than to be parents, but with my medical history, we had to decide whether or not that was a chance we wanted to take. Any child of mine would be automatically susceptible to a very high probability of getting cancer.” She glanced at Felix and smiled at him.
It took everything in him to not reach out and rub her belly as he’d been doing nonstop since they found out she was pregnant. But he’d wait until she’d told them all.
“We knew that the rare condition Felix’s son was born with was not genetic. So several months ago we began seeing fertility specialists about using an egg donor. If we went this route, I could still carry the baby, and one of us would be blood related to our baby, but, of course, once he or she was in here”—she rubbed her belly—“the baby would be all mine too.” She smiled as her eyes welled up, and Felix brought his arm around her waist, a little concerned. She turned to him and smiled. “They’re happy tears, baby. I promise,” she whispered then laughed, wiping a tear away with her finger. “But I think you’re gonna have tell them the rest or I’ll be a blubbering mess.”
Felix cleared his throat. “Long story short. We chose a donor, went through the procedure that we were warned may or may not take the first round, but”—he kissed Ella on the cheek—“it took first try.”
The girls already had their hands to their mouths, looking emotional, and Felix couldn’t even look at them for fear their teary eyes might make him get all choked up too. He swallowed back the emotion and continued. “Because we were told that there was still a chance the pregnancy might not stick, we didn’t wanna to say anything until she was further along. But now that she is, we want to announce we’re gonna be parents!”
They all started to cheer and talk at once. Ella suddenly chimed in, waving her hands in the air. “Can I tell them the best part?”
Felix nodded. Seeing Ella this happy only made him even more choked up, and he was glad she was taking over. “Well, like you guys, in my family, it’s customary to name your first son or at least one of them after Daddy.” She turned and smiled even bigger at Felix. “But he’d told me in the past that if he ever had another baby, boy or girl, he wanted to name it Jordan in honor of its big brother. I completely agreed and respected that. It all depends on how this goes. We may or may not try again, so to me this could be a onetime deal. I was all prepared that if we had a boy he could be Jordan Felix. But if it were a girl”—she scrunched her nose—“well, I wouldn’t do that to her. Felix is not exactly a feminine name even as a middle name.”
They all laughed, and Ella brought her hands to her face, all giddy. Felix nodded so she’d tell them. “We’re having twin boys!”
There was screeching and clapping and even some whistling from Hector as the girls began hugging Ella and then Felix.
“Our first born will be Jordan after his big brother,” she explained even as everyone took turns hugging them, “and the second will be Felix after his daddy.”
Felix was trying so hard to hold it together, but the joy he felt was so overwhelming it was hard to. The guys hugged him surprisingly hard, which only made him that much more emotional, damn it. Abel even held on for a while.
“Welcome to the club, man,” Abel said as he finally pulled away. “Say goodbye to sleep and sex on a whim.”
“Yeah.” Hector laughed. “It gets so glamorous that after a while you don’t even smell the puke in her hair when you make love to her.”
They all laughed as Charlee approached them. “What did he just say?”
“Something about your hair smelling like puke when you were looking for your walking shoes earlier,” Abel said.
The guys all laughed, but Felix was lost. Whatever the joke was made Charlee’s face turn bright red. Hector pushed Abel, pretending to be mad when Charlee walked away, but he was grinning from ear to ear when he went after his embarrassed wife.
“Well, I say this calls for a toast,” Noah said, flagging over one of the waiters who’d been walking around refilling everyone’s mimosas, “although, half the women here will have to toast with orange juice only.”
When they’d all been refilled, they held out their glasses. “To filling 5th Street with a new generation of fighters.” Noah smiled. “And to Jack for starting all this and making us promise we’d always stay together like one big family.”
“Hear, hear!” Hector said. “To family.
They all toasted and drank then began getting ready to leave. Felix watched as they all put their walking strollers together. Most had doubles and made sure their baby bags were all filled and ready with whatever they’d need on their two-mile, kid-friendly route. Felix and Ella normally did the five-mile route, but with her pregnant now, he didn’t feel comfortable doing the five-mile today.
Abel and Hector walked out to where Felix had been waiting for everyone, lost in thought. They both had their filled strollers ready. Hector pretended to rev up his stroller loudly as if he and Abel were gonna race. “Honey,” Charlee said gently to Hector, “you’re gonna wake the baby.”
Hector stopped the revving noise, and as soon as Charlee was far enough away, Abel squeaked. “Yes, dear.”
“Shut up,” Hector said, shoving his brother with a smirk. “I never call her dear, ass.”
Noah walked up next with his two in a sit down/stand up stroller so Jack could stand in the back.
Felix informed them they’d be joining them on the two-mile route because he didn’t want Ella doing the five-mile just as Gio walked up with a wagon full of stuff and no kids, rolling his eyes. “I don’t know why she made me rent this. The boys are not gonna wanna sit in it. I would’ve rather rented a wheelchair in case she gets tired. She and the boys can take turns.”
“What was that?” Bianca asked, walking up adjusting her sun hat. “Oh perfect,” she said when she saw the wagon.
Hector was already making faces at Gio, who failed to continue with his frustrated talk about the wagon in front of Bianca. Abel’s little guy came rushing toward Abel, holding his crotch. “Again, dude?” Abel asked, looking around. “Jesus, you must have a bladder the size of a peanut.”
“I want peanuts!” Reina yelled, jumping up and down.
“You just ate,” Abel said, rushing off with little Abel. “Watch her,” he said at no one in particular, but they all would.
“Abel, I thought you talked to him about waiting until the last minute,” Nellie said.
“I did!” he yelled back.
Just then Hector’s little one started wailing. Abel’s mom scolded the four boys for playing too roughly and bumping the stroller and waking him. Hector tried calming his mom, saying they were just being boys. Just as Ella walked out finally from the restaurant where she said she’d use the ladies’ room one last time, Felix took her in from top to bottom in her runner’s tights, the kind she always wore for these walks. The small baby bump would likely put an end to these kinds of tights very soon.
His eyes went upwards to her tight pink shirt as she approached him. Just like all her shirts, it looked painted over her ample breasts. Felix had been playing when he’d suggested a full D cup, but the girls were the ones who’d convinced Ella that if she was getting new boobs she may as well go all the way. Ella refused anything bigger than a full D, but with her petite frame, her full D’s really popped out. Felix wouldn’t lie. He’d had his fun with them, but he’d found himself grinding his teeth when Ella had mentioned she missed the days of blending in with the crowd.
As the chaos continued with the crying babies and kids running around, Felix took Ella’s hand, backing her up and away from the crowd. “Ella, sweetheart,” he whispered, glancing around nervously. “Are we ready for all this?”
Ella laughed, looking around him at the disorderly loud crowd of their friends. “What are you talking about? It’s been like this all week.”
“Yeah, but now that we told them”—he lowered his voice, feeling genuine fear—“it’s like we agreed to join that wild bunch.”
Abel walked by them with little Abel. “Nellie, did you bring another pair of pants for this one? The air dryer in that restroom wasn’t working.”
Ella giggled. “Ready or not you have two of them coming at once.”
In the midst of voices warning of time outs, babies wailing, little ones whining along with laughter, and even another of Hector’s mimicking high-pitched “Yes, dears!” Felix leaned his forehead against Ella’s.
“I’m ready for the rest of my life with you and this crazy family.”
“Good,” she said, pulling him along, “’cause we have to go register for the five-miler.”
“But I thought we should do the two-miler, babe.”
“No way. Why?” she said, waving at the rest of the gang. “We’ll see you guys at the end.”
Felix’s eyes met Hector’s stupid smirking expression. “Yes, dear!”
Felix laughed out loud as he kept up with his rushing wife. She turned back to see if they were far enough. “It’ll probably take us longer to finish the two-mile walk going with them with all the stopping they’re gonna have to do anyway.”
This was true. He hurried to stop right in front of her then kissed her. “I love you so much.”
She smiled. “I love you too,” she said quickly then tugged him along. “But we gotta hurry. We’re already late.”
As much as he’d like to slow Ella down, Felix knew there was very little that would ever slow his girl down, and there was no way he’d ever complain about that.