That night, after everyone slowly wound down from the day and Naomi and Peter's return, everyone was gathered in Elaine's apartment chatting about their visit with her parents.
"So when are you getting married?" Micky asked Peter.
"Well, we're thinking summertime before Naomi has the baby." Peter said.
"That is so wonderful," Elaine said. "Congratulations."
"Thanks, Laney." Naomi said. "Thankfully I'm not very far along yet."
"What did your mom say, Nay Nay?" Elaine asked.
"Eh, she was very shocked to say the least. But when she met Peter and saw how sincere he was about everything, she gave us their blessings." Naomi replied.
"At least your mother acknowledges you," Elaine said in a hurtful tone. "Mine is off traveling the world and couldn't care less about her baby."
Naomi looked at Peter and then at Elaine and said, "Actually, Laney. We ran into your parents during our stay. And they were thrilled to pieces about yours and Micky's news. Your mother I guess has been trying to call you, but she had the wrong cell phone number I guess."
"Lame excuse, Naomi." Elaine replied standing up and walking into the bedroom slamming the door behind her.
Micky started to get off the couch and Naomi said, "Let me talk to her a minute, Micky." Naomi kissed Peter and then went into Elaine's bedroom.
Elaine was lying on the bed crying. "Laney, don't cry." Naomi said. "I'm serious. Your mother's cell phone broke and she misplaced her address book and didn't have the right numbers, nor did she have any of our numbers either."
"Yeah right!" Elaine cried out covering her face up with the blanket.
Naomi walked around to the other side of the bed and sat down next to her friend uncovering her face. Naomi reached into her pants pocket and pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to Elaine. "These are your parents new telephone numbers and they aren't planning on doing any traveling any time soon and would love to hear from you."
Elaine looked at the paper and didn't recognize any of the numbers. "Really?" she asked.
"Yes, really." Naomi replied.
"She hasn't been ignoring me?" Elaine asked shocked.
"Nope, not at all." Naomi replied handing the phone to Elaine telling her, "Give them a call. They want to hear from you."
"Really?" Elaine asked.
"Yes," Naomi replied. Tears welled up in Elaine's eyes as she dialed the phone number. When she heard a, "Hello," Elaine cried out, "Momma is that you?"
"Yes, baby, it's me." Mrs. Nelson said. "Muah, *HUGS* and *KISSES* to you baby."
Elaine cried and cried into the phone as she talked to her mother. Naomi wiped the tears from her eyes as she left Elaine alone to talk to her mother privately. Micky walked up to the door and Naomi gently took his hand. "She's talking to her mother, Micky. Let's give her some privacy."
"But?" Micky asked.
"Come here Micky. I need to talk to you," Naomi said pulling him into the spare room saying, "Excuse us for a moment."
"I'll try not to be jealous!" Peter said only teasing his friends.
Naomi sat on the bed and Micky sat next to her and talked to him for the longest time about things she had been feeling regarding his and Elaine's relationship, the babies, doctor's appointments, etc...That night, the two formed a bond that would never be broken between one another by sharing extremely personal and private things with each other.
_______________________
About two hours later, Micky walked into Elaine's bedroom and closed the door. Elaine was curled up on her maternity body pillow. "How was your mom?" he asked in a gentle tone.
"Fine," Elaine replied.
Micky leaned down and kissed Elaine on the forehead. "I'm sorry for being a jerk," he said.
"I know," Elaine replied. "Me too."
Micky looked at her and asked, "What are you thinking about?"
"How much I want to be held right now," Elaine said starting to cry. Micky turned off the bedroom lights and crawled in the bed next to Elaine. He held her in his arms the entire night. She felt so good to him and he was practically in tears himself.
Meanwhile, out in the livingroom, everyone slowly and very quietly left the apartment and went to their own apartments. Davy went with Louise; Peter went with Naomi; and Mike went with Sam.
Naomi curled up in Peter's arms and he felt her tummy. "How are you feeling?" he asked.
"Okay," Naomi replied. "Better now that I've talked to Micky about what's been bothering me with him and Laney."
"You didn't yell at him, did you?" Peter asked.
"Did you hear any yelling at all, Peter?" Naomi asked.
"No, I guess not." Peter replied.
"Then no, I did not yell at Micky. We had a very nice conversation with each other." Naomi replied.
"That's good," Peter said holding her tighter against his chest. "I love you."
"I love you too, Peter." Naomi replied.
_____________________________
After that night, Micky and Elaine worked hard on getting their life back in order. Lamaze classes were proving very interesting for them as well. After birthing video was over with, Micky looked at Elaine and they both about got sick. "I'm not eating anytime soon." Elaine said.
"Me neither," Micky replied holding his tummy.
When class was over with that one night, Micky and Elaine were walking out to the car together when Elaine stopped midway in the lot.
"What's wrong?" Micky asked concerned.
Elaine took his hands and placed them on her tummy. "What is it?" Micky asked horrified.
"Baby is turning." Elaine said gasping. "Here's the other one over here," she said putting his hand on the other baby who was kicking.
"Tiny place for two growing babies," Micky said.
"You okay, Elaine?" a woman asked walking out to her car with her husband.
"Yes, Janine, I'm fine. Baby was turning that's all." Elaine said smiling at her.
"Hurts like the dickens when they do that, doesn't it?" Janine asked.
"Yes, hard to breathe." Elaine replied.
"Yes, I know." Janine said. "Well goodnight folks. See you next Monday."
"Night, Janine. Have a safe and blessed week!" Elaine said.
"Thanks you both as well." Janine replied getting into their car. Micky helped Elaine into the car and they drove back to the apartment.
"You want to crash at mine tonight, Elaine?" Micky asked.
"Nope, just in case Peter's there, I better be at mine. Plus, I work tomorrow." Elaine replied.
"Did you tell your boss yet about month off?" Micky asked.
"No way. Not until eight months." Elaine replied.
Back at the apartment, after her shower to relax and wind down, Elaine curled up in Micky's arms again and they fell asleep. It was a long day for both of them and a very long night at Lamaze classes. But it was a good day for them as well.
The rest of the week was full of work, rest; work, rest; work, work on babies room; work, do a little shopping; work, rest. By the time Friday night came around, Elaine crashed the moment she walked into the house. Micky came home from his one drum lesson that James begged him to do and found Elaine passed out on the couch snoring away. She was still in her suit outfit.
"Poor thing," he said quietly to himself covering her up with blankets and gently propping her head on the pillow. He gave her a kiss on the forehead and then went into the bathroom to take a shower. He was living over there permanently for the time being while Peter was switching back and forth between Micky's apartment and Naomi's new one. The girls had started their new jobs so they were kept quite busy as well.
Just as Micky was done getting dressed into his pajamas, the phone rang. He walked to it picking it up, "Hello."
"Elaine Nelson please." he heard the voice ask.
"Who is this?" Micky asked.
"It's a personal matter," Micky heard them say.
"Well, I'm her boyfriend and she's sleeping right now. May I take a message?" Micky asked.
"She's sleeping at 6pm on a Friday?" the voice asked.
"Yes," Micky replied.
"Well this is the pregnancy center and Elaine's been counseling our teenage women for us and we have one that needs counseling. We were hoping she could fit her in her schedule either tonight or tomorrow."
"Um hang on a minute, please." Micky said putting the phone down and walking over to Elaine. "Elaine, wake up, it's the pregnancy center on the phone. They have a girl for you to counsel."
Elaine's eyes widened and she said, "I knew I was forgetting something." Micky brought the phone to Elaine and Elaine said, "This is Elaine."
"Elaine, this is Chelsea, and we have someone we would like for you to counsel either tonight or tomorrow."
Elaine said, "I should have called you, Chelsea, to tell you that I'm pregnant myself now."
"You are?" the voice asked her.
"Yes," Elaine replied. "I'm due in two months."
"Well, we'll have to find someone else then, Elaine. We don't want to bother you," Chelsea said.
"I'm sorry I should have called sooner." Elaine replied.
"It's okay, congratulations on your pregnancy. Keep us posted on when you're available next."
"I will! Thanks for understanding, Chelsea," Elaine replied.
"You're welcome, Elaine. Goodnight." Chelsea said.
"Night," Elaine replied hanging up the phone and collapsing back on her pillow. "I can't believe I forgot to call them," she said to Micky.
"You've been busy, Elaine. It's not your fault." Micky said sitting down next to her.
"Yes, it is my fault. They pay me to do these things for them. It was my duty to let them know I would be off for a while." Elaine replied.
"I'm sure they'll find someone else to help them during your leave." Micky said.
"I feel miserable, Micky. They were so good to me and I just blew them off as if they didn't exist." Elaine replied rolling over onto her maternity pillow. "I want to cry," Elaine said covering herself with the blanket and crying hysterically.
"It's not your fault, Elaine. You are overworked, overtired, and need to rest." Micky replied bending down and kissing her forehead.
"I feel horrible," Elaine cried out. Micky walked to the other couch and laid down. He was exhausted himself and needed to sleep. Elaine kept the phone by her the whole night, even though she was crying. She prayed to God for forgiveness for being so stupid and not remembering to tell the pregnancy center. Then she fell back asleep.
_____________________
Saturday morning came and Elaine was asleep on the couch still snoring very loudly. Micky had woke up to use the bathroom and when he came out, Elaine was still wrapped on her maternity pillow just snoring away. He would let her sleep the entire day. She was exhausted and figured one day without food for breakfast or her pills right away wouldn't harm her.
It had been close to one week since the girls had stopped over. They were all busy adjusting to their new jobs. Micky knew the guys would be taking care of them so he didn't worry. Micky laid back down on the couch and closed his eyes. He prayed to fall back asleep, but Elaine's snoring was very loudly.
He covered up with the blankets, said a prayer, and then tried to fall back asleep. He knew that Elaine's breathing was already labored from the babies pressing up against her ribcage and that she couldn't help the snoring. He was just glad she was resting comfortably. She loved those maternity body pillows that the girls had got for her.
Back in the other girls' apartments, Sam was making her bed when the phone rang. "Hello," she said.
"Good you're up. Can you come over and help me please?"
"What's wrong, Naomi?" Sam asked.
"Um let's just say that Peter's gone to the apartment right now and I'm kinda stuck. Thankfully I had the phone with me."
"Yes, I'll be right there." Sam replied hanging up the phone and grabbing her keys. They had each given each other their apartment key in case of an emergency. "Naomi?" Sam called out.
"In the bathroom, Sam." Naomi yelled. Sam walked into the bathroom and saw Naomi lying on the floor. "What happened?" Sam asked.
"Oh you mean the fact that I've just spent the entire night on the floor having morning sickness in the evening and I was so weak I passed out on the floor and now can't move my legs? Um well, I'm stuck."
"I'm sorry, Naomi." Sam said to her friend helping to pick her up. "Hold onto me for a moment until pins and needles stop."
"Okay," Sam replied hanging onto her friend.
"Thanks for coming over." Naomi said.
"You're welcome. Have you heard from Laney?" Sam asked.
"Nope, and I've been too sick to call her." Naomi replied. "I wanted to visit with her the other day, but my morning sickness has been all day long now and it's hard to leave. I had Peter call into work the other day explaining my situation and they were very understandable thankfully."
"How are you liking the new job?" Sam asked.
"It's a lot of fun. Thankfully I don't talk to anyone and just get to work all day long. I like that aspect of it. I was tired of phones at the other job. What about you?"
"It's going really good actually. I think Louise is doing good with hers as well. We hardly see Laney at all even though we're all in the same building together."
"Where's Mike at?" Naomi asked.
"He's working today, I guess. He finally found someone that is willing to listen to some of his songs he wrote."
"Oooh that's wonderful, Sam." Naomi said sitting on the bed finally after walking to the bedroom.
"Yes, he's ecstatic about it. Davy's been taking Louise on trips showing her the town and I've hardly seen her at all too."
"Yeah, I know what you mean." Naomi replied putting her hands on her tummy. "I'm not showing yet." she said.
"No, but Elaine is getting ready to pop I think." Sam replied.
"She's got two months yet, I think." Naomi said. "That last month on bedrest will drive her bonkers."
"I'm just thrilled that her and Micky are getting along great again." Sam replied. "It's refreshing to know that she's okay."
"Yes, it's a relief off my mind," Naomi replied. "Especially since I've been so sick myself."
Naomi laid back against the pillows and breathed. "What's wrong?" Sam asked.
"I get dizzy, Sam. It's all part of the pregnancy process." Naomi said holding her tummy. "I'll be fine after some sleep."
"Well, I better let you rest then, Naomi." Sam said.
"Please don't leave me. Will you sit with me for a while?" Naomi asked. "I don't want to be left alone right now."
Sam smiled at her friend and said, "Okay, I'll stay for a while."
"Thank you," Naomi said closing her eyes again and taking deep breaths. Then she propped herself up on her maternity pillow she had bought herself and told Sam, "These are the utmost comfortable pillows in the entire world."
"That's good," Sam replied.
Naomi closed her eyes and pretty soon started snoring. Sam went into the livingroom and sat there watching TV on low for a while. She was glad she was home to help her friend out. Sam closed her eyes and fell asleep shortly after that as well.
___________________________
With Louise coming home and her and Davy quite loud from laughing, Louise threw her purse against the couch and it hit the wall instead.
"What was that?" Naomi sat up asking nervously.
"Your neighbors are home," Samantha said opening her eyes and yawning.
"She needs to be more respectful, Sam." Naomi said angrily. "She could have caused me to gone into a miscarriage from being frightened."
Sam said, "You're not going to miscarriage, Naomi. I will go and talk with her."
"No, I will go and talk with her. Then I want to see Laney before I get sick again." Naomi replied opening up the apartment door and walking next door knocking.
"Go away!" she heard at the door.
"Louise Jean, open this door immediately." Naomi said.
Louise walked to the door and opened it. "Yes, what is it?" she asked.
"You woke me and Sam up throwing things against the wall. Stop it." Naomi said. "I've been horribly sick with morning sickness and I need peace and quiet."
"Sorry, Naomi. We just got in and are still wound up from our day." Louise said.
"Well unwind quickly and be quiet." Naomi said leaving the apartment after saying, "Hi Davy."
"Hi!" Davy called back in return and then the two laughed. Sam looked at Louise and said, "Unacceptable."
"Sorry, Sam." Louise said. "We'll be more quieter."
"You better be." Sam replied closing the door behind her.
Naomi walked down the hallway, "Laney, it's me. I want to see you."
Micky walked to the door and opened it. "Hello strangers." he said letting them inside.
"Sorry I haven't been around, morning sickness has plagued me." Naomi said sitting down in the chair. "Where's Laney?"
"Listen," Micky said closing the door. Naomi listened and then her ear followed the voice. "Oh she's right in front of me," Naomi said. "LOL, too funny."
"She's been sleeping all afternoon. I was just resting myself." Micky said.
"Well, I wanted to come during a nausea-free moment." Naomi said. She stood up and walked over to Elaine, "Wake up, Laney, it's Nay Nay."
"And Sam," Sam replied sitting down in the other chair.
"And Sam," Naomi said.
Elaine opened her eyes and sat up. She gave her friends a hug and kiss. "I've missed you." she said.
"We've missed you too. But I've been having morning sickness really bad and Sam's been very busy with working."
"How are the new jobs working out?" Elaine asked.
"They are very good. I felt bad calling in sick so shortly after starting, but I just had to. Thankfully they were understanding." Naomi said.
"They will be at first, but then watch out." Elaine said sitting back down on her pillow and wrapping up with her blankets.
"Why do you say that, Elaine?" Naomi asked.
"Just the way they've been with me." Elaine replied. "Doctor Annabelle forgot one note and my manager had a fit over it."
"You didn't tell me that, Elaine." Micky said shocked.
"It just happened. She forgot to fax them the note about that I was only able to increase weight restrictions by another five pounds and then they expected me to carry a case of paper from the stock room to the copier. I'm not even supposed to bend over, let alone carry a case of paper."
"That is not acceptable." Micky said. "I will go down there if I have to."
"No, you will not!" Elaine said adamantly. "I will handle everything myself and so will Doctor Annabelle."
"I take it Annabelle is your physician?" Sam asked.
"Yes, she's absolutely wonderful and takes her time with the patients. She doesn't care if it takes an hour for an exam, as long as the patients are comfortable that's all she cares about."
"Give me her number, Laney. I need a good doctor out here." Naomi said.
"I thought you had one?" Elaine asked. "That's how you found out you were pregnant."
"Um actually no. I found out by pregnancy test and when we were in Massachusetts, I visited my doctor there and they confirmed it for me. I still need a doctor here. Thankfully I'm not that far into the pregnancy yet." Naomi replied.
"Ah, I see." Elaine said confused as heck, as she was still half asleep.
"Where is Peter?" Micky asked tired of listening to women pregnancy talk.
Naomi looked at him and said, "The last I knew he was at the apartment. I haven't seen him since last night actually."
"Does he know you've been sick?" Sam asked concerned.
"Yes and I told him to leave me alone, so don't get all in a tizzy, Sam." Naomi replied. "He needed his rest too. He's been so helpful to me with everything with my parents and now this, plus my moving here, and supportive of my new job, etc..., he deserves to rest too."
"Well, I'm going to go to the apartment to check on him. Plus, I need to get more clothes." Micky said.
"Okay, Micky." Elaine said.
"Bye Micky," Sam and Naomi said in unison.
"Bye," he waved and said back to them leaving the apartment.
"I think he doesn't want to hear lady talk," Elaine said rubbing her tummy.
"Does it hurt, Laney?" Sam asked curiously.
"Nope, they are just moving around stretching." Elaine said. "Come here, Sam."
Sam walked over to her friend and sat down on the couch. Elaine took Sam's hands and put them on her tummy. "This is one baby and here's the other one," she said moving her hands to feel the babies.
"Oh wow!" Samantha said shocked.
"Let me feel, Laney." Naomi said walking over to her friend.
"Wash your hands first, Naomi." Elaine said. "You've been sick."
"Right," Naomi said running to the sink and washing her hands. Then she came back over and felt the babies.
Elaine told the girls, "Well, we've set the date for the wedding finally after much discussion and planning."
"When?" Sam asked.
"It's going to be a very small ceremony with just the 10 of us and our parents. Micky's sister is going to sing, and then since I can't fly, we're going to a hotel for the week and just relax."
"Congratulations, Laney." Naomi said giving her friend a hug.
"Thanks. Of course, I want you three as my bridesmaids, and since I refuse to pick one over the other for maid-of-honor, Micky would like his sister too. And he's not picking the guys one over the other, so he's having his friend from the music store be best man. Is that okay with you, ladies?"
"Yes, fine, Elaine. It's your wedding." Samantha said sitting down next to her friends. "When is it going to be?"
"It's going to be almost right before my due date actually. Hmmm, let me check the calendar. I'm due around March I think. I can't remember now." Elaine said laughing at herself. "Then, I have already put in for a week off since this is the start of the new year started. Hard to believe it's winter and it's beautiful weather, isn't it?"
"Yes, very," Sam replied.
"I like it actually," Naomi said.
"Me too," Elaine replied.
At the apartment, Micky filled Peter in on the wedding plans and he agreed. "That's cool. You'll be married a few months before we will."
"Yes," Micky said. "And I am not choosing any one of you as best man, so my friend from the music store will be my best man."
"That's fine," Peter replied. "We certainly don't want any ruffles feathered now, do we?"
"No," Micky said taking a Coke out of the fridge and opening it.
"What are you drinking there, Peter?" Micky asked.
"Just one of your beers. This is my only one. I just want to veg out tonight." Peter said.
"That's fine with me. I have to be alert just in case she needs to go to the hospital for contractions." Micky said.
"You need to relax." Peter said.
"I know," Micky said. "Tonight, we're going to finish finalizing the reception hall and then she's taking a hot shower, I'm taking a hot shower in the other bathroom of course, and then we're both going to cuddle and fall asleep in each other's arms."
"That's good. Have you seen Naomi?"
"Yes, she's over with Sam talking to Elaine. She's having a nausea-free moment."
"Good, at least she's okay." Peter said taking another sip of his beer and closing his eyes.
Micky finished his pop and then packed up more clothes and told Peter, "I'll see you later."
"Okay, have a good night." Peter replied.
"Thanks, you too." Micky said opening the apartment door and closing it behind him.
Back at Elaine's, Sam asked, "What will we wear for the wedding?"
"Well, we want it very informal. So, probably just one of each of your nice pantsuits and that's it."
"Really? No bridal dresses or anything?" Naomi asked shocked.
"Yeah, really," Elaine replied. "No need for extravagance in my opinion. Plus, with you getting married shortly after us, we need to conserve our money."
Micky walked in the door and collapsed on the couch. "I am too tired to stay awake any longer."
"What's wrong, Micky?" Elaine asked.
"I don't know, I just walked back over carrying two suitcases and I just got all the energy drained out of me."
Elaine looked at him and immediately knew he was lying. She knew what his game was, although she kept quiet about it.
"Well, we should get going anyway, Elaine." Naomi said. "Sam's going to stay with me again tonight, to make sure I'm okay."
"Yes, I will." Sam replied. "I'm just so sweet and nice."
"Yes you are, darlin," Elaine said standing up to give her friends a hug. "Thanks for coming to visit. Call me if you need anything."
"We will, Laney, don't worry." Naomi said walking out of the apartment with Sam behind her. "Night Micky."
"Night you two." Micky said sighing he was so exhausted (or so he was pretending to be anyway).
Elaine looked at him and said, "You are a piece of work."
"I know," Micky said running over to her and gently tickling her ribs. "Let's finish the reception plans and then get ready for our nice hot showers and relaxation time together."
Elaine giggled quietly and then pulled out her notebook and they finalized the plans, took their hot showers, and then fell asleep in each other's arms.
Chapter 10
Chapter 12
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