Wretched Roses √

Chapter 86-Growing

Freya's POV
Joey and Storm were running around the room, well, it was more like waddling, chasing each other. They'd learned to walk around the same time, a little after Joey turned one, and ever since they'd been walking all the time. Slowly, the two of them were getting better and better at it. The downside of it was that it was proving to be extremely difficult to keep them in check. As expected, Joey and Storm grew inseparable quickly, they were best friends and we all anticipated it would stay that way.

Our family was slowly growing, with me being pregnant with our second kid. We'd just found out a few weeks ago and Leona and I had been ecstatic. I was nervous too though. The last time I'd been pregnant, it hadn't lasted long. For now, the baby was stable and healthy, but I was unsure if it would last. What if I'd been the problem? I wasn't sure.

Penny interrupted my thoughts, rubbing herself against my leg and purring. Despite being busy with Joey, we still tried to give her a lot of attention. She appeared to like Joey and he liked her too, so at least that was good. I'd been nervous they wouldn't get along. Giving Penny up was the last thing I wanted to have to do.

I picked her up, petting her. She purred cutely and I scratched her chin. For a little while, I pet her, then finally set her down on the sofa, smiling as I watched her curl up.

A familiar set of arms came around me. A sweet voice filled my ear, I'd recognize that voice anywhere. "Hello, beautiful. What are you sitting there looking all cute for?"

"I'm thinking."

"About what?" She kissed me softly.

"Everything."

"Including me?"

"You're always on my mind," I said.

She grinned, placing a kiss on my jaw. "Hmm, very corny, my dear wife. I've got you wrapped around my finger, don't I?"

I didn't deny it, turning around to give her a proper kiss. She didn't protest, sinking into the feeling of our lips together. It didn't last very long as we were soon interrupted by Joey hugging my leg. I laughed and picked him up. Storm was sitting on the floor, happily playing with a toy she'd found.

"When did you say May was picking Storm up?" I asked Leona.

She shrugged. "Around five, if I remember correctly."

"Okay, I'll go make us something to eat before she gets here."

Nodding, Leona gave me one last peck on the cheek before letting go of me. I gave her Joey and went into the kitchen to prepare some sandwiches for us all. It didn't take long so before I returned I snatched two juice boxes. Leona got the job to feed Storm while I fed Joey.

As anticipated, not long after we'd finished eating, May was there to pick Storm up. She picked up Storm and tickled her, eliciting loud laughs from her.

"Thank you for watching after her," May said.

"No problem, it's always a pleasure to watch Storm, I love that little girl," Leona responded earnestly.

"Of course you do, it's my daughter we're talking about after all."

Rolling her eyes playfully, Leona said, "don't let it inflame your ego too much, I complimented Storm, not you."

"Well, she came out of me and I'm raising her, so..."

"Yeah, yeah. Get out now, chop, chop."

"I'm feeling the love," May yelled as my lovely wife shut the door in her face.

Leona let out a breath. "I love that girl," she started, raising one hand, "but sometimes I wonder why."

I kissed Joey on the forehead, he giggled cutely and my lips formed a smile. Walking towards Leona, I sat down next to her, using my free arm to wrap it around her.

"That's what friends are like."

She chuckled. "Yeah, I guess so." She paused then turned her head to me. "How are you feeling? With the pregnancy and all?"

"I'm nervous but overall good. Physically, surprisingly good."

"I'm glad. Let's hope it stayed that way."

***

It did in fact not stay that way. Not long after that, the pregnancy had really started to hit and I was having frequent headaches, nausea, and so on. At five months pregnant, I was not doing so well. My belly was showing quite a bit at that point but I was constantly exhausted and my mood was switching up all the time. Regardless, I was just glad the baby was healthy.

"I want this baby out of me!" I groaned loudly, chewing on a piece of celery with peanut butter, an unexpected craving I'd had as of recently.

"I know," said Leona, giving me a quick forehead kiss from behind. She patted me on the shoulder thoughtfully. "But you still have a few months left."

"Don't remind me. You're carrying the next one," I gave her a look that said 'I'm not doing this again.'

She chuckled. "Sure, beautiful, I will."

"Oh, you better."

"I will. See you later," she shouted, blowing me a kiss before she closed the door behind her to head to work, leaving me alone with little Joey.

Said little Joey, was eating a spoonful of peanut butter from the jar I'd set on the table. His entire faced was covered in it. I grumbled under my breath and grabbed some wet wipes to clean up his face. He barely paid any attention to me, blissfully eating his precious peanut butter.

"Now, that's enough," I told him, taking a hold of the jar to put it back into its rightful place.

This, Joey didn't like. He instantly let out a loud cry. Sighing, I picked him up and carried him to the couch so he could watch some TV. It did the job ane soon enough he'd stopped crying, forgetting all about the peanut butter, and instead of admiring the shapes on the TV.

"It's either impossible or really easy to entertain kids," I said to myself, continuing my snacking but instead on the couch this time so I could keep an eye on my son.

I leaned back, watching the oddly entertaining kids show on the screen. Things were about to get good when I was suddenly caught off guard by a kick. My eyes widened and I broke out into a smile. This was the first time the baby had kicked.

My first thought was to text Leona so I hurriedly did, the smile not dropping once from my face. The former irritability I'd felt was replaced by a wave of happiness coursing through me. It was strange how emotions worked, especially during pregnancy.

Leona
She kicked? Man, I was there :(

Freya
She did!!! Don't worry, you'll feel it next time. At work yet?

Leona
Just got there

Freya
Have a great day at work!

Leona
See you later <3

I put down my phone, taking a quick peek at Joey's way to make sure he was behaving, then glancing back to the show. We sat there for a while. It probably wasn't great for him to stare at a screen for so long but I was too tired to come up with something else to do or to have to deal with a screaming kid. So I let him continue watching for a while more. Just as I was about to turn it off, a knock came on the door. I furrowed my eyebrows, we hadn't been expecting anybody so I had no idea who it could have been.

"Momma?" Joey looked up at me with his cute confused eyes.

I smiled. "Let's see who it is."

Taking his hand, I led him to the door. I opened it hesitantly and my jaw almost dropped when I saw it was. I would recognize that man anywhere, even if it had been so many years.

"Dad?"