Breakthrough

Kiddo Craze

"Hey! Y'all come on in," Chris said opening the door.
"Chris this is Sophie, Sophie this is Chris," Blake said introducing us.
"Nice to meet you," I said shaking his hand.
"Nice to me you. You're boy is always talkin' bout ya you know?"
"So I've heard," I said looking at Blake out of the corner of my eye.
"Only good things, promise," Chris said winking. "Now what's that you got there?" Chris asked looking at the cake in my hand.
"Oh, it's a lemon cake I made. I didn't want to come empty handed," I said holding out to him.
"Girl, you're welcome here anytime then. Here Jada is in the kitchen you can put it in there," he said pointing straight. I walked down the hallway until I heard remnants of chatter and giggles. I entered the open layout kitchen where Jada, Amber, and Gloria all stood around the island with wine glasses.
"My favorite mamacita!" Amber squealed running over to me and giving me a side hug.
"Hey! Long time no see!" I said to her.
"I know, we need to change that. How are you?"
"I'm good, I'm good,"'I said as we both went where the other women were standing.
"Oh Sophie you didn't have to bring anything," Jada said taking the cake and putting it on the counter.
"I know, but I did anyways. I figured everybody would like cake," I said smiling.
"True. Well Chris and the guys are outside finishing up on the grill so we can eat in a little bit," she said pointing to the back door where all the guys stood around with beers in hand laughing about something. I then heard the pitter patter of little feet on the hardwood door which caused me to turn around. I saw little Chris running around with Matt and Isaiah, Matt and Gloria's twins.
"Hey, if you guys are gonna run around go outside!" Jada told the boys as they flung open the back door and went out onto the grass.
"Good lord when those three are together," Gloria said taking a sip of her wine.
"Your boys are so cute Gloria. Take after both momma and daddy," I said.
"Thank you. You know you and Mr. B would make some cute babies," she said winking.
"Yes, you really would," Amber said agreeing with Gloria. I felt my cheeks grow warm as I got slightly embarrassed and somewhat flattered.
"Where is some of that wine?" I asked looking around trying to change the subject.
"Oh don't act like you haven't thought about it," Jada said smirking as she poured me a glass.
"I would be lying if I said I didn't," I said taking a generous sip.
"Mhmmmm..." Gloria said which made me giggle. She was right. I have thought about Blake and I having kids. He's the first really serious boyfriend I've had and we've been dating for three almost four months now. It's a thought that comes into my mind at least once a week.
"The meat is readdyyyyyyy!" DJ yelled from the doorway. We all made our way outside onto the patio where there was a large table set up with all kinds of side dishes and place settings.
"Alright y'all, let's dig in," Jada said clapping her hands together. As we all made our plates and sat around the table sharing stories and talking to each other. I noticed Jada get up twice as she looked at the baby monitor that was clipped to her jeans. After everyone was done eating I helped Jada carry the dishes into the house and start cleaning up. As she turned on the sink she sighed hearing Camryn's cries coming from the baby monitor again.
"Here, I'll go get her," I said putting a hand on Jada's shoulder.
"Are you sure?" She asked.
"Yeah, you need a break momma," I said smiling at her as I went upstairs to get Camryn. The baby girl stood in her crib wailing as tears streamed down her face. I picked her up and went over to the rocking chair and sat down. I held her close to my chest as I rocked back and forth trying to soothe her.
"Shhhhh, it's ok Camryn," I said running my thumb over her cheek. She was such a sweet baby. As I sat there rocking her in the dimly lit room I felt myself begin to doze off until I heard the door crack open. It was Blake. He stood in the doorway smiling at me with his hand in his pocket.
"You can come in if you're quiet," I said whispering as I noticed Camryn had fallen back asleep. Blake dragged the ottoman beside me and sat down looking at Camryn and back up at me.
"You're like the baby whisperer huh?" He asked.
"I guess you could say something like that. I love kids. I love when they're this age and all they want is to be held and snuggled with," I said smiling down at Camryn.
"Do you want kids?" He asked.
"Of course. At least three," I responded to him.
"Yeah?"
"Mhmm. What about you?" I said as I continued to rock the baby.
"Oh yeah. I want a big family. Maybe four or five. Depends on the girl I guess."
"You want like five baby Griffins that will be dunking before their first birthday, right?" I said sarcastically.
"I mean that seems to be the plan. But, I really want a little girl too. At least one. I need another girl to spoil besides her momma," he said smiling.
"I think you'd be a good dad."
"You think?"
"I really do. You're sweet and kind and very caring."
"Well, I know you'd make a great mom. I mean look at you now. You're a pro. And you know what?"
"What?" I asked him.
"I think we'd make a pretty good team," he said taking my hand in his.
"You think?"
"Mhmmm. What do you think?" He said asking me.
"There you are man!" DJ said from the doorway interrupting.
"Shhhhhh..." Blake and I both shushed.
"Oh, sorry, sorry," he said with wide eyes.
"Why don't you go downstairs?" I asked Blake.
"You sure?" He said getting up.
"Yeah, I'm just gonna put Camryn back in her crib and come down in a minute," I said to him.
"Ok," he said giving me a soft smile and a kiss before leaving. Soon after Blake left I got up and put Camryn in her crib and shut the for quietly before heading down stairs. As I got to the bottom of the staircase I saw that everyone was in the living room.
"There she is," Blake said turning around. He was sitting on the far right side of the couch with his ankles crossed in front of him and his arm draped over the back of the couch. I went over to the empty seat that was next to him as he pulled me in closer.
"Is she asleep?" Jada asked.
"Yep, she's in her crib."
"Ugh, thank you Sophie. Hopefully she'll sleep through the night," Jada said sighing.
"My lady is the baby whisperer," Blake said squeezing my arm a little.

Soon after Amber and DJ left Blake and I headed out after saying our goodbyes.
"You wanna just go back to my place for a bit?" he asked me pulling out of the driveway.
"Yeah, that's fine," I say to him.

When we get to his house we both go up to his room. It starts to rain and I climb into his newly made up bed and sink into the silky sheets.
"I think the only reason you come over here is to sleep in my bed," he says laughing as he lays next to me.
"I mean it is really comfortable," I admit as he turns the TV on. When he turns it on there is a commercial on. It's of a family. A mom and dad and three kids. Two boys. One who looks about six and the other about three and then there is a little baby girl who only seems to be a few months old. The six year old is in between the mom and dad while the three year old is draped over the mom and then the baby girl is sound asleep on the dad's chest.
"That's it right there, that's what I want," Blake says pointing to the TV.
"Yeah, me too," I admit.
"That's always been the dream," he said still staring at the TV.
"Can I tell you something?" I ask him.
"Of course," he says facing me.
"It's about my mom. And me. I was at lunch one day with my mom and Rae, my cousin who was pregnant with her second baby at the time. And Rae and I were talking about all this baby stuff. Paint colors for the baby's room, home remedies for teething, some new mom blog she was reading all of this stuff and then my mom turns to me and says something that I'll never forget," I say pausing for a moment and Blake looks at my with disquieted eyes. "She says to me, 'Sophie you have no idea what it's like being a mother and you never will," I say stopping again as I take a deep breath. "And ever since then I've questioned my ability to become something that I've wanted to be. A mom. If my own mother thinks that of me I can't even imagine what others will think of me," I say as I feel tears swell in my eyes and Blake's face become blurry before me. Instead of saying anything Blake just pulls me into his arms. I put my head into the crook of his neck as he rubs small circles on my back. After a few moments I pick my head back up and look at him.
"You can't listen to people who tell you who you can and can't be. You're better than that Sophie. I know you are," he says as I nod and put my head back down and put my hands around his neck.
"I love you," I whisper in his ear as he pulls me into his arms tighter making me feel more at home than I ever had before.