”Look at thissss…” Marla said holding out chenille bunny in the store with Bruno and Rosie. He raised his eyebrow at her seeing if she would get it.
”Our newborn children will not hear that song until they are 18.” Marla laughed. ”I think it’s cute…and it goes with the whole theme.” she answered him.
”Our theme….I think it’s your theme, Mar.” Bruno said holding the bunny handing it to Rosie. ”What do you think, Rosie?” he asked her.
”I like it. And I like all these…” she answered picking up a pile of stuffed animals. ”But these are for me. Not for the babies.”
”Okay, Rosie…but you have to share.” Marla told her daughter. ”We’ll get them for you…but you have to give one to each of them.”
”No. They’re only mine. I’m not sharing.” she answered. Bruno walked about from them knowing that she was going to give her a mommy talk that involved lots of therapy and little mothering. He sighed wandering around picking up things seeing how expensive they were. Marla sat Rosie down on a mushroom shaped bean bag chair sitting next to her in a cushy matching chair not quite sure if she was going to be able to get up- now 7 months pregnant.
”Rosie….do you know what the best part about being a sister?” Marla asked her.
”What, mama?” she asked.
”Well, the favorite part about being a sister is sharing the things that you have with your brothers and sisters.” Marla answered.
”No, mommy. I’m not sharing. I’m never sharing.” she said holding onto the stuffed animals/
”So you’re not going to share your love or me or your dad with your brother and sister?” Marla asked.
”No, momma. That’s silly. Of course I’m going to share you. But not my toys.” Rosie responded.
”Well…what happens when they have something you want? Like a toy…” she pulled one of the stuffed animals out of her daughter’s hand. ”Or some food…like on their birthday…or when you get older you want to borrow your sister’s clothes? Are you going to share then?”
”That’s even sillier momma…I’m not going to want their icky food and I sure won’t be able to wear baby clothes..they’re too small.” Rosie replied unable to understand her mother’s abstract thought.
”Okay, Rosalia. That’s alright.” she kissed her daughter getting up out of the chair leading her daughter to the part of the store Bruno was at.
”Look at this…” Bruno said pointing to a red crib and a yellow crib. ”It’s radical red and doo-wops yellow.” Mara walked up next to him running her fingers along the crib.
”I like them.” she answered. ”Let’s get them.”
”What? You aren’t gonna argue about it?” he asked her.
”Nope. We’ve looked at all of these…” she motioned to the whole room full of furniture. ”And they’re all pretty much the same…it’s just the color. I just want it all to be done. I just want the decorating and the presents and all the stuff to be done. It was so stressful with Rosie. I forgot how stressful it was, Bruno. So let’s get these and go home. And my feet hurt.” she told him. ”Oh and the stupid stuffed animals for little miss selfish.”
**
Marla sat on the couch watching Rosie jump around playing a video game without a care in the world after their shopping trip. In front and behind her there were piles of stuffed animals topped with her favorite frog. ”You’re cleaning that up, right, Bru?” she asked him looking up at him as he handed her a plate of celery covered in peanut butter wrapped in a corn tortilla. She smiled at him taking the plate. ”Thank you.”
”Yes, I’ll clean it up.” he said sitting on the couch rearranging her feet then wrapping his arms around her laying one hand on her enormous stomach. ”Hey..Maple?” he asked her.
”Yeah Cheese?” she laughed at him readjusting herself to look at him.
”This isn’t too bad, you know? Like being married and having kids and sitting on a couch with your pregnant wife? I know what my parents were talking about when they said having a family was the best thing in the world.” Bruno told her.
”Oh man, Brunz. You got that oxytocin high don’t you?” Marla laughed.
”The what? That’s not a drug is it?” he asked her shocked by her statement.
”Oh goodness. You really haven’t read any of the books have you?” she replied.
”I got through the first three months. I read it the first time…I don’t think much has changed….” he admitted.
”Nevermind. I was being intellectual. You’d tell me to shut up.” she said turning to watch Rosie still bouncing around in front of their large tv.
”I wanna know!” he told her pulling her face back toward him.
”It’s just a hormone. It’s like a bonding and love hormone that’s released when you’re in love. It increases in guys when their significant others are pregnant.”
”Oh.” he answered.
**
Dear Marla,
You said something about me having some funky hormone today because of the babies. I don’t know if it was a compliment or an insult or it was just you being yourself. Either way I’m happy that I get to be with you and Rosie every single day until we see these babies. I didn’t realize until a few days ago how much I missed when I was gone when you were pregnant with Rosie. I’m sorry I missed your morning sickness and your cravings and your huge feet, your mood swings and your smelly farts and the hilarious way you walk. I love you because of all of that, not in spite of it. Mar, I love you forever and always.
Bruno
YOU ARE READING
The Good Life
FanfictionThis is my first fanfic. SInce I've written several more, but this is my baby. It's been on tumblr for a good while now, but if you haven't read it, I think it's pretty fab. Bruno is just starting out when he takes the time to perform at one of his...
