Isla POV
"You know I'm still not comfortable with going back to work" Joe grumbles as we walk through the backstage area "I know you still need me at home, I can't be there for my girls if I'm on the road"
"Joe I want you to go back to work" I say "when you were watching it on TV last week I could see in your eyes how much you missed it"
"And I do but I'm going to miss you two way more" he pouts "I don't want to leave you"
"We'll call everyday, and on your down days you'll come home to us" I say cupping his cheek "besides I know if I need you nothing will stop you getting to me"
"You can believe that" he says wrapping his arms around me and Maddie and giving us both a kiss "I love you all so much"
"We love you too superstar" I say pecking his lips "and I can't wait to see you all sweaty and shirtless in that ring tonight"
"Pretty sure you got a preview last night" he smirks and I playfully slap his ass with my free hand
"Leati Anoa'i behave yourself" I laugh and he feigns fear
"Oh damn she used my full name Miss Maddie, I'm trouble now" he says and she giggles at him
As we walk through the backstage area I'm amazed at how many trucks there are here, I never realised how much went into these shows or how much was required. Suddenly Maddie starts to get excited and wriggles a little in my arms, she points her chubby little finger at something and smiles.
"What is it sweetie? What have you seen?" I ask her
"Dada" she smiles and for a moment I'm confused, I follow the direction her finger is pointing in and that's when I see it, Joe's face on the side of a truck and I don't know what to say.
"Did she just......." Joe asks a look of shock on his face
"Yeah she did" I reply equally as shocked
"Maddie baby, who am I?" Joe asks her holding her little hand in his large one
"Dada" she smiles and he takes her from me and holds her close to him as she wraps her small arms around his neck, I watch as a tear rolls down his cheek, that one little word meant so much to him and she had finally said it.
Wrapping and arm around my shoulder Joe leads us through to the locker rooms, he places his bags down before taking a seat on a bench and sitting Maddie on his lap. I decide to give them a moment and head to the bathroom.
Joe POV
"Hey Big uce your back" a familiar voice calls out and I turn to see Jey and Jimmy walking into the room
"Hey guys, how you doing?" I ask with a smile
"Um Joe whose kid is that?" Jimmy asks and I look down at Maddie whose staring up at them both in wonder
"This is my daughter Maddie" I say and they both look confused
"Explain this to me, how do you take 6 months out and come back with a fucking 2 year old?" Jey asks "ain't no way that shit is possible"
"Don't swear around my child" I growl "if either of those words come out of her mouth in the next few hours you are in big trouble"
"Yeah uce don't be reaching her bad habits" Jimmy says "so what's the deal?" He asks
"While I was gone I adopted her" I say "her father is a deadbeat who never has anything to do with her"
"And whose the mother?" Jey asks "do we know her?"
"Well I'll be hurt if you don't remember me" Isla says as she emerges from the bathroom and the twins mouths drop open
"Isla? Damn girl look at you, you look good" Jey says giving her a hug
"Thank you, you guys look good too" she says "looks like we have three superstars huh?"
"You know it" Jimmy beams giving her a hug "it's too long Isla it's good to see you"
"You too, I've missed you guys" she smiles "I see you met my daughter Maddie"
"We've missed you too, and yeah we did, so how did the adoption come about?" Jey asks
"Isla and I reconnected when I went to the school she works at" Joe says "I've been staying with her this whole time, she needed me, anyway I got to spend alot of time with this little angel and I wanted to be the father figure she needed so I asked Isla if she would be ok with me adopting her"
"Wait a second......are you two?" Jimmy asks waving his finger between the two of us
"Yes we are" Isla smiles her eyes fixed on me "Joe proposed four months ago and then a month ago I found out I was expecting"
"In six months time we'll be a family of five" I say proudly and the twins stare at us
"Damn uce you've been busy" Jey laughs "we don't see you for six months and you come back with a daughter, a fiancée and twins on the way, anything else we need to know?"
"No that's everything" I say "I'm finally happy, I've got everything I've ever wanted"
"Well it's about damn time you two got together" Jimmy says "the whole world and it's dog could see y'all were in love, you two were meant to be"
"It's weird aunty Pat never mentioned any of this last time we saw her" Jey says "did you ask her not to tell us?"
"My mom doesn't know any of this yet" I say "I've been so caught up in everything I've not had chance to talk to her"
"What!" Isla gasps
"Oh man can we be there when you tell her?" Jimmy asks "I've always wanted to see her kick your ass"
"She's gonna kill you" Jey laughs "a new grandchild, two more on the way and your getting married and your going to dump it all on her at once, you better wear your running shoes that day"
"Joe I can't believe you haven't told her" Isla says
"Relax butterfly I'll call her tonight" he says "she can't kill me though the phone and she'll have time to calm down before we visit"
YOU ARE READING
Forever & Always
FanfictionIt's been years since Isla has seen Joe. He was her best friend once upon a time, the one person she could count on to always be there for her. Since he left she's had no one to turn to, but when she sees him again for the first time she's not prepa...
