The Sunshine & The Grump

Chapter 10

"Am I going to have to get a new phone?" Jade asked holding up her phone.

Leticia glanced at the phone she was holding, her expression thoughtful.

Leticia: "Hmm, you might want to get a new phone, just to be on the safe side. You never know if someone might try to track your old number. I can get you a new one, no problem. I'll make a few calls and have one brought to the house. How does that sound?"

"Yeah, but I want your number, Gemma's number, and any of your inner circle associates numbers," Jade said.

Leticia smiled, her expression turning to understand.

Leticia: "Of course, darlin'. You'll have all the numbers you need, including mine and Gemma's, as well as any of my trusted associates. I'll make sure you're well connected, and that you can reach the people you need to when you need to."

It's been several months since Jade came to New York. She had her baby. A baby girl she named Julienne Nadeleine Gemma Ortiz. The name Julienne is a name that Jade had picked for if the baby was a girl. Nadeleine and Gemma are her middle names. And of course, Jade had to use the last name Ortiz. Jade had sent a picture of the baby to Gemma with the full name.

Gemma got the text from Jade, her heart swelling with joy as she looked at the picture of the beautiful baby girl: Julienne Nadeleine Gemma Ortiz.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she touched the screen of her phone, her heart filled with tenderness and affection.

Jade was in the hospital bed with Julienne in the crib next to her. Both of them sleeping. Leticia had a surprise for her sister when she woke up. She had secretly got Gemma a plane ticket to come visit and meet the baby. So two of her associates had gone to the airport to pick Gemma up.

Several hours had passed, and Julienne had just woken up, her soft baby cries alerting Leticia who was sitting nearby in the hospital room.

Leticia quickly got up and walked over to the crib, her voice soft and soothing as she spoke to her niece.

Leticia: "Hey little one, it's your auntie. What's wrong, huh? Are you hungry? I bet you're hungry."

Just then, one of Leticia's associates knocked gently on the open door of the hospital room.

Leticia held her niece when the associates walked in with Gemma right behind them. Leticia gives her associates a nod to wait outside and only lets in the nurses who helped deliver her niece.

Gemma stood in the doorway, her expression filled with a mixture of joy and nervousness. She had a big gift bag in her hands, the shape and size indicating a baby gift. As she stepped fully into the room, her eyes fell on Leticia holding little Julienne, her heart swelling with affection.

"You must be Gemma," Leticia said with a smile. "I'm Leticia, Jade and Juice's elder sister."

Gemma nodded, her lips curved into a warm smile.

Gemma: "That's me. It's nice to meet you, Leticia. I've heard a lot about you from Jade."

Leticia smiled and walked over with Julienne in her arms who was awake. Leticia gently put Julienne in Gemma's arms.

Gemma's heart melted as she held little Julienne in her arms. Her expression turned tender and maternal as she gently cradled the baby, cooing softly.

Gemma: "Oh, hello there, darlin'. Aren't you a precious thing?"

"It must have been a while since you've held a baby haven't you?" Leticia asked.

Gemma chuckled softly, her eyes never leaving the baby in her arms as she gently stroked Julienne's soft, downy hair.