Whoa, Baby!

14.

Chapter Fourteen
Two More?

Tatiana leaned against the doorframe of the living room, watching Joe as he played on the floor with Ocean. The sight of her boyfriend, larger than life in so many ways, getting down on all fours to entertain their child made her smile.

It wasn't just the playfulness—it was the tenderness, the way he genuinely enjoyed these moments with his kids. His hands were big and strong, but when he held Ocean, they were gentle and careful, as though she was the most precious thing in the world to him, which she was.

Ocean babbled happily as she reached out to hold her father's face. Her small hands cupped his cheeks, and for a moment, it was as if time stood still.

Joe's face softened, his usual stern expression turning into one of complete adoration. His smile stretched wide as he gently blew raspberries on Ocean's little belly, making her squeal in delight.

I couldn't help but feel a twinge of warmth watching the two of them together. There was something incredibly beautiful about their bond. I didn't even need to be close to them to feel the love radiating from the scene.

Then, just as I was about to turn away, I heard Joe's voice.

"You know, princess," he said to Ocean, a teasing tone in his voice, "I think Mommy and I should have another one of you."

I froze. What? Did I hear that right? I looked at him, half-expecting him to break into laughter or tell me he was joking. But he didn't. Instead, he looked at Ocean as though she was the one who could somehow comprehend the statement, his grin widening as Ocean squealed in response.

Tatiana's jaw dropped. This was news to me. "Are you serious, Joe?" I asked, my voice coming out sharper than I intended.

I could feel my heart rate increase, a mix of surprise and something else I couldn't quite identify. My feet carried me toward them, though I didn't realize how quickly until I was standing over them. "Is six not enough for you?"

Joe tilted his head back, his eyes meeting mine with that same mischievous twinkle that always set my nerves on edge. "I think I got two more kids left in me," he said, completely serious, his voice deep and grounded. There was no trace of joking, no sign that he was about to break the news and say, "Just kidding." He looked at me like he had just delivered a well-thought-out proposition.

My mind raced. Two more kids? Really? He already had six, and while I loved every single one of these children more than anything, I didn't know how I was supposed to react to his comment.

Of course, Joe always said crazy things sometimes, but this felt like one of those moments when he was serious. I raised an eyebrow, trying to process what he was saying.

"Wow," I muttered, crossing my arms over my chest as I stood there, staring at him in disbelief. "You've got two more left in you, huh?" I repeated, trying to keep the tone light, but my mind was already running through everything that having two more kids would mean.

We'd had six, and though we managed, it wasn't always easy. I didn't exactly want to think about how much more complicated things might get.

Joe looked up at me with a smirk on his face. "Yeah, I'm serious," he said. There was no hesitation in his voice. "I think I'm ready for more. You up for it, mama?"

I let out a small laugh, shaking my head in disbelief. How could he be so sure about this? Maybe I was too practical, too focused on logistics and schedules, but adding two more children into our already busy life seemed like a huge step.

I glanced at Ocean, who was still babbling away as she sat contentedly in her father's lap, oblivious to the conversation going on around her. I couldn't imagine adding two more tiny humans to our already chaotic household. But at the same time, I couldn't deny that Joe was right about one thing—when it came to our kids, there was never enough love.

"I don't know, Joe," I finally said, walking closer and sitting down next to him on the floor. "Six is a lot. We've got a full house already."

Joe chuckled, his large hand reaching over to gently tug a lock of my hair behind my ear. His touch was always so warm, comforting even in moments like these. "Yeah, but we've made it work, right? We've got our little routine, and it's pretty perfect. I think we could make room for two more."

I couldn't help but smile, despite the uncertainty swirling in my mind. Joe had a way of making me feel like anything was possible. He was always optimistic, always confident in his decisions. And while I admired that about him, sometimes it made me feel like I was the one who had to reel him in when reality set in. We were already in the thick of it with six kids—why did he want to add more?

I looked at him, taking in his expression, searching for the joking glint in his eyes that I'd come to expect in these kinds of conversations. But all I saw was sincerity. He wasn't kidding. He was serious. Joe wanted more children.

"So, you're saying you're not finished yet, huh?" I said, my voice softening as I leaned in, resting my head on his shoulder.

Joe laughed again, and I felt his arm wrap around me as he pulled me closer. "Not even close," he said, pressing a kiss to my forehead. "There's a lot of love to go around, and I think we've got plenty of room for more. Plus, you're a pro at this whole mom thing. You've got it all under control."

I closed my eyes, momentarily feeling the weight of the world fall away with the comfort of his embrace. It wasn't the worst idea, was it? More kids, more love. And the thought of Ocean having a little sibling to grow up with did tug at my heart in a way I wasn't quite expecting.

I looked over at our daughter, still content in Joe's arms, and suddenly, the idea didn't seem quite as outrageous. But then reality hit me like a cold splash of water. We had six children already. Six personalities, six sets of needs, and six different schedules. We managed it, of course, and we wouldn't trade a single one of them. But adding more?

"I'm not so sure, Joe," I said, lifting my head to meet his gaze. "It's not that I don't love the idea of having more kids, but—"

"But what?" Joe interjected, squeezing me tighter as if urging me to take the leap with him. "I know you've got your worries, Tatiana. We've got this. We're a team."

A part of me wanted to agree with him, to let go of my hesitation and jump into the idea with both feet. I could see it—two more little faces, little hands reaching up to us, filling our home with even more laughter and chaos.

But there was also a part of me that felt the weight of responsibility, the exhaustion that came with taking care of six children already. How much more could I give without losing a part of myself in the process?

"I think you've got a point," I said slowly, weighing the thought in my mind. "But maybe we should focus on the six we've got for now. We've still got a lot of years ahead of us."

Joe smiled, sensing that I wasn't entirely opposed to the idea, even if I wasn't fully on board yet. He nodded, his arms still around me, his chest rising and falling with the gentle rhythm of his breathing.

"Fair enough," he said. "But when you're ready, I'm here."

I smiled back, knowing full well that when it came to Joe, I'd never be able to resist for long.