Marriage Mistake

Chapter 17- Surprises and A Party

Today is the girls birthday. I woke up early this morning to make them their special birthday breakfast. Pancakes shaped in the number their turning and bacon. Chris stayed all night and is helping out. He's finishing putting up the decorations and we're going to go out and get the cake later. I have to pick up a surprise for the girls then too. I'm sure they'll love it. I hear little footsteps come down the stairs just as I'm done telling Chris about last night. The girls come into the kitchen, messy hair and probably morning breath. I place their pancakes on the plate and grab the syrup from the fridge.

"Um mom." Kacey says behind me. I turn around and look at them.

"Yes?" I ask, trying not to bust out in happiness that it's their birthday.

"Did you forget something?" Jill asks me.

I look at Chris and shrug. I smile and hand him a plate. We place them in front of the girls at the same time, their faces brightening with smiles.

"Happy birthday!" Chris and I exclaim, pulling them both into our arms.

I make my way to the kitchen as they eat to clean up.

"You think Brad will actually come?" I ask, putting the dishes in the dishwasher.

"I don't know. You think Josh will come?"

"I don't know that either." I shrug.

When breakfast is done, Brad's mom comes to the house and watches the girls for a while so I can go and get the surprise and the cake. I get 2 cakes for them since they both have different taste. Kacey likes vanilla and Jill likes chocolate but they won't eat if it's mixed together. We pull up to the store and I go into the store to get them. Once again I see Josh and Natasha together. This time, their stood in line behind me. They try to act like they aren't here together but I know that they are.

"I'll be at the girls party." She says, smiling.

"I will be too." Josh says, laying his stuff on the counter.

"Oh you'll be coming together?" I scoff, grabbing the cakes and going out to the van. I probably shouldn't have said anything and just walked away. 

"Where too now?" Chris asks, pulling out of the parking lot.

Hell. That's where.

* * * *

We get to the house and Chris brings the surprise upstairs. I look out the window and see the girls outside playing. The door bell rings and I know it's guests. I did stay out a little too late and it's the time their supposed to be here. I open the door and show the people where the backyard is. After 30 minutes everyone is here and the bbq is started. I'm sitting down looking at the food while Chris cooks when he motions to the patio door. I look up and see Josh and Natasha stood there. Behind them is Macy and Brad. Great. All my least favorite people arrived at once. I had Brads mom bring the girls inside so I could sneak the surprise outside for them. I go to Josh and Natasha who have presents in their hands.

"You did a-" Natasha starts but I stop her.

"I'll take those, thank you." I smile fakely, taking the presents from them.

I walk away and lay them on the presents table.

"Are you ready for the girls?" Chris asks next to me.

"Yeah, send them out."

I go over and bend down in front of the 2 surprises. If your wondering what it is, it's the babies. I decided to surprise the girls with them since they've been asking everyday when they'll be home. Obviously I never left them alone upstairs all day. I checked on them and fed them and changed them. It's only been 3 hours since they've been here anyways. Everyone is silent and then the doors open. Natasha, Josh and Brad catch my eye but I ignore it. I don't need them wrecking their day and my happiness. The girls come walking out and when they see what I'm knelt behind they run to me.

"You have to be gentle." I say as they bend down. "Can you read their shirts?" I ask, pointing to the words on it. They shake their heads and I read it for them.

"Happy birthday big sisters."

Everyone around us is smiling and the girls are so happy. Of course I can't have the babies outside for long so I bring them in to feed them. Every 2-3 hours they feed which will be a hastle but that's what I get for having 2. While I'm sat down feeding Briella Josh comes in and sits down across from me.

"What's your problem?" He asks. I can feel his eyes on me so I don't look up. I just stare at my baby.

"Why are you always with Natasha?" I ask, still looking at the baby in my arms. He doesn't say anything. "If your cheating on me Josh I swear to God I'll leave right now."

"I'm.. I'm not. She was helping with the engagement and picking out the gift for the girls."

"Why couldn't you come to be about the gift? I know them better than anyone." He doesn't answer me. "Your not telling me something."

It takes him a long while to answer and I piece it together in my mind. 
"Oh my God." 

"We may have kissed but I stopped going anywhere with her after that."

"You may have kissed? You may have kissed my best friend?" I exclaim, laying the empty bottle down on the coffee table. I'm trying not to be loud because of the baby.

"It was a mistake."

I grab the ring from my pocket and lay it on the coffee table in front of him. I always carry it around in my pocket. That way when I made my decision I could put it on right away, plus so I wouldn't lose it. I get up from the chair I'm sitting in and walk outside, away from him. I hear him calling out to me but I ignore it. Chris comes up to me and asks me if I'm okay. I give him a brief on what just happened and his face turns to shock.

"I don't know what to do. He owns this house. I'll have no where to stay." I say, rocking the sleeping baby in my arms.

"With me. I have 2 empty bedrooms since Brad moved out. The girls can go in one and you and the babies can go in the other."

"No that's a lot of company. And I don't even know how long we'll be there for."

"Its seriously no big deal."

"I'll think about it." I smile, walking away.

After the girls are done cake and presents everyone begins to leave. Brad and Macy are the first to go. Brad got called into work so she left too. But I had the chance to see her baby and he's the cutest thing ever. Something I never thought I would say. Natasha is already gone and I don't know where Josh is. I think he might still be in the house. For a birthday treat, Brad's mom took the girls out for ice-cream and I'm going in to pack and go to Chris's for a few nights. I need time to think and breathe. I'm in the middle of getting the girls a bag when Josh says my name from downstairs. The babies are sleeping so I have my hands free for a while. I go to the top of the steps and look at him.

"I'm going to stay in a hotel for a while." He says, avoiding eye contact with him.

"Well I'm not staying here either."

"Come on. Why are you being so difficult?"

"I'm not being difficult. I think I'm acting perfect given the situation I'm in." I roll my eyes, walking away. Sometimes he's just so immature. 

_ _ _ _ 
I get to Chris's and set the girls up in their beds. I brought a playpen for the babies to sleep in until I get everything together. I sit on the bed, looking down at the girls who are so tired they're practically asleep. 

"This was the best day." Kacey says, rubbing her sleepy eye with the back of her hand. 

"I'm glad you enjoyed it." I smile, kissing each other their heads softly. I go to the door, turning off the light switch before closing the door behind me as I walk out. I go downstairs and sit next to Chris on the couch. The babies are asleep for the moment until they wake up a few hours for a feeding. I've found they sleep really well when they're close to each other. 
"Weird being here and Brad isn't here." I say, looking at the tv. I'm still not really used to him not living with Chris. 

"Tell me about it. It's weird not to come home to a mess everywhere." He chuckles. "But I think he's got his life together." 
"You think so?" I ask. 

"I do." He nods. 
For some reason I actually believe him.