Unpolished

Life Is Short, So Live It

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Life Is Short, So Live It

(Playlist – All I want by Echos)

Jade's POV:

Apparently Isaac had arranged to have a dinner to be made the previous night. It took almost all of today to make. The dinner was a traditional umukai. It consisted of meat; ika, which was raw fish marinated in lemon juice or mix of vinegar, oil, and salt then served with onion and coconut cream; and vegetables are then wrapped in banana leaves and are placed in a sack and put in the oven. The oven, which is dug into the ground, is covered and is left to cook for around three hours. This method of cooking is very elaborate and time consuming, but well worth the wait. We also had Rori, which was a sea cucumber. I had mine cooked, the guys liked theirs raw. Then there was rukau. It was coconut cream, salt and onions mixed together with mashed taro leaves. I was so full, I had a hard time even sipping my coconut water down.

As far as I knew, Marco hadn't said anything, as per our agreement. I wanted to tell Isaac and Vance so badly. Would they be happy too, or would they get upset? I was so excited, but I still couldn't help but have doubts. Maybe Marco said he was happy about the baby just to make me feel better. "Excuse me please." As I stood and placed my napkin on my plate, all three of my guys stood as well.

"Jade, are you feeling okay?" Vance spoke first.

"Yeah, I'm just tired. I think I am just going to go lie down."

"If you need anything at all, let me know." Marco is going to be the best dad ever.

"Thank you. I will. Isaac, will you cuddle with me tonight?"

"Absolutely. Do you want me to bring you some fresh water?" Isaac had always been nothing but a sweetheart with me. What if this broke him?

"Sure. That would be nice." I smiled politely at the three men seated around the table. As I left the room, I heard them begin speaking about me.

"Is she feeling okay?"

"She is probably just worried about Jay."

"Marco, she hasn't worried about him once since the kidnapping."

"Okay, maybe it's gas."

"You are such a turd."

"Hey! I was still eating that."

"Five second rule, although there might be sand on it now."

I was stuffed from all that wonderful food, so I flopped back on the bed. My hands couldn't help but cup my belly. Marco mentioned he could tell the tiniest change. That made me smile. I wonder if Vance or Isaac could.

I felt a body lie down next to me. I could tell it was Isaac just because of that wonderful warm honey smell. "You smell good, Isaac."

"Good enough to eat?"

"Give me a moment. My belly is full from that delicious dinner. Thank you for that by the way."

He rolled over to where he could face me, and prop his head up on one hand. "You're very welcome." He placed a sweet kiss on the tip of my nose. "I'm not going to lie, Jade. I want you. Every day I have fallen more and more in love with you. I don't want to take this next step without knowing you feel the same way. It has nothing to do with religion, or being pure, or anything like that. I just want one thing in my life that I can depend on. Forever. That I can call my own."

"Even if I am being shared by your brothers? How would that be being yours? I mean you can definitely depend on me. I will be yours in every sense of the word when it comes to you and me, but I will still be Vance's, and Marco's as well."