Treasured Miracles [Series 3 of Bittersweet Disasters]

[15] "I Think I've Gone Blind."

♥︎♡♥︎ DEZERAE PARKER ♡♥︎♡

{Tuesday, October 9, 2018}

{8:46 am} THE NEXT MORNING, I'M WOKEN up to the smell of bacon and eggs coming from the kitchen. Throwing the blanket off myself, I climb off the couch and enter the kitchen. That's where I discover my eldest brother cooking bacon and eggs at the stove, my hubby sitting at the kitchen table coloring in a coloring book with KJ, and my second eldest brother is heating something up in the microwave.

Climbing into Kaiden's lap, I lay my head against his shoulder and he kisses my forehead. "Morning, gorgeous," he greets. "I missed having you sleeping beside me last night."

I giggle softly as I run my fingers through his hair. "Morning, babe," I whisper. "I missed having you sleeping beside me too last night."

That's when Nova enters the kitchen. Jake still doesn't know she's awake because he's too busy whistling and flipping bacon on the skillet. I observe silently as she creeps up to him and wraps her arms around his waist from behind. He jumps a little bit, but chuckles after a second and kisses her forearm. "Morning, babe," he greets.

"Morning," she whispers into his back. "Last night felt weird without you sleeping beside me."

He chuckles. "You could say that again."

Giggling quietly, she lightly presses her lips against his bare, tan back. After a second, she pulls away and comes to sit down at the table with us. She places her hands on the table and KJ gasps excitedly when he spots the shiny ring on Nova's left ring finger. "Oooooh, shiny!" he responds in his baby voice as he points at the ring.

Nova chuckles as she shows her future nephew the ring. "Damn, I think I've gone blind!" Kaiden replies jokingly as he shields his eyes.

She rolls her eyes at his childish behavior. "It's not 'that' shiny," she responds.

Kaiden chuckles as he shrugs.

~ ~ ~

{12:03 pm} "I'm so happy to be back home," I reply as I fall back into our bed. "I've missed sleeping in my bed."

Kaiden chuckles. KJ comes running into the room and jumps on the bed with me. "Mama, I want ouch cream!" he demands, giving me a pouty face.

I sit up and capture him in my arms. "Dude, you have to eat a sandwich or something first before you have ice cream," I reply. "You want me to fix you some Mac and Cheese or something?"

"Cheese." KJ jumps off the bed and exits the room. I climb off the bed also and follow him. Entering the kitchen, I fix him some Mac & Cheese. "Mama, I want baby," KJ replies as he watches me make his Macaroni and Cheese.

"I know you do, baby," I answer, sighing. "Unfortunately, we don't the room in the budget right now for another baby."

KJ frowns at me as he nods sadly.

Setting his bowl of Mac & Cheese in front of him, I plop down in the chair beside him and sigh heavily. Seconds later, I feel Kaiden start to massage my shoulders. "I'm happy to be back home," he whispers as he continued to massage my shoulders. "I've missed sleeping in my own bed."

"Mm-hmm."

KJ finishes his Mac & Cheese and I make him a small bowl of vanilla ice cream.

◈◇◈ JAKE ALLOCCO ◇◈◇

{Saturday, November 10, 2018}

These last four and a half weeks have come and gone and damn I can't believe Thanksgiving is already at the end of this month. For Thanksgiving this year, we're all going over to Kaiden and Dezerae's house for the Thanksgiving feast. I've been working long days during the week and spending time with Nova on the weekends is limited. I think she misses spending quality time with me, but it's whatever. I'm making money for my family and she loves that. Jace is really excited that his mom and I are getting married. He's even told his mom himself that he adores me and he's so excited that we're getting married. But we still haven't mentioned anything to Jace about me adopting him. It's going to be a long process getting everything and adopting Jace, but we want it to be a surprise to him.

{9:32 am} "I love waking up beside you," I acknowledge, brushing my fingers through Nova's hair. "I love calling you my fiancé and I love the fact that I get to marry you."

She beams at me. I lean in and press my lips against hers. Unfortunately, our kiss is ruined when Jace throws the door open and jumps on top of the mattress, crawling in between Nova and I and cuddling up to his mom. "Good morning, Mama," he greets, smiling at her. "I'm hungry."

Climbing out of bed, I throw on my black athletic shorts and pick Jace up from the bed. "You want me to make you some dinosaur shaped waffles?"

Jace puts his finger on his chin and hums, "Hmm?" After a second, he shakes his as he replies, "Nah. Jakey, I want chocolate chip pancakes!" (The way he says "Jakey" and "chocolate chip pancakes" is so freaking cute and I just want to squish his little cheeks.)

I shoot him a thumbs up. Jace squirms out of my arms and runs out the room and I turn to my fiancé. "Does my princess want chocolate chip waffles?" I ask, cocking an eyebrow.

"I'll be downstairs in a second," she acknowledges before she giggles softly.

Nodding, I go downstairs and into the kitchen. Entering the kitchen, I find Trent standing at the stove, whistling and holding Annabelle on his right hip while stirring pancake batter. "Let me guess, you're making chocolate chip pancakes?" I ask, chuckling.

Glancing at me, he winks playfully and snaps his fingers. "Bingo!" he answers. "Does Jace want some?"

"I do! I do!" Jace cheers from the living room. "Make some for Mama and Jakey too!"

Trent shoots him a thumbs up and I go sit down at the kitchen table. "So, have you found a lawyer yet?" Trent asks as he peers at me briefly before pouring the pancake batter onto the skillet.

"Stanley West," I reply. "Nova's uncle. Nova and I have our first meeting with him December 3 at 2:00."

Trent nods as he flips a couple pancakes.

~ ~ ~

{10:02 am} "These chocolate chip pancakes are so good," Nova announces. "You did a good job, babe."

I chuckle. "I didn't make 'em," I answer. "Trent did. So all that credit goes to him."

Nova grins at Trent across the table and he shoots one back. "More, please!" Jace replies as he finishes his pancake. "These are good."

Retrieving Jace's plate from him, I cut up two more pancakes on his plate for him before passing him his plate back. "Thanks, Jakey."

{10:34 am} After breakfast, the kids run off into the playroom and we tidy the kitchen up.

It takes us an hour to do it and then we all crash down on the couches. Destiny comes in the living room holding Annabelle and passes her to Trent. "Babe, oh my God!" she cheers.

Trent cocks an eyebrow and gives her a curious look. "What is it, baby?" he asks.

"Watch your daughter," she replies. She sets Annabelle down on her bottom in front of the coffee table. Annabelle peers up at us and bashfully turns her head away from us.

Destiny sits down in her fiancé's lap and brushes her finger against his cheek. "Ugh, she was on a roll with it upstairs," she complains. "Why isn't she doing it now?"

"Doing what?" he asks, giving her a curious look.

She glances at Annabelle and notices she's getting to pull herself up by holding onto the table. "Look," she whispers. We all glance at Annabelle and watch as she does it. Trent smiles at Destiny and she sweeps Annabelle up into her arms. "You are so adorable," she replies, lightly tickling underneath her chin. "Mama and Daddy are going to need to keep a leash on you now."

Annabelle giggles and claps her hands together. Nova lays her head against my shoulder as she intertwines our fingers. "Imagine if I got pregnant again," she whispers. "It'd be hell! I mean, I love and adore babies, but I'm not ready for another one. It was tough enough raising Jace on my own, well besides my mother's help. I can't even fathom raising another one on my own."

I brush my fingers through her hair. "You know I'd never do that to you," I reply. "If we had a baby together before we're married, then I'll be overjoyed and I'll be with you through the entire pregnancy. I'm not like Tyler and I never will be like him."

Nova peers up at me and grins. "I love you," she whispers before kissing my cheek.

I grin back. "I love you too."