We Just Need Us (Second Generation Book 5)

Chapter 36

Resounding yeses are heard throughout the room in response. Stef places her hand on the top of her belly and looks down at it with a big smile on her face. “We decided to name her Jocelyn Dina Alexander. For those of you who know me, Dina was my mom’s name, so we picked that for the middle name. Deacon is the one that came up with Jocelyn, but I’m sure he’ll let everybody know.” The guests laugh, we all know Deacon, I’m surprised he hasn’t already printed it in the newspaper.

Stef continues talking to the group. “I wanted to thank everybody for being here today and showering Jocelyn with so much love. Deacon and I are over the moon excited for her arrival and I know Maddox is going to be excited to be a big brother too.” 

Britt stands next to her daughter-in-law and puts her arm around her waist, “Before everybody leaves, please feel more than happy to take another trip through the buffet. The food was amazing, but there is so much leftover.”

The crowd begins to dissipate and soon it seems to just be the women in our family that are still hanging around. I begin to fold up the round tables and chairs with Prue and Iris, putting them into the truck out back so they can be driven back over to the reception storage. I come back inside and make my way into the kitchen where my mom, Catarina, and Bev are hanging out and cringe.

“Holy crap, what is that smell?” I cover my nose to calm the smell down a bit.

“I don’t smell anything,” Cat looks at me funny and I glance to my mom next.

“I don’t smell anything either. You sure you didn’t catch the dumpster out back?”

“No way, this smells like rotten chicken.” I look around and see Stef across the room in the living area, “Stef, why does your kitchen smell like raw chicken?”

“Raw chicken? I don’t know. We didn’t make any of the food here. We had chicken a couple of nights ago, but I don’t know why it would smell. Oh god, do you think I’m going nose blind? I can’t smell anything, how embarrassing.”

“I don’t know, Stef,” Bev states, “I don’t smell anything.”

I look around the kitchen at these women who are looking at me like I have three heads. “Seriously, none of you smell that? I’m almost going to gag it is so bad.”

“Shit.” My mom, so eloquent with her words gives a look to Bev and Bev looks back at me so quickly I’m afraid she might have whiplash.

“Clemmy, sweetheart…..” Bev comes over and puts her arm around my shoulder. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but would the assumption be correct that you and Robbie are having relations?”

“What does that have to do with this?”

“Clemmy,” My mom less playful in her voice. “When is the last time you had your period?”

“My period? What are you…..oh fuck.” I look down at my stomach and cover it with my hands like that is somehow going to give me the answer that I need. When I look back up, I notice there are way more people involved in this conversation than originally intended.

“Oh my god, Clemmy!” Prue practically screams from across the kitchen. “Are you pregnant?”

“No!” I scream too loudly. “I mean, maybe? I don’t know. I’m on birth control. I never miss a pill.”

Bev laughs next to me, “Yeah, I have a funny story about that one.” She glances Iris’s way.

“Seriously Mom!!!!!!”

“What? We love you just the same. You were just a nice surprise.”

Iris turns a shade of pink and covers her face, “You are so embarrassing.”

“Ember.” Stef waves her friend over and whispers something in her ear. Ember nods and heads upstairs. She comes back just a few moments later with a box in her hand and sets it down on the table. 

“I think this should answer any questions you have,” Ember grins. I look around and all the women have the same look on their faces. It’s kind of funny, this is not the kind of reaction when I dealt with a potential pregnancy last time.

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“Robbie?” I yell as soon as I walk in the back door and don’t see him in the kitchen. I drop my stuff on the table and start into the living room and then down the hallway where we collide with each other as he comes down the hall.

“Whoa, sorry about that, babe.” He leans down and kisses my cheek and butterflies swarm in my stomach in a mixture of nervousness and excitement.

“It’s fine. Where is Vivi?” I look again in the living room, but she’s not there. That pretty much only leaves her room, so the question was dumb.

“She’s watching the tablet in her fort.” He has a proud look on his face. They spent the day yesterday building a fort with all our extra sheets and blankets. I wanted her to take it down for bed, but the two of them begged me to keep it up for a little while longer.

“Can we talk?”

“Of course. Did the baby shower go well?”

I nod excessively. “Yeah, great. Bedroom?” I grab his hand and rush back to our bedroom, closing the door and locking is behind us.

“Um, I don’t know how long the tablet can keep her busy, but sure.” Robbie starts to peel off his shirt and for a moment I let him do it until I snap out of my trance.

“What? No, not that.” I move him to the bed and he sits down. I try to sit next to him, but my nerves are out of control and I end up pacing back and forth instead.

“Clementine, you’re freaking me out, baby. Please talk to me.”

“Okay. I’m just going to rip the bandaid off because that’s the best way, right?”

“I would agree.” Robbie reaches out and grabs my hands, pulling me between his legs. “Talk to me.”

“I’m pregnant.” His eyes shoot open and he just stares at me, completely speechless. “I’m so sorry. I understand if this isn’t what you wanted. We aren’t even married yet. I can’t believe this is happening again. If you don’t want this I mean…”

In a swift movement, Robbie pulls me and flips me onto the bed, and climbs on top of me, straddling me. He leans down and places a kiss against my lips. “First of all, get that shit out of your head that if you have to go through something difficult that I’m going to leave. This ring right here says that I’m by your side forever. Got that?”

I nod my head and he continues. “We’re going to have a baby?” I nod my head again and watch as his lips curve into the biggest smile I think I’ve ever seen on his face. “It may not be the timing I had in mind, but Clementine, I want babies with you. So many freaking babies, you have no idea.”

“So you’re excited?”

“Thrilled. That just means one thing has to change though?”

Confused, I lift my brow at him, “What?”

“I’m not waiting until next winter to marry you, we’re doing it much sooner.”