I held Michael to my chest as I unlocked the door. I walked inside and Donny followed me holding Flora. I went straight to the living room and sat down and began to breastfeed my son as he was crying. "There you go buddy." The twins were now 4 days old. We'd had to stay in the hospital for a while because of me passing out after birth, but we finally got to bring our sweethearts home with us. Donny laid Flora safely beside me and started being everything in from the car. We'd been given a load of stuff from the hospital because of the unexpected twins and then Donny had also gone shopping to buy more things including the second crib and car seat. Once everything was inside he picked Flora up again and sat beside me.
"Welcome home you two. We hope to give you the best life possible. Mommy and I love you both so much and we can't wait to see you grow up." He kissed floras head and I kissed Michael's before we swapped babies as I fed Flora.
"Hey Donny. Do you wanna call the boys and invite them over. Let them meet the kids. And what about your dad."
"I want him to meet his grandchildren. He knew you were pregnant, he was at our wedding. He's starting to show more interest in my life again. After mom died things were difficult. He didn't know how to parent. He worked in the factory all day, mom was a house wife. That's how I learnt to cook because I had to do most of the housework from then on. Once I was 18 and got my own place he kinda forgot about me I guess. He was too busy. But since returning from the war, he's shown a bit more interest and I want the kids to grow up with two grandparents. Are you gunna tell your dad?"
"I don't know if I'm honest. I feel like he deserves to know. But having not spoken to me since I was 18, I'm unsure. He didn't show up to Michael and I's wedding as you know. So gave up communication with him. But I feel like he should know, even if I don't want him to really be in their lives. Oh but I do know Ma wants to come over and to have Oliver meet them. I love that she's found love again with Oliver. I don't know if they will ever get married, but she's happy."
"Yeah. Well it's your decision my love. I'll go call the guys." He placed Michael in his bassinet and I just sat holding my sweet baby girl close to me. "Guys are all coming at 2." He said after calling each of them. I nodded and then he made another call. "Hi dad, it's Donny." I immediately stood up and put Flora in her bassinet and went and sat with him, taking his hand in mine for reassurance. From where I was I could hear Donny's dad, Oscar, reply.
"Hey Donny. How are you doing? How's Julia?"
"She's doing great, and I'm just over the moon. I wanted to let you know that Julia gave birth earlier this week."
"Oh wow. Congratulations to you both. I'm so happy for you. Did you have a boy or a girl?"
"Well both. Julia ended up being pregnant with twins. Our daughter was born first and her name is Flora June Novitski."
"After your mother." I could hear the smile down the line.
"Yeah. After mom, and Julia's mother June."
"She'd be proud of you."
"Thanks dad. And then our son is called Michael Donny Novitski. After Julia's first husband and my best friend from the war, Michael Trojan, and then my first name. Like how my middle name is Oscar after you. We wanted to keep that tradition."
"They both have beautiful names after four very incredible people."
"I was wondering if you'd want to come over to our new house and meet them."
"I'd love to. I'm down at the factory til 5:30, I can come by after that, say 6. It will be good to see you again Donny, and of course your beautiful wife Julia. I've not seen you since the wedding, and I regret that. I want to be back in your life more Donny, you're my son."
"I want you back in my life too dad. I've missed you a lot. And 6 is good. We'll do dinner. June and Oliver may be round too but it will be nice having both the grandparents there. We've decided Oliver will be known as Uncle Oliver."
"Sounds good. I have to get back to work but I'll see you later Donny. Bye."
"Bye dad." He smiled and hung up. "He wants to be back in my life, and wants to meet the kids. 6pm."
"I'm glad. From what I know your dad seems like a great man. They were just stuck in the stereotype which caused issues after your mom passed."
"Yeah. Which is why I don't want us to be a stereotypical family. We can both do house work. We can both work a job."
"Yeah. That's what I want too." I kissed his cheek. I called Ma and she and Oliver also were able to come round for dinner at 6. Finally I took a plunge and called my father. It rang and rang and rang. I was about to hang up when it finally picked up.
"Hello this is Henry Adams speaking."
"Dad. It's Julia."
"Julia." He said and paused. There was silence and Donny pressed a kiss to my temple, rubbing my back. "It's been a while."
"Yeah. You kinda pushed me out of your life, and I gave up trying after you didn't show up to my wedding."
"I'm sorry about that. I think we must have been double booked."
"And something else was more important than your daughters wedding. I know you and Ma ended things but we were so close and it broke my heart when you left and forgot about me. I've only experienced heartbreak like that two other times in my life." I started to cry and Donny wiped away my tears and held me close.
"Anyway how are you doing? How's your husband?"
"Well, Michael fought in the during the War and lost his life. That was the second heartbreak. The third I don't want to talk about. But I do want you to know that I'm very happily married once again to Donny Novitski, and we just welcomed twins into our lives."
"You've had kids?"
"Yes, two. One girl and one boy. I doubt you want to be in their lives, and given you kicked me out of your life I don't know if I even want you in their lives. But I felt like you at least deserved to know."
"Well thank you for telling me Julia. And I'm sorry I never stayed in contact with you."
"You cheated on Ma! I loved you so much dad. You were my everything and then... then you just left us, left me. Right as I entered high school. I tried so hard to stay in contact with you but you pushed me aside and forgot all about me. Never answered a message. Never called once."
"Julia." I was now sobbing.
"I don't care anymore." I dropped the phone and ran upstairs. I cried and cried and 5 minutes later Donny was upstairs holding me close. "I... I just want him to be my dad again. Be the father I looked up. But he's not. He doesn't care."
"He does care Julia. And he's given me an address and home phone number for incase you do ever want to go talk things out in person. He asked for our address but I didn't give it to him, because I don't want him showing up without invite. I said if you wanted to talk to him it would be on your terms, your decision. But I think he's realised how much of his daughters life he's missed out on." I just clung onto Donny. "Will you give him a chance. Just one."
"Sure." I said softly. "One. That's it. I'll call him again at some point. For now I just want to go cuddle the twins and get some lunch before the guys come over."
"Okay." Donny held me close a little longer. "I love you Julia. I love you so much, and I promise to always be there."
"And I'll always be there for you." We went downstairs and Donny made us lunch. At 2 all the guys arrived. Donny let them in and they all gathered. "Hey guys. Meet the twins, Flora June Novitski and Michael Donny Novitski." I said as I handed Donny his daughter before standing up with Michael in my arms.
"They are perfect. Such a blessing to you both." Jimmy smiled.
"They really are. Two adorable babies. All I can hope for is that I can be a good mother for them."
"You going to be the best mother. I already know it." Donny said as he kissed my cheek. I smiled up at him.
"You already are the best dad. These two sweethearts are the luckiest."
"They sure are." Wayne said standing beside me and stroking Michael's cheek. "They have the kindest parents in the world. And you two truly are perfect together and you now have your perfect family." I smiled and Donny and I passed the twins around between the guys. We talked about potential gigs but Donny and I were unsure because we were now parents. The guys all understood and we were all making enough money from record sales that not doing gigs wasn't the end of the world. That being said I missed singing live. Michael started crying but he'd just need fed and changed so I started rocking back and forth singing.
"Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high. There's a land that's I've heard of once in a lullaby." I sang the whole song and he was soon calm again, falling asleep in my arms. "There you go my sweet boy."
"I've missed hearing you sing Julia. Your voice is just so soft and beautiful. I mean you can belt too but when you sing like that, it melts everyone's hearts and creates such a warm atmosphere." Johnny said.
"Thanks. I like to sing to relax the kids and relax myself. It's therapeutic and depending on the song it reminds me of some of the memories we have all shared together."
"You should sing some of your acoustic versions you've done." Davy smiled.
"Maybe another day. The twins are both asleep, I don't want to wake them. If we get to perform again I may perform some. Some of the songs we wrote are so beautiful in an acoustic and calm version. I almost prefer them to the original."
"Me too." Donny said softly. "Dreams is so beautiful as an acoustic song." We spent a few hours with the guys before they all went home and then Donny and I had some time to ourselves while the twins slept. He went to the piano and began playing 'Dreams'. I rolled my eyes and sat on the piano stool facing the other way. I rested my head on his shoulder and sang. Donny sang his lines and then we sang the rest of the song. After finishing Donny and I both turned to looked at each other and I gave him a softly kiss.
"So beautiful. I love that song so much." I smiled.
"Me too. I think because it's one that is about us. It's not an imagine if, it's not for the troops. We wrote it for us."
"Yeah."
~~~~~
6pm came round and there was a knock on the door. I answered as Donny was cooking. I smiled, seeing Donny's father. "Mr Novitski, come on in. Donny's in the kitchen if you want to go say hi. I need to go feed the twins before they start fussing."
"Thanks Julia. I'll give you some privacy." I smiled and I directed him to the kitchen before I went to feed both kids. Ma and Oliver let themselves in and I called to them saying I'd meet them in the kitchen. I held a twin in each arm and walked into the kitchen.
"Love, let me help." Donny said as he saw me and rushed over to me and took Michael from my arms.
"Thanks Donny." I looked up. "Oliver, Oscar, meet Flora and Michael Novitski." I said softly as they all came over to Donny and I.
"Michael looks just like you did when you were born. Full head of dark brown hair already." Oscar said as he smiled at his son.
"And Flora is just like her mother was at birth." Ma said as Oliver kept his arm around her. "Sparkling blue eyes."
"In that case I'm sure they will grow up to be beautiful kids." Oliver added.
"They sure will be." Donny said smiling at me. "Because they have the most beautiful mother in the world."
"And the most handsome father." I kissed Donny and we handed the kids to Oscar and Oliver to hold as he finished dinner and I laid the table.
"They are so adorable." Oscar said softly. "Holding Michael reminds of the days when Donny was this young. I look back and wish I spent more time with him growing up. I wasn't the father he deserved. And when his mother passed I was in such a state of grief myself I forgot about my boy. I'm glad he was stronger than me. He looked after me, he did all the housework every day after school. He became the man he is today. Such a strong, kindhearted, caring man. All he ever wants is the best for others."
"Same for Julia. I really feel like being together has both helped them learnt that sometimes you have to put yourself first." Ma said softly.
"Yeah. Dating and marrying Donny has been one of the best decisions of my life. It was painful and hard at first but our love for one another was so strong it made everything easier. We just work well together and we get on perfectly. It's like we were meant to be."
"Together forever." Donny said smiling at me. I nodded and looked over at my children before plating up everyone's meals.