(Andrea's POV)
With the Bravucci clan on tow, the Saturday family lunch out was on going and everyone was having little mingles, the men talking about football and the women gossiping about the neighborhood's latest rumors.
"How many Saturdays have you been attending?" Max asked and I mulled about it before I replied, "Five, give or take."
"And you still don't have any thoughts on not attending?" Max asked again and I laughed.
"Of course not! You said the moment I marry you, I get to have everything you own and I you so that means your family is now my family. I think it's pretty neat." I said and sipped on some Piña Colada non-alcoholic version props to Martha. I don't know why she still calls it Piña Colada when in fact it doesn't have alcohol anyway but it tastes like one.
"Are you planning on not attending, son?" Lucas snickered and shook his head. "I know you may have some business needed with your wife because you two are newlyweds but don't forget this old man wanting another grandchild and that's not going to be from Martha and especially Marcus because the idiot is not getting married anytime soon."
I felt my heart sink.
The Bravucci family did not know the situation about Max and I's difficult complication regarding the child issues. I so badly want to share it but Max told me not to refrain because they may be family but some issues should be private and should be kept and shared just between the two of us.
"Alright, old man. You caught me." Max sighed in pretend and everyone else laughed while I let myself in silence wallow in sorrow.
"Hey, what are you doing there alone?" Martha asked while I was alone and taking some alone time in the library's balcony. "Everyone's been looking for you and the whole house is now filled with Max's hair from him pulling it."
I lost it at Max's hair and laughed.
"I just needed some alone time."
"In the balcony?"
"Yes."
"In the library's balcony?"
"Yes, Martha."
"In the library where no one really goes to?"
"I get the point you're trying to say. I just needed fresh air. All the scent of food is getting to me." I scoffed and then she gasped.
"Are you pregnant?" Martha almost screamed and ran towards me to embrace me lovingly. "Oh my God, Andrea!" She giggles but I just half-heartedly smiled at her.
"Why, what's wrong?" Martha asks and my smile drops even more. "It's not Max, is it? I would eviscerate that son of a b-"
"No, it's not him, it's actually me." I sighed and she frowns in confusion.
"What do you mean it's you? Wait, are you saying-" She looks down at my stomach and frowns even more, "that you don't have any plans on keeping it?"
"That's because there's nothing to keep, Martha." I mumbled as quiet as I could possibly say.
"Now I'm lost. What do you mean?"
"It means I'm not pregnant."
"Oh." Martha disappointingly said under her breath.
"That's fitting. And I-" I started choking on my own breath because I can't keep the tears at bay anymore, "I don't think I'll ever be."
Martha gasps again and hugs me in comfort.
"Oh my God, Andrea! It's nothing to worry about! I'm sure Max is willing to explore other options." Martha offered as she consoles me. Then realization dawns on me that she probably knows that it is I that has a problem because maybe she remembered that Max impregnated Cassandra back during their college days.
"It's just—when Pa mentioned having grandchildren and coyly saying he wanted it from Max and I, everything resurfaced. Max and I are trying to improve my chances of bearing by visiting my ob-gyn and getting fertility pills and everything was going so well and I was feeling hopeful but when I heard from Pa, it's like he was telling me-"
"Hush, you. Pa doesn't know anything, all of us know absolutely nothing! I told you before and I'll tell you now again, I'm always here for you. That thing is between you and my brother but that doesn't mean you can't confide when you're feeling down." Martha hugs me again and kisses my forehead. "Look at you, beating yourself down over it alone. Don't beat yourself up over that too hard. Maybe it's not the time yet. Who knows, right?"
"It just feels like I'm a failure, you know? The easiest thing for a woman to do and I can't even do it. Literally most women can just go get a male partner and get knocked up instantly."
"Absolutely false. That's not our case."
"Our?" I asked incredulously and looked at her.
"You know, it took about 1 and a half year for me to conceive Andrew? I felt how you felt before but we consulted and just waited for it and we tried not thinking about it too much. Yes, it's normal to think about it but don't stress about it, the more you stress about it then the fertility pills you're taking would take longer to take effect." Martha said and smiled at me. "Come on, I think you had enough of your fresh air. Let's call your husband and call it a day, shall we?"
I nodded and smiled at her.
"Have I ever told you that you're like my long lost sister?" I laughed and then she smiled.
"Same here. Andrea?"
I turned around and saw Martha smiling with her glassy eyes.
"Don't feel like you're an island. You're an archipelago together with us because we're now together as families."
~
After three days of bliss because it was a long weekend, I went back again to the orphanage to serve the kids in there. It has been a long time since I went here voluntarily without being down about something and it's all because of that Saturday night's small chat with Martha.
"Hello, Andrea! How have you been?" Matt, the little boy asked as we did not see each other in a long time.
"I'm good, how about you? Did you enjoy the newly installed sandpit at the backyard?" I asked, trying to avert his attention from me. Max donated money to the orphanage and they decided to renovate the playground by adding an area called the 'Adventure Land' because it contains the sandpit, monkey bars connecting to a little tunnel and other contraptions and tons of slides.
"Adventure Land is very fun!" Matt giggles and scurries off. Before I knew it, arms circled my waist and I was met with a kiss from my husband on my temple.
"How's my beautiful wife doing?" Max asked as I turned around and returned the kiss.
"Your wife is pretty busy with things on her list such as cleaning the kitchen area, cooking lunch for the kids, play with them so on and so forth." I enumerated.
"Oh? Is taking care of her husband not on her list?" He gasped jokingly.
"Let me call her for you so you can ask her yourself. Hold the line, please." I said and then turned around as if I called 'his wife'.
"Mrs. Bravucci!" I shout in pretend and I was met with strange gazes from the little kids outside.
"Why are you calling yourself, Andrea?" Tom, another little boy, asked which made me blush to my roots.
"Er, I was just screaming my name so everyone will know I'm married." I said but half-convincingly as I sounded like it was a question.
"We all know you're married!" Tom argued and then all of them peeled with laughter.
"Just making sure you all remember!" I argued back and then turned to my husband's contorted face as he tried to stop himself from laughing with the kids.
"Hello, husband." I sighed and then he laughed.
"Hello, mia carissima moglie."
~
A/N: IS IT TOO LATE NOW TO SAY SORRY?????? Im so sorry december and january was a blur because of school and deadlines!!!
im actually starting to write the next chapter so i can upload it as soon as possible and im so sorry again
thank you and see you hopefully soon!!
Kat x