Ariana woke up quite startled with drops of sweat rolling down her face. She looked around, happy to know that she was still in her bedroom but her dream had really frightened her.
"Ari?" Jai rubbed her back, he'd just come up to bed after watching a game downstairs. "You had the dream again, didn't you?"
Ariana nodded, trying her hardest not to cry. "It's getting worse this time. We had to bury you at the end right before I woke up."
"Honey I'm sorry," Jai wrapped his arms around his wife.
"Jai it feels so real," Ariana just couldn't help it as the tears finally began to roll down her cheeks. "I'm so afraid that I'm going to lose you."
"Ari, I'm not going anywhere," Jai kissed away her tears. "I'm right here and I'm fine."
"You don't know that Jai," Ariana sniffled.
"Ari I feel just fine, I'm not sick or anything."
"But these things sneak up on you...," Ariana trailed off. "I just...Jai, I'm so worried."
"Do you want me to go to the doctor?"
"Would you?" Ariana asked hopefully.
"If it would ease your mind then yes."
"Thank you," Ariana snuggled into Jai. "I would really feel a lot better knowing that you're perfectly healthy."
"Good," Jai kissed her cheek. "Think you can get some sleep?"
"I'll try," sleeping in Jai's arms always did wonders for Ariana.
+=+=+=+=+
The next morning, Jai made an appointment with his doctor for later that afternoon. Since he was Jai Brooks, basketball star, he didn't have any problems making such a last minute appointment. He wanted to get it out of the way as soon as possible for Ariana's sake. Plus their families and friends would be coming in the next week or so to celebrate Christmas and he didn't want his 'health' hanging over their heads. Ariana, of course, decided to accompany him so she would have proof that her husband was alright. The past few weeks had been grueling on Ariana, every night she had that same nightmare that Jai died. It had been years since Ariana had even paid that old dream any thought but then suddenly it appeared one night and it was back with a vengeance. Instead of all of the great family moments, it only started with the loud beeping machines signaling the stop of Jai's heart.
"Hi Mom," Jai greeted his mother and welcomed her into his home.
"Hi honey," Gina kissed her son's cheek and he took her coat into the closet. "Where are the girls?"
"Caitlin is coloring in the family room and Ariana is putting Kenzie down for her afternoon nap. Thanks for coming over so last minute."
"Not a problem honey, you know how much I love my granddaughters."
"Hi Gina," Ariana smiled at her mother-in-law as she descended the stairs.
"Hi Ariana, how are you feeling?" Gina asked her very pregnant daughter in-law.
"Hanging in there," Ariana laughed as she finally joined the two in the foyer.
"One more month to go," Jai grinned. "Which is why we've got some shopping to do," Jai lied to his mother, not wanting her to know where they were actually going. His mother would probably worry just as much as Ariana.
"Yeah I don't think this little guy," Ariana patted her belly, "would appreciate his sister's hand me downs."
"Not at all," Gina chuckled. "Well you two go ahead; I've got everything under control."
"Ok thanks Gina. Kenzie should be up by 3:30 but don't let her sleep past 4 or else she'll never go to bed," Ariana told her mother-in-law.
After saying goodbye to Gina, Jai and Ariana grabbed their coats and made their way to the doctor's office. Several hours later, Ariana sat nervously in the waiting room of the George Washington hospital. Jai was currently in the process of receiving an MRI. His physician had sent them over to the health center over an hour ago for the non-invasive procedure. It was the last in a series of tests that afternoon. At his actual doctor's appointment, Jai endured a major physical, several blood tests and of course a urine screening. Those test results and the MRI would be available in a few days although Ariana wasn't sure that she could wait that long.
"Hey," Jai approached his wife who was reading her magazine upside down. Jai knew that she was nervous but he had no idea that she this worried.
"Hi," Ariana immediately threw the magazine down on the empty chair next to her. "How did it go?"
"Fine Ari, it was fine," Jai replied as he offered his very pregnant wife a hand so she could stand.
"Thanks," Ariana responded as she made it up to her feet. "Do you have anymore tests?"
"No, I'm all done and completely sore, thanks to you."
"Jai I'm sorry," Ariana apologized, feeling incredibly guilty for making her husband endure a very hellish afternoon of being poked and prodded by doctors and nurses. "I didn't know they would run so many tests and I know how much you hate needles and..." Ariana rambled on until Jai finally stopped her.
"Honey, I was kidding," Jai smiled. "I'm alright Ari, honestly I'm a little sore but I'll survive."
"You jerk," Ariana punched her husband in the shoulder.
"Ow," Jai flinched, his wife had just punched him in a very sore spot; the sight of one of his many blood tests.
"Oh I'm sorry," Ariana immediately felt remorse. "I'll make it up to you."
"I'm thinking, candles, a nice long bath, some sparkling cider, and you and me naked for the rest of the day."
Ariana rolled her eyes, "I'm thinking I won't force you to do the dishes after dinner and maybe you can watch ESPN in bed."
"Well hot damn, I'm such a lucky guy," Jai chuckled as he led Ariana to the exit.
+=+=+=+=+
"Mackenzie, you do not eat cereal with your fingers," Ariana said sternly as she tidied up the kitchen a few days later, clearing away the last remnants of breakfast, aside from Mackenzie's who had gotten a late start that morning.
"Its fun Mommy!" the two and a half, almost three year old, squealed as she continued to slurp up her Lucky Charms in her small but pudgy fingers.
"Use your spoon or else breakfast is over for you, young lady," Ariana glared at her daughter, effectively causing the little one to use her silverware. "You need to finish up; we're going to be late for school."
"Kenzie no like school!" Kenzie exclaimed, banging her Cinderella spoon on the table to add a little emphasis.
Ariana rolled her big brown eyes, just yesterday Kenzie complained that she missed her twice a week pre-school class while Caitlin was in kindergarten all morning. "You love school and today is your big class Christmas party so you are going to have tons of fun."
"Me bring gingie man cookies to mine party?" Kenzie questioned before picking up her matching Cinderella bowl and downing the rest of her milk and what little cereal remained.
"Yeah honey, you can bring the ginger bread men that we made last night," Ariana said as she made her way over to the table. She grabbed a napkin off the table and wiped Kenzie's little mouth, ridding the little girl of a huge milk mustache.
"Yay! Let's go right now Mommy!"
Ariana laughed at her daughter's enthusiasm, "We still have a few more minutes Kenzie."
After Kenzie washed her hands, Ariana let her place their homemade ginger bread cookies into a Tupperware container. Ariana was just about to place the lid on it when the phone rang. She hurried to the mounted phone unit on the wall to answer it. Kenzie grinned, deciding that now was the perfect opportunity to sample one of their cookies. She was forced to go to bed as soon as they took the piping hot cookies out of the oven, so she and Caitlin didn't have any.
"Don't even think about it!" Ariana glared at her daughter before speaking into the phone, "Hello, Brooks residence."
"Yes hello, may I please speak to a Mr. Jai Brooks?"
"He's not at home, can I take a message?" Ariana asked as she walked back over to the island. She was going to cover the Tupperware so Kenzie's greedy little hands wouldn't sneak a cookie.
"Yes, I'm a nurse at Dr. Spencer's office and I have his test results."
Ariana's heart dropped to her stomach, it seemed liked they had been waiting forever for these results. Ariana thought that Jai would be able to pull some clout since he was a well known NBA player but he had to wait just like everyone else. "I'm his wife, is there anyway you could give me the results and I'll tell him right away." Ariana was just dying to know, the past few days had been hell on her. She was never one to just wait around.
"I'm sorry Mrs. Brooks, but I'm afraid that patient confidentiality rules forbid me from doing so."
"I understand," Ariana replied nicely but she was cursing that woman in her head.
"If you could have him call me as soon as possible, I would greatly appreciate it."
"Of course, he should be home soon."
"Great, thank you and have a nice day."
"You too," Ariana ended the phone call and placed the phone down on the center of the island.
"Who dat on the phone Mommy?"
"Someone for daddy," Ariana forced a smile, hoping Kenzie wouldn't notice her new foul mood. "I want you to sit on the potty before we leave."
"No I don't gotta go!" Kenzie pouted.
"I don't want you to have an accident today. You're wearing such a pretty dress and if you get it all wet at school, you won't be able to wear it anymore."
"Me wear pull ups then," Kenzie suggested as if it were the most logical solution.
"No you're already wearing your new big girl panties. Only babies wear diapers and pull ups."
"Me not a baby! Me's a big girl!" Kenzie said proudly.
"That's right, you are Mommy's very big girl and big girls wear panties and go pee pee on the potty."
"Time to go potty Mommy, lets go!" Kenzie fearlessly jumped off of her step stool and ran out of the kitchen.
Ariana smiled to herself as she followed her daughter to the downstairs powder room. It wasn't often that she could talk Kenzie into things so quickly, so she most certainly deserved a pat on the back (or a ginger bread cookie after she dropped Kenzie off at school). Kenzie pulled down her black tights and lifted up her red dress so that Ariana could lift her onto the toilet. Kenzie refused to use the little training portable potty that sat on the ground in the corner. So instead, Ariana bought a little child size seat that was placed on the regular toilet. Kenzie greatly enjoyed this one because she felt like a big girl and was able to flush which of course was the best part of going potty in her eyes.
"Mommy sing a song pwease." Apparently songs helped Kenzie do her business faster; it was something Jai had started and something Ariana hated.
"Ok, um...the itsy bitsy Kenzie crawled up the water spout," Kenzie clapped her hands excitedly; she just loved when her mommy and daddy included her name in a song. "Down came the rain and..."
"Ari!" Jai's voice filtered throughout the house.
"I'll be right back!" Ariana exclaimed and hurried to find her husband as fast as her pregnant belly would allow.
"But you didn't finish my song," Kenzie huffed and puffed after her mother had quickly exited the bathroom.
"Jai?" Ariana called out as she briskly walked down the long hallway.
"Kitchen baby."
Ariana found Jai in the kitchen, already munching on one of the left over ginger bread men.
Jai looked up at the sound of his wife's footsteps, "Busted I know," he chuckled as he finished up the last of his cookie. Ariana opened her mouth to speak but Jai cut her off, figuring that he was just about to get a lecture, one that he didn't want to hear. "In my defense, I'm absolutely heartbroken! Your very grown up daughter wouldn't let me give her a kiss when I dropped her off at school. I hugged her but when I leaned in to kiss her, she pulled anyway and said I would embarrass her. Can you believe it? She'll be six in a few months and already I'm an embarrassment to her. When I was six, I didn't even know what that word mean. I was too busy picking my nose and watching Power Rangers."
"That's nice," Ariana replied absentmindedly, having barely listened to Jai's little story. She grabbed the phone and quickly handed it to her husband.
"What's this for and wait, you're not going to yell at me for eating Kenzie's class cookies?" This was a complete shock to Jai; he was used to getting an earful from Ariana.
"Dr. Spencer's office called, they have all your test results."
"Oh," Jai nodded knowingly, no wonder his wife was so preoccupied.
"Call now!"
"I am," Jai looked at Ariana's very nervous face and kissed her gently before dialing his doctor's office. "Its going to be fine Ari." Ariana nodded as a single tear rolled down her cheek, this was it: the moment of truth. "Hi, this is Jai Brooks; I'm calling to...right of course....sure."
"What?" Ariana asked, feeling quite panicked.
"She put me on hold," Jai explained.
"Mommy!" Kenzie screamed from the bathroom. "I pooped!"
"She pooped," Jai laughed but Ariana was in no laughing mood. "Relax baby, I really hate seeing you like this."
Ariana let out a sigh, "I just..."
"Mommy! I pooped! Wipe me!" Kenzie whined and was close to crying. Ariana knew that she better tend to her child before the real waterworks started.
"Go wipe your stinky kid," Jai smiled. "I'll probably still be on hold by the time you get back anyway."
"Jai..."
"Baby seriously, I'm fine."
"Mommy!"
"I'm coming!" Ariana called back as she reluctantly left the kitchen to tend to her little girl.
"Yes, I'm still here...Hi, Dr. Spencer...yes, I'm ready..."
"I peed and pooped Mommy!" Kenzie announced once Ariana made it back to the bathroom.
"That's great," Ariana put on a happy face as she took care of Kenzie. Once she was finished and they'd both washed their hands, Ariana carried Kenzie back to the kitchen.
"Thank you Dr. Spencer....Yeah, uh huh...No, its my treat....No problem, just pick the tickets up at the box office next Thursday... Alright, you too," Jai hung up the phone after talking to his personal doctor. "Ari, you shouldn't be carrying her." Jai rushed to Ariana's side and took their daughter from her arms. "I thought we agreed that you would be taking it easy this last month."
"Stop stalling Jai Brooks! What did Dr. Spencer say?"
Jai couldn't help but grin widely as he kissed his little girl's cheek. "Hi my ladybug."
"Hi my daddy," Kenzie giggled to herself before nuzzling Jai's nose with her own cute little button one.
"Jai!" Ariana yelled, she just couldn't take it any longer; the suspense was absolutely killing her.
"Guess who is perfectly healthy?"
"Really?" Ariana gushed, all of her pent up anxiety was slowly leaving her overly stressed body.
"Really! Didn't I tell you that you had nothing to worry about?"
"What about your MRI?"
"Honey, it came back negative, in fact everything came back negative. If you don't believe me, you can go to Dr. Spencer's office and pick up the documented results," he smirked. "I'm starting to think you wanted me to be sick."
"Ugh," Ariana just didn't have the words for his smart little comeback.
"Come here," Jai moved closer to his wife and kissed her forehead. "I love you."
"I love you too Jai," Ariana smiled. "And I'm just so thankful that you're alright."
"That makes two of us. Now as far as your nightmares go, maybe you need to stop eating peanut butter and pickles sandwiches at midnight."
"Hey that was one time!" Ariana protested and pointed a finger in Jai's face. "And hey don't knock it until you've tried it."
"Well I won't be trying it anytime soon. The thought alone is just....yuck, right ladybug?"
"Yuck!" Kenzie echoed her father, causing both of her parents to laugh.
"Alright my yucky girl, lets get you off to school," Jai kissed his daughter's cheek before winking at his wife, "So Mommy and I can have very special...celebration time sooner rather than later."
"I like the sound of that," Ariana smiled, alone time with Jai was few and far between lately and it would be even worse with the arrival of their son in the next month or so.
"I'll take Kenz to school, you rest and save up your energy for me."
"I'm not so sure you can handle me," Ariana smirked. "You're the one who probably needs to rest up for a bit."
"Is that a fact?"
"Indeed Mr. Brooks but I'm afraid we'll have to continue this little conversation later because our daughter needs to get to school soon."
"Oh right," Jai was so caught up in his wife that he'd almost forgotten about his precious ladybug. "Ok, we're off," Jai grabbed the container of cookies and headed out the kitchen. "When I come back, I'm going to show you just how healthy I really am!" Jai called from the mudroom.
"Perfect! I can't wait!"