Chapter 42 Better than ‘Dicked You Down Good’ Flowers
Forty-Two. Better than ‘dicked you down good’ flowers
Tamara
“Look at that ring, my god,” Millie squeals as she stares at the flashiest piece of jewellery I’ve ever owned.
“This is better than ‘dicked you down good’ flowers,” Vera adds and everyone laughs.
We’re sitting on the floor of the guest room in my childhood home, drinks and snacks scattered around us.
After Patrick proposed and our family and friends piled into the house, there was a proper celebration.
I’d have loved for us to be alone so I could show my future husband how happy I am.
But having my favourite people under one roof is pretty incredible.
It helps that the roof is the same one where I spent the first six years of my life.
“I can’t believe he did all this,” I say wistfully, tossing more popcorn into my mouth.
“In case it wasn’t clear yet, he loves you. Like a lot.”
I smile at Krys and then look around at my girlfriends with so much love in my heart.
It’s always been the four of us against the world and I don’t think there’s anyone who would struggle when they have people like this on their side.
I was convinced after Kabir I’d have a hard time meeting someone.
That my hopes of one day building a family would be dashed.
Hell, being close to forty meant my chances of getting pregnant were also low.
Then Patrick returned and changed everything.
Now he’s found us the house, asked me to marry him and is planning the perfect future for our kid.
Was I worried when he said he was going to retire from professional hockey? Of course. It’s been his bread and butter, his claim to fame, his thing for years. But I can see the sport doesn’t bring him joy like it used to. He hasn’t publicly announced it yet, but the day is coming.
“So….are we planning two weddings next year?”
“Maybe even combine it?”
Vera and I share a grin. We’ve talked about doing exactly that.
But I’m not in a hurry to get married. Right now, my entire focus is on making sure this baby is born without any problems. I know Vera isn’t rushing either, especially since it’s only been a month or so since Elias popped the question.
Unlike Patrick, he proposed in private. We didn’t know about it until two days later when Vera surfaced from their fuck fest and sent us a picture of her ring.
To think both of us were swearing off relationships and men only for these Joseph boys to come waltzing in and say hell no.
I’ve already told Vera that when she’s ready, I’ll be right there by her side planning the heck out of her wedding.
She insists she’s not rushing and it’s going to be small, but we know the family matriarchs won’t agree.
I don’t blame them. The first of their children to get married is a huge deal.
Especially since Vera put a stop to her hunt for a husband before Elias came along.
But I’m so happy for her. My cousin deserves the love of someone like Elias Joseph.
He worships the ground she walks on, and takes the time and effort to be there for her.
He definitely thinks the sun shines out of her ass and that’s exactly what Vera needs.
“Okay, someone needs to help me up,” I say, grunting and groaning as I stretch my legs and lift my arms. All three of them stand and hoist me up. “I’m ready for this baby to be born.”
Krys laughs and rubs my stomach. “This isn’t even the biggest you’re going to be.”
“That’s not helpful!”
She continues to laugh, wrapping her arms around me.
Then the other two do the same and we’re in a cuddle huddle and I close my eyes to enjoy it.
Being on maternity leave—mostly by force—has made me moodier than necessary.
I spend most of my time drawing and researching baby rooms, and waiting for Patrick to get home.
The rest of the time I’m eating junk and sleeping.
I can barely masturbate and video sex wasn’t as exciting the second time around.
“I wanna show you three something.”
The hug breaks and I waddle down the long hallway to my childhood bedroom.
I took Patrick on a tour while everyone was downstairs and when I stepped inside, I instantly knew it would be the nursery.
Even though I was six when my parents died, I have vivid memories of sitting on the window seat and staring out at the garden, sticking glow in the dark stars on the ceiling while perched on my father’s shoulders.
But my memories of them are not as clear and even when I look at pictures of us in this house, I don’t remember those moments.
I push the door open and walk in, while my friends hover outside.
My heart is full as I put my hands over my belly and take in the space.
The slanting roof, the large window on one side, the built-in wardrobe on the other, the little dressing room area in one corner that leads to the bathroom—this was my slice of heaven.
“I would love for the three of you to help me turn this into the nursery,” I whisper through fresh tears and they nod, still standing outside.
I know why they haven’t moved—they understand the importance of this room.
So much of my childhood was ripped away from me and now I get to have some of it back.
A tear drops to the hand on my stomach and I blow out a shaky breath.
“Rainbows,” Millie says and takes a step in, her hands sweeping over the walls. “Bright, hopeful, joyful rainbows everywhere.”
I grin and nod, already picturing them curving and looping across the surfaces.
“Bookshelves filled with all our favourites over here,” Vera adds and points to the corner perfect for shelving.
“And photographs of everyone who loves them,” Krys says as she blinks back tears.
I nod, smiling so wide, my face might split.
I stand in the middle of the room and admire the space, then my friends.
I hope when my kid is born, they find their friends the way I did.
And they hold onto them so tight it might be suffocating sometimes, but it’ll be worth it.
I wipe my tears and hold out my hands. We stand in a circle, fingers linked and smile at each other.
“Thank you for being my family. For being you,” I whisper through my tears and three of them swear at me for making them cry, before we’re hugging again. Their hands land on my belly and I sigh happily. This is what it’s always meant to be.
“If you’re done performing whatever witchcraft, I’d like to spend some time with my wife.”
We scream at the deep voice and turn to Patrick leaning against the doorframe, grinning at us.
“You better hope you didn’t interrupt our summoning or the demon’s going to possess you, Patrick Joseph!” Millie threatens, wiggling her fingers at him.
He holds his hands up, eyes wide as he fights a smile.
When our gazes meet, he winks and I shake my head.
After another round of hugs and congratulations, my girlfriends head downstairs.
I hear more voices and chatter, lots of laughter and happiness as I walk towards my future husband.
The love of my life. The father of my child.
“You good, Lo?”
“I’m great, Trick. Today has been…amazing.”
He tucks my hair behind my ear and I smile up at him. This man, he’s my eve—whoa.
“What? What’s wrong?”
I grab his hands and place it over my stomach.
It takes a few seconds and the baby kicks hard against his palm.
Over the last few months, they’ve been extra active.
It’s comforting to know our baby is healthy and every scan has only shown us positive things.
But I would also love it if they weren’t kicking me awake minutes after I fall asleep.
Carrying this kid around is exhausting and on top of that I’m barely getting any sleep. It’s less fun.
“Maybe a footballer, huh?” he teases and drops to his knees. With his hands on either side of my belly, he moves them in slow circles and the baby settles. “There you go,” Patrick whispers and kisses my stomach.
I drag my fingers through his hair as he keeps his head against my belly, whispering to our kid.
If I could go back in time and tell him he’d be the perfect partner through all of this, maybe he would have trusted in himself a long time ago.
This version of Patrick is exactly who I imagined when I pictured him as a father.
“And cut your mom some slack. She’s got two more months of dealing with you in there and I’m going to be travelling for most of it. So be good to her, okay?” I laugh and he presses a kiss to my belly button and whispers something else I can’t hear then stands. “Was that the worst?”
“None of it is fun, Trick.”
He chuckles and kisses my forehead, one arm sliding around my back to hold me close.
We both missed the first two months of my pregnancy and while he’s been there for everything else, our schedule has changed.
He’s in Rourkela1 for the LHT games and other than this trip home, I’m barely going to see him.
I have his schedule marked on the calendar so I know when he’s busy and we’ve planned it so he can fly home for important appointments between games.
But it’s going to be hard managing the next month without him there every day.
“It’ll pass really quickly,” he says, reading my mind. “And before you know it, I’ll be back and we’ll have the baby in our arms.”
I nod, unconvinced it’ll be quick or smooth.
Even when we weren’t together, I relied on Patrick for so much.
He took care of my meals and ensured I was eating my vitamins.
I’m a hundred percent certain if it wasn’t for him, I might not have made it through this pregnancy in one piece.
It’s only one month, but it feels like forever.
“Tamara.”
His deep command draws my eyes to his and I’m suddenly reminded I’m not doing this alone. “I’ll…we’ll miss you.”
“Promise me you’ll be careful.”
“Eh, that’s overrated.”
“Babe,” he says with a heavy sigh.
“I promise, Trick. I’ll be careful.”
“Don’t spend all your time climbing up and down these stairs.”
I pout and he chuckles. Clearly he knew what my plan was. “How will I design this house if I stay down there?”
“Get other people to do the hard work. Please.”
“Fiiiiine.” His lips brush against my forehead as he laughs. He rubs my arms and I nudge his jaw with my nose. “Come with me.”
At his arched eyebrow, I lead the way out of the nursery and towards the fourth bedroom. I can’t remember what this room was used for, but Tessammai might. Right now, I have other plans for it. I push the door open and he peers inside.
“We have two guest bedrooms?”
“I was thinking more like a sex room.”
“Lotus,” he warns and steps in with me, closing the door behind him.
“I’ve got tons of ideas. We don’t need a flogging bench or a St. Andrew’s Cross or anything. We do need a place to keep all our toys so as the baby grows up, they don’t stumble onto any of it.”
He’s breathing heavily, staring like he wants to eat me. I nod and point at different parts of the room.
“We could nail hooks into the wall so we don’t have to use a headboard. I also found a really pretty chest of drawers we could use to store my toys, the bandanas and other things we’ll use for restraints. Do you think we’re sex swing type of people?”
“If a sex swing is what you need, wife, we’ll get one.”
A shudder runs through me at the low timbre of his voice and the corner of his mouth kicks up when he sees it. I swallow and stop at the window.
“Sex with a view too,” I whisper, hand pressed to the glass
He comes to stand behind me, hands on my hips. “You know what I’d like to do, baby? Strip you out of this and fuck you while you admire the view.”
“Yes, please, Daddy.”
Another rumble comes out of him and he puts a hand on my belly. “Sorry, kid. Your mom’s being naughty and I need to show her what happens when she teases me.”
I smile and his eyes flare. He pulls me against him for a kiss so naughty, so filthy, I come a little.