42. BELLA
42
BELLA
T he soft lavender of my maternity dress caught the morning sunlight as I turned in front of the mirror, tilting my head to take in every angle. My growing belly pushed the fabric out and I was starting to feel like a whale.
I wasn’t even close to my due date yet, but the two little lives nestled inside me were growing and expanding quickly, taking over my body. Despite Chris’s assurances that I was beautiful no matter what, I still felt self-conscious.
And swollen.
And like it would be better to stay home in my pajamas rather than go out to meet the who’s-who of the Newport high society.
“Are you sure I don’t look like a blimp in this?” I asked, running my hands over the fabric.
Chris’s reflection appeared behind me, a teasing grin spreading across his face. “Bella, you’re glowing.” He planted a kiss on my cheek, and I turned my head so he could plant one on my lips, too.
I turned to face him, raising an eyebrow. “Glowing or sweating?”
“Definitely glowing,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to my forehead. His hand lingered on my baby bump, warm and steady. He always touched my belly when we were together, connected to the babies, not just to me. I’d never seen him be this attentive, this present.
“You’ll be fine. Everyone will love you. It’s not a big deal, I promise. Just a small get-together.”
“Small?” I asked, skeptical. The Blackwoods did everything in excess, I didn’t get the idea that anything they did was ever “small.”
“You know what I mean,” he said with a chuckle.
“Yeah, that’s why I’m worried,” I breathed.
But Chris’s arm around me, and the way he smiled at me, steadied me. If he was there, I would be okay. I would have to meet all kinds of people when I didn’t feel like myself, but having Chris at my side would ward off any sense of crazy insecurity that would make me want to hide in the bathroom.
Although, if that was where I ended up… I could always blame morning sickness.
“It’s going to be fine, babe,” Chris said. “Stop overthinking. You’re mine, and I’m yours, and that’s all that matters.”
I smiled at him. It really was all that mattered.
We drove through town, heading toward Bellevue Avenue and the Cliff Walk area, passing historic buildings and Gilded Age homes as we drove. We finally stopped in front of cast-iron gates that opened a moment later, and Chris drove in.
The Blackwood estate’s gardens sprawled out before us like something out of a fairy tale.
It had been a long time since I’d been here, but the house still looked exactly the same as we got out and walked toward the back of the house where the garden party was supposed to be set up.
Lush greenery framed the pathway, leading to a marquee tent draped with sheer white fabric. Fairy lights twinkled in the early afternoon sun, and pastel garlands in soft greens, yellows, and grays adorned every surface. We parked and got out of the car.
“Come on, we’re a little late,” Chris said and offered me his arm.
A lot of women were huddled together, talking in small groups, drinking fruit juice from crystal glasses. Music drifted around me, and a buffet table had been set up to the side.
I frowned and glanced around.
I couldn’t see anything but women.
When I saw Gigi, and then my mom, I frowned.
“What is this?” I asked Chris.
He grinned, his eyes bright. “It’s for you. The girls wanted to spoil you.”
A banner hanging above the entrance read, “Welcome, Bella & Babies!” in elegant calligraphy.
“What?”
Charlotte’s bubbly voice broke through my daze. “Surprise! We couldn’t wait to celebrate you.” She rushed forward, pulling me into a warm hug. I’d met her a short while ago when Chris had brought me to the family again to announce my pregnancy officially, but Charlotte hugged me as if we were old friends.
“I think this is my cue,” Chris said and kissed me. “I’ll see you later, okay? Have fun.”
“Where are you going?”
“It’s a baby shower, Bella,” Sofia said, coming to us, as equally excited as Charlotte. “No men allowed.”
Oh, that explained a lot.
Chris squeezed my hand and left me with the women.
“This is incredible,” I said, my voice shaky. “I don’t even know what to say.”
Charlotte grinned. “Say you love it, because we pulled out all the stops.”
Under the marquee, the decor was even more breathtaking. Tables were set with fine china and pastel linens, each centerpiece a delicate arrangement of flowers and ribbons. Soft music played in the background, mingling with the sound of laughter and conversation.
Eleanor, Chris’s mother, sat at a table with my mom, Donna, chatting animatedly. It was surreal seeing them together, their vastly different worlds somehow blending seamlessly here.
“Come,” Charlotte said, tugging me along.
Sofia was on my other side, and I was flanked by the two women.
“You’ve got your hands full with twins, huh?” Sofia teased lightly. “Don’t worry, we’ll give you all the mom survival tips.”
“I’m going to need all the help I can get,” I said, nervous.
When we reached the table where our mothers sat together, they both looked at me and smiled.
“Hello, honey,” Mom said, and she looked happier than I’d seen her in a long time. “Surprise!” She stood and hugged me, and I clung to her, more emotional than I’d been for a while.
“I’m so happy you’re here,” I whispered.
“Sweetheart, I wouldn’t miss this for the world. You’re my baby girl, and I love you.”
“Is Dad…”
“He’ll come around. You know him, he’s an old grump. But he’s soft on the inside and eventually, it will show.”
I hoped that was true. I’d never had a good relationship with my dad, but somehow now that I was about to become a mom, everything seemed so much different.
The fights we’d had, the reasons I’d left… family was so much more important than that and I couldn’t leave things how they were.
I would talk to him at some point.
Soon.
I wanted everything to be okay. I didn’t want my babies to come into a world where any family members didn’t get along.
Eleanor waited until I was done talking to my mom before she greeted me warmly, tone maternal and welcoming. “It’s wonderful to have you back here with us, Bella. You’re part of the family now. I always hoped that you would be, eventually.”
Warmth swelled inside me. “Thank you, Eleanor. I kind of hoped for that, too.”
She grinned at me. “And you’re bringing two precious gifts with you.” She winked and nodded at my belly, and I blushed.
Charlotte and Sofia took me around, introducing me to some family members I hadn’t met yet, and then the event started.
The baby shower games were lighthearted and fun, from guessing the size of my bump with ribbons to a baby trivia contest that had everyone laughing. When it came time to open gifts, my cheeks ached from smiling and I wasn’t sure when last I’d laughed so much, and cried so much.
“Two of everything,” I murmured, holding up matching onesies. “I’ll need a bigger closet.”
Charlotte leaned over. “Get used to it. Twins mean double the trouble but double the love.”
For the first time, I truly felt that love. It wasn’t just the gifts but the effort everyone had made to welcome me.
“I can’t tell you how much this means to me,” I said to everyone sitting at the tables, or getting food from the buffet. “This is a bigger gift than you can ever imagine.”
“Family always is, sweetheart,” Mom said from close by, and she looked like she was about to cry, too.
Later, Gigi and I slipped away to a quieter corner near a bubbling fountain. The sound of water was soothing. I hadn’t had a chance to talk to her, with everyone wanting to congratulate me, or to talk to me about the twins, and I was glad to just get a break away to catch my breath.
“You’re glowing,” Gigi said, nudging me with her elbow and winking.
“I’m so sorry I’ve neglected you today.”
“Nonsense. The day should be all about you. You’re the star of the show.” She smiled at me and she genuinely meant it. “Are you happy, though, Bells?”
“I am,” I beamed. “I’m happier than I thought I could be. But I’m also exhausted.”
“With two babies inside of you, I’m sure,” Gigi said. She sat down on the edge of the fountain and I joined her.
“How are things with Chris?” Gigi asked. “Is he doing what he should? Because I swear if he hurts you again, I’ll break all kinds of things he doesn’t want broken.”
I laughed. “He’s been incredible. I didn’t think he’d step up like this, but he’s been there every step of the way. I think he’s more excited about the twins than his mom and mine combined.”
Gigi smiled and nodded, satisfied with my answer. “Told you he had it in him. But seriously, you’re going to be okay? I worry about you.”
“I am,” I admitted. “You don’t have to worry about me anymore. I mean, I’m terrified. But happy. And I’m starting to think… this could really work.”
“Of course it will,” she said firmly. “You’ve got this, Bella. And you’ve got him and his family and all these wonderful friends you’re making along the way.”
“And you, to make sure I’m okay,” I said with a grin.
“Of course.” Gigi smiled and hugged me. “I’ll always be here.”
I was so lucky to have a friend like Gigi. She’d gotten me through the worst, and she celebrated with me through the best, and no matter what, I knew I had a friend by my side. But these days, I had more than that. I also had a family who was happy to have me, excited about the twins arriving soon, and Chris, who showed me in every little way he could that he loved me and would be there no matter what.
I had so many people in my corner when once upon a time, I’d had no one.
As the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting the gardens in a golden glow, Chris found me admiring two pairs of tiny matching baby shoes.
“You doing okay?” he asked, his voice low and warm. “It looks like we have a stack of gifts to transport. I should have brought a company truck.”
I laughed. “I’m more than okay. This was… perfect. And yeah, the gifts are amazing. I think we have enough for two sets of twins.”
“Oh, God,” Chris said. “Let’s just start with one, okay? We can maybe look at it again after the first pair is taken care of.”
I laughed. “After?”
“Hey, who says we need to stop at two?” He winked at me.
Warmth filled me when he pulled me into a hug.
“I agree,” I said. “But let’s take care of these two first.”
Chris pulled back, his eyes soft and warm.
“I can’t believe they did all of this for me,” I said, nodding at the tent and the few guests that were still left. Charlotte and Sofia were talking about something, laughing so hard they couldn’t finish the conversation.
“They love you,” he said, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “I knew they would.”
I smirked. “Even your mom?”
He chuckled. “Especially my mom.”
I smiled. I loved Chris’s family, too. And they were all so fantastic about the twins, about me appearing out of the blue in their lives again. About me being here to stay.
On the drive home, the car loaded with baby gifts, I rested my hand on my bump. One of the babies kicked and I yelped.
“That was a hard one.” I took Chris’s hand and pressed it against my belly where the kick had landed. As if the baby wanted Chris to feel it too, another kick followed.
“Oh, boy. That’s a little fighter in there.”
I laughed. “Both of them kick like crazy. I think at least one is a boy.”
“I would like a girl, too,” Chris said. “But either way, they’ll be amazing. Girls, boys, girl and boy—anything works for me.”
I smiled. “Me, too.” I looked out of the window as the city slid by as we headed back to my apartment.
“Did you know about this?” I asked, breaking the comfortable silence.
Chris shrugged. “I might’ve had an idea.”
I shook my head, laughing quietly. “Thank you. For everything.”
“You deserve the world, sweetheart. This is just the start. Prepare to be spoiled for the rest of your life.”
I smiled and looked out of the window again, but I reached for Chris’s hand and intertwined our fingers. I had always been crazy independent, wanting to chart my own course, hating it when someone told me what I should do and who I should be. But I had to admit… being taken care of like this, spoiled, and not having to worry about a thing in the world was a wonderful feeling.
And knowing that it came from a place of love was that much more incredible.
I couldn’t wait for what was to come.
As if the babies agreed, another series of kicks followed, and I groaned and laughed at the same time.