Chapter 38
Chapter Thirty Eight
Josie
One Year Post Partum
“Okay Loh! Get ready to count down! We’re almost at the new year!” Monty says to our son. They both are decked out in New Year’s Eve party favors that Evie got for tonight.
It’s not actually close to midnight, Monty pulled up last year's ball drop and has it playing as it counts down from sixty seconds. Realistically, it’s just before eight p.m. and we’re putting everyone to bed under the guise that it’s midnight.
We wanted to do something special between the three of us to celebrate coming into the new year.
Things have been a dream, and with every moment we spend with Evie I’m more confirmed in the fact that I want this to be a permanent thing.
The feelings I have toward her are just as strong as the ones I have for my husband.
Monty and I sat in bed one night after Christmas, Evie had gone to her moms for the night to celebrate their Christmas together.
They didn’t get together on Christmas Day, it was a nasty snow storm and her mom lives over in Westroth which is at least an hour drive from Rosewick Falls.
She didn’t feel comfortable driving in that weather, so she made plans with her mom to go out after boxing day to avoid the Boxing Day chaos.
I told Monty about how strong my feelings were for Evie, and he listened to me as I poured everything out.
How I saw a future with her involved, with us, with our family, all of it.
I wanted to tell people she was ours and how we are hers.
I want to be able to hold her hand and kiss her in public, to take care of her in a way I know she isn’t used to.
After I told Monty everything, he just looked at me with a love struck look on his face, and a soft smile before he responded, “I feel the exact same way.”
It was surreal, and it was then that we plotted how we were going to officially ask her to be ours tonight.
On the night that changed everything last year, when my water broke and Evie helped me to the ambulance.
Giving birth to Hayes, and the complications to my c-section that led us to asking her for help, bringing her more into our lives.
I bought an instant camera, saying that we were going to use it to take pictures of our New Year’s Eve party with the kids. Which we have been doing, but earlier in the day Monty and I took a couple of photos that we’re going to give Evie later.
Nothing too salacious, but it consists of four photos. Each photo has us holding up a piece of paper that says a single word. Then when you line them up side by side it reads out: “Will you be ours?”
I have a little scrap book that I’ve them put in, with the intention that we’ll take more pictures and add to it. Showing the story of us, and all the adventures we’re going to have. Nerves flutter in my belly, but I have no time to focus on them as the count down from ten begins.
Shiloh punches the air with each descending number, thrilled to think that we let him stay up so far past his bed time.
“Five, four, three…” Monty plops down on the couch beside me, throwing his arm around me as he spins his NYE noise maker.
“Two, one! Happy New Year!” We all yell, hugging each other and celebrating. Monty leans over and kisses me on the lips, then pulls away. Shiloh runs over to Evie who was standing behind our other couch and gives her a huge hug while he screams Happy New Year.
As she returns his hug I get up and head toward her. When she releases him she notices me there. I pull her into a hug and kiss her cheek, “Happy New Year, Sweets.”
“Happy New Years, Jojo.” She tells me, a soft smile on her face and I trace my hand down her arm quickly grabbing her hand and squeezing it.
Monty makes his way over and lift’s Evie up into his arms and spins her, telling her Happy New Years. Once the commotion has died down a bit, we get the boys to bed and all reconvene back into the living room.
“Props to the parents who posted the hack of throwing on last year's ball drop to make the kids believe they got to stay up late.” Monty says, as he sits on the other end of the couch spread out, arms thrown over the back. “That’s a top tier parenting hack.”
I hum my agreement, taking a sip of the glass of ice water that I brought out. The scrap book hides between my thigh and the couch cushion, and I’m trying to get the nerve to start the next part of our conversation.
“So much has changed in a year,” I start, thinking back to last year at the Hawthorne’s lodge for their New Year’s Party. “I was so pregnant, and I didn’t expect my water to break right before the countdown was finished.”
“Watching the guys run around in a panic was entertaining though.” Evie chimes in, a smirk on her face as she looks over at Monty, who gasps, placing his hand on his chest in mock offense.
“I beg your finest pardon, I was the definition of calm, cool and collected.” He says.
I give Monty a look that tells him otherwise and he just winks at me. Shaking my head I look over at Evie, my hand going into the part of the couch I have the scrapbook hidden. I trace the spine of the scrapbook as I continue.
“I didn’t expect to need help after having Hayes, and I really struggled with that.
I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that I needed help to do a lot of things that I could normally do.
I struggled with Monty helping more, and even more when I realized I needed additional support when he was going back to work.
I was nervous, and I didn’t want to just let anyone into our home and our lives.
” I pull out the scrapbook and place it on my lap.
“When Harper told us you were looking for work, it felt kismet. Then you came over for supper and it just confirmed it for me that you were meant to be here with us.”
I take a quick second to look up from the scrapbook to the woman who has become so ingrained in my being that it’s crazy to think she was ever not with us. I give her a quick smile, and her lips tremble slightly as she returns one, so I continue.
“It was never in my wildest dreams that we would be here today, that we would have crossed that line, consequences be damned. We did, and I can really only speak for myself when I say it was one of the best decisions that we made that night out on the dance floor.”
“For the record, I’m glad you said kiss me that night.” Monty adds in, and Evie chuckles.
“I still can’t believe I got the courage to do that.” She shakes her head, a smile on her face as she looks at her hands in her lap.
“Monty and I made you something, it’s a scrapbook that we hope you use to capture happy moments and then print them off and put them in here.
” Tracing the cover of the book once more, I grasp it and then hold it out for her.
She hesitates for only a moment before she’s up from her seat and grasping it with both of her hands.
Instead of sitting back down where she was, she closes the distance and sits between us.
Monty sits up straight, arm still resting on the back of the couch as he looks over her shoulder and says, “We started the first page for you with the polaroid we got for tonight.”
“Is that the reason you got it?” She asks quietly, her eyes fixated on the book between her fingers.
“It was…one of the reasons we got it.” I tell her, “We did think it was a fun idea for tonight though for the boys to save the memories.”
There’s a moment of silence as Monty and I take Evie in. Her eyes haven’t moved off the scrapbook, and her finger runs from the top to the bottom before she blows out a slow breath and opens it up.
Her hand flies up to cover her mouth as a quick gasp leaves her lips. Her eyes fly back and forth over the four photos across the first page. Then her head snaps up to look at Monty and then to me, her eyes wide and shining with unshed tears.
“Really?” Her voice breaks with the question, and I find myself holding back some of my own tears that have begun to form.
“Yeah little minx, you’re the missing piece we’ve been looking for all these years.” Monty tells her with such honesty that my chest warms with affection. He runs his hand up and down her back as she looks between the two of us a few more times before she finally gives us an answer.
“I’m yours.”
“Happy birthday dear Hayes, Happy birthday to you!” Cheers explode as everyone watches Hayes dive into the smash cake Evie and I made the night before.
Evie is crouched down in front of Hayes, camera in hand as she takes a cascade of photos. Shiloh runs over to Hayes, who offers his big brother some of his cake. Despite the uneasy look on Shiloh's face he still leans forward and pretends to fake eat the offering.
Unfortunately for him, he doesn’t anticipate Hayes bringing his hand forward and smearing it all over his face. Shiloh takes the surprise attack well, and ends up laughing before wiping the smeared cake off his face.
Monty leaves the room and returns with cupcakes for everyone else. I help him pass out the treats, when I approach Evie with one and she shakes her head at me.
“I’m good, thanks. My stomach feels a little off, so I’m trying to watch what I’m eating right now.” She tells me quietly, “I don’t believe I’m sick or anything. I’m due to get my period though, and usually my stomach is off for a day or two before it comes.”
I run my hand down her arm, nodding my head in understanding. “I get it, did you need any pain meds or anti-nausea?” I mentally go through our medicine cabinet, trying to remember if we have either of those or if I need to run out later and grab some for her.
“No, I took anti-nausea before the party. I’ll be fine, I promise.” She assures me before she wiggles the camera up, “I’m going to go around and take a few more pictures before everyone leaves.”