Chapter Fifty-Seven
Grace
EPILOGUE
Part One
Four years later...
"Happy birthday, Noah!" I cried, wrapping my arms around my little brother's small body.
"How old are you now, bud?" Jaxon crouched down on the ground beside him and we watched as Noah began lifting up fingers, trying to figure out his age.
"I'm seven-two!" He cried out in his toddler voice.
I fake gasped, "What? But that would make you older than us!" I looked at Jax in mock horror.
"Jaxon, did you hear that? Noah is older than us!"
Noah looked back and forth between us with wide eyes.
"I am not older than you! I am five!" He shouted finally, holding up six fingers.
I laughed, pushing one finger down. "Yes, you're five! You're a big boy now!"
"I am a big boy!" Noah yelled, jumping on my lap. Those around us laughed good naturedly at the scene. It was Noah's fifth birthday today and everyone was over for his birthday party.
"Be careful buddy, you don't want to hurt your sister!" Jax said, scolding Noah lightly.
"I don't want to hurt the baby!" He cried worriedly, kissing my stomach lightly.
"I love you baby," He whispered to my stomach. I laughed, he was the cutest.
"There you guys are!" Luisana said breathlessly, "we're about to cut the cake. Come on Noah, time to blow out your candles!" Michael joined her at her side and motioned for Noah to come join them.
He ran excitedly over to his Scooby-doo cake and waited impatiently for them to light the candles. Jax extended his hand lovingly to me and I took it as he helped me up.
"I still can't believe you're pregnant," He whispered in my ear happily. His voice gave me shivers and I smiled at him.
I nodded, "I know, it still feels surreal and I've known for three months." I laughed, shaking my head.
I had just told him a few weeks earlier, wanting to make sure that the baby was healthy before I got anyone's hopes up. Miscarriages tended to run in my family.
We walked over to the crowd of our closest family and friends and were stopped by Hattie on our way to the table.
"So you still want to have the ultrasound later today?" She asked us happily.
I nodded, "It's been too long since we've seen him." I smiled.
I had a feeling that it was a boy, but Jaxon had a different opinion.
"You mean her," He corrected, teasing me. "My little princess will be as beautiful as his mother."
I snorted, rolling my eyes. It didn't matter to us what the baby was as long as it was healthy.
"When are we going to tell Aunt Kim and Uncle Pete?" I asked Jax.
They had been away on their second honeymoon for the last six months, touring all across Europe.
"They should be here soon. They don't want to miss Noah's birthday party." He replied.
I nodded as we walked towards everyone. They had finally gotten the candles lit on his birthday cake and I saw Kim and Pete hurrying towards everyone.
Just as we began singing, they reached us and joined in breathlessly. I laughed a little at their red faces and Noah blew out his candles, missing one.
"Oh look Noah, you've got a girlfriend!" I pointed at the candle.
He tried blowing it out again and frowned when it just lit up again.
Jax and I laughed quietly as the others joined in. We had switched out one of his regular candles for a trick candle that would relight every time it was blown out.
"Carly is not my girlfriend!" Noah scowled at a girl who was smiling eagerly at him across the table.
"Yes I am!" She argued back.
"Okay guys, let's just cut the cake," Michael intervened lightly.
The children seemed alright with that and the pieces were handed out.
After cake, we all went to the living room to watch Noah open his presents.
Jaxon and I watched as he opened the present we had gotten him.
"Awesome!" He yelled, looking at us excitedly. He pulled out the kids' acoustic guitar from the box and started singing loudly and plucking random strings. Jax went over and sat with him, showing him some basic notes.
Aunt Kim came over to my side and kissed me on the cheek.
"I'm so glad we're home. We had an amazing time, but I missed you crazy kids." She smiled at me. I motioned for Jax to come over and he nodded, making his way over. He motioned to Pete to come as well, so he curiously tagged along.
I handed Aunt Kim the small bag Jax and I had made for them. "This is a surprise for you and Uncle Pete." I smiled.
She looked at me suspiciously and waved Pete over. "Hurry up, the suspense is killing me!" She cried at him.
"I'm coming, I'm coming," Pete mumbled with a smile.
They pulled the tissue paper out and looked inside, and slowly Aunt Kim brought out the dinner bun I had taped to a magazine clipping of an oven.
She looked at it in confusion and all of a sudden started to scream and jump up and down.
I jumped, shocked and then started to laugh. Pete was still staring at it in confusion and Aunt Kim grabbed Jaxon and I into a tight embrace.
"Oh my god, oh my god!" She yelled, causing Noah to come running over worriedly.
"What's wrong Aunty Kim?" He asked.
"Nothing, everything is perfect!" She was still jumping from foot to foot.
"Pete, for heaven's sake do you not get it yet?" She waved the bun around in the air in exasperation.
He shook his head slowly until realization slowly sunk in.
"Oh, there's a bun in the oven!" He cried, a huge smile breaking over his face.
"You have a bun in the oven!" He repeated again, excitedly, now bouncing as well.
We nodded with huge smiles on our faces.
"When are you due? How far along are you?" Aunt Kim squealed.
"I'm six months along and I'm due August 7th. I'm surprised you didn't notice when you first saw me, I've grown quite a bit." I laughed.
I smiled when Jax wrapped his arms around me from behind, resting his hand on my stomach.
"Oh, he's kicking." I said lightly. Jaxon raised his eyebrows at me as if to say, 'She'. I narrowed my eyes playfully at him.
Aunt Kim practically ran over to me, eyes pleading to let her feel.
I took her hand and put it over my stomach, her eyes went wide and she smiled.
"That was beautiful." She sighed happily. I knew she was never able to have children of her own so I felt sad, but comforted myself when I made a promise to myself to visit her regularly with the baby.
Pete came to stand by Aunt Kim and I took his hand for him to feel as well.
Tears welled in his eyes as he absorbed what he was feeling.
"I can't wait to meet him or her." He smiled, wiping at his eyes. I smiled and kissed them both on the cheek, giving them big hugs.
A while later, Jax and I said our goodbyes and headed back to our home, which was only ten minutes away walking.
When we reached our doorstep, he scooped me up into his arms to carry me over the threshold of our house.
I rolled my eyes, laughing. "We've lived here for two years now, goof."
"And I'll never stop doing it." He kissed my cheek and I grabbed him, pulling him closer to me.
"Not so fast," I teased, bringing him down to my lips.
"I love you." I smiled at him.
"I love you too, Princess." He grinned.
"Well, is it time to go to sleep? You and baby need your beauty rest." Jax winked.
I nodded, "Let's go." I took his hand and we headed up the stairs.
"Oh, Kegan and Kelsey finally booked their wedding date. It's going to be a week after our due date." I said happily; excited two of our best friends were finally tying the knot.
"It's about time, I thought he would never ask." Jax chuckled.
We got ready for bed and laid there, thinking about our future as parents.
"We'll be good parents, right J?" I asked him, worried.
He laughed, "We'll be the best parents we can be."
I nodded, "I guess that's really all we can do."
He leaned over to kiss me tenderly, then moved to kiss my stomach.
"Goodnight my loves." He whispered.
"Goodnight," I whispered back with a grin.