Brenna Jackson is a historical archivist who works at the National Archives in Washington D.C. Currently residing in Alexandria with her husband Henry and daughter Grace.
When the contractions started, Brenna was still in bed. Â It was early and the sky was just turning a pretty shade of pink. Â They started with a great deal of time between them and she wasnât worried. Â It took nearly a whole day before Grace was born and Brenna knew she would have the same sort of contractions again. Â She gritted her teeth through it in the beginning, but things eventually got worse. Â She sucked in a breath and told Henry what was happening. Â In truth, she was lucky he was there. Â She could easily remember when Grace was born and how she had to get to the hospital alone because he was working. Â This time he was there with her through it all.
Minutes turned into hours once Brenna and Henry got to the hospital. Â Contractions ripped through her but eventually they got her set up with an epidural. Â Labor seemed to last for ages but eventually there was progress. Â Brenna could see how excited her husband was as he held her hand and stood beside her in the room. Â Twins were complicated, but during the last ultrasound both babies had been turned. Â If things changed theyâd do a c-section, but for now she was going to do it naturally.
âYouâre doing great, Bre,â Henry murmured as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.
Her body ached and she was exhausted, but she wanted to make it through this. Â She needed to hold her twins. Â Time felt like it was inching by at a snailâs pace, but there was nothing Brenna could do about it. Â The twins would come in their own time. Â Thankfully, that time eventually came to a close. Â Fourteen hours after labor began, Brenna was able to push. Â The epidural numbed her and made the pain bearable but even still she crushed her husbandâs hand as she pushed with each contraction.
âAlmost,â the doctor said. Â âThe first baby is crowning.â
That encouragement helped push Brenna on. Â It was hard work but she didnât have a choice. Â Their family had been through so much in the last year. Â It was time they had something happy happen in their life. Â Thankfully, that something was the birth of her twins.
âYouâre almost there,â Henry murmured while the doctor encouraged her. Â It was hard work but finally the doctor smiled and Henry beamed. Â âThere he is, Bre,â Henry told her when the first twin was born. Â The moment he started crying, Brennaâs eyes tracked the tiny baby as he was handed off to nurses to clean him up.
âCharlie,â Brenna murmured as she watched the nurse clean up her son.
Henry nodded, âYeah. Â Heâs beautiful.â
However, their tender moment didnât last very long before Brennaâs contractions returned. Twenty minutes ticked by and Brenna pushed and pushed through the pain until finally the second twin was born. Â Just like his brother, Carter wailed as the nurses cleaned him up. Â Brenna couldnât help but smile lazily at her boys while they were cleaned and she felt herself relax. Â Her boys were born. Â They were healthy and happy, or so it seemed. Â
âYou did it,â Henry murmured as Brenna sagged back against the pillows. Â âI knew you could.â
Looking up at him, the redhead smiled. Â âI love you,â she told her husband before the nurses brought over the twins. Â Charlie was placed in Brennaâs arms and Carter was placed in Henryâs. Â The two babies had stopped crying, but even still, Brenna couldnât pull her gaze away from them. Â They were so small with their perfect little noses and little wisps of ginger hair on their heads.
âI love you too,â Henry replied as he shifted his son in his arms. Â âTheyâre both beautiful.â
Brenna smiled at her husband after kissing Charlieâs forehead. Â âThey are, but promise me one thing.â Â When Henry quirked his eyebrow in a questioning way, she smiled and continued. Â âNo more kids for awhile.â
âIt really is beautiful. Iâd forgotten how incredible it could be. I havenât been here in years.' Jason glanced at the young woman, and then around at the halls. ââYears'?â he echoed. âI've never been. Do you live in D.C., or are you on vacation?â
He tilted his head in response to her question:Â Yes. The tour tottered along at a slow, steady pace, stopping every so often, and he paused to study something and take a short drink of champagne. He never drank, but heâd been taking a little more comfort than usual in it lately. It dulled the lonely ache in his chest.
âShe was so kind to remind me my social life will completely disappear after I give birth.' Give birth. Jason withheld a cringe. It was not a terribly complaisant phrase, and rarely used in the company of strangers. The prude in him squared his shoulders and let out a short laugh. âNo kidding,â he said. âYou have to get your kicks while you still can.â
'What brought you here?' Jason eyed the man near them, whoâd been steadily mingling closer and dragging his wife with him. He tugged on her dress sleeve and pointed again. Jason pointedly looked at a statue. âI thought itâd be nice to get away from the noise and cameras for a night,â he said, thoughtfully, a small smile on his face. âPractice got cancelled today, but I didnât really want to spend time with my team. They go to this baseballers-only kinda bar in D.C., I guess, I havenât been.â He shrugged and glanced down at the woman. âCoasting alone seemed like fun for once, without all the attention.âÂ
As the man got ever nearer, Jason stepped to the womanâs other side and thought, The bar might have been a better idea, though. "Your mother works here? Does she actually get to touch the stuff?"Â
âI live in Alexandria,â Brenna explained. Â âI just tend to spend most of my time working when Iâm in D.C. Â I work at the National Archives so I donât usually have time to trade in one museum for another.â Â She chuckled then and reached up to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. Â âI spent a lot of time here when I was growing up thought. Â It was one of my favorite places. There is just so much to see.â Â Of course, Brenna knew a lot about the various things in the museum. Â History was, after all, her specialty. Â That didnât make it any less interesting though.
Brenna was silent as she listened to him speak of his reasons for having come. Â It surprised her and then she put the logo on his jacket to his profession. Â She was not a sports person and would not have recognized him as anything more than a fan in a team jacket. Â She was fairly certain Henry had one or two from various teams heâd picked up throughout the years so she didnât even bat an eyelash at it. Â âOh, wow,â she murmured. Â âThis is definitely a quieter pace than that is.â
Brenna had not noticed the man and his wife coming towards them until she saw her companion glance in their direction. Â Her gaze tracked his across the room towards them and her brow furrowed. Â She couldnât understand why men got so excited about sports, but then again she knew that if she had a chance to meet Justin Timberlake, her eighteen-year-old self would have a heart attack. Â âYeah, she does get to touch the stuff,â Brenna chuckled as the thoughts of fame were pushed from Brennaâs mind. Â âItâs one of the perks of working somewhere with incredible things.â Â She definitely would know. Â After all, she had access to those sensitive and special things too, just at a different sort of museum.
'Itâs just impossible to get comfortable when I try to sleep. Youâd think youâd get used to it, but you really donât.' As Marisol wheeled her cart forward down the aisle, careful to leave enough room for Brenna and her own, she offered a nod and a sympathetic smile. âYou should try for a maternity belt, if you havenât already! Theyâre incredibly helpful, especially during your final trimester. Pillows are a God-send, too. Between your knees, under your belly, beneath your back - anywhere and everywhere you might need the support, theyâre such a help.â
Marisol admired the other woman; preparing for twins had to be a great strain and incredibly time consuming. âI canât imagine thatâs been too easy,â she replied, glancing to her new friend. âI had to constantly be on the move while I was on maternity leave. Cleaning the apartment, visiting family, crafts; sitting still was not an option,â a light laugh left her, lifting her saddened spirits somewhat. She listened carefully as Brenna spoke of her family, glad to hear about her support system. âThatâs fun! Does your other sibling have any children? Or, do you have any cousins?â
Thankfully, it seemed, through the holiday rush, that the register lines werenât too terribly long. Marisol directed her cart into a lane with three people ahead of her, waving for Brenna to follow suit. âLooks like we picked the luckiest day to go shopping,â she observed with a grin. Glancing back, she spotted Brennaâs little girl with her teddy bear; it warmed her heart to know what a wonderful mother the redhead was.
Eyes grazing back to her own cart, they skimmed the food items within the cart. Curiously, she turned back to the other woman. âWhat is it your family usually makes for Christmas dinner? I think my mother is trying to shake things up and try something new and Iâve been looking for a new dish for a few weeks now.â
Marisolâs advice was wonderful and she tucked it away into the back of her mind. Â âPillows are a godsend, youâre right about that.â Â Brenna had several on the bed to help her get comfortable. Â It was getting to the point that there wouldnât be room for Henry in bed if she wasnât careful. Â Then again, Brenna knew her husband would be more than willing to make it work for her. Â They agreed to have a family a long time ago. Â It was something they both wanted even before they got married. Â They waited years before having Grace so Henry could be done with his residency and now they were finally having their family. Â He wanted it as much as she did. Â âIâll have to try a maternity belt though. Â I didnât really have this problem when I was pregnant with Grace. Â I honestly didnât even start really looking pregnant until about seven months when I was having her. Â Thatâs the benefit of being tall, I guess.â
Brenna wheeled her cart to follow Marisol and she nodded. Â âThere is no rest during this time of your life. Â There is always something that needs to get done before the baby is born. Â Itâs chaos. Â As much as I love this little munchkin,â Brenna said before poking her daughterâs belly, which earned a laugh from the little girl, âshe adds to the chaos.â Â Life was chaos in general. Â It had nothing to do with having children or a big family. Â There was just always something happening. Â âMy brother has three sons,â Brenna explained. âTheyâre seven, five, and two.â Â She chuckled to herself as she thought about her nephews and how chaotic they made Aaronâs life. âMy sister doesnât have any kids. Â What about you? Â Any siblings or cousins with kids?"
Quickly and quietly, Brenna took a mental inventory of what was in her cart. Â She needed to have everything on her list or sheâd be back to the store before she knew it. Â âWe did luck out,â she replied. Â It was true. Â They could have ended up in a much longer line waiting to check out. Â Shopping during the holidays was almost always a nightmare, after all. Â âIt could have been a lot worse.â Â Once she pulled her cart up behind Marisolâs, Brenna smiled. Â âOh, we usually have ham for Christmas Dinner. Â Thatâs been the go-to staple for as long as I can remember. Â Ham, potatoes, vegetables; the usual staples,â she chuckled. Â âThough the potatoes my mother makes are incredible. Â What about your family?â
âMama!"
Brenna suddenly looked down, her daughterâs tone having pulled her from her thoughts. Â âWhat is it, lovebug?â Â Grace gestured and whimpered, which only took a moment for Brenna to realize the little girl had dropped her bear into the lower part of the cart. Â âYouâve gotta hold on to him carefully. Â You could lose him,â she murmured before grabbing the bear, handing it back to her daughter, and turning her attention to Marisol once more. Â âSorry about that.â
so i owe everyone apologizes for being such a flake lately. my wrist has been giving me a lot of problems lately and my mom thinks it's the beginning of carpel tunnel syndrome. she's had surgery for that before so she knows the signs. Â basically i'm trying to ease up on the amount of typing i do which is part of the reason both brenna and lex are on semi-hiatus right now. Â i'm wearing a brace on and off for my wrist. Â i will get to my replies, i promise. Â it's just slow going.
that said, i'm still open for plotting if you don't mind my snail-like pace as of late. Â brenna is about to have her twins (in like 2 weeks) so she's fairly miserable and pregnant and huge so she's crabby. Â that's a rare state of mind for brenna. Â lex is a lot happier and more easy going. Â i'm open to things with either of them, just let me know :D
i owe marisol and jj on brenna. Â i'm not sure who i owe on lex except plotting with willow. Â i feel like i'm forgetting something on lex tho. Â maybe kieren? Â i'll figure it out.
'Weâre very excited but it is a little overwhelming.' Marisol nodded in understanding. A normal pregnancy had the potential to be incredibly overwhelming; twins, she imagined, were much more so. âI am due in February. I honestly canât wait to have them. I thought being pregnant with Grace was miserable. This is so much worse.â A second sympathetic smile plastered itself to her lips whilst she listened, twitching at the corners of her mouth. âOh, I completely understand, it certainly can be an overwhelming progress. How are you handling it? Iâm so sorry to hear that itâs been difficult for you, though. Angel was such an easy pregnancy, I definitely got lucky.â
Though miserable as a pregnancy could be, Marisol counted Brenna undoubtedly lucky for the involvement of her husband. Not every woman was fortunate enough to have a loving partner, nor medical access; it warmed her heart to hear it from her new friend. She laughed lightly. âA worried husband is better than nothing, Iâd say. Itâs so nice to hear that heâs that committed to helping you and learning about the process! Having your own personal medical professional is incredibly beneficial. I know having my mother around when I was with Angel was such a help,â she recalled.
"What else have you been doing with your time off?" she asked, head tilted to the side. Her own maternity leave had been full of upcycling in mass amounts and long television marathons. Cheerful, she thought sadly, attempting not to crack her happy facade. Not this Christmas. "Do you have a big family yourself or do you usually keep the gatherings small? I know not every family has the chance to be together all at once."
Marisolâs eyes cast themselves briefly towards the direction of the registers; her small list crossed off on the pad sitting inside of the cart. âSpeaking of family, though, Iâm actually supposed to meet with my mother in a little bit. Can we walk and talk?â she asked with a smile. âIf youâre finished, that is! I donât mean to rush you or anything,â she quickly added, chuckling softly.
Brenna felt bad for complaining about her pregnancy to Marisol. She did love having children. She felt so connected to them and it was wonderful, but at the same time she felt huge. It was next to impossible for her to get comfortable in bed so she could sleep. With Grace it hadnât been as hard, but there had only been one baby. She had been much smaller. Everything was easier with one baby. This hadnât been planned either, so it made things complicated. Brenna and Henry had talked about a second child shortly before he was diagnosed with his heart condition, but once they found out they decided to wait until after he recovered from surgery. Fate just had different plans for them. âItâs just impossible to get comfortable when I try to sleep. Youâd think youâd get used to it, but you really donât.â
She nodded at the mention of family. It was a huge help having Henry there and able to give her medical insight into things. Of course there were just some medical things she didnât want to share with her husband. It would make things awkward, but that was why she had an OBGYN too. Henry couldnât possibly know everything that she would need throughout the course of her pregnancy. He could learn it, of course, but she also knew that wasnât his job. âItâs definitely a huge help,â she replied with a slight nod.
âOh I havenât been doing much,â she replied with a slight chuckle. âJust getting ready for the twins.â Brenna was doing a lot of things around the house to make sure that everything was ready for when the twins came and life became that much more hectic for them. Overall, it was fairly boring and she didnât think it would be worth telling Marisol much about those things. âMy family is decent sized. I have two siblings and my brother has three sons,â she explained. Everyone came over because everyone still lived in Alexandria. Staying close to home did have its advantages. After all, she and Henry had met here when they were kids. Why would they want to leave a place that had so many memories? She couldnât even think of a reason why she would want to do something like that.
However, when Marisol brought up walking and talking, Brenna nodded. She had everything she needed. Unfortunately it seemed as though Grace would be getting that Christmas bear but she could think of worse things her daughter could have gotten attached to. If she tried taking it away now it would only end in a temper tantrum. That was best to be avoided while in the middle of the store. âIâve got everything I need,â she told Marisol. âWalking and talking seems fine.â She hadnât made a list and mentally wracked her brain to try and figure out if she was missing anything she had needed. Her gaze fell to the cart quickly as she looked over the contents. Everything she needed looked like it was there. Clearly there was no point in wasting any more time, especially if Marisol had somewhere to be.
It was a rare evening off for Jason; no work, no season training, no volunteerism. Vinny was working overtime on his film; every extra second of work meant another second of consideration at the thing getting a Golden Globe. So Jason found himself quite stunningly alone on a Monday night, of all things, wondering what to do with himself.
Slipping into a museum solo had seemed a fun idea at the time; Jason hadnât wanted to look his now former teammates in the face now that he had officially upgraded to the Major Leagues, his name splashed on every newspaper and ESPN channel independently of them. Now that he no longer played for Potomac, he found it hard to call them for parties and menâs nights like he used to. He was a defector. A betrayer. It was an awfully lonely feeling.
Jason lingered in the middle-front of his particular tour group, clad in his new Washington Nationals team jacket and dark jeans. It already had his name on it, a guilty enough crime. He scuffed his shoe on the floor and immediately stopped as it made a loud screaming sound on the spotless marble. Nearby, a man sporting a Nationals sweater was elbowing his wife and pointing at Jason excitedly. He looked the other way, a flush creeping into his cheeks.
As the tour began to crawl ahead, there was a nudge at his middle back, and he looked around to make space. âSorry about that.' A slender, but obviously pregnant woman was looking back at him. He tilted his head forward in a lazy greeting. âI'm good, no damage done,â he said, looking forward again, a trace of a grin following him. âThis place is gorgeous, isn't it? You here for the tour?âÂ
A server slid by with a tray of champagne and he swiped a glass, holding it for a generous few seconds before taking a sip.
Brenna smiled at the man once he spoke. He seemed kind enough and Brenna was grateful for that. Given her condition she had become quite a bit clumsier. Her center of gravity shifted as her belly grew and she couldnât wait until her boys were born. Maybe then her life would get back to normal, or at least as normal as things could be when you had three children under the age of two. It would be chaos but chaos she could handle as long as Henry was there to help her out. âIt is really beautiful. Iâd forgotten how incredible it could be,â she gushed with a smile as she reached up to tuck a lock of ginger hair behind her ear. âI havenât been here in years.â It was true. Now that she had her own life there was little reason for Brenna to visit her mother at work.
âI am here for the tour thought,â she added after a brief pause. âAre you?â She assumed that he was. Most of the people in the museum were there for the tour. Glancing around the room she thought she could tell who were the tourists trying to escape the lard crowds during the day and who were the locals doing the same thing. After all, even though the locals lived around all the incredible places, they rarely took the time to enjoy them. There were always too many crowds demanding all of the time and space.
She couldnât help but glance at his champagne and sigh ruefully. It had been a long time since Brenna had been able to drink. Of course, she had never been a heavy drinker. She drank in social situations, like this tour. However, her pregnancy made that impossible. Truth be told she had sworn off alcohol and caffeine before she got pregnant with her daughter. After having her she only had a few drinks before she was pregnant again. Thankfully the twins would be the last for a long time, if they werenât the last ones. âMy mother works here and reminded me about the tours,â Brenna said. âShe was so kind to remind me my social life will completely disappear after I give birth.â A laugh fell from her lips then and she smiled. âWhat brought you here?â
'About seven months. Itâs twins actually. And theyâre both boys.' Marisolâs face lit up at the news. âTwins, oh, how exciting for the both of you! And two boys - youâll definitely have your hands full, but I promise youâll adore every second of it.â It had certainly been an experience handling a pregnancy with one child, she couldnât possibly imagine a pregnancy with two. âThe wait isnât too long, there, either; seven months. You should be due in February, then, right? What a perfect set of Valentineâs gifts.â
It had been true, to an extent, with her siblings at least. âWell, my motherâs a doctor in D.C., she works at the Providence Hospital. She understands my medical jargon and terms, but my father and siblings tend to tune it out and give us their disapproving looks. Having medical professionals in the family can definitely come in handy, though; Iâm sure having Henry around has made things a little bit easier on you.â It was a story she knew well, her siblings often came to she and her mother for their health advice and council.
"Oh, good! Iâm sure that has to make things a little less stressful." Marisol had her own lucky stars to thank for the good terms she and William were on; his parents were incredibly helpful with Angel as well. Her smile grew wider as Brenna spoke of she and Graceâs baking adventures. "Iâm sure sheâs a perfect little helper," she laughed, adjusting her weight at the cart. "Having so much time off for maternity leave can be hard. With her around Iâm sure itâs been much more enjoyable for you. She might not remember everything, but bonding time is incredibly important."
'What about you, Marisol? Do you have any big Christmas plans?' A pang of sadness once more sank within her chest. Refusing to allow her sorrow show, however, she continued to put on a smile. âOf course! Weâre all, my siblings and cousins and I, going to my parents house for dinner and bonding time. Thereâs about thirty or so of us, so itâs always a production, but if we werenât busy and cramped, it wouldnât be the holidays.â
The laugh that fell from Brennaâs lips was unintentional, but genuine. She was slightly nervous about becoming a mother of three overnight. She was even more nervous about the fact that she was having two sons. As if they somehow sensed her anxiety, Brenna felt them kicking so she pressed her palm into her belly in a poor attempt to sooth them. âWeâre very excited but it is a little overwhelming,â she admitted. Considering they hadnât even been trying for a second child the pregnancy alone was a shock. The fact that it was twins merely multiplied that surprise. âI am due in February. I honestly canât wait to have them. I thought being pregnant with Grace was miserable. This is so much worse.â She was constantly struggling to get any sleep since she couldnât get comfortable in the bed. Her ankles swelled and her back hurt. Grace had been an easy pregnancy, this was a nightmare.â
It seemed that Marisolâs family could understand her medical jargon in a way that Brenna couldnât for Henry. Sometimes she felt bad for not understanding what he had been talking about, but there was only so much she could do. âHaving Henry around definitely has helped,â Brenna replied. He made it easier to figure some of the minor things out. âI think he read everything he could get his hands on about pregnancy when he shouldnât have. It just makes him worry.â She could remember how he worried about even the smallest things when she was pregnant with Grace. Heâd calmed down some, but carrying twins gave him a whole new set of things to worry about.
Brenna nodded in response to the comments about Grace. The little girl was a fantastic helper. âYes, itâs been really nice to have some time to get her ready for the new arrivals.â Just spending some time as a family was a good thing that Brenna truly enjoyed, if she was being honest with herself. She loved it. There were a lot of things that Brenna loved. That was only one of them. Another was hearing things that were good for other people, so hearing about Marisolâs plans for Christmas definitely put a smile on her face. âWell it seems like youâll have a lot of fun,â Brenna told her. âItâs always great when you can get together with your family for the holidays. It just makes everything seem more cheerful.â
He couldnât help the delighted expression that spread across his features when he realized who it was across from him. Although their first meeting had exactly put them on the right foot, Kieren had found it hilariously amusing conversing with her. She was the type of woman whose personality matched her hair, the results being very entertaining for someone like him.Â
"Well," he said slowly, "It wasnât just the hitting on. It was also more of the insulting that followed when he tried to be all tough⊠Although, In my defense, his girlfriend never said she was taken and she didnât look pleased when her boyfriend appeared soâŠ" He trailed off with a shrug.Â
Brenna listened while he told her about what had happened. Â She could understand why he was amused, and could also understand why he was in trouble. Â That didn't make him deserve it but guys could be very weird about their girlfriends. Â She could remember all too well how jealous Henry got when she had a group project with one of the guys in her one of her classes back at Stanford. Â They'd only been dating for a few months and it was always harder when relationships were new.
"Adding insult to injury was probably the biggest mistake," She told him before smiling. Â "Granted, she might have been bating you in the hopes of making him jealous." Â Brenna didn't think she needed to explain why a girl would do something like that. Â After all, most guys knew jealousy was attractive to women. Â It made them feel like they were desirable.
The night tours at the Smithsonian were always a fun night. Brenna had been home from college for the summer the first time she went on one and it had been a long time since she did. The Smithsonian was like a home away from home for her, or at least it had been when she was growing up. Now she hadnât been there in a long time. Her mother, who worked in the Natural History Museum, had been the one to encourage Brenna to take this chance for herself. She was, after all, pregnant with twins. Once her boys were born she knew her social life would be taking a nosedive. That was not something that anyone ever wanted but it did happen from time to time. Brenna definitely didnât regret her children so she could gladly make the exchange, even if it would mean more time helping children and less time holding adult conversations. She was too maternal not to want that.
Henry was working a late shift and Brennaâs sister agreed to watch Grace for the night, so Brenna went to the museum. There was no point in wasting a little bit of free time and having a little fun before her life became a whirlwind of crying babies and dirty diapers. Granted, both of those things still happened with her twenty-month-old daughter, but they were working on it. Once inside the museum, Brenna found herself walking down memory lane. A lot had changed since the last time she had been there several years previous, but that didnât matter. The memories were still there and so were the feelings she had felt as she did so. It was good. This museum was what got her interested in history as a kid. It was why she had the career she did, so she owed a lot to her mom for putting up with her nerdy daughter hanging around her work all the time.
Brenna found herself to be quite enjoying herself once things got going. She smiled and found herself mingling with people of various walks of life before the tour began. She couldnât help but wonder what had made some of the people there decide to go on a night tour. Surely they all had different stories to tell, just like Brenna had her stories of growing up with her mother working at the museum. It was exciting. She loved learning about people. It was so fun for her, and her mother had been right about needing to take some time for herself to do things she enjoyed before the twins were born. After they came nothing would be the same again. It was both a terrifying and exciting thought.Â
Brenna was moving through the small crowd, but with her pregnant belly it wasnât easy. She slipped past a few people then bumped into another. âWhoops,â she murmured. âSorry about that.â She was sorry. Brenna wasnât clumsy, but when you were pregnant things changed. âAre you alright?â She looked at the man and smiled softly. âIâd hate to cause any trouble.â She knew there were a lot of things she could have gotten into like knocking over a display or something of the sort. At least this wasnât something quite so drastic.
idk that's what's going on. Â worst case scenario i'll try to have everything replies to by the end of the weekend. Â i just really need to pull myself out of this funk.
'Boys at that age can definitely be interesting.' Interesting was the understatement of the century. Though rowdy and messy, Angelâs curious and artistic nature made him a phenomenally enchanting little breath of fresh air. Marisol adored her sonâs stubborn attitude and wildly passionate heart. âOh, little boys arenât so bad. And with as well behaved as this sweetheart here seems to be, I seriously doubt youâll have too much trouble on your hands.â
Her eyes traveled from the babbling child in the cart to Brennaâs swollen belly, attention caught by the movement of her new friendâs hand. âHow far along are you?â she asked with a smile, curiosity chasing her sadness away momentarily. Pregnancy was such an exciting experience. âI canât imagine youâd have much longer to go; how exciting! Do you know what the sex of the baby is yet, or are you two waiting to find out until the big day?â
She listened carefully to the ground rules Brenna listed, harboring a complete understanding for each of them. There were certainly things that werenât nice to share; client death, for one. Not every aspect of lending a helping hand had a bright side. âOh, Iâm sure the medical jargon is enough to give anyone outside of the hospital a headache,â she laughed, offering a sympathetic smile. âWith my family, at least, if I start to use terms that they donât understand, they shoot me the most annoyed looks.â
"That sounds incredible. Two Christmasâ should be exciting for for the little one." William celebrated the holiday much similarly; one day at his parentâs house, the next day at his wifeâs. Angel had three Christmasâ, on a good year; unconventional, though not unfortunate. As long as he was happy, she could deal with losing him for a day. "And next year youâll have your hands full with your own group of children."
Hearing that little boys werenât so bad was definitely reassuring for Brenna. Aaron had three sons so she had that experience with her nephews but that wasnât the same as having sons of her own. âWell thatâs good to know.â In a few months sheâd have two of them and that was an overwhelming thought, but she didnât dwell on it. They were making progress. They moved into a bigger house in October and things were all settled in now. All they needed to do was finish preparing Grace to become a big sister.Â
âAbout seven months,â Brenna replied when Marisol asked how far along she was. It was not long after the accident that Brenna got pregnant and now here she was. In truth, she was surprised Henry hadnât plastered the sex of the baby or the fact that it was twins all over the hospital. Heâd been through the roof when they had those ultrasounds, even if the twins were a big surprise. âItâs twins actually,â Brenna explained with a soft smile. âAnd theyâre both boys.â She chuckled then. âIâm surprised Henry didnât scream it from the hospital roof after we found out.â
Whenever Brenna thought about her boys or Grace she couldnât help but smile. Being a mother was one of the most important things in the world for her. She loved her children and fiercely protected them. The fact that she shared them with the love of her life just made things that much easier for her. âI think thatâs something the families of all medical professionals have in common,â Brenna commented about Marisolâs story. Most people not involved in it couldnât handle all the terms. It was frustrating, even if having a doctor in the family did come in handy.
âWe definitely will have our hands full next Christmas. Thank God that my parents and Henryâs parents are both more than willing to help out.â Henryâs sister didnât have kids so their children were his parentsâ only grandchildren. That was a special bond and it made them more than willing to help out with the kids. Brenna was more than grateful for that. Once the twins were born theyâd definitely need all the help they could get. âIt will be fun though. Iâve been baking and Grace has been trying to help.â How much help an eighteen month old could be with Christmas cookies was limited, but she still made an adorable mess of the frosting. âWe want to make it special for her since itâs her last Christmas as an only child. I know she wonât remember much but still.â She paused then added, âWhat about you, Marisol? Do you have any big Christmas plans?â
His boss was trying to get him caught. That was the only explanation he could think of as his heart pounded against his ribs and his breath came out in short gasps. Kieren threw himself upward, his fingers grasping the top of the brick wall, and with a growl he pushed himself up and over the wall, landing lightly on the other side before taking off again. He knew that would keep the officer busy for a least a little bit. Quickly he stripped off the hoody he had on, transferring the money had gotten in his deal to his wallet, before throwing the hoody into a nearby garbage can. He thanked any deity that might exist that it was night and that neither the police officer nor his client had really seen his face.Â
With another glance behind him he slipped into a local cafe and took a seat in the nearest booth. A sheepish grin overtook his features as he raised his eyes and saw someone else sitting across from him in the obviously already taken booth. âIâm sorry.â he said quickly, his breathing still coming out in uneven increments. âI didnât realize this booth was taken and⊠â he paused to peek around the side of the booth, â⊠I was running from a guy whose girlfriend I might have been hitting on at a bar⊠poor judgment on my part, Iâm fully aware.âÂ
Brenna was into her seventh month of pregnancy and she was miserable. Â She couldn't remember feeling like this with Grace, but there had only been one baby then. Â This was twins. Â Henry got home late from a shift and she could see the exhaustion on his face. Â She'd been craving pie for three hours but once he got home she didn't have the heart to send him back out. Â Instead, she kissed him and told him Grace was asleep before going to get pie on her own.
'Oh, well, that explains it. I owe you a great deal of thanks.' Marisol waved off her new acquaintanceâs thanks with a fervent smile. While gratitude was greatly appreciated, her interests were far beyond them. She adored her work for the aspects of lending helping hands to those in need of it; to offer aid in times of peril. Thank youâs were nice and well, though never her goal or desire. âI appreciate it, really, but your good health is all that matters.â
She fixed an adoring eye on Brennaâs child in the cart, still clutching tightly to the teddy bear from the shelf. âSheâs absolutely precious. With such a beautiful name, too. I remember when mine was that little. I have a son,â she explained, voice colored with a hint of sadness, âheâs five now, and heâs very insistent that heâs no longer a baby and too old for stuffed animals.â She laughed softly whilst she spoke, shaking her head. âMake sure to enjoy it while it lasts, it really does go by so fast.â
In the seven long months since the accident, Marisol had fortunately been doing incredibly well. While boring to report, good news was always better than no news, and no news better than bad news. Her only complaint as of late was the absence of her son this Christmas season; and really, there was no use bringing the mood down by bringing it up. âI canât complain too loudly, you know. I think you have a pretty good idea of how the work has been,â she grinned, âIâm sure your husband tells you all about it.â
"What do you two have planned for the holidays?" It had always been fascinating to hear otherâs holiday traditions. She rested her arms atop the bar of her cart, retaining a more comfortable position as she listened and waited.
Meeting new people was something that Brenna was incredibly fond of. Marisol was not exactly a new person, but still they were getting to know each other and that was something she enjoyed. After all, Brenna was friendly despite her quiet nature. When she was a child it had been a problem but now she was content. College and Henry managed to bring her out of her shell more than she ever anticipated. It was nice. âI think my husband would say the same thing about my health,â Brenna chuckled. She could remember how heartsick Henry had been when she came to after her surgery. It was sad seeing how much her near death experience affected him.
âI have a nephew who is five,â Brenna replied after Marisol spoke of her son. âBoys at that age can definitely be interesting. I donât know how my brother handles them, but I suppose heâll have to give me a few pointers soon enough.â Brennaâs hand rested on the bump of her belly then while one of the twins kicked her. The smile on her lip widened then and Grace continued to babble to the bear in the cart.Â
At the mention of Henry, Brenna nodded. âHe does tell me about work but we have some ground rules. There are some things I just donât want to know, and he has to leave the medical terms at the hospital,â she chuckled. When he was in medical school, Brenna had helped him study and that was more than enough medical terms than she would ever need. Needless to say, Brenna was more than grateful when he finally got done with med school.Â
âBoth of our families are in town,â she murmured in response to the question about the holidays. âWeâre going to my parents house on Christmas Eve and his parents on Christmas Day.â Their families got along so well the might as well have had one big family Christmas, but with Brennaâs pregnancy and Henryâs job they didnât have enough time to organize something at their house for both of their families. âIt should be fun.  Between Grace and my nephews itâs really easy to see how magical children find Christmas time.â
Guys always seem to be too busy when it comes to shopping, especially around the holidays. My brother somehow manages to do all of his shopping Christmas eve, and then wonders why he canât find what he really wants. Very true, most of the time I find myself ignoring them and wondering if I was that annoying when I was their age.
Honestly, we've been married for ten years so outside of his present for me, I just pick up the things he wants to get for the people he needs gifs for since I'm at the store anyway. Â I guess it's just a communication thing and it works for us. Â Ah well, when I was there age I was probably buried in a book somewhere so I don't think that helps me figure them out at all.
It hadnât surprise Marisol that the woman didnât recognized her. She had been too busy fighting for her life to pay much attention those those making sure that fight had been successful. There had been previous encounters with patients outside of the hospital similar in situation; she knew them, but they had no clue who she was. Marisol took it in stride. To see them at all meant that she had done her job successfully.
"We have met, but not formally, or in any decent capacity," she started to explain, tone light and soft. "Iâd honestly be surprised if you had. I was a paramedic on scene, back in May, when you two were in that awful wreck. I work at the same hospital as your husband, I remember him there that night; Iâd heard him talk about you before." It had been an incredible whirlwind of calamity, one she was grateful to see had turned out for the best.
It warmed her heart to see the two of them in such fine shape after the incident. Even moreso to see that Brenna was with child. To have bounced back from, if she recalled correctly, a punctured lung, several cracked ribs, and a broken arm; it brought a smile to her lips. âIt really is fantastic to see you doing so well. This cutie, too,â she grinned, looking to the little one in the cart, holding on to a stuffed Christmas teddy bear. She looked like a complete angel.
Angel. It made her heart ache to think of her own son. Not now, she thought. She could save the sadness for a later time, after sheâd managed to leave the store. Realizing she had yet to introduce herself by name, she reached out to offer her hand, âIâm Marisol, by the way.â
Brenna was silent as Marisol explained how they knew each other, and once she had the redheadâs eyes widened. Besides Henry and the police, she had not really talked to anyone who had been there that night. âOh, well, that explains itâ she said dumbly before chuckling. âI owe you a great deal of thanks.â Brenna did not like to think about her car accident, but she survived. 2014 had not been the best year for she or Henry, but now it was drawing to a close and she made it through. âWe both do,â she murmured before casting a quick glance at her daughter who was still enchanted by the bear in her arms.
âItâs a pleasure to meet you, Marisol.â Brenna smiled at her and relaxed slightly now that she knew why the woman seemed somewhat familiar. Despite not remembering, knowing the truth gave her a sense of ease. âYou already know my name,â she chuckled, âand this little one is Grace.â Brenna wasnât sure if she knew or remembered Graceâs name so it seemed logical to introduce the little bundle of energy.
She was genuinely curious about this woman who helped to save her life. Despite wracking her brain, Brenna couldnât remember if Henry ever mentioned her. However, it didnât matter. âI hope youâve been doing well and are having a happy holidays,â Brenna murmured as she smiled at the other woman. This was the season of giving and being grateful for what you had. Brenna was grateful for her life and this woman played a role in that. She honestly didnât think it would be possible to thank Marisol enough for the part she played. Any other outcome of that accident would have been unimaginable.Â
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